Free Dining Crowds

[Jages16]

I know there are other posts on this, but I am leaving in 17 days and getting a little paranoid. I have been telling myself that the Free Dining won't affect crowds that much and it will be a normal, slow time in September, but now I'm nervous. Has anyone just returned home with any insight to crowds? That would be great!

 

[CowboyCO]

We're leaving on Sept 29 for a week of free didning and I had the same concern until I did a little research. Disney resorts will be full. Off-site hotels, which far outnumber Disney hotels rooms will be nearly empty due to free dining. The parks themselves should be much less busy than , say in April or the summer. Resturants will be busy because of free dining.

Have no worries and be flexible! If you've been to Disney, then you know that some days get busier with no pbvious explanation.

 

[Donold_Fan]

I had talked to a CM who told me that the values were booked full because of the free dining, so I was worried as well. Never even thought about the fact that people that typically stay offsite would be staying onsite instead. Thanks for pointing that out.

We too we be arriving on the 29th for 9 fun filled days!!

 

[QueenGoblin]

Yes, it makes sense that a family that would usually stay offsite would decide it was a better deal to stay on property and have free dining. Especially in the value and even moderate resorts.
I'm wondering if this means those of us with cars onsite would be better off driving to the parks? If the resorts are full but less people are coming in from offsite we might do better driving, while freeing up potentially valuable bus space for people without that option. Hmmm...yet another factor to consider in my internal drive vs Disney Bus debate.

 

[Jages16]

Thanks CowboyCO...I have indeed been to Disney and am a planning commmando, so i shoul dbe ok. Just the normal pre-trip paranoia of thinking I'll only be able to do everythign one or no times!!!!

 

[winterman]

We were at WDW the last week of Sept. last year for free dining. The restaurants were all very busy. The parks in general were busy only in certain areas. We walked right onto Big Thunder RR, Splash Mtn. and Pirates - all early in the AM. Later in the day we got right on Space Mtn and Haunted Mansion. Fantasyland was mobbed in the daytime so we went back there early evening and it was managable. In EPCOT we went first to Mission Space and again walked right on (well I did. DH sat it out).The Test Track line was very short. The only line that was really long was Soarin'.

Use fastpasses at the busy spots and you will find it is still a great time of year to visit. We'll be back at the same time this year!

 

[MelanieC]

We just got back on Sunday night and while we were there, CM's kept talking about how we picked a good time to visit because the restaurants were booked solid starting on 8/13 for because of the free dining.

I totally agree that the offsite hotels will not be full. It probably shouldn't be too bad, but more people will eat at TS than normal.

 

[wdwobsessed]

It sounds like you will be there the same week I will be there which is the week of Labor Day.

I think we will be just fine because this is one of the least busy weeks out of the year. Kids are just going back to school and a lot of parents don't want to pull them out. We went back in 2001 and the crowds were non-existant.

It may be a little busier because of free dining but I bet most people opted to go this week or next week ... right before whenever thier school district started to get the free plan. A lot of people also booked the last week of September to get in on the tail end of the plan, F&WF and MNSSHP.

So I think both you and I have picked the perfect week.

WDWO

 

[tiggerbell]

It sounds like you will be there the same week I will be there which is the week of Labor Day.

So I think both you and I have picked the perfect week.

WDWO

I am also there that week - I was there THAT week LAST year! Wanna see a picture of the 3 o'clock parade crowd on Main Street Sunday before Labor Day?

Add this to the fact that even today, I called Disney Dining to change a time and was told I had my pick of dinner times (for Italy!)

 

[tiggerbell]

Friday after Labor Day line for Peter Pan:

That's us in the purple shirts...

 

[DznyLvr2005]

I can tell you this about the free dining:

My sister has been in DW since Wednesday of last week. She said, up until the day free dining started, it was amazingly empty for August. Then when free dining started she was so upset, it was like crowds of people came out of nowhere! She comes home today.
But for those people going in late September (me included ) I don't think it will be as bad. Kids are already back at school, and the 3rd day I'm there, free dining ends. (Except, of course, the people that got in at the last few days and are staying a few days past free dining. I'm staying Sept 28-Oct 5th and get free dining my whole trip, even though it ends on Sept 30th

 

[DznyLvr2005]

Friday after Labor Day line for Peter Pan:

That's us in the purple shirts...

How the heck is that possible?! We were there around that time and the wait was like an hour? That's awesome!

 

[PA Princess]

Add me to that picked the perfect week group - we leave in 18 days! The pictures of the empty parks are getting me so excited!!! I had also been having some paranoia about crowds. I mean, we have traveled at busy times, so I know how to manage around crowds. But I was hoping to have less crowds this trip. I will keep hoping

 

[Trena]

We have been several years during that time. We drive down on the Monday that the kids have off from school, that way they miss 4 days, not five from school. The parks have always been really empty. I LOVE IT!

We are one of the families that would usually stay off site, but will be staying at Pop to get the free dining.

I think we will be fine as long as you have your ADRs made.

 

[wowteacher]

Hi all,

I just got home. WDW was not very crowded at all until Sunday the 13th, then all heck broke loose. The crowds at MGM on Monday were so intense compared to when we were there on Saturday. Yikes...On Sat our longest wait was 20 minutes.....on Monday it was 80 minutes...same ride, same time of day. I do agree that Sept will probably be better. After Labor Day all schools will be in session.

Terri

 

[tiggerbell]

Canada pavillion in the middle of the day.

See all 35 people that went to EPCOT that day! (Now look at the butt crack in the rocks! )

Checking in at Pop Century at 1:30pm on Sunday, the day before Labor Day.

 

[disney momma]

anybody know how crowded the parks will be monday aug. 28th through friday sept. 1st? i booked it for that time because i thought all kids were back in school by then...i guess i was wrong...
i hope it won't be bad. i sold my hubby on that week because i foolishly told him there would be little wait for the rides!!!

 

[fAnnF]

anybody know how crowded the parks will be monday aug. 28th through friday sept. 1st? i booked it for that time because i thought all kids were back in school by then...i guess i was wrong...
i hope it won't be bad. i sold my hubby on that week because i foolishly told him there would be little wait for the rides!!!

I foolishly sold my father on those same dates because of my birthday falls during that week. band telling him that lines wouldn't be too bad.

 

[disney09]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that the Values will be full, since there's only a limited number of rooms for Free Dining, those are all booked solid. I don't know how many rooms are assigned to FD, but I hope it's only half of the rooms!

 

[Letsbgoofy]

We were there 8/30-9/5 last year and the only time the parks weren't empty was the Sat. and Sun. of Labor Day weekend. If you are worried about that week, check the Disney website to see if any of the resorts are sold out. We go 8/25-8/30 and I just checked and can get a room at any resort I want. This week, all the values and moderates were sold out except for a few suites and king rooms. Most kids are back in school, and colleges go next week.