How many people will be in Disney for the Free dining?

[jandlsnorks]

Although Disney has posted free dining on it's website, when my DB (boyfriend) called to make our September reservation and said he wanted free dining, the CM said "Where did you hear about that?". It took the CM 5 or so minutes to find out what the free dining promotion was all about. Then he came back and said "oh, I see what you're talking about" and then booked us. In our experience, it doesn't seem like Disney exactly advertises the free dining when making your reservation; I think you would need to know about it prior to making your reservation. We are two adults travelling alone without kids, and are also hoping the free dining won't impact the September crowds.

 

[Disney845]

I have been to WDW more times than I can count (have lived in FL most of my life) and many of those trips are in Sept/Oct time frames. I agree with all of the points previously brought up.

-It is in general a slow time of the year
-Many school-age-children families will not visit so soon after school has restarted
-HURRICANES! (We live through them, they are enough to turn away many people)
-Deals like this are limited. After the predetermined percentage of rooms available for the free dining promo are filled that's it
-F&W fest and MNSSHP are probably bigger draws (i.e. more generally known) which will increase levels only towards the very very end of the free dining promo
-while we here are all Disney freaks, many many many people are still paying rack rate year round, getting one day passes, and not even knowing you can make (or should make) dining resservations, let alone get free dining

In other words, don't worry.

 

[TSM1993]

DBF and I are going from 8/16 - 8/22. Adults only vacation. Did something we never do flying dowm and staying at Disney for the entire time and relying on Disney transportation. We normally drive.

 

[Albertan mom]

We were wanting to go the last week of August, before our kids start school.
However, are tons of people going to think the same way?
Is the last week of August going to be totally packed?


Also, if we did go the last week of September, and booked in Sept 28th, would we get free dining for the whole length of our stay, or just the first 2 days?

 

[Threeriversdisneyfan]

We were wanting to go the last week of August, before our kids start school.
However, are tons of people going to think the same way?
Is the last week of August going to be totally packed?


Also, if we did go the last week of September, and booked in Sept 28th, would we get free dining for the whole length of our stay, or just the first 2 days?

To answer your last question first, Yes you will get free dinning the length of your stay. AS long as check in by Sept 30, you will get the free dinning package, Disney bases everything on your check-in day, the same process determines your season( value, regular, holiday)

Now from what I hear last year the last two weeks of August was slow, one factor is most of the southeast schools start back up in the middle of August.
I think Disney figured this out too, in 2005 Free dinning started Aug 20 now this year it starts Aug 13

 

[cinderanna]

We changed our trip from December to September 3-9 so we could get the free dining. I would probably not have known about this offer if it weren't for DIS. I don't expect it to be much more crowded than it would normally be. The CM I talked to said the week I am going is one of the lowest attendence of any. So I am happy to be getting my free food! We would not have gotten the dining plan otherwise because my DD5 and I are such picky eaters. But now we get to do a bunch of character meals that we otherwise would not have done! Thanks Disney!

 

[Albertan mom]

To answer your last question first, Yes you will get free dinning the length of your stay. AS long as check in by Sept 30, you will get the free dinning package, Disney bases everything on your check-in day, the same process determines your season( value, regular, holiday)

Now from what I hear last year the last two weeks of August was slow, one factor is most of the southeast schools start back up in the middle of August.
I think Disney figured this out too, in 2005 Free dinning started Aug 20 now this year it starts Aug 13

I was wondering when free dining started last year, thanks for pointing that out to me. And I didn't even have to ask first!!

Our schools don't start up until after Labor Day. I didn't realize school started up so early down there. Works out good for us!!

 

[Allensfan]

It sounds like most people with children do not go right after school starts. My sons school starts at the end of Aug...but we are going to Disney Sept 10th-16th. So I figure since it is after labor day, the crowds should be low, even with the dining plan. And it is eary enough to miss the wine events at the end of Sept...although they sound wonderful.

I wanted a trip where my son could celebrate his birthday and my hubby could avoid the crowds and I am going to be happy anyway, since it is disney afterall .

Fingers crossed!!!

 

[Biscuitsmom31]

My boss is a Disney fanatic. She found out about the free dining deal and has been pushing all the employees to take advantage of it - even letting people borrow vacation time. I know of at least 1,000 families that are planning to go - some with many kids. There are over 15,000 employees and I think a good number are still trying to work it out so they can go.







Don't panic. I'm just kidding.

 

[figmentfan704]

We are going 09/15-09/23 with half of our county! lol
We have our 'fall break' -which is perfect timing for the free dining!

 

[Allensfan]

You guys are tough!!

You can see that I am a total worry wart with a hint of anxiety and 100% on edge about my dear sweet hubby...okay I was really reaching with the 'sweet' part...freaking about crowds and you guys are picking on me I guess I have earned that !

But seriously, thanks for making me feel okay about these dates and I will try and keep my OCD in check while I am here.

Love,
M.

 

[Biscuitsmom31]

You guys are tough!!

You can see that I am a total worry wart with a hint of anxiety and 100% on edge about my dear sweet hubby...okay I was really reaching with the 'sweet' part...freaking about crowds and you guys are picking on me I guess I have earned that !

But seriously, thanks for making me feel okay about these dates and I will try and keep my OCD in check while I am here.

Love,
M.

I think most of us on here suffer from the same OCD! I worried myself silly last year about the crowds before we went for free dining Aug. 21 - 27. I was silly for worrying. We had a great time and the crowds were quite manageable.

Now, I'm worrying again! We're going Aug 13 - 22. I'm worried that it's going to be packed because it is the first week of the free dining and many schools will still be out. I just can't help myself. Hopefully, it will turn out that I'm just being silly again. I can deal with crowds as long as I still have plenty of room to move about. Epcot is good in that way. I can't stand to be in a crowd where I'm surrounded by people.

 

[PixieDust32]

I for one changed my plans. I was going the 15th-22nd of October and paying for dining. Now we are going 9/30-10/8. Staying an extra day and saving money. I think a lot of people on this board are going but I don't think that is an accurate represenation of all Disney World travelers.

Where can I book with free dinning and what dates?

Thanks

 

[amytx5]

We were originally going to be in Disney Oct 8th ,however we just couldnt see passing up the free dining for the difference of 1 week. So we changed our ressies to Sept 30th -Oct 7th...
What an awesome deal, I have 5 kids ..HUGE SAVINGS for us !!
Amy~

 

[amytx5]

Free ding is available Aug 13th-Sept 30 through WDW ...
you can read about it here ....http://www.allearsnet.com/din/restnews.htm

Amy

 

[zuzu310]

Biscuitsmom and Allensfan:
I also am a member of the worrywarts club. I have OCD and so I am always overly anxious. Last September, I went for a long weekend and the crowds were just fine. I am just so glad to know that there are other worriers out there I have been worried that they will hold a huge conference at CS when we go. I just changed my ressies from CBR to CS and the worrying won't stop until I have the new confirmation sheet in my hand. I keep worrying that they are going to forget to include my free dining package. My husband said I better stop. I have 5 months to go!

 

[PixieDust32]

Thank You!

 

[MommaX3]

Here is my experience from Sept of 2005. We happened to book when Disney was offering free dining. The crowds dramatically diminished the Tuesday after Labor Day. We got to ride on everything as much as we wanted.

This year, we booked for late August because of the free dining. We cannot be there after Labor Day because my oldest is starting kindergarten this year.

Keep in mind, a lot of schools start the last week of August or definitely after Labor Day. Most parents won't skip the first week of school, but will pull kids out at other times so this does affect Sept attendance.

Hope this helps.

 

[OzFan]

We changed our November ressies! and i don't know about the general public i mentioned it in passing to some family memebers and they were like HUH?!?! so who knows!

We are checking in September 29th at POP!

How cool is this... We were going in November/December, we changed our plans too Sept.30th at the POP. and the real kicker, we are not far from each other I'm in Plainfield, IL. SMALL WORLD!

 

[kcashner]

I think you are really asking how crowded it will be. My guess is "not very." Many people will be able to take advantage of these dates, but many more will be back in school.

We always travelled in September till DD started high school. Great weather, very low crowds (even with free dining last year), and great prices. If you can do it, it can't be beat.

Disney wouldnt' be offering the incentive of free dining if they were already filling up! They REALLY know how to do crowd control and inticements.