what are the restaurants like w/out FREE DINING?

[traci]

Have only been to DW once (last September) and we were on the Free Dining plan. Although free food is good, the restaurants seemed so crowded and crazy busy.

Are they always like that? even when the free dining promotion isn't going on?

Just curious

 

[bedgraynexl]

I've only been once too, but when we were there in April (pre-free dining and dining plan) while there were crowds we were still able to do standby on some restaurants. We had a 20 minute wait for Tony's and a 15 minute wait for Crystal Palace and 10 minutes for Big River Grille. Crowded yes, but not so bad they were turning people away. Only time that happened was at CRT. Course I didn't know at the time it was one of the hardest to get into. Thanks DIS! The rest of our meals were either CS or taken care of by the convention we were attending.

Hope this helps some

 

[traci]

Thank you! I was mostly just curious if the restaurants were always that crazy! I appreciate your response

 

[TAKitty]

Have only been to DW once (last September) and we were on the Free Dining plan. Although free food is good, the restaurants seemed so crowded and crazy busy.

Are they always like that? even when the free dining promotion isn't going on?

Just curious

I went in July (before the free dining) and this past Dec and they were always packed. In Dec (the second week) they were turning people away who did not have ADRs. I would make sure when you go that you make your ADRs for where you plan eat.

 

[patsal]

I found them to be very packed and without ADR's needed to wait until 9pm at a DTD restaurant on a Tuesday night in December--I think the 13th? In July they were very busy as well. I have already started planning for July 2006 and was not able to get some of the times I wanted.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Depends--which restaurant, what day, what time.
In a VERY general sense they probably weren't quite as crowded before the Dining Plan--

 

[bicker]

We definitely experienced more crowded dining rooms this year than the same week, two, three, four and five years ago.