Crazy Crowds & Free Dining - Need opinions PLEASE

[Gregandmel]

Can anyone tell me what their thoughts are with crowds the end of THIS September with Free dining???? I've read the numerous threads about the large crowds with the 4 + 3 package...if the free dining is the only thing offered right now during that time, do you think the high crowds are going to continue???

[JenniferS.]

I've been at the beginning of Sept 3 yrs in a row w/ free dining. The crowds were extremley low. Walked on to a 10 min wait for most rides. Some were 20-40 min, but it went quick or we got fp's. I would've went again this sept, but my kids are starting 1st grade in a brand new school, so we didn't want to pull them out. You never can tell if it will be busy, but to my experience, its a great time to go, minus the heat.

[onjbj]

I completely agree with the above poster. September and the very end of August have been very good to us the last two years even with the free dining offer. Wish we were taking advantage of it again this year.

[BrownEyedGrrl]

The last time we went in September with free dining was in 2006, but I thought the crowds were low. It spiked over the weekend, but was still very manageable. We went near the end of September, through the first few days of October, and are doing the same thing this year.

[tinksmom02]

We went during free dining the past 2 Septembers. The restaurants were crowded, but the parks weren't too bad. We didn't wait more than 20 minutes for any attraction (or else we got FP to return later).

We liked it enough that we're going back this Sept!

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

We went last year during free dining in Sept. The restaurants were full but the rides and shows weren't very bad in terms of wait times.

[kathiep]

We've done September 4 years running and I'm heart broken that I can't do it this year. Less than 20 minutes wait time on most attractions. We even waited stand by for Soarin last year with 25 minutes! My DS starts 1st grade and I just can not pull him out of school. So we check in on 8/23.

[Disney Doll]

We're booked for the last week of Sept and I'm thinking that since school is in session that crowds won't be bad. We went about 3 weeks later in mid October last year and crowds were fine.

[amd780]

It's good to hear that crowds have been manageable in the past. This is my first trip in September, so I didn't know what to expect and was wondering the same thing as the OP. Maybe September will become my new favorite time to go! :mickey:

[wire0monkey]

We were there Labor Day weekend and the week after in 2007. We had free dining. Some restaurants were full, but not all. The parks were not very crowded. It was wonderful.

[MidnTPK]

We went during free dining the past 2 Septembers. The restaurants were crowded, but the parks weren't too bad. We didn't wait more than 20 minutes for any attraction (or else we got FP to return later).

We liked it enough that we're going back this Sept!


We went last year during free dining in Sept. The restaurants were full but the rides and shows weren't very bad in terms of wait times.I've been during two of the past three Free Dining periods....in late September. I've had the same experience as these contributors: very busy restaurants, but manageable crowds.

[ryca1dreams]

I've been the past 7 years in the fall (with one break for a winter trip) - some free dining some not. The crowds really haven't changed too much within the same time periods.

What I have noticed is that you really have to book restaurants way early because they tend to book up fast. I guess that's what free dining has contributed.

[Mousemates]

Yes, free dining does tend to fill up the restaurants...sometimes all day...but there are two plusses to this.

number one, the people doing the free dining are in restaurants and restaurant queues much longer, instead of riding in the parks.

Number two, the folks doing the free dining are a step or two slower after a couple of days of eating the massive amounts of food they are served, so you will be quicker and more nimble than most of them for rope drop and a dash to TSM.

[GottaLvDisney]

I've only been once during free dining in 2007, but we were very pleased with the crowd level. I think the longest we waited for any ride was 20 minutes which is nothing.

We'll be there again this September - can't wait!