Will free dining affect attendance levels?

[YorkieMom]

Free Dining ??? Great News !!!

I encourage everyone to change their plans to get the free dining !!!!

Less crowds for us in December !!!!

Remember people, It's FREE !!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Well, we are missing it for the second year in a row! We have to come home August 12 so DS can go back to school.

What I sincerely hope is that people who WERE coming the first week of August will now NOT come the first week! I know if we had any choice in the matter I would change our dates. The change fee for the plane tickets would be a fraction of what we would save with free dining. So I hope people who have a little flexibility in scheduling will opt to go for free dining and make the crowds better for us!

 

[Stitch65]

I've never been in September, isn't it hot as all heck? I'm from the frigid north and I think I just might melt!

 

[MOMOFMNM]

it was fine last year...

we were there during NSSHP, FWF and free dining and we had only about 20 min waits on the BIGGEST attractions, never used FP but once to get on Soarin'


but PLEASE get your ADR's booked ASAP because the restaurants are PACKED and there are NO NO NO walkins and no nono way to make ADR's while you are there or near your vacation times....all slots...I reapeat ALL dining slots were gone...it was crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

anyway we were doing SOG but I am leaning towards another Poly trip again. Our dates are not changing due to the dining, but we do have to cut one day off the beginning...

 

[cruiserkaren]

I must have missed the thread announcing the Free Dining for this year.... anyone know the dates... Also It really depends on when you are going during the Free Dining plan... Last year we went the first week (aka the last week of august).... Crowds were TINY!!!!. For dinner I literally called ADR and made a reservation while walking to the restaurant... and when she said "What time?" I would say "ummmm now would be good".... then I would walk up to the podeum and would be seated before everyone else

We went Labor Day week last year and did the same thing. We had no troubles at all getting seated. Now I just gotta get dh onboard or I'll have to get my mom to go with dd and I. Just can't pass it up, I didn't expect the free dining again.

 

[cruiserkaren]

I've never been in September, isn't it hot as all heck? I'm from the frigid north and I think I just might melt!

It was EXTREMELY hot the first week of September. Two steps out the door and covered in sweat, literally! I know not a nice thought, but it is bloody hot, hot, hot!

 

[DVC Sadie]

Will it be crowded? YES! There are several factors that will make WDW more crowded than previous years. The free dining plan was tested last year and was a huge success. Now that people are paying for the dining plan alot of families will cancel reservations so they too can get free dining. More people are traveling this year post 9/11. With gas prices going up a lot of families will feel this is the best chance to fly cheaper or drive cheaper. Last but not least families who would normally stay off site will be booking on site.

Now I wonder if WDW is going to raise the prices of the dining plan after the free dining has ended.

 

[aterriq]

I was hoping for buy a 4 day MYW and get 3 days free.

I'm disappointed with the free dining since I can't get it. Used it last year and it was great. We traded our time share in the mountains for a 2 bedroom at the BWV. So there wouldn't be any savings for us by getting this room at the rack rate.

However, I could see buying 4 annual passes, and the one day MYW ticket. This way my first week will cost us for the Dining Package, add another week and maybe have 2 weeks at Disney for about 4 grand.

Time to do a spreadsheet and hope my wife goes for it.

 

[MOMOFMNM]

I was hoping for buy a 4 day MYW and get 3 days free.

I'm disappointed with the free dining since I can't get it. Used it last year and it was great. We traded our time share in the mountains for a 2 bedroom at the BWV. So there wouldn't be any savings for us by getting this room at the rack rate.

However, I could see buying 4 annual passes, and the one day MYW ticket. This way my first week will cost us for the Dining Package, add another week and maybe have 2 weeks at Disney for about 4 grand.

Time to do a spreadsheet and hope my wife goes for it.

I thought you could get the dining plan if you were on points at the villas???

 

[thelionqueen]

and it was not overly crowded that much. Only @ Epcot during F&WF was it a little busy, but not even that much. This is one of the slowest times for Disney, so even if they fill every available "free dining plan" room the attendance levels will not be that high. Remember, all the off site hotels will not be anywhere near capacity and levels in general will be much lower. I wouldn't worry, I'm going again!!! YAHOO!!!!!

 

[Jobie]

We got the free dinning plan last year during the last week of August. The crowds were not bad at all. It was not dead, but it was still fun. It was more at a medium level and as long as you use fastpasses smartly you had a geat time!

 

[maxiv]

i was at WDW last year (you can see the dates below) and we had the free dining plan, too. i'd say it was little to not crowded at all!

since i can come very rarely to the world (it was my 2nd time, im from germany) i really appreciated this!

 

[aterriq]

I thought you could get the dining plan if you were on points at the villas???

Yes we get the dining plan when we pay for it at the Villas. It won't be free dining. I didn't pay rack rate for the room. I traded my time share for it.

Woohoo, wife will consider extra days now trying to find a hotel that wont break us.

 

[goodeats]

I think a lot of people will go towards the end of September/beginning of October, so they can get this deal, but still be there during the FWF and Halloween festivities.

If you want low crowds, go after Labor Day.

 

[maggiann]

we went last year during free dining and it wasn't crowded at all. It was great!

us too. it was great, no crowds, walk right on every ride...hoping for the same this year and for good weather.

 

[kittythepoohbear]

I was there last year in the second week of September during the free dining promotion and it was half dead. We walked on most attractions and even scored a riverside table at San Angel Inn as a walk in right after Illuminations (it was an EMH night.) Plan your TS meals now, but don't worry about the crowds. It will probably be just fine!

 

[buzzmom3]

We were there last year from 9-24 until 10-1 and crowds were small even with free dining. I think some one else already said it but there are a limited number of rooms in the promo.

 

[momof2inPA]

I don't know when free dining was last year, but we were there the 3rd week in August, and it just wasn't crowded. It was extremely hot, record hot, but it wasn't crowded. We walked into the Canada restaurant without a reservation.

 

[kizmac]

We always go in Sept. and were there the last weeks of Sept. last year during free dining. In comparision, it was definitely more busy last year. Still not bad though. If you ever went during a peak time you would think it was deserted. Only people used to very low Sept. crowds probably even notice the difference. As long as you have a well thought out itineray you will be fine. I also think the crowds won't get heavy until the end of Sept. (when we are going) because of everyone trying to make it into October. I really wish they would have had the deal run until Oct. 4th like last year because now the end of Sept. may be even more crowded. Oh well, it's all good! I just can't stand waiting till the 4th to apply the deal to my ressie.....I don't think I'll be able to sleep till it's done. It is a huge saving for a family my size!

 

[AStamm]

We weren't even thinking about a WDW trip this summer since we've already got DL in June and WDW booked for December, but when we heard about free dining we just couldn't pass it up. So instead of hoping for a huge AP discount for Contemporary in December, I'll just be content with POP then and an extra trip to ASMo this summer.

Can't wait to try Le Cellier and Alfredo's for the first time!!