*** Official September 2025 Thread ***

[hsmamainva]

DD and I did annual Free Dining trips in September every year from 2006-2015. We (ok “I”, but she agreed!!) decided to do one more full out, 3 parks a day, run ourselves ragged trip while I can still keep up and to celebrate my 70th birthday. Going 9/20 to 9/27. Pop Century was always our resort but the Marriott Grande Vista is much nicer & several hundred dollars cheaper. Does it count if we stay off site?!?!!

Welcome!

 

[hsmamainva]

It’s almost ADR time!

What are you hoping to book?

I can’t decide what to book for our 2nd Epcot day — Garden Grill breakfast is on our list for our 1st Epcot day — any suggestions?

We’ve been to Tutto Italia (we enjoyed it!) & San Angel Inn (we couldn’t see what we were eating but it was tasty. lol) & Coral Reef (we didn’t care for that one) on previous trips.

We used to go to Rose & Crown every trip but the menu has changed in recent years (no steak or burgers or pasta on the menu for my picky / non seafood eaters).

 

[kylenne]

It’s almost ADR time!

What are you hoping to book?

I can’t decide what to book for our 2nd Epcot day — Garden Grill breakfast is on our list for our 1st Epcot day — any suggestions?

We’ve been to Tutto Italia (we enjoyed it!) & San Angel Inn (we couldn’t see what we were eating but it was tasty. lol) & Coral Reef (we didn’t care for that one) on previous trips.

We used to go to Rose & Crown every trip but the menu has changed in recent years (no steak or burgers or pasta on the menu for my picky / non seafood eaters).

We did Shiki Sai for the first time on our May trip and it was excellent, easily one of the best meals on the trip. Pickier eaters have a lot of options there despite the sushi forward menu. I don’t eat seafood and the karaage was the best I ever had, chicken nanban was also great. Both of these are basically just fried popcorn style chicken with dipping sauces, the difference is nanban is tossed in soy sauce and comes with tartar sauce. The skewers are also very good but the star for me was the ishiyaki beef rice, which they make tableside in a hot stone bowl. If the pickier folks don’t want the accoutrements they will leave stuff out (our server asked before mixing the seaweed in, we told her to go ahead though).

Honestly between the food and the service and general vibes, this is going to be a regular spot in my rotation. I typically don’t make ADRs at Epcot during Food & Wine but since I’m going to be down opening weekend I want to have something in my back pocket in case it’s too crazy for me to cope with. So I may book it. Other than that, definitely trying the new Bourbon Steak as I love steakhouses, will be at the Swan, and will have a resort credit to use from booking thru Amex. We loved Rosa Mexicano on this last trip so i may hit it again. And I want to do Steakhouse 71 the day I go to the Halloween party, even if just the lounge. I do a lot of lounge dining on solo trips just because I tend to play a lot faster and looser with my plans in general on solo trips, and I wing it a lot with food. Cali Grill lounge is on my list for arrival night when I’m at CR.

 

[LadybugsMum]

We'll be there during the Welcome Home weeks for DVC members; so planning on some of the restaurants that give the extra discounts like Cape May Cafe and Hollywood and Vine. I try to limit the buffets we do, but those are favorites for my kids. We haven't done a Topolino's breakfast for the last few trips; so I'm going to try for that one. Not sure what else we want to do, but we have 5 days to figure it out.

 

[musika]

We are squeaking in just at the end of the month! This is going to be the trip with ALL the hotels as we are really in town for a conference, but adding on a few Disney days at the beginning to get a little taste.

We'll be at AS Sports Sep 22-24, then swapping to YC/BC for Sep 25. Current plan is MNSSHP on Sep 23, and madly crossing our fingers and toes for EEH at DHS on Sep 25. Historically it's happened but it's not officially published yet, so bit of a gamble.

This will be our first time ever staying Deluxe so I'm pretty excited about it. Still figuring out the rest of our park plans including whether we want to hit the water park for the first time ever. That decision may depend on which one is actually open at the end of Sept.

 

[musika]

We'll be there! Currently booked September 20-25 at the YC. May add some days, we'll see!

I have been lurking my way through your last couple of trip reports and you and your mama have so much fun! Our dates slightly overlap (we check in to BC on Sep 25).

It’s almost ADR time!

What are you hoping to book?

I can’t decide what to book for our 2nd Epcot day — Garden Grill breakfast is on our list for our 1st Epcot day — any suggestions?

We’ve been to Tutto Italia (we enjoyed it!) & San Angel Inn (we couldn’t see what we were eating but it was tasty. lol) & Coral Reef (we didn’t care for that one) on previous trips.

We used to go to Rose & Crown every trip but the menu has changed in recent years (no steak or burgers or pasta on the menu for my picky / non seafood eaters).

I haven't even thought about food yet for this trip! So behind the 8 ball. Debating booking something at Disney Springs on our first full day as a late lunch or something. We are going to MNSSHP that night so probably looking to go to MK straight after from DS. We've never actually been to DS as a family so lots of new things for us to choose from.

Our only park day is either going to be a PH day with Epcot followed by DHS, or afternoon/evening at DHS with a very limited taste of Epcot the following day. Unfortunately doesn't allow us a lot of time for special meals/character breakfast but you never know. On the upside it will be F&W time which we've never done so could just snack our way around too!

 

[kylenne]

We are going to MNSSHP that night so probably looking to go to MK straight after from DS. We've never actually been to DS as a family so lots of new things for us to choose from.

Not sure you're aware or not but just in case you aren't, you won't be able to go straight to MK from DS unless you rideshare. There's no buses to any of the theme parks from DS because parking is free there and they don't want people skipping out on parking fees at the parks. Best thing to do imo is catch a bus to the Contemporary and walk from there.

 

[musika]

Not sure you're aware or not but just in case you aren't, you won't be able to go straight to MK from DS unless you rideshare. There's no buses to any of the theme parks from DS because parking is free there and they don't want people skipping out on parking fees at the parks. Best thing to do imo is catch a bus to the Contemporary and walk from there.

That's great advice, thanks! This part of the plan is currently solid like jelly haha so may yet change.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

My wife and I will be at Pop Century Sept 5-9 for a grownups only trip for the Food & Wine Festival and more!!

 

[SheSingsAlong]

It doesn't look like there's an October thread and our trip starts on September 30th - is it okay if I join y'all here?

BWV 9/30, then BCV 10/1 - 10/4

We're attending our first ever Not So Scary Halloween Party!

 

[LadybugsMum]

It doesn't look like there's an October thread and our trip starts on September 30th - is it okay if I join y'all here?

Welcome! You can start one for October.

 

[Leigh L]

Hi September travelers!

We just booked a September (late August through 9/4 - still messing with details). Mainly a long Labor Day weekend trip.

We'll be staying at Wilderness Lodge for the first time! I think we're going to do a couple of days at Coronado in the Tower in August. In between, we'll spend a day with family who live on the Gulf side.

Planning on MNSSHP as well! Still trying to figure out the finer details

 

[ktink]

I'm so glad I didn't find this thread until after I made all of our changes only to wind up in the same place we started. We will be there September 1-6th staying at BWI.

 

[kylenne]

Hi September travelers!

We just booked a September (late August through 9/4 - still messing with details). Mainly a long Labor Day weekend trip.

We'll be staying at Wilderness Lodge for the first time! I think we're going to do a couple of days at Coronado in the Tower in August. In between, we'll spend a day with family who live on the Gulf side.

Planning on MNSSHP as well! Still trying to figure out the finer details

Nice!! I love those long Labor Day weekend trips. I'm doing one too but going home a couple days earlier than you

 

[Disturbia]

FYI HS is getting extended evening hours starting Aug 29

https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2025...mail&utm_campaign=blog&utm_term=&utm_content=

 

[kylenne]

FYI HS is getting extended evening hours starting Aug 29

https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2025...mail&utm_campaign=blog&utm_term=&utm_content=

Yeah I heard about that the other day and personally I'm kind of pissed because I bought a Halloween party ticket for that Friday. Since I leave on Tuesday, which is the only other party night during my dates, the only way I could take advantage of this HS EEH would be to extend my trip a day and move my party ticket, which I could theoretically do (my flight is changeable), but when I did the math on it, the extra night at the Swan would end up roughly being the same as just getting Premier Pass at HS. So that's what I'm doing instead.

I'm extra salty over this though because I purposefully scheduled my July trip to fly down on 7/2 specifically so I can do MK EEH that night, and then they announced AK was taking over for a parade that ended up getting delayed until after my trip anyway. I can't win!

 

[hsmamainva]

Welcome everyone!

 

[Disturbia]

Yeah I heard about that the other day and personally I'm kind of pissed because I bought a Halloween party ticket for that Friday. Since I leave on Tuesday, which is the only other party night during my dates, the only way I could take advantage of this HS EEH would be to extend my trip a day and move my party ticket, which I could theoretically do (my flight is changeable), but when I did the math on it, the extra night at the Swan would end up roughly being the same as just getting Premier Pass at HS. So that's what I'm doing instead.

I'm extra salty over this though because I purposefully scheduled my July trip to fly down on 7/2 specifically so I can do MK EEH that night, and then they announced AK was taking over for a parade that ended up getting delayed until after my trip anyway. I can't win!

There are after hours parties but a day before or after your dates.

I would get a park hopper to do shows on a different day (we are planning on using LLMP on a different day, focusing on LLSP and shows on our first day.

 

[kylenne]

There are after hours parties but a day before or after your dates.

Same issue with needing to shift dates, with the added bonus of it being more expensive, because then I have to pay for an AH ticket on top of the extra hotel stay. This is an absolute non-starter.

I would get a park hopper to do shows on a different day (we are planning on using LLMP on a different day, focusing on LLSP and shows on our first day.

I'm an AP.

Premier Pass literally makes more sense than doing this.

 

[musika]

FYI HS is getting extended evening hours starting Aug 29

https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2025...mail&utm_campaign=blog&utm_term=&utm_content=

Unfortunately not posted yet for September. I mean in theory they should switch but you never know until they're official. I've got some fingers crossed!