ESPN Club on Sunday in October

[skfulkers]

Ok, question for all of you NFL lovers out there. We will be at WDW during the first weekend of October. Our return flight leaves from MCO at 7:30pm, so if I get permission from my DW, we'll be able to see the entire 1:00pm game at WDW before we head to the airport (I can't even believe we scheduled a trip for a weekend in the fall--whatever will I do without my NFL Sunday ticket for a whole weekend??). My question is this: how crowded is the ESPN club on a typical Sunday afternoon in the fall? We were there last December and I popped in for a few minutes on a Sunday and it seemed fairly crowded, but I didn't try to wait for a table, either. Has anyone ever headed over there around 1:00 and tried to get a table?
Thanks in advance for the info.

 

[graygables]

While we're on the subject, do you know for sure if they show *all* the NFL games? DH will have a nervous breakdown if I make him miss the Cleveland-Pittsburg home game while we're there!!!

 

[wendysleepy]

My family and i went down last september and we stayed at the Beach Club and my son and iI went to ESPN at 12:00 to get a table to watch the browns and there was already a hour wait I suggest going as soon as they open, get a table and just relax until your game starts they show just about every game there on Sundays have to try there chili its the best!!!!!

 

[psupple]

DH and I are huge NFL fans (and we also have Sunday Ticket) and have been to the ESPN Club on various occasions in September, November & January. We'll also be there the last weekend in October this year.

We usually arrive around 11am and wait in line in order to get a good seat (at the bar) on Sundays. I believe they open at 11:30. If it's just your DW and you, grab a seat at the bar or in the bar area. That doesn't seem to fill up as quick.

And, yes, they do show every game, except the audio is only for the main one, usually Miami or Tampa Bay. It's a little distracting to keep your eye on one game with all of them playing at once, but it's so much fun!

Last year (I think), the Patriots were playing the Cowboys...the night game...and we still got there at 11! We didn't want to take any chances of not getting a seat or having to wait forever and miss the other games.

I hope your DW agrees to go to ESPN before your flight...good luck!

 

[TammyC]

My DH went a little before 11:00 to get a table last year. He ordered lunch, and his brother and nephew joined him later. He did tip well, since he stayed at his table for 5 hours!

 

[crisi]

We were there in October last year. In addition to football, it was baseball playoff season. ESPN was ALWAYS crowded.

 

[luvpooh]

we always arrive at 11:15 AM to get in line at the ESPN Club for a Sunday football game! It is a time honored tradition - we always must see at least 1 football game while we are there (when we go and it's not football season, it's just not the same!)

We always sit on the seat yourself (bar) side. That way when they open the door @ 11:30, you just file right in and pick a table. Plus if you get one of the booths, you have your own TV in your booth, about 10 minutes before the games start, they'll come around and ask you what game you want on your TV.

If you go in the left line, where you need to be seated by the hostess in the room with the big screen TV, you can wait another 15-20 minutes just to be seated, but you will definitely get a seat as long as you're there by 11/11:15.

Don't forget your team's jersey/tee shirt! Makes for good rivalries!

What day are you going to be there? We'll be there on Oct. 17th - Giants have a bye that week, but we'll still be there!!!

 

[skfulkers]

Thanks for the replies! We'll be there the first Sunday in October (10/3/04), and if we do indeed stop at the ESPN club, I'll definitely be wearing my Steelers jersey--now if I can just convince my DW to wear her Hines Ward jersey, too, we'll be all set.
I'm pumped about the booths with the tvs in them. How many booths are set up like this? I've always been in the room to the left with the big screen, so I've never really seen any of these things. Do these tvs have sound, or are they simply monitors?

 

[jordanyosh]

There are maybe 7 booths with the TVs. We scheduled our trip between The AFC/NFC Championships and the Super Bowl for this upcoming year. We, too, have Sunday Ticket. My roommates and I all like different teams (Niners, Raiders, Dolphins). We end up watching all three tvs on Sunday each being able to watch his/her own team.

Went to WDW last year in Sept and had a tough time finding a seat at ESPN, even at the bar. Get there early and you should have no problem or wait in between the 4pm game and the ESPN game, it should clear out a little then.