free dining now on so how are the crowds?

[Mand]

Hi

Just wondering as we are now in free dining plan period how are the crowds at the parks

thanks for your help :wave:

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

I just came home and they were pretty busy this past weekend. From the amount of people we have booked with free dining I would say it's going to be a little busy.

Pam

 

[stace1214]

We got back on 8/26 so we were only there for a few days of free dining, but I thought the crowds picked up quite a bit from earlier in our trip, but the wait times were great. On the 25th we were at MK around 8pm- Peter Pan had a 30 min. wait, Haunted Mansion 5 min, BTMR was walk on.

 

[donvincenzo]

I'm hoping after Labor Day (when most kids start school, at least up here) that the crowds will lessen a bit...

 

[NCState]

I'm hoping after Labor Day (when most kids start school, at least up here) that the crowds will lessen a bit...

Me too! I think everyone is eating so the rides will not have a long wait time.:sohappy:

 

[maggiegrace1]

My sister has been there since Tuesaday and said it is not busy at all..They have walked on to eveything..

 

[imamouse]

I just came home and they were pretty busy this past weekend. From the amount of people we have booked with free dining I would say it's going to be a little busy.

Pam

I hope you had a great trip. :wave:

 

[brucie]

If it's anything like previous years Crowds are gone after Labour Day(Canadian spelling) but the restaurants are very very busy. If you don't have ADR's it will be difficult, but not impossible to get dinner reservations in Sept.

 

[donvincenzo]

If it's anything like previous years Crowds are gone after Labour Day(Canadian spelling) but the restaurants are very very busy. If you don't have ADR's it will be difficult, but not impossible to get dinner reservations in Sept.

Yeah, ADR's are definitely a must (we have all of ours, thankfully). We were there right after Labor Day last year and the crowds (as reflected in wait times, lines for buses, etc.) weren't bad at all, hope it's the same this year...

 

[chipndale76]

How does this free dining work?

 

[Rob562]

How does this free dining work?

If you do a search, you'll find many, many threads about the subject. (Most of them from back in March/April. There was a LOT of speculation.worrying/fretting over whether or not Free Dining would come out this year).

Long story short: It's a promotion that Disney has run since 2005 where for certain dates in August andSeptember you get the Disney Dining Plan for free with your package reservations (meaning hotel and tickets). But you have to book it within the booking window, which is typically mid-April through early June for the general public.
(The offer is also usually available to UK residents to book late in the year for the following year's Aug/Sept dates, and sometimes available as a "bounceback" promotion where you book your next vacation while you're still on your current Disney trip.)

-Rob