Crowds during free dining

[Samantha/NC]

I just have to ask, how are the crowds during free dining? We have been during the summer and last year at Thanksgiving? ANyone with any thoughts...

 

[smidgy]

don't tell! we used to like may best, becuase of the flower and garden festival! it's SO pretty, andyou get the concerts!
however, this is the FIRST time we are NOT: participating in the free DDP> in sept. we jsut can't (job wise; of shall I say, NO job wise?!)
Spt. is our fav time to go. value season. you have NO idea how many people DON"T KNOW about the free dining!!! even though I was on the phone at 6 AM, making ressies for free dining as soon as it came out, and then, the next kay, making restaurant ressies...... we talked to people there, staying on site, who had NO IDEA about it! not all people are dissers!, they just don't know. and Central reservations don't tell them unless they know.
It's a GREAT time. not as empty as it was 2 years ago, but the lines are still managable. make GOOD use of the Exrta Magic hours, , plan accordingly, use your fast passes wisely, we had PLENTY time to relax.
now, some might not like this idea, but you DO have to PLAN a bit. during FREE DINING, you MUST make TS ressies. Please don't expect to just "walk in : to coral reef or le celleir. or san angel. (or, you with kids, character dining)you have some freedom in planning if you get the hopper passes. we don't like to spend the extra money for the hoppers., so we have to plan more.but once you sit down and make a plan for your TS ressies, then plan around that and you will have a great vacation!!!!!! wish we were there!!! have fun

 

[Brian_WDW74]

Just remember that the whole reason WDW offers free dining in September is because it's one of the slowest times of the year. The promotion does increase attendance somewhat, but the crowds are nothing like what you experience earlier in the summer or during holidays.

The only problem during free dining, as previously stated, is that most TS restaurants will be packed. So make your ADRs early!

 

[christa112]

We only go during Free Dining and love it!!!

You will get mixed reviews on the board about how people feel. Some people say there tons of people and they are rude and pushy, they will never go back during Free Dining. I have never seen that happen on either of my trips, we have had a great time.

IMO having to wait the longest 20 mins for ride is my idea of a great time!!! I have no interested in waiting an hour to get on a ride. We do use the Fast Pass for some rides such as Soarin, Fast Track, Peter Pan (not sure why that line is always so long).

 

[emmabemmainc]

We went last year during FD and it was great--I think the longest we waited for any ride was 15 minutes, although we did take full advantage of fastpass. The heat was not pleasant, but the free dining and low crowd level were worth it!

 

[nowellsl]

We've been three years for free dining and it's GREAT! Crowds aren't bad at all, but like others have said MAKE ADR's. We're going back this year, can't wait!

 

[mill4023]

Yep, the TS restaurants are packed, but the lines for rides aren't bad at all.

 

[brandylouwho]

I thought the crowds during free dining were quite low. We were there end of Aug 2006 and mid of Sept 2007. We like to go then because of the low crowd levels (we stay DVC-don't even get free dining). Although it is hot & humid weather.

Aug 06 many attractions were literally walk on. Sept 07 seemed a bit busier to us, but still by no means crowded. We may have waited 30 min or so for rides like the Safari or PotC, but lines really seemed to ebb & flow. We are early risers and get to the parks for rope drop or soon after--they felt empty first thing in the morning.

I think Soarin was the one ride we bothered to use fast passes for. (disclaimer: with 2 little kids & a MIL in a ECV we didn't bother with many rollercoasters last year). Oh, the one time it felt crowded was at the MK for Spectro, I thought we were going to die in the crush of the crowd (never again--at least not until both kids are done with strollers).

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I just have to ask, how are the crowds during free dining? We have been during the summer and last year at Thanksgiving? ANyone with any thoughts...

This is a copy of our trip report from last September. But, please note, that since we returned last September I have read literally hundreds of posts on the weather and crowds during free dining last year. Apparently, the week we were there was the most crowded and the hottest. We did have fun, but I think people should expect medium-ish crowds and not low, so you won't be disappointed:

We went this past Sept. from 9/14 - 9/22. Now, don't get me wrong, we did have a great time. Afterall, it is Disney World and we are Disney fanatics, but we will never (and I mean never) go in September again. It was very crowded and very hot (I don't mean a little hot. I mean sweltering. When you came out of an air-conditioned ride and walked out in the heat it would take your breath way hot). I live in Alabama, I know what hot is and it was hot, hot hot. Did I mention it was hot?

It rained at least a little bit every afternoon we were there. On one day, without any warning, no menacing clouds or noticeable wind change, the sky just opened up and poured. It poured so hard, it was like the sky opened up and dumped a bucket of water on your head. There wasn't even time to put our ponchos on. By the time we drug everyone's ponchos out and put them on the rain stopped. We then left for our Ohana ADR looking like someone had just thrown us in the hotel pool - literally socked to the bone.

We did have awesome food on our trip. We ate at Chef Mickey's, Liberty Tree, Planet Hollywood, 50's Primetime Cafe, Garden Grill, Cinderella's Royal Table, Ohana (best meal we had), and Crystal Palce. We had ADRs for all and always had to wait at least 20 minutes for our table. Saw them turning away walk-ups at all restaurants. Counter service was not too crowded, but we tried to eat early around 11:30 a.m.

I am a faithful fan of the UG and if it weren't for knowing about their touring plans and knowing how to utilize the Fastpasss system the lines would not have been manageable. There was the occasion that you walked up to something in the late afternoon and there was only a 10 or 15 minute wait, but most of the headliners kept 30 minute or more waits. At MK on our last day Space Mountain had a 75 minute wait at 3:30 p.m! Now, to you Christmas week, Easter week, or July 4th people that probably doesn't sound too bad, but we specifically booked these dates for low crowds, and there were not low crowds maybe medium-ish.

When we left we had every intention of booking the Free Dining bounceback for next September that they were offering, but after the terrible heat and crowds my husband said he would happily pay the $1300 we saved on this trip and put it towards a slower, cooler time to visit.

We have previously been at the end of January into the first part of February and have also been end of November into first of December and those are the times we will be planning our future WDW vacations.

I don't want to rain on anybody's September Free Dining parade (excuse the pun), but I wanted to be honest about the heat and crowds so others will know what to expect and not be disappointed.