FD & park crowds...

[Sunnyday3]

It my research on this board, I see a reoccurring statement. It goes something like, "just because the restaurants are packed during FD, it doesn't mean the park is." I'm having a difficult time linking these threads, but the gist is that even though the restaurants will be busy, the parks' attendance may not necessarily be as such. That seems counterintuitive to me; I'm thinking that the same people that are filling the restaurants are also filling the parks.

Just curious about thoughts/experiences on this. I could have totally misunderstood the original idea behind it, but if not, I'd love to read what others have to say.

 

[bc7ate9]

I think there are more people staying at Disney Resorts to get the free dining, but there are LESS people staying off site since it's not one of the most popular travel seasons. People are also much more likely to make ADRs for free dining so there are less openings for everybody else.

We go every year in September for the opening of Food & Wine and the crowds and lines really aren't that bad. We are always able to ride everything we want and lines are never more than 20 minutes - usually much less.

 

[alicat130]

I take it as the restaurants only have a limited amount of people they can hold and even if they're all booked or full, that doesn't mean the parks will be crowded. The parks have such a higher capacity before feeling crowded.

Also, if people are spending time in multiple table service restaurants, they will have less time in the parks, making them feel less crowded.

 

[wendow]

Agree with pp, many people who have FD will book ADR's whereas they might otherwise have brought a lunch in, left the parks to eat (offsite) or ate CS since the cost is less.

And yes, many of the people who would have stayed offsite, will stay onsite for the FD offer. So the parks still have less people despite the restaurants being full. The offsite hotels are practically empty cause Disney has 'stolen' all the guests.

We typically go in September also (will be there in a few weeks!!), and while crowds are still low compared to other times of the year, the September crowds have gotten heavier every year.

 

[Sunnyday3]

All of these responses make sense. We planned our mid November trip before FD came out-we don't even have FD for this trip. We just planned for November hoping for lower crowds (and cooler temps!) than summer.

 

[kiramay]

I, for one, can say that we booked 7 TS meals, BOG lunch, and BOG breakfast because we have FD. If we were paying OOP we'd probably have BOG lunch and 3 TS. So we're a classic example of why the restaurants are full but the park might not be awful.

 

[wendow]

I, for one, can say that we booked 7 TS meals, BOG lunch, and BOG breakfast because we have FD. If we were paying OOP we'd probably have BOG lunch and 3 TS. So we're a classic example of why the restaurants are full but the park might not be awful.

Exactly! As I said up thread, we typically go in September. However, we have never done the FD offer. We rent DVC points, or have taken RO discounts. We only do 2-3 TS over a 7-8 night trip, and either CS on the other day or make a meal in our room (when in a villa). If we had FD, I'd be booking a TS daily.

 

[grimley1968]

I think there are more people staying at Disney Resorts to get the free dining, but there are LESS people staying off site since it's not one of the most popular travel seasons. People are also much more likely to make ADRs for free dining so there are less openings for everybody else.

We go every year in September for the opening of Food & Wine and the crowds and lines really aren't that bad. We are always able to ride everything we want and lines are never more than 20 minutes - usually much less.

This.

I agree with the OP that at first glance it seems like the popularity of free dining would equal higher parks in crowds, but the above quote explains why that's not necessarily the case. I do think it has some effect on park crowds, but in my experience it's only to make formerly emptier times of year just a bit less empty in the parks (though the restaurants might be packed). Early and Mid-October has become a fairly busy time, but I think that's due more to Fall Breaks, F&W, and a popular IT conference near EPCOT. Free dining hasn't been offered for the two weeks in early October for years now (except maybe 2 or 3 days in the very beginning), because they generally don't have a problem filling rooms at that time of year anymore.

 

[2Tiggies]

We never found the parks to be terribly crowded during free dining. Restaurants and resorts seemed busier and it was harder to get last minute ADR's. but the park crowds were pretty tolerable. Free dining tends to be offered during the slower (I use that word very loosely now!) times. Simply put, it's not going to be Christmas, Easter or Summer crowd levels by any means, but you'll want to think ahead if you are set on any particular restaurants. Happy planning

 

[Jadyreen1282]

The parks are empty during FD because everyone is eating. Joking. I'm going in three weeks and will report when we return.