Free Dining vs. No Lines

[moviegirl11]

This conversations' probably come up before but I was just thinking about it.

When DH and I went to WDW last it was September 2003. They did not offer free dining then. Instead what we got was summer-like weather (though not as hot as July) and virtually no lines for anything. No packed busses. No long waits for rides ADRs werent necessary and the only lines we had to stand on were for the major rides and even those lines were only about a 10 minute wait. I've been to WDW in July so I know how bad it can get and am basing my comparison on that. During magic hour in september we basically had the run of the place. I remember just wandering down the big hallway to get onto space mountain.

I notice that a lot of people go nuts for the free dining and that makes sense, especially since if you have kids food costs probably add up. The downside as I see it is that the month of september is no longer one of the down-seasons for WDW. The place is probably packed now that they offer free dining then (right? feel free to correct me if I'm wrong).

So how many of you would rather drop down to a lower-level resort and PAY for dining to have the parks emptied out and how many of you think free dining is better than no lines?

 

[ceecee]

I am with you on this one. We thought we had found a great time of year with no crowds. The last two years were much more crowded, especially last year. I have read threads where people said it wasn't crowded at all. But we sure noticed a difference.

 

[moviegirl11]

that is one of the reasons we're going at the beginning of december this year. After seeing WDW on its crowded days then experiencing it on its least crowded, I would definite opt to drop down a resort class or splurge and pay the extra $39/pp per day to be able to really enjoy the parks without the craziness of the crowd, full restaurants and packed busses.

The only time I recall seeing people bunched together was during the parades and other show-type events and even then it wasnt wall to wall people.

 

[Colleen27]

We were there for free dining in '05, and the crowds weren't terrible, but they weren't what I'd think of as light either. There were a few rides that had hour+ waits, and fastpasses for Soarin' were gone by early afternoon. Where we really noticed the crowds were in Epcot (we were there for the overlap between free dining & F&W festival, so Epcot was PACKED) and in the restaurants. The other parks weren't as bad. Our longest wait outside of Epcot was about 30 minutes for Jungle Cruise, and even without FPs Tower of Terror was only about a 20 minute line.

Between the heat and the larger than we expected crowds, we did decide not to go back in Sept this time. I can handle 90+ heat and I can handle crowds, but not at the same time. We're going the week after Thanksgiving this year, and we shall see if the crowds are lower. They're supposed to be, but I'm seeing enough unavailable room types (standard & woods view at WL are completely booked, everything except suites at CR is completely booked, etc.) to wonder if maybe it'll be more crowded than we expect.

 

[peyjax]

We went in September of 05 and Pop was insanely crowded and the lines at the park were about a half hour to hour wait. (POOH ride was 60 to 90 minute wait). We were there at the end of September. We decided to go in the middle of September in 06 and we walked on every line. Our resorts were definatly not packed. We were shocked at the difference. On our last saturday of our 10 day stay magic kingdom was packed out and that was the last Saturday of the month. I really think it depends on when you go during the free dining. I have also been in November and thought the crowd level was about the same as the middle of September! My vote is for free dining and deal with the crowds, if you are creative enough you can work around the crowds.

 

[nowellsl]

I don't think it's just the free dining. I've noticed over the last couple of years that all the slow times are getting more and more crowded. I'm sure the free dining has made the resturants more crowded - we have gone for the last 2 years and probably wouldn't have gotten into some resturants without ADR's. Disney is so good at coming up with promotions and special events that it seems like the good old "low crowd" times are becoming a thing of the past.

 

[mom2aredhead]

And never will...

We are going in May (next week ) and got a great rate on the room - $174 at AKL - that's $101 off the room. To take advantage of "free" dining, we'd have to go in Sep and pay rack rate.

So it would cost me $606 more to get the $540 DDP free for the 3 of us.

Plus, our vacation style does not work well with DDP. I'll take a room discount over free dining any time!

 

[denise5374]

I was thinking the same thing. We are going 8/18-8/25 and were hoping for Free DIning but it starts the day we leave(oh well). Now I am thinking that it may work out better as far as crowds go. I wonder how many people have changed their weeks to tak advantage of the free dining. I can't because DH goes back to school Monday the 26th.

 

[Princessbaby]

I was thinking the same thing. We are going 8/18-8/25 and were hoping for Free DIning but it starts the day we leave(oh well). Now I am thinking that it may work out better as far as crowds go. I wonder how many people have changed their weeks to tak advantage of the free dining. I can't because DH goes back to school Monday the 26th.

I was wondering the same thing. We are there 8/12-8/18 and I'm hoping the crowds are good since free dining starts right after. Wonder how many have switched to a later date to get it?

 

[ktink]

We always go the week of Labor Day. We went in 2005 w/ free dining and had no waits. In fact there were times when we were able to ride Splash Mtn w/ out having to reboard. We will be going the same time this year. There were even a couple of times that we were the ONLY family on the bus during our stay at CSR, and that was on the way to AK and MK.

 

[BillSears]

I don't think it's just the free dining. I've noticed over the last couple of years that all the slow times are getting more and more crowded. I'm sure the free dining has made the resturants more crowded - we have gone for the last 2 years and probably wouldn't have gotten into some resturants without ADR's. Disney is so good at coming up with promotions and special events that it seems like the good old "low crowd" times are becoming a thing of the past.

Yep I agree.

I think the problem with this question is there no longer is a slow time at WDW. There are always lines now. Spetember 9th-16th 2006 even with the free dining was less crowded then Decmber 9th-16th 2006. So when are there times with no lines?

 

[jimmalru80]

Pay for dining, no lines, etc.

 

[jenjen212]

last year we did a week with the free dining during late september. we arrived around the 22nd.

We did not have much wait at all! i think that the longest that we waited in a line was 5-10 min. there were plenty of rides that did not have any wait and we just walked right on to the rides.

best of both worlds!

but, if i had to make a decision? i would choose which ever came out cheaper for us. if the free dining made the total cost of our trip cheaper, then we'd go that route. then again there are many times that we go where we pack sandwiches for lunch and eat cereal or pastries in the room, and only really pay to eat dinner out. so we save money on food that way too.

either way, i'd do disney anytime!!!

good luck on your trip

 

[wilde_oscar]

last year we went starting the thursday before labor day, running to the friday after. The Tuesday after the holiday, it was like someone flipped a switch, we walked on everything, we rode Big Thunder 4 times with out haveing to get off the train at which point there was another couple that wanted to ride in the front car a while... did I mention we were the only ones on the train?

This year, we are going the second week of sept. in the hopes that the entire trip we will have no wait, even with free DDP the number of people with kids dealing with back to school has to make it the slowest time of year. The slightly reduced park hours are not a big deal if you walk on every ride.

 

[ballarinamom]

We just got back after being there from 4/28-5/5. No deals just what was supposed to be a nonpeak time. Well, thank goodness I got ARDs 180 out because there was no changing available at 90 days out and they were accepting no walkups. It was alot more crowded than we expected. But we planned out the fastpasses so we never waited more than 20 minutes. I think Disney has just changed and the extra advertising has caused the slow times to dissappear.

 

[Hahawillis]

I think that schools are going back earlier in the year, so September trips are becoming rare for those folks who do not want to pull the kids out of school.

 

[twinspluscade]

How about..the option of "both"

We were there last year Sept 10-15....it was DEAD. We stayed at POP, and one afternoon literally had the pool practically to ourselves. Busses were never crowded except when the parks closed at night (which I think is a given). The longest wait we ever had was about 20 minutes...both times to meet characters (once Pooh by Pooh's playful spot, and once Ariel at her Grotto). Most rides were walk-on, with the exception of Splash and BMRR--with wait times 5 minutes. POTC was longer--I think a 15 min. posted wait.

The reason they do the free dining is because to try and fill up the parks at a normally slow time (although I agree with the posters who have said there's no longer a REALLY slow time). Since the free dining promo is still currently booking, one can only assume that rooms are still needing to be filled.

Will September be more crowded now that they started doing the free dining promo during that time? No doubt. But will it be as crowded as many other times of the year? Probably not.

 

[moviegirl11]

Hmm, the board consensus is almost evenly split!

 

[DiszyDean]

The problem is that getting rid of free dining does not necessarily equate to the parks being less crowded. Free dining is just a discount like any other discount. If free dining was not around, Disney would figure out some other kind of discount to offer to bring more people to the parks during non-peak periods. If it was up to Disney, the parks would be at full capacity, 365 days a year. It just makes business sense.

 

[El&Asmom]

We went last year starting the Sun before Labor day for 6 nights. I agree that Labor day was busy, but after that, we walked onto everything. I actually started getting tired of Dumbo, we never waited more than 5 min to get on.
We didn't love the heat, and vowed never to go back during Sept again.
We're going back this year the same week.