traveling in Sept for FD

[Genieklone]

I will be traveling the 3-8th and I was wondering if any of you can give me an indication of how it will be? Is it always raining? Is it packed to the gills due to FD?

WHat tips can you give me so I can make this a smooth transition? I am traveling with 2 children under 4 and 2 seniors.

Thanks

 

[SKTiger]

I know post Labor Day has some of the lightest crowds I've seen, but I've never been for free dining so I'm anxious to see myself!

 

[marimario]

We went for FD on Sept 16 - 27. The weather was not hot as I expected but it rain a couple of time. I advise you to buy ponchos at the dollard store since the ponchos at Disney cost $7 if the price did not increase. Also, bring change clothes for the kids, entretainment for them while waiting for rides and try to take nap break for the kids.

This board is great source for information, try to read all you can about the rides for your kids, fastpass, rope drop, and go the restaurants board for all the good TS and CS restaurants and all you need to know about FD.

And last but not least, have FUN

 

[jkearson]

We've been the week after Labor Day for the past 2 FD. It was HOT both times. Last year we dodged 2-3 hurricanes and watched the weather closely, but only had rain one day for about 1 hour. The previous year we had only brief showers. The crowds were not bad at all. These trips were my only to DW, so I have nothing to compare to, but we were able to walk on most rides w/little to no wait. The only rides we waited a while for were TT (it broke down) and TSM which had just opened. We're going again for FD this year because we've had such good luck. Have fun!

 

[Genieklone]

great! I hoping and praying everything works out weatherwise. As far as the ADRs go, how was the TS restaurants? Packed? Impossible to get ressies??

We are trying to do character dining and hope that we can get the ones we want. I guess ADRs on the day/week of are out huh?

 

[jkearson]

We made ressies well in advance, probably 110 days out and got everything we wanted- CRT, Chef Mickey, Garden Grill, Crystal Palace, O'Hana. I didn't have any trouble getting times close to what we wanted. The restaurants were crowded, but we never had to wait very long for our table. Everything I've read says that you should not wait to make ressies the week of the trip. I know I'll be making mine on June 7. Have fun!

 

[tassma]

We made our ressies early, but the restaurants are CROWDED and wait times could be very long (we waited 45 minutes on a couple of occasions) and we had a party of 8.

The best part was were weren't getting free dining.

 

[Genieklone]

We made our ressies early, but the restaurants are CROWDED and wait times could be very long (we waited 45 minutes on a couple of occasions) and we had a party of 8.

The best part was were weren't getting free dining.

woah!

that stinks... maybe i just might have to trade in some TS for pizza at the pop. Oh well.

 

[da big r]

We are going last full week September. Hoping the weather is not too bad, but we are from SC so we are used to it!

Also, cannot make ADRs untils June! DANG!

 

[zoemurr]

I know post Labor Day has some of the lightest crowds I've seen, but I've never been for free dining so I'm anxious to see myself!

This timing is before LD this year, so I think it will be a bit more crowded than usual. Many schools in the NE do not go back to school until 9/8, so we will see you there!

Anyway, we were there the last week of August last year. Did get rained out a bit, but crowds weren't bad at all. We like the heat since we have 10 months of winter here in upstate NY... but it is very very hot.

 

[RMulieri]

The park crowds are not too bad.It was very hot and humid with rain showers here and there. The restaurants are PACKED! From TS to CS there are lines lines lines. I made my adrs at 180 days out ( which you could then) and I am so glad I did. I saw many many people trying to get in with no adrs and they were turned away.Even with my adrs I still got seated late sometimes.For CS we found that if we ate lunch no later than 1100am there were no crowds.Once lunchtime hit tables were scarce.

 

[enchantingodin]

The parks - Not crowded at all. Wait times for most rides were under 20 minutes. For the 'popular' ones about 30, except TSM that could be up to 2 hours. So go early and FP it. For the less popular rides some were walk-ons others were about 5 minutes.

The weather - Growing up in FL I know about 2 or 3 in the afternoon you're gonna get a thunderstorm in Aug and Sept. They usually only last about 30 minutes. And are actually kinda nice because they cool everything off.

The meals - we didn't have any trouble with our ADRs. But you have to plan and call EARLY. If you want to go somewhere super popular at a 'normal' time plan to be on the phone at 7am of your ADR day. BUT I will let you know that last year when we went, and we were able to substitute a TS meal for a CS meal and 2SCs. You get a voucher. You have to use both of the credits on the voucher at the same time. So if you get stuck waiting for you ADR and have a kid that needs to eat NOW, it's an option.

 

[lurkernj]

We were there last year from 9/2-9/12. The crowds were minimal and we didn't wait more than 20 minutes for anything (that would be the major rides, and not often). Quite a few rides were walk ons or 5 minutes. We made our dining plans at the 180 mark and got everything we wanted. I also changed quite a few ressies up until the last month and was still able to move most things (chef mickeys was the only issue, but still got a reasonable time). The weather was pretty steamy, but not unbearable. We were at rope drop in the mornings, then back to POR for a swim/nap in the afternoon, then back to a park for dinner/rides in the evening. We did get rain one day for about an hour, but were between hurricanes, so I would probably expect more rain than we got.

I'll be going this year from 9/10-9/15 with DS11 and hoping for a similar experience.