Crowds with Free Dining??? - The DIS Discussion Forums

Martindis2006 · 11-22-2009, 10:38 PM

Can anyone tell me how the crowds have been in the parks and if dinner reservations are close to running on time with the free dining they are offering?

quantumottle · 11-22-2009, 11:23 PM

Still too early to tell, until the week after Thanksgiving. It seems there are several reports of the this past week being very slow in the parks however.

RMulieri · 11-23-2009, 07:14 AM

Traditionally park crowds are not awful.Restaurants are quite busy.I find that earlier adrs ( like earliest dinners) tend to run on time or close to it.The later times tend to be a little behind since as the day progresses back ups build up.I always allow 90 mins for table service dining whether free dining or not, character meal or buffet.That way if i am out early...great. If not, no biggie I budgeted the time.

lake queen · 11-23-2009, 09:47 AM

We went the last Week of Oct. with Free Dining.

We had Very, very low crowds, practically every ride was a walk- on--with the exceptions of TSM, Soarin and TT.

We were always seated within 5 min. after we checked in, with the exception of Le Cellier, where we waited around 15 min. But it was Worth the Wait!!!

gregger · 11-23-2009, 12:58 PM

We had free dining in Aug and it wasn't crowded...as soon as we got there we got seated.....

TDC Nala · 11-23-2009, 01:07 PM

Not too bad, apparently. The popular restaurants are sold out but there is space to be had in the not so popular ones. There's been some indication that Disney did not sell out all the free dining packages, so it hasn't been as crowded as free dining has been in past years - but a bit more crowded than it would have been if there had been no free dining, which I guess is what Disney's after.

BradyBz12 · 11-23-2009, 01:15 PM

We just got back from a 3 week trip. Crowds were definitely on the lower side all 3 weeks with the exception of last Saturday - but especially this past week when the place was practically empty (by WDW standards).

We had a bunch of ADRs booked and got in on time or even a bit early for all of them. But take that with a grain of salt as many of our ADRs were for late lunches (3pm ish) and the restaurants were pretty much half empty at that time.

We had a nice dinner at Calif Grill last Tuesday (8:30) and got in early as well. Even the waiter remarked they were quite slow.

marshmellow86 · 11-23-2009, 01:21 PM

crowds in the parks haven't been bad - actually kind of on low side. However almost everyone in the park does have free dining, so the restaurants seem quite booked. Difficult to get into the popular ones. With an ADR, they were still running about the same time they usually do (5-15 mins)

tesslor · 11-23-2009, 01:33 PM

We were in the world nov 9-18. We never had to wait more than a few minutes to get seated, granted my ADR's were all pretty late in the evening.
The only places I heard say weren't accepting walk-ups were LeCellier and Chefs.

11-22-2009, 10:38 PM	#1
Martindis2006 Mouseketeer Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Downriver, Michigan Posts: 120	Crowds with Free Dining??? Can anyone tell me how the crowds have been in the parks and if dinner reservations are close to running on time with the free dining they are offering? __________________ 11/2005 POFQ 11/2006 CSR : 11/2009 CBR pirate or not : Me DH DS 10: DD 9

11-22-2009, 11:23 PM	#2
quantumottle ...at least my kids think I'm Mr.Incredible. Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 477	Still too early to tell, until the week after Thanksgiving. It seems there are several reports of the this past week being very slow in the parks however. Last edited by quantumottle; 11-22-2009 at 11:35 PM.

11-23-2009, 07:14 AM	#3
RMulieri DIS Veteran Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Down the Rabbit Hole Posts: 9,848	Traditionally park crowds are not awful.Restaurants are quite busy.I find that earlier adrs ( like earliest dinners) tend to run on time or close to it.The later times tend to be a little behind since as the day progresses back ups build up.I always allow 90 mins for table service dining whether free dining or not, character meal or buffet.That way if i am out early...great. If not, no biggie I budgeted the time. __________________ Next trip 2011-Disneys Beach Club Villas "Once you Choose Hope, Anything is possible"

11-23-2009, 09:47 AM	#4
lake queen Mouseketeer Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 346	We went the last Week of Oct. with Free Dining. We had Very, very low crowds, practically every ride was a walk- on--with the exceptions of TSM, Soarin and TT. We were always seated within 5 min. after we checked in, with the exception of Le Cellier, where we waited around 15 min. But it was Worth the Wait!!! __________________ 1989 - CBR 2001 - POFQ 2004 - WL 2006 - POP 2007- Dolphin/POP 2009- CSR with free dining!

11-23-2009, 12:58 PM	#5
gregger Earning My Ears Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: NE Pa. Posts: 3	We had free dining in Aug and it wasn't crowded...as soon as we got there we got seated..... __________________ Trips: '92' '95' '05' '08' '09'......'Aug 2010' ME WIFE Daughter 10 Son 7

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11-23-2009, 01:07 PM	#6
TDC Nala 1937, what a year that was Diet Coke on Ice or Else I apparently don't do anything they want to stimulate Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Not far enough outside the Beltway Posts: 29,798	Not too bad, apparently. The popular restaurants are sold out but there is space to be had in the not so popular ones. There's been some indication that Disney did not sell out all the free dining packages, so it hasn't been as crowded as free dining has been in past years - but a bit more crowded than it would have been if there had been no free dining, which I guess is what Disney's after. __________________

11-23-2009, 01:15 PM	#7
BradyBz12 1340.63 miles too far from the Fort Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Southern New Hampshire Posts: 4,791	We just got back from a 3 week trip. Crowds were definitely on the lower side all 3 weeks with the exception of last Saturday - but especially this past week when the place was practically empty (by WDW standards). We had a bunch of ADRs booked and got in on time or even a bit early for all of them. But take that with a grain of salt as many of our ADRs were for late lunches (3pm ish) and the restaurants were pretty much half empty at that time. We had a nice dinner at Calif Grill last Tuesday (8:30) and got in early as well. Even the waiter remarked they were quite slow. __________________ Monique (Me) Brian (DH) ...and our Disney dogs: Brady Blizzard Li'l Lyn Disney Magic/Beach Club Oct'00 • Fort Wilderness: Oct'04 • Nov/Dec'06 • Nov/Dec'07 • Nov/Dec'08 • Nov'09

11-23-2009, 01:21 PM	#8
marshmellow86 Mouseketeer Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 180	crowds in the parks haven't been bad - actually kind of on low side. However almost everyone in the park does have free dining, so the restaurants seem quite booked. Difficult to get into the popular ones. With an ADR, they were still running about the same time they usually do (5-15 mins) __________________

11-23-2009, 01:33 PM	#9
tesslor Earning My Ears Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Midwest Posts: 33	We were in the world nov 9-18. We never had to wait more than a few minutes to get seated, granted my ADR's were all pretty late in the evening. The only places I heard say weren't accepting walk-ups were LeCellier and Chefs. __________________ 2009 POR 2006 Universal Portofino 2006 AKL 2005 AKL 2003 CSR 2002 CBR Honeymoon

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