Planning a trip for September

[sarahsar]

Hi, everyone! We just got back from a terrific trip to WDW, my first in 20 years, and the first for my 4 year old and 6 month old. We had an amazing time, and now of course already want to plan another trip!

We are thinking of going at the end of September. There is a great airfare from our area at that time, and the free dining promotion seems like a good deal. I am wondering what people think about that as a time to go in terms of heat, crowds, etc. From what I saw at TouringPlans.com, it seems like the crowd levels are projected to be low, which would be great. Our recent trip was before the insane crowds of last week, but still pretty busy (we were there 3/28-4/1).

I was also wondering about Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. On the website, it says tickets will be for sale starting 5/1. Is it hard to get tickets? Because that is something we would definitely like to do. We would also like to do the Cinderella breakfast again, because it was a huge hit with my 4 year old daughter, but they aren't taking reservations until 3 months out (it was 6 months out when we booked for our last trip). Our dates are flexible enough that we could change things slightly around those things, but I guess there won't be any way of knowing until we get closer to the time.

 

[nepalostparks]

We went the second week of September in 2008, and thought it was a great time to go to Disney.

Crowds were light all week. Except for the bigger attractions, we never waited more than 15 or 20 minutes to ride. And using Fastpass for the bigger ones, we minimized our waits there too.

Weather for us was great. High 80s all week and fairly humid, but when you go in and out of shops and attractions all day, the heat doesn't wear on you as much. A few showers twice during the week, but mostly sunny the rest of the time. Keep in mind September is peak hurricane season.

Free dining can make the resorts and restaurants a little more crowded. As long as you make Advance Dining Reservations as far out as you can and are willing to do that kind of planning, it is well worth the savings.

Have a great trip!

 

[sueuk]

We've nearly always been Sept/Oct and have found the weather good and the crowds very reasonable - no 'too long' queues. We once had hurricane probs when we went at the start of Sept. MNSSHP is great, we bought tickets before we went, so I don't know about getting them when you get there.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

I LOVE going in September!! Free dining is great & crowds are lighter but there are a couple potential drawbacks:

- it's still pretty hot in September
- it's the end of hurricane season

 

[betteratmk]

:sohappy: We're going in Sept too, I wish we knew what the EMH would be to try to plan our days and our AFR'S . I would really like not to get the Park Hopper this time and add on the waterparks for DS. Then I will get tickets for MNSSHP thru our travel agent!!

 

[MichWolv]

Late September is a great time to go. Weather will still be warm enough for water parks, and may indeed still be very hot and humid depending upon your luck. Crowds are generally low, which is why Disney offers Free Dining during that period. You'll probably experience full (or close to it) Disney resorts because of free dining, and some difficulty getting table-service ADRs if you don't make 'em ASAP. But off-site guests will be far fewer than other times of the year, and waits for attractions should stay relatively low.

Plus, if you go late enough in September, you can experience the Epcot Food and Wine festival, a great event.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Here's another vote for September. It's a great time of year to go. The crowds are great, and the free dining is incredible!!

Mickey's Not So Scary will sell out for some nights, like Halloween, but tickets in September usually aren't hard to come by.

 

[jenlar]

You will love a September trip! Very light crowds, a little cooler (but still HOT!), Food and Wine, Halloween decorations at MK, and when it rains (which it does often during September in Florida) just throw on a poncho and enjoy almost-empty parks!

 

[Rinkrat14]

Late Sept is great!

First of the last week of Sept you have the best of everything, end of free dining, and the beginning of all the Fall events. MNSSHP, Food & Wine, and cooler weather (compared to August), just like any other time you visit WDW, use common sense when planning your visit. Avoid the weekends @ EPCOT during F&W (too many drunks), do the popular rides early and often (grab FP, ride, use FP later), and take the mid day breaks.

Late Sept will feel empty compared to spring break time, but Disney knows this so they adjust, less hours, less staff, and less busses etc. It's apples and oranges thing! Don't let the free dining scare you off, the only noticeable difference is the lack of ADRs, but since on these type of WDW web sites you knew that! Free dining only affects the crowd levels 5% to 10% and the resort levels 30 %, Remember that's only the percentage of a slow, kids still in school, fall.

MNSSHP @ that time of year rarely sells out especially weekdays, I've waited till the day before to buy tickets, just to see all the factors involved like weather, kids tired?, etc.

 

[smk]

Tickets to MNSSHP are less expensive(by a few bucks) if you buy them ahead of schedule. Be careful about the dates because the tickets are not transferable, meaning if you say you are going on tuesday september 23rd (don't know if that is the right date, only using it as an example) then you must go to the party that night.
We love, love, love the party and would go again just for that alone. Free dining will bring more crowds but we have been in september/october before and the crowds are managable. The weather is usually good, minus a pesky hurricane or two we have experienced in septembers past.

 

[lovepooh]

We went in Sept 07' towards the end of the month and I loved it! We have been in May and Feb this by far was the best time for us to go.
The weather was a bit iffy. We would get a thunderstorm here and there but wouldnt be a wash out or an all day thing. Temps were not bad at all.
One thing I would suggest is making your dinning res as soon as possible. I didnt and found it hard to get in some of the places we wanted to go.
crowds were not bad at all.

We are in fact going again this year. But I wish also they would open up dinning like that have done before 6 months in advance and I wish they had the calendar up so I knew how to make my plans. But its only 2 more months and I can start pinning down ADR's.