Crowds Sept 6 - Sept 13?

[Diznut]

So I'm thinking 9/6-9/13 will be pretty light, no? Free dining is going on that week so maybe not. Thoughts?

[LauraleeH]

I'm hoping no one will be there, but I'm sure it will be pretty crowded. Not like summer or anything. But it's...
1. Free Dining
2. Night Of Joy
3. Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
4. Resort Discounts
And anything else I missed.

So I'm hoping for the best and expecting the worst (Ok, not the WORST, but you know what I mean).

[Diznut]

The halloween party is going on then??

[MuchLovedMama]

Crowd levels are listed as 4-5 out of 10 with 10 being the most crowded.

Yes, the Halloween Party is on the 9th & 12th.

Night of Joy is on the 6th.

Have fun.

[JohnnyJayhawk]

We used to go all the time in September until they started doing free dining at that time. We went the first year of free dining and thought it was pretty darned crowded, but I'm comparing to how it used to be in September (i.e. we were used to getting right on the rides with no wait whatsoever).

Bottom line, I'm thinking it'll be busy, but still nothing like summer or Christmas.

[disneygeek84]

I'm hoping it won't been too busy! That's exactly when I'll be there. BUT, the last few times I've been has been during Spring Break and summer, so if there's only 15-30 minute wait times, that's better than the last few visits!

[nyobabe2]

Every year a friend of mine does her trip at that time and every year before she leaves she books again for the same time of year. She says its the best time since all of the kids are back to school! Enjoy

[jokat]

Just wanted to say...see you there! We will be in the World Sept. 3-12! We've not been since 2004, so it will be interesting to see how free dining has boosted attendance. We've also never been able to hit MNSSHP and we are SO doing it this trip!!! WAHOO! So I'll take a little higher attendance for more nightime fireworks and seeing Mickey in a halloween costume!

[Simba'sBud]

My DW and I are going to be there the exact same days (Sept. 6-13). This will be our first time visiting during Sept., so we hope that the crowds will be somewhat down for all us maniacs that will be there together.

BTW, we are having an Illuminations Intercot meet on the 12th at around 7pm. Check out the Disney Meets board to get more info or you're welcome to PM me. Hope to see you there!!

[aurora, ariel, and bell]

We will be there Sept 2-12..will be flying home during your meet:(. Maybe next time:thumbsup:
I will be thinking of you though!

[disneymom2000]

We used to go all the time in September until they started doing free dining at that time. We went the first year of free dining and thought it was pretty darned crowded, but I'm comparing to how it used to be in September (i.e. we were used to getting right on the rides with no wait whatsoever).

Bottom line, I'm thinking it'll be busy, but still nothing like summer or Christmas.

I agree. I loved it in September until free dining. I would prefer to pay for my food and have less crowds. Early October is when I prefer to go with the weather compared to February.

[JenniferS.]

We've been the past 2 Septembers and we are going again in just 13 days!!!! YAY!! We will be there 3-13th. It is not too bad at all w/ crowds. Most rides were about 10 min wait, lots of em we just walked right on and rode again without getting off. The longest line we encountered was 30 minutes. We did do emh at MK and the lines early in the night were longer than during the day for the fact that all resort members are at only 1 park.

[Crow]

the times I was there in Sept wasnt bad
heres hoping it wont be
Ill be there Sept 3-11th:thumbsup:

[Jeff G]

We've gone the last three years in September and even with free dining the parks were dead. We rode EE three times in a row with empty cars at 10:30 in the morning last year. On another occasion we were at the MK on a Friday and there were 12 people ahead of us on Space Mountain when we got in the queue at 4:00 in the afternoon.

I've been to WDW in October before the free dining and it was more crowded in 2002 the 2nd week of October as compared to the past three Septembers.

The only place we find crowded are the restaurants during the free dining.

Another big tip, free dining does help WDW properties stay fairly full during September. Because of this the parks with extra magic hours are by far the busiest so I do suggest that you avoid those parks.

I look at free dining this way, many people love it but there are also a lot of people who used to go in September because they now assume it's busier. Like I said aove we find the parks very empty each year. If WDW was busier in September over October the free dining would be in October.

[ryca1dreams]

I've seen it get a little more crowded in September over the past 5 years. I can't really quantify it, but I'm sure some bean counter at Disney corporate could.

It still is not going to be anything like a July week. The restaurants will be hopping though.

I'll be there from Sept 10-17. Maybe I'll run into some of y'all. I look like this :cool:

[DisneyMcNuts]

I will be there Sept 2 - 7. Looks like September really is a popular month among all us Intercoters.

[hlkeck]

We'll be there the 6th-13th as well. Here's my take: last Sept we were there for free dining from the 7th-14th of Sept. It was our first trip so we didn't know any different, mind you. Our longest wait for anything was like 20 min and that was Soarin'. The restaurants were crowded and we sometimes had to wait even with ADRs. We did sometimes have long waits for buses (I'm assuming they were long waits, again, no point of comparison) - because we sometimes waited for 2 or 3 buses at the close of the parks. It was tough with the little ones.

Fast forward to Jan '08 - and we were met by HUGE crowds; a 45 min wait to ride Dumbo; 1 1/2 hours for Soarin' and just pure jaw-dropping masses of people in comparison to last September. We were very thankful that our first trip was so enjoyable last Sept that we are going again.

[ShanPooh]

Count us in as well for early September!
We'll be there from the 2nd-9th :mickey:
EIGHT MORE DAYS!!!
:dance:

Yeah, the crowds aren't spring break or mid-summer, but they are more than they used to be before "free" dining and MNSSHP - both of which we are partaking in, so they got us there anyway ;)

[Dznygrl79]

I am going the 4-9 for Night of Joy! I don't know about crowds but I called this weekend to change a few ADRs and everything is booked! Oh I can't wait only 10 more days!!!!!!! To top it off I started back at school today(college) and now I have off next Monday for Labor day and the following Monday I will be in Disney World. I'm going to be doing homework and writing papers on the plane ride there and back!! But who cares! I may get to do the Disney College program next year!

[MMouse6937]

We'll be there form Sept 8-15. We have seen crowds steadily increase since years ago. We always go the same time of year. The lines are still pretty short but you can't find a place to eat on short notice. We have 13 days!! WOO HOO! :party:

[mjaclyn]

Isn't Disney doing that Quincenera weekend then too? DH and I are taking DD September 5-12 so I'm really hoping it's not too crowded.

[Grim Grinning Marathon Runner]

Isn't Disney doing that Quincenera weekend then too? DH and I are taking DD September 5-12 so I'm really hoping it's not too crowded.

I had to check on this too, but quinceanera weekend is Labor Day weekend.

Maybe that weekend, the weekend AFTER Labor Day, will be quite a bit less crowded for you!




Disney's Royal Quinceañera Weekend
August 29-September 5, 2008
For the first time, Walt Disney World Resort is offering a weekend dedicated to celebrating the most magical time in a Latina's life: turning age 15.
The "weekend" includes a tradition-steeped extravaganza at Epcot that celebrates the passage from flat-soled shoes and dolls to high heels, elaborate gowns and young womanhood.

[MickeyandTink]

We'll be there Sept. 6-13th as well. I'm sure the buses and restaurants will be crowded, but if it is like last year the rides won't be too bad (except for Soarin', TSM and maybe one or two others).

Only 8 more days :woohoo:

[Gibbs]

Only 6 days left for us and we can't wait! We have been many different times of the year and I have to say that our Sept. trips have been quite enjoyable. Wait times for rides are less and we rode several different rides over and over without ever having to get off the ride. I have never seen it like that at any other time of the year. We'll be there 9/5-14.:party:

[2MuchWDFun]

We went during free dining two years ago at the beginning of the Food and Wine Festival and the lines for rides weren't long at all (maybe 15-20minutes at the most). I think we only fast-passed a few rides.
We never waited more than 10 minutes for an ADR...but I do remember the restaurants not taking walkups (Le Cellier and Coral Reef).

So, all in all I think its a great time to go (as long as we don't get a hurricane).:snorkel:

[MickeysEars]

Here is the truth of the free dining crowds, ready for it???
The park crowds were fine, a little heavier then the other lighter times we were there, HOWEVER (!), the buses and the bus wait times were CRAZY!! We have never waited so long and seen such long bus lines. remember the promo is intended to get people in the parks in a statistically slower time. As mentioned in another thread, there were times we walked out of Epcot and MK and took a cab for $10 as opposed to waiting in a crazy line with two exhasted children for over an hour, which we did our first night we left Epcot.
Be prepared. If you are staying for the fireworks you are going to wait, if you leave before the fireworks you will wait (we tried this trick and still had to wait) Word to the wise.:listen:

[Grim Grinning Marathon Runner]

A solution to this would be to just drive yourself from your resort to the park. If you're staying on property, you get free parking, right?


Here is the truth of the free dining crowds, ready for it???
The park crowds were fine, a little heavier then the other lighter times we were there, HOWEVER (!), the buses and the bus wait times were CRAZY!! We have never waited so long and seen such long bus lines. remember the promo is intended to get people in the parks in a statistically slower time. As mentioned in another thread, there were times we walked out of Epcot and MK and took a cab for $10 as opposed to waiting in a crazy line with two exhasted children for over an hour, which we did our first night we left Epcot.
Be prepared. If you are staying for the fireworks you are going to wait, if you leave before the fireworks you will wait (we tried this trick and still had to wait) Word to the wise.:listen:

[MickeysEars]

right, but we didn't have a car. We even looked in to renting one on the property and the last minute cost was astronomical...cab was cheaper even if we did it evey remaining day of our trip to and from the parks. However, the lines to the parks were not as bad, just going home