How are crowds now with free dining plan??

[safaulk]

Just curious to know how the crowds are right now, with the free dining plan in effect. Is it still slow as September usually is, or are the crowds bigger?

 

[idofabric]

My DB, SIL, and 3 kids have been there all week. She called me last night and said that there were no lines when they were in MK on Wed. and no one at Disney Quest yesterday, which was a Friday! They also said they walked on all the rides at Universal.

Keep in mind that they had a Tropical Storm, Ophelia, dumping rain all week long. But it was still a matter of walking on and off rides like Peter Pan, Alice, TeaCups, and ToonTown stuff. So sounded like a great time to me.

She also did not call for AP's, or ADV's or what ever they call them till the week befor they went down! And she got Breakfast at Cindy's, Dinner at Boma and a Princess meal at ECPOT. She could have just had dumb luck, cause she didn't know most people call 50000 months in advance. I never do, and just wait till I get there and then take my chances. We have only been turned away from 1 place in the last 4 years. Yes, I DO know how lucky we have been!

 

[escape]

I'll let you know after this weekend. I leave for Disney on Wednesday.

I had to call this morning to change a reservation for Boma on Thurs, Sept 15 and I had no problems changing from 7pm to 6pm. I also booked La Nouba yesterday for the night of the 15th and got great seats. Disney, overall, must not be very crowded.

 

[mouseika]

All I know is I've tried to make a few changes to my ADRs for Sept 29 - Oct 6 and haven't been able to get anything at all. So I'm expecting it to be pretty crowded that week, at least in the restaurants!

 

[safaulk]

I'm going Sep 23 to Oct 2 and I've had trouble making changes and/or getting some of the priority seatings too. I'm going to call the week before we go to see if I have any better luck. If not, I'll keep trying while I'm down there. I'm ready!!! I'm ready!!!! I'm ready!!!!!

Smiles and VERY excited!!!!

 

[escape]

All I know is I've tried to make a few changes to my ADRs for Sept 29 - Oct 6 and haven't been able to get anything at all. So I'm expecting it to be pretty crowded that week, at least in the restaurants!

I'm going Sep 23 to Oct 2 and I've had trouble making changes and/or getting some of the priority seatings too. I'm going to call the week before we go to see if I have any better luck. If not, I'll keep trying while I'm down there.

It may be due the Food and Wine Festival starting at the end of the month. I was lucky that I was able to make some changes in my reservations for next week. Maybe they open more up more slots the week before.

I'll let you know what next week is like after I get back on the 20th.

 

[andromedaslove]

The reason you are having such a hard time with ADR's is that almost everyone at WDW is on the free dining plan. I don't think the crowds, as far as rides, are gonna be that much higher. I think that the restaurants are going to be more crowded because of the dining plan.

Dana

 

[dyna]

There was no lines when I was there Aug 28 - Sept 2nd till Thursday when the holiday crowd started arriving in the afternoon. Still managable crowds tho.

We was on the free dining plan and was sat promptly for all our TS meals except 1. I really did not see any overly crowded TS restaurants each restaurant is only so big will only seat so many ppl.

Every night at dinner I did see ppl turned away from the TS resturants because they did not have AR's Also seen ppl on the phone at dinner time trying to make AR's for that night and gettin PO'd when they couldn't just get what they wanted when they wanted for that same night.

I was very glad I had made my AR's before leaving home and didn't have to worry about them once I was there.