Last week of sept...really that busy?

[NicoleLarson]

I am just really surprised at the lack of availability for the last week of sept. I get it that free dining is going on but can there really be that many people going to be at WDW at that time. I looked at tonight for example and tons of restaurants have availability that have none the last week. I even looked at next week and there are several restaurants still available. So is that WDW is going to be really crowded that week (for some unknown reason) or that people just haven't started to cancel all their ressies yet?

 

[Cafeen]

I'll be a bit more crowded than the first few weeks of September, mostly because the F&W festival is getting underway and the Wine and Dine 1/2 Marathon (note: wrong race posted, it's the ToT 10k that's that weekend) will be that last weekend, plus I'm sure that Epcot's 30th has some effect.

When comparing though, I'd compare something a touch further out than today (this is also one of the slowest weeks of the year), as the 24-48 cancellation windows will have passed, so you may not get the same representation of those locations as you would more than a few days out. (Which, I now see you did )

Now, the Free Dining promotion does drive restaurants to be full, while the parks remain relatively empty. Restaurant availability is not a very good indicator of overall park crowd levels (in fact, often in the heat of summer when it's super-crowded, you can find stuff a bit easier than during mid to late Sept/Oct).

 

[TDC Nala]

The Wine & Dine Half Marathon is now in November.

The Tower of Terror run (I don't remember how long it is) is the last weekend of September.

Cafeen got it - free dining will fill the restaurants, but the parks won't be that busy. I don't think even the Tower of Terror run is going to make that big a difference in the parks. The Food and Wine Festival will affect Epcot's World Showcase primarily.

You can't use restaurant availability to gauge park crowds - the parks have a much higher capacity than the restaurants, and during the free dining promotion you get a lot more guests booking TS dining than would do so otherwise.

 

[NicoleLarson]

That's good to know, that the parks shouldn't be that crowded. We are going at the first part of the last week, so F&W shouldn't be an issue. I have all my ressies booked but now we think we might switch our park days and when I went to look for something, everything is booked at our favorite places. Sure there's availabilty at still over 45 restaurants but just not the places that we want. I will continue to try and perhaps once we get a bit closer to the actual day, stuff will start to open up.

 

[loveshak22]

I went to WDW at the end of September last year because I kept hearing how low the crowds are at that time. I was surprised at how busy it was. Maybe it's just because I've read everywhere that the crowds are low at the end of September and so my expectations were too high? I don't know but it was much busier than I expected.

I will admit it wasn't July or Christmas busy but I would not (never ever) have discribed the crowds as "low."

 

[glitzybabes]

I think that it will a little less crowded this year because of people waiting to go in November for the opening on the new fantasyland part. But that is just my guess. I think that it may have been a little more busier last year because of the 40th anniversary of MK.

 

[loveshak22]

I think that it may have been a little more busier last year because of the 40th anniversary of MK.

I didn't think of that! I know I had been hoping for a Sept trip forever, hoping for lower crowds and a little cooler temps and it was sooooo hot and humid still and the crowds weren't low at all. Maybe next time I give Sept a try it'll work out better!

 

[Cafeen]

I didn't think of that! I know I had been hoping for a Sept trip forever, hoping for lower crowds and a little cooler temps and it was sooooo hot and humid still and the crowds weren't low at all. Maybe next time I give Sept a try it'll work out better!

The weather in Sept is no better than August. Avg highs in the low to mid 90s with dewpoints in the mid 70s is typical for most (if not all) of September.

Crowds this year will likely be a bit easier than last year, since Epcot doesn't quite have the draw that MK does, plus the actual birthday is on a weekday (Monday this year).

Crowds next year will likely be even a bit better than this year, since there is no major event (other than F&W and the half marathon (probably)). Weather will still be annoying, as will the love bugs . Neither of those take a year off just because there isn't anything special going on at Disney at the time.

 

[iheartmickey1111]

The Tower of Terror 10-Miler weekend starts on Sept 28th (packet pick up and fitness expo) with the races on Saturday morning and Saturday night, along with a special event until I think 3 am on Sunday. Those races pull in thousands extra, plus Food and Wine starts that weekend too I think on the 28th.

 

[iheartmickey1111]

I went over the 40th last year and the day of and the day after the 40th were crazy busy, like INSANE, but other than that low crowds. And the weather was beyond perfect- not hot, not humid, not a drop of rain, not even so much as a cloud my entire trip! Counldnt have asked for more!

 

[tdpolo26]

The Tower of Terror 10-Miler weekend starts on Sept 28th (packet pick up and fitness expo) with the races on Saturday morning and Saturday night, along with a special event until I think 3 am on Sunday. Those races pull in thousands extra, plus Food and Wine starts that weekend too I think on the 28th.

From what i have heard its not pulling in thousands to the resorts its alot of locals that come to run the race and only stay for the day. I dont think it will effect the whole week

 

[tinktinktink]

What dates are you going? I though the F&W festival started in the last weekend. We are going 9/21-28th and aren't eligible for free dining. The free dining starts on 9/30 correct?

 

[stephie1012]

What dates are you going? I though the F&W festival started in the last weekend. We are going 9/21-28th and aren't eligible for free dining. The free dining starts on 9/30 correct?

Free dining is the entire month of September. It started in August.

 

[Cafeen]

What dates are you going? I though the F&W festival started in the last weekend. We are going 9/21-28th and aren't eligible for free dining. The free dining starts on 9/30 correct?

There are 2 free dining plan promotions. Late summer started late Aug and runs through Sept 29. This was bookable back in the spring and I think ended booking on May 15 or thereabouts.

The other one, is the one that starts on 9/30 and runs through Dec, it's bookable until 9/29.

 

[tinktinktink]

Thanks so much I was wondering if I was missing some discount. We decided to go in sept. back in August so we missed free dining.

 

[mom2rtk]

I've contended for some time that the last week of Sept is different from the other weeks of September. When free dining is announced for hurricane season, nobody knows if it will be extended into October-December yet. So my theory is that people jump on the last week available (most don't know that you can check in on the last date and get it for the next week).

They are hoping for a break in the weather (like the PP said, not realizing that is unlikely). And their kids have just started back to school and they don't want to take them out in the first couple of weeks.

We were there in Sept 09 and had one or two park days the entire week that I considered low crowd. The rest were far busier than I would have ever expected. There was no 40th anniversary, nothing different that year. Just the last full week of the hurricane season free dining promo.