limited discount dates driving up crowds

[GWhitten98]

What is everyone feeling on the limiting of free dining dates driving up crowds during time know to be low crowd levels.

We choose the week before thanksgiving long before free dining came out for a couple of reasons....low crowd numbers being at the top of the list. Now with free dining offered for such a limited time in Nov, we are really worried that our low crowds will be no more.

 

[Flamingeaux]

With our kids graduating from high school this May we are looking forward to traveling at off times. We are looking at going 11/16 to 11/20. I have given no thoughts to FD making it more crowded. I'm hopefully that we will see low crowds. If not I'm still good with it.

 

[SMCURT28]

Are the November dates that different this year from last year? I didn't think there was a material difference at first glance.

I think the biggest difference this year is the fact that Disney released all of the September through year end FD dates all at one time. Last year, FD for the last couple days in September through year end was not announced until late July/early August I believe. People booking ressies last year at late summer had 1-2 months to finalize ADR's etc for an early Oct trip, whereas this year, they have at least 5 months. I think this caused some of the chaos on the release dates.

Regardless, it is Disney's goal to try to entice visitors to book ressies for traditionally slow times, although those slow times seem to be changing like you pointed out.

 

[Laketravis]

Last year we arrived mid-week the week before Thanksgiving and stayed thru the end of the week after Thanksgiving.

Honestly, we thought the week after Thanksgiving was just as crowded. The week before, not so much.

We are going again this year (11/20-12/5) with a better feel for what to do each day based on our experience last year.