Free Dining Watch 2009 - Dates Released!! Update post 1 - Page 55 - The DIS Discussion Forums

mermaid&cinderella · 03-17-2009, 09:35 AM

Okay looking at this thread I am now thinking September will be fairly busy. Is September during free dining usually busy?
I was hoping to go september to have less crowds, thinking kids are back in school so the parks will be somewhat empty, will they be

ZeroToHero · 03-17-2009, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mermaid&cinderella

Okay looking at this thread I am now thinking September will be fairly busy. Is September during free dining usually busy?
I was hoping to go september to have less crowds, thinking kids are back in school so the parks will be somewhat empty, will they be

The main place you will notice the difference will be the restaurants... they'll be packed. Definitely need ADRs.

And keep in mind that busy for Disney is not the same as busy for the average person. There will still be lines, but they'll just be shorter... not sure if it will be noticeable or not, however, with the economy the way it is - maybe it will be.

PrincessTiffany · 03-17-2009, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mermaid&cinderella

Okay looking at this thread I am now thinking September will be fairly busy. Is September during free dining usually busy?
I was hoping to go september to have less crowds, thinking kids are back in school so the parks will be somewhat empty, will they be

Unfortunately, there really isn't an "empty" time at Disney anymore. September is still a slower time to go, but don't expect the parks to be empty - there will still be plenty of people there. Thousands and thousands of people take their kids out of school for this offer - including us. When we went in 2007 for free dining. I found the crowds to be more medium-ish than low.

Disneyfalcon · 03-17-2009, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeroToHero

I also wanted to add that for some people, they might not do the DDP if they don't get free dining (people like me

) because they're cheap.
So for them, I would assume 15-20$ per quickservice meal, and 30$+ per tableservice, depending on where you're eating (I tend to price out about how much it would be at each restaurant, depending on what I'm interested in eating).

You would then multiply that by number by number of people eating, numbers of each type of meal eaten for the entire trip.. etc.

Sorry I'm making you all do math!

I know for myself, I have a TS each night of the trip if we get free dining, but if we don't, I have us going to one TS the night of our anniversary, and the rest is quick service. (I suppose you could also look at the QSDDP too... so many numbers!)

Very true! Before the dining plan came along, we only did one or two table service meals a trip to save money. So, strictly from a financial standpoint, if you wouldn't normally eat many table service meals, you might come out better with the 40% off and your regular way of eating.

Not nearly as fun though!!

ZeroToHero · 03-17-2009, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Disneyfalcon

Not nearly as fun though!!

I agree! It's so much cooler to come back from summer vacation and tell people you ate around the world and with princesses than tell them you had the best pulled pork you've ever had... not that Flame Tree is bad.. just not as cool as TS.

arielmomma · 03-17-2009, 10:20 AM

When we went last year from 9/9-9/17 and we felt that it was very slow compared to what we were used to (we have primarily gone in the summer). They were very little lines. Of course, the restaurants were packed. We were very pleased with going in September and will be going back again. Hurray!

mom2rtk · 03-17-2009, 10:23 AM

Don't let the potential crowds scare you off. It won't be dead, but it won't be bad either. We were there in December with Free Dining and it was manageable. Just know that GETTING your ADR's will be challenging. Know what you want early on, especially since it's only 90 days out now. I kept trying to make a couple of changes to our ADR's for the December trip and things just never opened back up. I called every day for a long time, even as the economy tanked, thinking things would open up. Nope. But we had a great time and the parks were quite manageable. And fortunately we had the other ADR's we had made in June (6 months out!)

PrincessTiffany · 03-17-2009, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arielmomma

When we went last year from 9/9-9/17 and we felt that it was very slow compared to what we were used to (we have primarily gone in the summer). They were very little lines. Of course, the restaurants were packed. We were very pleased with going in September and will be going back again. Hurray!

Of course, there were at least 5 major named storms during last year's FD promo and three of those storms were actual hurricanes, so I think that's why the crowds were a little bit lower in '08 than in '07.

lilys.mom · 03-17-2009, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mermaid&cinderella

Okay looking at this thread I am now thinking September will be fairly busy. Is September during free dining usually busy?
I was hoping to go september to have less crowds, thinking kids are back in school so the parks will be somewhat empty, will they be

Since this is my first time. I have no idea, but I have seen pictures where it seems to look a lot less crowded in September!!! So maybe it wont be too bad!

mom2rtk · 03-17-2009, 10:59 AM

You have to understand the reason Disney has offered this promotion this particular time of year is because the crowds are thinner than in the summer when kids are out of school. It's the same reason they started the Halloween party years ago. It's the same reason they did the Pirate & Princess Party the past couple of years. If there's a special promotion going on, it's probably NOT peak time in the parks. It will work somewhat, bringing in more traffic, but still won't be as busy as summer, spring break or Christmas.

The truth is that there is NO such thing as a really slow time at Disney, even in a down economy...........

mermaid&cinderella · 03-17-2009, 11:03 AM

The past 3 years we have gone in April and I felt it was busy. Will September be less busy than April? I need your expert opinions!

lsutiggergirl · 03-17-2009, 11:08 AM

We go every September. Last September it was wonderful, as usual. We always go this time for the MNSSHP. It's worth taking my step daughter out of school!!

DisneyMom5 · 03-17-2009, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mermaid&cinderella

The past 3 years we have gone in April and I felt it was busy. Will September be less busy than April? I need your expert opinions!

It might be. If you look at the hotel pricing chart, you can guarantee that any time that is "value season" is less crowded than "regular season," or any other season for that matter.

We find Sept. to be great for crowds.
Use smart tactics like being there at opening, avoiding EMH (am and pm), and using fastpasses.
Some use Tour Guide Mike or the Unofficial Guide's touring plans.
Whatever you do, the fact that you are already asking questions shows you will be more prepared than the average tourist.
Then, no matter what the crowds are like, you will be one step ahead.

And definately, no matter what, get ADRs, even if you have to arrange your touring schedule around them.
There will be NO walk ups to plan on during Free Dining.

aestapa · 03-17-2009, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mermaid&cinderella

The past 3 years we have gone in April and I felt it was busy. Will September be less busy than April? I need your expert opinions!

We did Sept 07, April 08 and again Sept 08. Both September trips were significantly less crowded for us...except of course the restaurants due to free dining.

mermaid&cinderella · 03-17-2009, 11:33 AM

Okay so I keep hearing the restaurants are packed during FD, so how long is the wait?
We have always had ADRs in April and always had to wait 10-15 mins, how much longer will we wait in September?

03-17-2009, 09:35 AM	#811
mermaid&cinderella DIS Veteran Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ontario Posts: 2,137	Okay looking at this thread I am now thinking September will be fairly busy. Is September during free dining usually busy? I was hoping to go september to have less crowds, thinking kids are back in school so the parks will be somewhat empty, will they be __________________ 2013 - SS - for Marathon Weekend - running Goofy, rather Dopey 2012 (May) - sailing on DREAM 2012 - ASSp - running Expedition Everest Challenge 2012 - ASMo - ran Princess Half Marathon 2011 - offsite - ran Wine & Dine Half Marathon 2011 - Hilton - ran Princess Half Marathon 2010 - offsite but in FL for a whole month 2009 - CBR - Not as good as POLY but still fun 2008 - POLY - Loved it 2007 - POLY - Loved it 2006 - POLY - DD's first time princess 1980 - offsite - Wow long time ago

03-17-2009, 10:20 AM	#816
arielmomma DIS Veteran Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Mid-Michigan Posts: 1,008	When we went last year from 9/9-9/17 and we felt that it was very slow compared to what we were used to (we have primarily gone in the summer). They were very little lines. Of course, the restaurants were packed. We were very pleased with going in September and will be going back again. Hurray! __________________ DH Me DS9 : DD6

03-17-2009, 11:03 AM	#821
mermaid&cinderella DIS Veteran Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ontario Posts: 2,137	The past 3 years we have gone in April and I felt it was busy. Will September be less busy than April? I need your expert opinions! __________________ 2013 - SS - for Marathon Weekend - running Goofy, rather Dopey 2012 (May) - sailing on DREAM 2012 - ASSp - running Expedition Everest Challenge 2012 - ASMo - ran Princess Half Marathon 2011 - offsite - ran Wine & Dine Half Marathon 2011 - Hilton - ran Princess Half Marathon 2010 - offsite but in FL for a whole month 2009 - CBR - Not as good as POLY but still fun 2008 - POLY - Loved it 2007 - POLY - Loved it 2006 - POLY - DD's first time princess 1980 - offsite - Wow long time ago

03-17-2009, 11:33 AM	#825
mermaid&cinderella DIS Veteran Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ontario Posts: 2,137	Okay so I keep hearing the restaurants are packed during FD, so how long is the wait? We have always had ADRs in April and always had to wait 10-15 mins, how much longer will we wait in September? __________________ 2013 - SS - for Marathon Weekend - running Goofy, rather Dopey 2012 (May) - sailing on DREAM 2012 - ASSp - running Expedition Everest Challenge 2012 - ASMo - ran Princess Half Marathon 2011 - offsite - ran Wine & Dine Half Marathon 2011 - Hilton - ran Princess Half Marathon 2010 - offsite but in FL for a whole month 2009 - CBR - Not as good as POLY but still fun 2008 - POLY - Loved it 2007 - POLY - Loved it 2006 - POLY - DD's first time princess 1980 - offsite - Wow long time ago

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03-17-2009, 10:23 AM	#817
mom2rtk DIS Veteran Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 19,866	Don't let the potential crowds scare you off. It won't be dead, but it won't be bad either. We were there in December with Free Dining and it was manageable. Just know that GETTING your ADR's will be challenging. Know what you want early on, especially since it's only 90 days out now. I kept trying to make a couple of changes to our ADR's for the December trip and things just never opened back up. I called every day for a long time, even as the economy tanked, thinking things would open up. Nope. But we had a great time and the parks were quite manageable. And fortunately we had the other ADR's we had made in June (6 months out!)

03-17-2009, 10:59 AM	#820
mom2rtk DIS Veteran Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 19,866	You have to understand the reason Disney has offered this promotion this particular time of year is because the crowds are thinner than in the summer when kids are out of school. It's the same reason they started the Halloween party years ago. It's the same reason they did the Pirate & Princess Party the past couple of years. If there's a special promotion going on, it's probably NOT peak time in the parks. It will work somewhat, bringing in more traffic, but still won't be as busy as summer, spring break or Christmas. The truth is that there is NO such thing as a really slow time at Disney, even in a down economy...........

03-17-2009, 11:08 AM	#822
lsutiggergirl Mouseketeer Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Baton Rouge, La-Home of the LSU TIGERS! Posts: 196	We go every September. Last September it was wonderful, as usual. We always go this time for the MNSSHP. It's worth taking my step daughter out of school!!