How Busy Sept 24-Oct 1 due to specials

[kim35]

Hi. I have been lurking around here for a week or so and this is my first post. YEA!!!

Anyway, I wanted to hear your thoughts on how busy WDW is going to be the week of 9/24-10/1? Typically it's a great time of year to go, but because of the specials they were running last week with the dining experiences I wonder how busy it will be??? I've never been there during busy season so I have no idea what to expect as far as lines and crowds go.


We will be staying at All Star Music for the 1st time and looking forward to it?

Thanks so much...

Kim from STL

 

[Nank]

I was so excited to be going at this time, until the free food. now it seems like alot of people are jumping on the band wagon. I will be there 9/26 - 10/1.

 

[lainie25]

i hope there won't be a ton more people. the hours are the same basically as last year and I don't think we really waited in any lines last year at the same time. i am crossing my fingers. i hate when it is packed.

 

[kizmac]

We are going from Sept 23-Oct 1 and just from reading the board and there was a poll somewhere, that week is definitely looking busier than the rest of Sept.

We usually go in September because of the low crowds, but I am already counting on it being more busy. I've read lots of post from people changing later trips or weren't even planning on going,in order to get in on the free dining. Maybe we'll all be spending so much time gorging ourselves with free food that the ride lines will be short!

 

[kim35]

When I called to make my reservations I asked how busy and all they told me was that they expect it to be "moderate". What does moderate mean in Disney Terms?

 

[DiscussDisney]

I think it will be a little busier, but not that noticeable. Most, if not all, of the Disney Resorts still have availability at rack or AP rates for that week.

 

[kim35]

That's what my dh thinks also. He says that because this special was just for Disney Resorts only that it shouldn't bee too bad.

My thought is that there are quite a few Disney Resorts and that's alot of people if all booked up, but if they all still have availablility hopefully it won't be too bad...


Kim in STL

 

[Fast Pass]

There were only a limited amount of packages with the free dining so I wouldn't be worried about that impacting the crowds that much. The Mickey Halloween thingy is more likely than the dining to affect the crowds.

Moderate,to me,means a wait maybe of 15-20 minutes.

Plan all your Ps and use fastpasses and maybe you'll not notice the crowds.

 

[Renysmom]

We are going from Sept 30 - October 8th and I have been wondering the same thing.. Hope it's not too bad as its my first trip.

 

[WillCAD]

I have been to WDW in September and October several times each.

Normal crowds for September are vapor. Nada. Empty. You can shout your name at Spaceship Earth and five minutes later the echo will come back to you from the American Adventure.

October is only slightly more crowded than September.

This free dining thing - fuhgedaboutid! Last year's pay for 3 stay for 7 special didn't increase crowds much, so the free dining plan sure won't. Sure, it's a big draw for those who are already hooked on WDW like us, but to the average Joe Schmo out there, it's not enough to make them plan a whole Disney trip they wouldn't have taken otherwise.

Now look at it from the perspective of the rest of the country: after last year, Florida=Hurricanes. September in Florida=many hurricanes. Hurricanes=death. So whatever small effect the free dining plan may have had on September bookings, fear of death by hurricane will more than cancel it out. Heck, considering what happened last September, crowds in WDW this September might even be LESS than normal!

 

[Belle1962]

I think that the hotels may be booked more due to people who were offsite changing to onsite for the free dining--but not sure how many of them there would be. Also--I didn't see ONE, not even ONE, add for this anywhere. I know people have reported seeing it in newspapers but for most people I don't think Disney really got the word out. Then add to that the number of people who won't take their kids out of school, who won't come because of the weather/hurricane issues, who can't schedule/reschedule their vacation time and while it my be slightly busier--not too much more. At least that is what my optimistic mind is hoping I think it may seem busier at restaurants just because with the free dining more people will be eating "Disney".

 

[Martha7]

I can't imagine that it would ever be that busy at that time since school is in session at that time everywhere, isn't it?

 

[Jen D]

I have been that week twice. Yes the dining package is a big promotion but there are usually generous promotions during this period. Last year there were all sorts of discounts including a 5 for 7 deal and deep room-only discounts.

Look, it's not a ghost town. More and more people are hip to the benefits of traveling off season and they take kids out of school to do it. I also think people who visit during these times tend to be "in the know"-- so expect plenty of competition for that Rose and Crown PS at 7:30pm, etc.

But the crowds are very manageable and lines can occasionally be nonexistent.

 

[kizmac]

I have been to WDW in September and October several times each.


Now look at it from the perspective of the rest of the country: after last year, Florida=Hurricanes. September in Florida=many hurricanes. Hurricanes=death. So whatever small effect the free dining plan may have had on September bookings, fear of death by hurricane will more than cancel it out. Heck, considering what happened last September, crowds in WDW this September might even be LESS than normal!

Hee,Hee.....I hope you're right! Maybe we will be the only fearless souls willing to chance death for WDW and free food. I do know my FIL gasped when I said we were going in September. He couldn't understand why we would go then because of last years hurricanes. Hopefully the majority feels the same way and we'll still enjoy our 5-10 minute wait times and NO HURRICANES :::crossing fingers:::

 

[Hannahsmom]

We are also going 9/24 -10/2 and I am not worried at all. September is a great time to go! I also agree with WillCAD, you shouldn't notice a difference from the free dining. I think all the Hurricane activity and the strong start to the season so far, has scared away a lot of potential off-season travelers.

By the way, where in ST. Louis are you from? My husband and I went to SIUE and were married in Belleville.

 

[kim35]

I'm really excited to hear your thoughts on this. Thanks for the input. I am looking so forward to going!!! I am also loooking forward to all the great food that we'll be consuming.

That's the thing that caused me to book this trip. We were planning on taking our kids next year, but with the special I just couldn't pass it up. Lets just hope we don't get a lot of grief from the school for taking my kids out for a week....

BTW. I live 1/2 South of STL right now (Imperial), but I grew up in South County. Do you know of these areas??

 

[LaDonna]

The only reason I found out about the package was from our newspaper in Atlanta...maybe it was just advertised in larger cities.....We had actually been debating for months where we were going to go on vacation and had just thought of Disney on Thanksgiving weekend...and the funny thing is I don't normally look in the Travel section of my paper, I just happened to that day and saw the awesome dining deal for September. I didn't even think about hurricanes when I booked my vacation, never crossed my mind, so now I'm hoping we stay dry or even if it storms cats and dogs I'm guessing they won't close the restaurants, right? We'd still be eating the whole trip

 

[kim35]

I also found this special in the travel section of our paper. I too just happened to open the travel section because I was looking for a getaway for me and my dh for our 10 year wedding anniv. and came across this. I normally don't even open this section.

Go figure- Now were spending our anniversary with out 2 angels on a family vacation. I guess our getaway (alone) will have to wait.

 

[kizmac]

We had been planning on going in September anyhow. We always stay off site and I had been nagging my dad & mom for weeks to give me input on some places I had picked out, when I actually saw a post on here for the free dining. Sounded to good to be true! It actually took some convincing with my parents to get them to go for it. They were skeptics,LOL. Thank goodness I hadn't booked elsewhere already.

 

[momof2beautys]

My husband and I are celebrating our 10 yr anniversary as well! We will have our 2 daughters with us too. It may not be very romantic, but I can't think of a better way to celebrate! Congratulations to you and maybe we'll run into eachother!