Free Dining Watch 2009 - Dates Released!! Update post 1

[mermaid&cinderella]

The past 3 years we have gone in April and I felt it was busy. Will September be less busy than April? I need your expert opinions!

 

[lsutiggergirl]

We go every September. Last September it was wonderful, as usual. We always go this time for the MNSSHP. It's worth taking my step daughter out of school!!

 

[DisneyMom5]

The past 3 years we have gone in April and I felt it was busy. Will September be less busy than April? I need your expert opinions!

It might be. If you look at the hotel pricing chart, you can guarantee that any time that is "value season" is less crowded than "regular season," or any other season for that matter.

We find Sept. to be great for crowds.
Use smart tactics like being there at opening, avoiding EMH (am and pm), and using fastpasses.
Some use Tour Guide Mike or the Unofficial Guide's touring plans.
Whatever you do, the fact that you are already asking questions shows you will be more prepared than the average tourist.
Then, no matter what the crowds are like, you will be one step ahead.

And definately, no matter what, get ADRs, even if you have to arrange your touring schedule around them.
There will be NO walk ups to plan on during Free Dining.

 

[aestapa]

The past 3 years we have gone in April and I felt it was busy. Will September be less busy than April? I need your expert opinions!

We did Sept 07, April 08 and again Sept 08. Both September trips were significantly less crowded for us...except of course the restaurants due to free dining.

 

[mermaid&cinderella]

Okay so I keep hearing the restaurants are packed during FD, so how long is the wait?
We have always had ADRs in April and always had to wait 10-15 mins, how much longer will we wait in September?

 

[HLAuburn]

We went during free dining in 2007, and we thought the crowds were very manageable. We did see people getting turned away from restaurants, so make ADRs! My husband's theory is that the crowds aren't really any higher than normal, its just that everyone who IS there is eating at the restaurants!

 

[missenmickey]

We have been there for FD in Sept. 07 and Sept. 08. We never waited longer then 15 minutes with our ADR. Our last trip included our extended family. Even with a party of 7, the wait for a table was minimal. It is worth having ADR's.

 

[SINYMom]

I guess I've been off the board about a week or so and it took me a good hour to catch up.

We were booked for the Poly GV, just changed to Contemporary Garden Wing GV and, saved $225, so that amounts to spending money for our 3 boys!

Now, if FD just opens up, I could save more.

I also agree with others here about having a TS a day, it sure does make for a nicer vacation. We love to sit-down once a day for a nice meal, it's what makes our vacations so special. We have always done this, but it's better on someone else's dime.

So for now it's patience, patience, patience.

 

[mermaid&cinderella]

I guess I've been off the board about a week or so and it took me a good hour to catch up.

We were booked for the Poly GV, just changed to Contemporary Garden Wing GV and, saved $225, so that amounts to spending money for our 3 boys!

Now, if FD just opens up, I could save more.

I also agree with others here about having a TS a day, it sure does make for a nicer vacation. We love to sit-down once a day for a nice meal, it's what makes our vacations so special. We have always done this, but it's better on someone else's dime.

So for now it's patience, patience, patience.

It takes a bit to catch up doesn't it But its so much fun!

We also always do a sit down meal at the end of the day. We find it just finishes off the day so nicely! We have always done it on our dime, so it will be nice to do it on someone elses

 

[serene56]

IWe were booked for the Poly GV, just changed to Contemporary Garden Wing GV and, saved $225, so that amounts to spending money for our 3 boys!

Now, if FD just opens up, I could save more.

From what I understand that if Free DIning is offered you will be paying rack rate for that same room- Be curious to see if you could get that discount also.



Do you think that free dining at Disney World will see costs of flights go higher then what they are offering now?

 

[mermaid&cinderella]

From what I understand that if Free DIning is offered you will be paying rack rate for that same room- Be curious to see if you could get that discount also.



Do you think that free dining at Disney World will see costs of flights go higher then what they are offering now?

I hope not!! There was a seat sale last week for WestJet to Orlando and I didn't book b/c I am waiting for FD....I hope I can still get a great deal to fly down

 

[KKB]

Sept. is one of the slowest times of the year at WDW (for obvious reasons...school...hurricane season). I saw pics of crowds ON Labor Day weekend and was shocked that we had larger crowds during the week in late Oct. (and 20 min. was the longest we waited for ANY ride).
SO you should expect VERY manageable crowds at ALL parks, especially on weekdays (Mike & the Unofficial guide support this w/ their crowd calenders).
BUT if free dining is offered, the restaurants will be packed. DO NOT expect to walk into a TS restaurat w/o a reservation. Be SURE to make those ADRs 90 days out.

We, too, like a TS each evening, around 5:30. We hit parks at opening & go strong all day. It is nice to slow down, relax & chat. And there is time for a big meal to digest before bed. (DS8 is a human alarm clock--7AM daily, SO we MUST be in bed by 9:30 nightly or we deal w/ a terror the next day; sad we must miss night events, such as fireworks...we'll just save those for when he is older; it is nice to have some new, big things saved for each trip!)

 

[Mickey_Mom]

mom2rtk... Was it recently that you had free dining in December? I've booked PC for Nov28 to Dec5 and we're just praying the free dining is offered then. We've gone the last three years with the free dining but it always ended in September.

 

[KKB]

From what I understand that if Free DIning is offered you will be paying rack rate for that same room- Be curious to see if you could get that discount also.



Do you think that free dining at Disney World will see costs of flights go higher then what they are offering now?

I had NOT planned on booking our flights until I was SURE free DDP would be announced...but the night we booked, flights dropped about $100pp while we were booking! So at $200pp RT, with the dates & times we wanted (had to come a day later than we had wanted as it was quite a bit cheaper)...WELL...we booked it! Sure hope I don't regret THAT move! (free DDP saves us a lot more than that cheaper flight!)

BUT honestly, I have no regrets. My dad is going w/ us this trip. My folks are pretty young mid-60s, but you just never know. I want to travel w/ them all I can, with no regrets. Worth every penny, free DDP or not.

 

[DisneyMom5]

I had NOT planned on booking our flights until I was SURE free DDP would be announced...but the night we booked, flights dropped about $100pp while we were booking! So at $200pp RT, with the dates & times we wanted (had to come a day later than we had wanted as it was quite a bit cheaper)...WELL...we booked it! Sure hope I don't regret THAT move! (free DDP saves us a lot more than that cheaper flight!)

BUT honestly, I have no regrets. My dad is going w/ us this trip. My folks are pretty young mid-60s, but you just never know. I want to travel w/ them all I can, with no regrets. Worth every penny, free DDP or not.

We took my then 68 year old Mom in '07, and although she may go back with us this year (she's taking care of my 97 year old grandmother, so that's a BIG maybe), we will always have the memories of that great trip with her.
Soooo worth it!

 

[Goofy22]

But do you have to purchase the hotel and tickets together?


When I figured our hotel and tickets together under the vacation package it came up about $300 more than if I bought the hotel and tickets both seperate. I know I've heard one reason is Disney automatically figures in vacation insurance on the "vacation package"....which I don't need and didn't even know I had last year.

You have to purchase at least a one day ticket per person to get the free dining it is a package deal. The one day makes ita package.

 

[Cdn Mickey]

I hope not!! There was a seat sale last week for WestJet to Orlando and I didn't book b/c I am waiting for FD....I hope I can still get a great deal to fly down

We too are waiting for the annoucement but I was told by my travel agent friend that the $362 Toronto to Orlando should be available for the next month.

Is that the seat sale you were talking about?


2008 - Sept. 12-19 - not sure on hotel as of yet.
2005- Sept. Pop Century

 

[mermaid&cinderella]

We too are waiting for the annoucement but I was told by my travel agent friend that the $362 Toronto to Orlando should be available for the next month.

Is that the seat sale you were talking about?


2008 - Sept. 12-19 - not sure on hotel as of yet.
2005- Sept. Pop Century

It was $129 each way, for the 3 of us with the taxes it was just over $1000 which is a great deal. Is the $362 tax in???

 

[bentleygirl22]

we have gone to free dining for the past two years.. and we are waiting for April for them to let us book our next free dining trip...

Every year i tell myself we should book the bounceback while at disney but we never do.. So we wait just like everyone else and countdown the days till they say FREE DINING BOOK NOW... HAhahahaha..

for the last two years its been the 2nd week of April they tell everyone about free dining....

Both years the parks have been pretty dead while there the most busy spots of the parks are the eating areas... SO if you book free dining please make ADR's because they will turn you away if you don't have a ADR....
the past two years i have saw so many people turned away while we waited to be seated.. its very sad.. because i know that alot of people that don't Dis don't know about ADR's... So Make them ....

I guess we will see you eatting at disney .... MMMmmmmmmmm

 

[pixie_mtl]

And I would add that the only place where the wait is humongous is at the new ride at HS (Toy Story). I've seen 75min to 120min wait. Even the fast pass runs out fast