Negative posts need not be posted!

[wdwobsessed]

I know where the OP is coming from ... but I also agree that reports can be helpful to those planning so they are not "surprized".

I have been to WDW that "mid-week" (like last week) of August BEFORE free dining was ever offered .... it was crowded.

Last year I went to Universal the same mid-August week .... it was crowded.

Maybe it was not xmas week or July 4th or Easter week crowded ... but it was crowded all the same.

So take the "normal" crowded + top it off with a slight surge in guests due to the free DDP = real crowded.

What gets on my nerves are the people acting like it used to be such a great week to visit and how the free DDP ruined it. Sorry ... that is just not true. Maybe if you were used to going during holiday time it seemed like light crowds ... but in my book it was crowded!

Now the LAST week of August into the first two weeks of September ... that is a different story.

To the OP - I am going the same time as you ... I expect it to be wonderful as that week always is. I was JUST able to add on to my reservation at CR coming in on the Friday of Labor Day weekend ... no problem ... and I still got the free dining ... so the resorts are not booked. I was also able to get some ADR's just this past weekend for Labor Day Weekend.

The majority of people with kids were more likely to take advantage of the DDP last week or this week before schools let back in. My kids go back next week and then have off the Friday / Monday of Labor day .... so yep ... 4 days outta school (no flames cause I don't care) and we are going to enjoy the light crowds.

Worst part about Labor Day Week? Heat. My god the heat!

WDWO

 

[Ardenne]

But once a person actually puts up the cash, whether they can or cannot well afford it, they should be treated the same as everyone else who shells out the dough. I sense a holier than thou attitude among many on this (and other) threads. ie. 'those "free dining" people'.

I knew a man once, he was very well off. I asked why he drove such a beat up car when he could afford a much better one. His response? "How do you think I came to be in a position to afford nice things? By not spending all my money on nice things, of course."

How I spend my cash, whether I can afford it well or not, and whether I am 'entitled' to be at the World, is no one's business.

Again, once a person pays what ever is required, they are an equal to all present.

Carpi Disney.

This is exactly what I was trying to say, only you said it so much better than I. Thank you.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Let's leave Walt out of it. He's dead, and probably doesn't like us disturbing him in the grave like this.

Grave-schmave! We all know that Walt's not dead. His severed head is cryogentically frozen in the Disney vault waiting for the technology to reattach it to Walt Disney World's lucky 1 billionth guest!! Rayy!!

As far as the OP, I know what they mean, and you do see the anxiety on these boards daily of someone trying to plan their "perfect" vacation, only to be told that they are making a mistake. It's either too busy, or too hot, or the CMs at the resort you chose are all rude, or whatever.

I think that in the end, the DIS is a good tool to use when planing your WDW vacation, but you have to take a lot of the advice with a grain of salt.

 

[Evil Queen]

I'm sure I will get flamed for this, so I'll put on the retardant suit now I just want to say that I'm getting tired of reading all of the negative posts on here about the "free dining" crowds. Frankly, it is making me depressed about my upcomign trip in 11 days. I'm sure that Free Dining has raised crowd levels, but are you people realizing that it is still Summer Vacation!!!!! A lot of regions still have yet to go back (Northeast and at least Illinois and Wisconsin!) That is the reason. Please stop coming on here with gloom and doom stories. Like our parents always told us...if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all. We cannot change our reservations now, so if you did not have a good time because of crowds, do not bring your negative energy on here. And that is all I have to say about that!

I didn't read the entire thread, I am sure there is the good, the bad and the ugly.

My only advice, don't feel guilty. Why feel guilty due to other folks don't like what your doing? It's not against policies, procedures or rules of Disney. It's not like it you are breaking any Disney rules.

Apparently Disney WANTS people to come there & offered a great deal. If there was enough crowds filling the parks, booking the hotels and spending money in the shops Disney wouldn't have to offer anything great like this.

Go, eat and have an awesome time.....that's how I feel about it.

Now I may just go back and read the other post, if I get time, just to see what other folks ARE saying.