So how busey does free dinning make WDW?

[chrisdadrocks]

I am going to WDW on Aug. 20 thru the 27, and i keep reading it will be busier due to the free dinning. Just how busy? I am going solo so I think that will help with lines but still affraid that my thoughts of being a dead time are not going to come true. Anyone been there last year that can give me some info? Thanks!

 

[DisneyJoe]

if you want to eat at a table service restaurant, you better have made ADR's.

 

[raven]

When we went down in April we made reservations for places in September knowing that the "free diners" will be there. Since we are moving there in a couple of weeks we wanted to be able to eat at WDW at least a few times in September without being turned away.

 

[Disneykidder]

Yes, I am one of those "free diners" and I, too am curious about the crowds. I will be leaving in 2 days for 9 days. We always go in the summer, due to myself being a teacher, and always purchase the dining plan. When this board told me of the free dining, we figured...why not...we always get it anyway. So sorry if us "ree loading diners may get in others way.

 

[natolij02]

Since ADR's are extremely limited and some places are booked solid right now, my guess would be that it's gonna be busy but not July 4th/week after christmas busy if that makes any sense. We were there during free dining last year and it was busy and we are leaving tomorrow :sohappy: and we are expecting around the same crowd level as last year.

 

[mary219]

the parks are not crowded at all and the restaurants are packed.

 

[Lucky]

You may still find long lines at Soarin' and a couple of other attractions. Evening EMH could be crowded. But it's really not bad at all - remember many of the free diners are in the restaurants instead of at the attractions.

 

[adambrady]

Mary and Lucky nailed it.

We were there last year for the free dining. Waited in only one line for more than 5 minutes the whole 10 days we were there and that was for Soarin' (40 minutes). We did however wait quite a while for our ADR's as the restaurants are jammed. I think most people like to eat more than they like to walk around in the sun so it is great for us and the rest of the people who are there to actually enjoy the parks and have the free dining as simply a bonus. The food is nice, but that is just an extra.

Hope you have a great trip.

 

[brucie]

Parks are empty restaurants are packed

 

[RonAnnArbor]

I'll second Brucie --

Free Dining doesn't bring more people into the parks -- it absolutely fills up all of the restaurants, though.

Free Dining was designed to get those visitors who might otherwise stay in an offsite hotel, but have already made plans to go to WDW, to stay in a WDW resort instead, by offering them free food along with the hotel rooms. There are some forum users here, who are now aware of the dining and book specifically to go at those times -- but that is a teensy weensy portion of the WDW attendance, and completely something the rest of the country is unaware of.

It makes no impact on the crowds at the parks themselves.