Need advice for Sept. 4th-Sept. 11th 2010! (Kind of long sorry)

[Melissa<3Disney]

Hey all you knowledgeable DISers out there!! I have a couple questions regarding our vacation for next year. Here is the background story...We were going to go to WDW in March from the 26th-April 3rd for my brother's spring break. My DBF and I are paying for ourselves, my parents, my brother and my sister to go. In total we have about a group of 7-10 going. We were just going to go down and rent a vacation house for the week and eat offsite. Well now we find out that our work schedules are conflicting with that week, we also got hit with a couple medical bills that have set us back a little financially. So we have decided to push our trip back to Sept. 4th-Sept. 11th. Well to make a long story short I'm just wondering how this time of year is! I know how it is weather wise, because I used to live in Orlando (oh how I miss it!!). I am really just wondering about crowds. Labor day is Sept. 6th so our vacation starts that weekend. How was it this year?!

The good thing about going in Sept. of course is that it will be a little less expensive so we are hoping to stay onsite. (Our first time ever!!!) We were thinking of maybe getting a couple rooms at a value. Does that sound like a good idea? Also what are the chances that Free Dining will be going on at this time? We are a big family and I think it would be really great for us!! Especially since none of us have eaten at any TS restaurants at Disney! With Free Dining do you get to chose from anything on the menu at the select restaurants? Or do you choose from a set menu?

Thank you all so much for your advice! Also any extra words of wisdom are much appreciated!!

[meriface11]

our annual trip is Labor Day week. we usually arrive the day after Labor Day to avoid any of the long weekend crowds, and northern schools usually go back to school after Labor Day.

the weather is HOT, but the crowds are pretty low. They have offered free dining during this period every year since 2005, so it's probably safe to say that they will do it again this year--it is usually announced around March. They usually publish a list of the restaurants that participate in the DDP around the beginning of the year. For most restaurants, the DDP includes any entree and dessert on the menu, but there are a few select places that have restrictions (e.g. at teppan edo, you can only order hibachi for the DDP, and it does not include sushi dinners).

[Melissa<3Disney]

Thanks so much for your reply! Hopefully we will see you guys there!!

[marie1203]

We were there this year at that time. Labor day weekend was a little more crowed that the rest of the days but still wasn't bad. Crowds everywhere else where great the most we had to wait was 20 min for soarin'. We rode Splash Mt 6 times with no wait, there was never the need of fast pass.

[pooch]

Originally Posted by meriface11

our annual trip is Labor Day week. we usually arrive the day after Labor Day to avoid any of the long weekend crowds, and northern schools usually go back to school after Labor Day.

the weather is HOT, but the crowds are pretty low. They have offered free dining during this period every year since 2005, so it's probably safe to say that they will do it again this year--it is usually announced around March. They usually publish a list of the restaurants that participate in the DDP around the beginning of the year. For most restaurants, the DDP includes any entree and dessert on the menu, but there are a few select places that have restrictions (e.g. at teppan edo, you can only order hibachi for the DDP, and it does not include sushi dinners).

DD & I will be on our annual trip 9/5 -9/11. Where in CT are you?

[Cee]

We were there Sept. 6-11 this year(arrived the Sunday before Labor Day) and it was hot as HADES but the parks were very quiet. We didn't wait for anything, just walked right on. It was great!