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Why is WDW so busy end of Sept.

scorp111

scorp111

Well-Known Member
Floridasunshine said:
Two words as to why it is so busy: FREE DINING!!!!

Free WDW dining is worth its weight in gold .... It got 9 of us going when we were not planning to.
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Free Dining definitely causes a spike in on-site stays. Staying at a Value during September is like getting either your food or your room for free, which would causes on-site rooms to fill-up.

But even if every on-site room was filled, the parks wouldn't be that busy. The real determining factor is how many off-site people visit.

(plus no-one is saying that all resorts are full, just values)
 
Epcot82Guy

Epcot82Guy

Well-Known Member
Yep. I don't know that "Disney" is incredibly busy, but the resorts are. We are going down Sep. 29-Oct. 2. We may have to look off site!
 
Nemo14

Nemo14

Well-Known Member
Epcot82Guy said:
Yep. I don't know that "Disney" is incredibly busy, but the resorts are. We are going down Sep. 29-Oct. 2. We may have to look off site!
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I checked the WDW web site last night and there were still rooms available for that time at the values.
 
Epcot82Guy

Epcot82Guy

Well-Known Member
Nemo14 said:
I checked the WDW web site last night and there were still rooms available for that time at the values.
Click to expand...

Great. Thanks for the info. :wave: I may just suggest we bump to the moderates or just wait a bit for cancellations if they fill up.
 
Nemo14

Nemo14

Well-Known Member
Epcot82Guy said:
Great. Thanks for the info. :wave: I may just suggest we bump to the moderates or just wait a bit for cancellations if they fill up.
Click to expand...
We'll be at POR from 9/29 'til 10/1. I had no trouble getting the reservation a couple of weeks ago. I checked the WDW web site last night when I read this thread, but it does seem that there are still plenty of rooms available at that time, so it shouldn't be bad.

Now if we can just do something about those pesky hurricanes....
 
boo52

boo52

Active Member
There is a simple explanation as to why all the Disney resorts higher than the Value resorts category are booked the last week in Sept.

Two words...

<font size="7">Press Event</font>

It is the big kick off of the new promotion.
 
AEfx

AEfx

Well-Known Member
New2WDW said:
The Free Dining Plan and Room only codes as well as other codes end on 9/30. So people are filling up that calendar time to take advantage of this and most people (me included) have started vacation on 9/30 to get the code prices extended for their October stay!
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Bingo.

Because of this, the (relatively) larger October crowds that have been developing the last few years because of MNSSHP and the Food and Wine Fest, among other factors, generally seep into that last week of September.

It's still not going to be bad, nothing near holiday level crowds, but not empty either. Just make sure you make any dining reservations you may want BEFORE you go, because with free dining even the second-tier of popularity in the restaurant chain is going to be very, very busy. Last year we were there for free dining the same time you are going and everywhere we ate a sit-down we saw dozens of people turned away with no open ressies for many days and in some cases weeks (on Sept. 30 we saw people at Cindy's being told no open ressies until October 15, and this was for DINNER).

AEfx
 
tommyboy12099

tommyboy12099

Member
We are seeing the same thing for our trip for 12\2-12\9 this year and it seems like a lot of the resorts are already booked and there is no special going on. It is value season. I am having a hard time getting into the resorts I was interested in. I also checked expedia to see what they showed available and a lot of them said resort not available for this time. It was like 8-10 resorts. I better book soon.
 
LiveInOrlando

LiveInOrlando

Member
September 22nd is the beginning of Rosh Hashanah. So I would assume many schools will have a long weekend, hence many parents will take their kids of out school for a week.
 
joelleharbert

joelleharbert

New Member
We're going 9/15-9/21 and I'm assuming the parks won't be too crowded because when I called reservations and dining, I pretty much had my pick of everything. The only one missing school is our 6-year-old who is well ahead of his class and will be fine. I would much rather pull the kids out in Sept. during "review" week than go in the middle of summer with a 4-year-old and 2-year-old as well. We went 2 years ago from 9/21-9/27 and there was absolutely NO ONE there. Of course, they didn't have the dining plan then, but they had some sweet deals on rooms. I'm sure you'll be fine. Just be glad you're not going over the holidays!
 
RonAnnArbor

RonAnnArbor

Well-Known Member
The first three weeks in september are a virtual dead zone every year - that is always one of our annual trips - 3rd week in September and you will have no waits for anything longer than 15 minutes.

Even the last week in September and the first week in October, the crowds will be light. The free dining plan was originally advertised as applying to the value resorts only - then expanded to include the moderates as well. You will find that with the Value resorts full, there are STILL not many people in the parks as the moderates stand virtually empty for a month.

An event like the Marathon there brings very few people into the resorts compared to peak times of the year. 1000 people for a marathon is next to nothing as far as the number of people that can be absorbed into the resorts. (Not to mention that at least half of those don't stay on property).

Not surprising the Value resorts are full -- but you will NOT have huge crowds (except for your bus stops and value resort dining areas)
 
jonesenon4

jonesenon4

Active Member
the disney triathlon is during the last full weekend of sept i think. however we will also be there sept 24 thru oct 1.there are plenty rooms avail. at the moderate and deluxe resorts. we will be at wilderness lodge for the first time.seems to be alot of us are going to be there at that time.ill be the one with a big pirate hat and a smile ajax wont scrub off.:wave: :wave:
 
Tenny317

Tenny317

New Member
I went last year around the end of september and I am doing the same this year with the boyfriend. We are going Sept. 26- Oct. 2. The Wine anf Food Festival begins on like the 27th or something...The festival makes it seem crowded but it's not too bad...people are just huddled around the boothes of food and wine.
 
Lucky

Lucky

Well-Known Member
The free dining plan fills up the value resorts first. This happens for two reasons. People who care most about freebies are more likely to choose less expensive hotels. And you qualify for the free dining whether you pay only $80 or so per night at a value resort or $250-300 per night at a deluxe. For a family of 4 staying at a value resort, the value of the dining plan far exceeds the cost of the hotel.
 
F

firefly594

New Member
Hey I just saw this thread and I know it's kind of old but just had to say, hi! :wave: I am going to be at All Star Sports 9/25 to 9/30 and going to MNSSHP on 9/29, I am taking my son out of school, he is in the first grade.

Just mom and son, My son is dressing as a cowboy for the Halloween party. I do not think the crowds will be overwhelming that week.


~Donna

17 more days to go...:cool:
 

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