Does this mean...

[parkers*momma]

that since increased the hours at select FD locations, that WDW is going to be packed?

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining.htm

Recent Dining Updates

Additional Restaurants available during Free Dining Promotion.
Chef Mickey's 8/16-29/09 and 9/20-10/3/09 Character Lunch Buffet 12:30 -2:30 PM
Tomorrowland Terrace Cafe Dinner Buffet, Open Sundays 8/16, 8/23, 8/30, 9/6, 9/13, 9/20, 9/27/09. 5:30 - 9:00 PM
Diamond Horsehoe- 8/16-10/3/09 Dinner 5:00- 9 PM
'Ohana 8/16-29 and 9/20-10/3/09 Breakfast- till 12 noon, Dinner will open at 4:30 PM.
Whispering Canyon Cafe- 8/16-29, 9/20-10/3/09 Dinner will open at 4:00 PM
Mickey's Backyard BBQ- Additional nights 8/18, 8/25, 9/1, 9/11, 9/15, 9/22, 9/29

 

[vicki_c]

It means the restaurants are going to be packed. Which is totally expected, since you will have a lot of people trying to use up their dining credits that might not normally make many TS reservations.

 

[TDC Nala]

Probably not - just that they are expecting the restaurants to be overrun with free diners.

 

[parkers*momma]

Thanks for the reply. I was surprised with the announcement. We have for the past three years went the third week of September and never seen this happen before. We love the 3rd week because the parks aren't busy at all. 15 minute wait at the most. Phewwwwww.

Thanks again!!

 

[kellybean]

No extended hours for the days I am there! (9/16-9/20) Darn! I got excited thinking I might be able to get an opening ADR for dinner at Ohana or WCC before the Halloween party!

 

[mouseika]

Glad to hear it parkers momma, we're going Sept 17 -25. Several years ago we went in October, and it was more crowded than I thought it would be, so we decided to try September instead. I hope the third week turns out to be light!

 

[Henlady]

I just checked the online ADR and then called Disney dining to try to snag a 4:30/4:45pm 'Ohana ADR for Tuesday, Sept 29, and nothing is available online and nothing available when I called. These spots couldn't possibly be all gone already!! When are they supposed to start taking ressies for the earlier time slot? Anyone know?

 

[Cjmuma]

Good Luck getting any reservation with less than the maximum 90 day notice. I booked mine for sept. on the 90 day mark, and was able to get everything I wanted, but wanted to change one the next day and several places were totally booked!

 

[jrc-elpaso]

Keep trying. I just added a lunch at Yak & Yeti (Sept 8). I called one day - nothing available. But when I tried on-line a couple of days later found 1:00 available.

 

[catne]

problem with that "announcement" is they have actually been taking reservations for much of that for months now - someone may have "announced" it, but people have been booking all along for those places, at least some of them (maybe all) which is why people are calling now and not getting any availability on supposedly "new" places/times. The Diamond Horseshoe has been taking ressies ever since public Free Dining folks hit the 90 day reservation mark...and also Chef Mickey's lunch was available in May for Free Dining bookings...as was the Tomorrowland Noodle place. Maybe the rest was too, but the above 3 I know for sure because they were all offered to me as alternatives when I booked at the end of May 2009.

And all three of those were also available last year for Free Dining -- we were there for a week starting Labor Day weekend in 2009. I was in Diamond Horseshoe, walked by Tomorrowland when they were open & serving & was offered CM for lunch instead of breakfast.

After the Labor Day holiday, the rest of the week was very un-crowded in the parks, but the restaurants were full. They can fill the restaurants long before they fill the parks.