Memorial Day Weekend . . . Advice? Will the Crowds be THAT bad?

[kdawg954]

I have tried my best to talk the family out of going to Universal/IOA for this weekend but they insist they want to go to the parks. I haven't been since the opening of the Harry Potter stuff, but I remember the last time I went it was the middle of July and between the rain, thunder and lightning, heat and crowds . . . I was able to do one ride, and the wait was 2 hours.

So my Brother in law and his family are flying down from New York that Thursday night (May 26th). He chose this weekend because it is the only time he will have extended time off. Me and my wife are going, we are in South FL and will drive up, as well as her sister and her family are going to drive up from South Florida.

We are staying offsite at the near Westgate Lakes Resorts, we got a terrific deal for 1 room to accomodate up to 12 guests ($480 for a 3 bedroom suite for 4 nights, $300 in Universal Cash and all resort amenities included)

Obviously we won't be tackling the parks on Thursday, and they leave early afternoon on Monday . . . . so that gives us Friday, Saturday or Sunday to tackle the parks.

My advice to everyone was Friday. The schools are still in session that Friday, and though you will get visitors from out of town, it still won't be as bad as the combined total that will be in the parks that Saturday. We are trying to avoid spending money on the Fast Pass, but if we have to we have to.

Question is, what day/days that weekend would be suggestable to have a good experience (less crowded)? Will Sunday be less packed due to potential "church services"? Is Saturday too obvious and maybe people will try to avoid it? We haven't really decided on a 1 day IOA trip or a 2 day IOA/Universal trip. Is there better times to go throughout the day? Is 1 day/2 parks even imaginable?

Any advice will be very much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Metro West]

For that weekend, it should be pretty busy. Express Plus passes are almost at the most expensive level indicating fairly heavy crowds...as any holiday weekend usually brings. Monday should be lower since people are leaving and going back to work but Saturday and Sunday should be very crowded but manageable.

 

[StaciMay]

We are going memorial weekend as well, so I am wondering about this too.

 

[cachacopr]

Last year we went on Memorial Day and it was extremely crowded! Even with the Fast Pass I vowed to never hit the parks on such holidays...

 

[Bluer101]

We will be there from May 25-31. It's going to be busy Sat-Sun but thats expected. We always go for 4th of July weekend and the crowds have never bothered us. But then again we always stay onsite and have unlimited express. The best way to do the busy days are get up and get to the parks early and do what you want until noon. Then leave and go back to the hotel for lunch and pool time. Then get washed up around 4-5 and go to dinner in Citywalk before the crowds come out of the park. Then after dinner head back into the parks to close them out. This works all the time for us and the only way to benifit from it is to stay onsite.

See you there!

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Monday will be the best day to go since most people are headed home. Friday would be a good choice too, as you mention. But Saturday and Sunday will be crazy crowded!

BobK/Orlando

 

[Brownie54]

We will be there from May 25-31. It's going to be busy Sat-Sun but thats expected. We always go for 4th of July weekend and the crowds have never bothered us. But then again we always stay onsite and have unlimited express. The best way to do the busy days are get up and get to the parks early and do what you want until noon. Then leave and go back to the hotel for lunch and pool time. Then get washed up around 4-5 and go to dinner in Citywalk before the crowds come out of the park. Then after dinner head back into the parks to close them out. This works all the time for us and the only way to benifit from it is to stay onsite.

See you there!

We'll be there then and are following your advice.

 

[Bluer101]

We'll be there then and are following your advice.

Are you staying onsite, and if so which one? Always like bumping into fellow DISers.

 

[kdawg954]

Thank you for the feedback.

I am definitely settling on Friday as the day everybody is going to the parks, though we will probably buy the 3 day pass because it isn't that much more and the hotel has a shuttle so if anybody wants to go back to the parks the following day or even on Sunday, that option will be afforded to us, instead of buying another ticket. Plus we can do Universal one of those days.

The shuttle leaves at 7:40 a.m., so that is actually good timing to arrive before the park opens 9 a.m. and head straight to Harry Potter land when it does open. I figure we do as much as possible, and take the 4 p.m. shuttle back to the hotel for those ready to leave and have someone in that group pick us up by car, or we could all take the 4 p.m. bus, eat at the resort, and return by car at 6 p.m. (parking down to $3) and hopefully the crowds have died down by then.

Oh well, here's to no school field trips on Friday lol

 

[got2lovedisney]

We'll be there that weekend also! Thanks for asking this question!

 

[Bluer101]

We'll be there that weekend also! Thanks for asking this question!

Are you staying onsite and how many days? I also noticed you are from South Florida too.

 

[Coach81]

We'll be there from 5/25 until 5/28 we're staying at HRH club level.. no less!!!! Praying our house doesn't flood before or while we are there!!!

 

[SandraLee]

Thanks for the information!

I just booked to go to Discovery Cove on Sunday, May 29 and will spend Saturday, May 28 & Monday, May 30 at WWoHP.

Yippee! The Discovery Cove will be a surprise for the family.

 

[got2lovedisney]

Are you staying onsite and how many days? I also noticed you are from South Florida too.

We're driving up from Hialeah on 5/27 and probably heading over to Disney for some pin trading, dinner and fireworks. We'll be hitting USO of 5/28 and IOA on 5/29. On 5/30, I thinking maybe going over to Downtown Disney for lunch at Earl of Sandwich and then driving home.

Initially, we were going to be a group of 15 so we booked offsite at Vistana. We're now down to 7. If I was travelling just myself and DBF, I'd be staying on-site but we compromisd for the budget challenged.

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