Free Dining =super duper crowded???

[wildernesslodgelover]

I just posted this on the sticky up top, but thought it might be better as it's own thread.

We are planning our fall trip...have our reservations at BCV and are looking forward to it Our passes expire Sept 27, so we are going right before that...basically 3rd week in Sept.

Last year we just missed the free dining timing. We were not eligible,l so that did not matter...we were happy to avoid any possible crowds. I am just wondering what crowds will be like when we are there. I am guessing the restaurants might be more corwded than usual?

Thanks for any input and opinions!

 

[TDC Nala]

Parks, not so crowded. Restaurants, packed. Get ADRs ASAP if you want any table service dining in the parks, or at the more popular resort restaurants, at all.

 

[brymolmom]

Restaurants - yes I would say they are more crowded than 'usual' for September - so just make your ADR's and you'll be fine.

As far as the parks - my experience with Free Dining is that the crowds are larger than pre-free dining Sept crowds, however, they are VERY manageable and nothing like summer crowds at all. So, no - I wouldn't personally qualify it as 'super duper crowded'.

And...one more thing to note - by this time last year there were a BUNCH of resorts/dates already booked up for Free Dining and I haven't seen too much in terms of posts for people not getting their first resort choice for their dates - even now weeks after Free Dining was released. So, what this says to me at least - is that there will be fewer people there than last year.

I guess we'll see if I'm right...

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Thanks for the quick replies. I have always been a big time ADR gal...so I will be ok in that respect.

I just don't want additional wait times on rides, and I hate maneuvering through crowds. It is the main reason we actually take DD out of school for 3 days every fall...that is our one trip a year that is our "big" trip.

Thanks again!

 

[TarzansKat]

September, even during free dining is still one of my favorite times of year to visit Disney. It's hot enough to swim and still has some of the lowest crowds I see throughout the year. I don't think you need to worry about it, in my experience it's more crowded throughout the years but not what I would call crowded at Disney.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Thanks for the quick replies. I have always been a big time ADR gal...so I will be ok in that respect.

I just don't want additional wait times on rides, and I hate maneuvering through crowds. It is the main reason we actually take DD out of school for 3 days every fall...that is our one trip a year that is our "big" trip.

Thanks again!

Free Dining generally doesn't entice more people to visit Walt Disney World, at least to any great degree; it just gets more of the ones who are planning trips to stay onsite.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Thanks! That makes sense. We have been going in Sept/Oct for years now, and always managed to *just* skirt the free dining when they have had it the past few years. I will admit, dining at Disney is one of my favorite things, and I detest a crowded buffet or a standing room only restaurant lobby...but I can definitely deal with it! I always have ADRs, but sometimes at the last minute, I will cancel if I can get an earlier walk in elsewhere. I guess that is the only thing I won't be able to do this year.

i am sooooo looking forward to our trip! There are some new restaurants I want to try (The Wave and we have never eaten at Teppan Edo in Japan or Narcoosees) but too many tried and true that we love (Biergarten, Chef Mickey's breakfast, Flying Fish, Raglan Road, Boma...the list goes on and on!!!)

 

[Haines]

well me and my kids are planning to visit the Disney in this summer holidays, and we are found of good food, so which are the best restaurant over there, please mention 1 or 2 chine's restaurant as well
thanks

 

[TDC Nala]

Chinese restaurants?

Nine Dragons at Epcot is a Chinese restaurant. There is a counter service, also in the Chinese pavilion, that sells what appears to be typical mall food court Chinese food.

Yak & Yeti at AK has some Chinese-inspired dishes and also a counter service that sells what appears to be typical mall food court Chinese food.

That's about it for Chinese food at WDW.

 

[beroh2253]

Last week in Sept. the last 3 years the crowds weren't bad, just get there at park opening and have several hours of walk on rides. Restaurants were full and didn't see any walkups getting in so get those ADR's. Now In EPCOT the end of the last week in Sept. the Food and Wine Fest starts so EPCOT does get crowded so get the fast pass for Soring and Test Track early, but you can use the snack credits at the different Countries to try the different food. And Sept. was hot the last 3 years.

 

[kevgraub]

And...one more thing to note - by this time last year there were a BUNCH of resorts/dates already booked up for Free Dining and I haven't seen too much in terms of posts for people not getting their first resort choice for their dates - even now weeks after Free Dining was released. So, what this says to me at least - is that there will be fewer people there than last year.

I guess we'll see if I'm right...

And didn't Disney just extend the booking deadline for free dining?

I think you are right, my guess is that this year will be less crowded than in the recent past during the same time of year. My theory is that the great deals Disney offered throughout the year (4/3, 40% pins, etc) might have enticed more of the crowd that would have waited for free dining to go earlier in the year.

At least, I hope you are right . . .

 

[alicia080979]

And didn't Disney just extend the booking deadline for free dining?

I think you are right, my guess is that this year will be less crowded than in the recent past during the same time of year. My theory is that the great deals Disney offered throughout the year (4/3, 40% pins, etc) might have enticed more of the crowd that would have waited for free dining to go earlier in the year.

At least, I hope you are right . . .

I'm not sure if it is normal or not but we tried to change our reservation dates to add more days at the beginning and end and we were told everything in all the value resorts were completely booked and couldn't adjust our days by even 1. I don't know if that means anything bc I've never been in September but hopefully it won't be too crowded! Last time I was there was memorial day in 04 and while it was crowded it wasn't crazy or anything.

 

[PalmettoPrincess]

I think you are right, my guess is that this year will be less crowded than in the recent past during the same time of year. My theory is that the great deals Disney offered throughout the year (4/3, 40% pins, etc) might have enticed more of the crowd that would have waited for free dining to go earlier in the year.

At least, I hope you are right . . .

Ohhh, I hope so too!!!! I've expected the restaurants to be crowded, so I know to show up a little earlier than I normally would have, but I don't want the parks to be overly crowded!!!

 

[Belle & Ariel]

I'm not sure if it is normal or not but we tried to change our reservation dates to add more days at the beginning and end and we were told everything in all the value resorts were completely booked and couldn't adjust our days by even 1. I don't know if that means anything bc I've never been in September but hopefully it won't be too crowded! Last time I was there was memorial day in 04 and while it was crowded it wasn't crazy or anything.

We tried to add a couple nights to get better airfare and could not on free dining. The hotels have rooms available under room only reservations at the same nightly rate as we are paying for free dining though.
I think Food and Wine makes the weekends fuller than the weekdays.

 

[catne]

We tried to add a couple nights to get better airfare and could not on free dining. The hotels have rooms available under room only reservations at the same nightly rate as we are paying for free dining though.
I think Food and Wine makes the weekends fuller than the weekdays.

if it's like last year, they actually have a lot of rooms available that are not on the promotion. They only book a set number for the promotion...last year lots of people reported over & over that such & such resort was "fully booked"...and it was...for Free Dining rooms. But if you went in on looking for just a regular reservation there were multiple choices for room types at all the resorts.

The restaurants were very busy, the hotels & parks...not so much. Far less than mid-May. And way less than after Memorial Day weekend.

 

[Nohal]

We have been going in September for the last few years even before free dining. September is a great month as far as crowds go. It is hurricane season and the kids are all back in school which is the reason the crowds are down. However, I have noticed that every year it is more crowded than the year before. We get to the parks when they first open and almost all of the rides are walk ons. The restaurants are extremely busy. Friday was my 90 +10 and I was able to get where I wanted. I had to make changes and got lunch instead of dinner at Le Cellier and Coral Reef. Once the food and wine festival starts the crowds pick up especially on Friday nights when Epcot is open late.