Touring Plans...best park but higher crowds?

[onemaybaby]

I've tried to search the internet for this answer but I can't find it anywhere, so I am hoping some other touring plan experts can help. I've used touring plans for my last couple trips to Disney, but I've come across something that has me stumped. On November 10th they have AK as the best park to visit with a crowd level of 6 out of 10. Hollywood studios has a 4.2 out of 10 so why is this listed as a neutral park?

Can someone please give me some insight?

 

[lindsmom]

I've tried to search the internet for this answer but I can't find it anywhere, so I am hoping some other touring plan experts can help. I've used touring plans for my last couple trips to Disney, but I've come across something that has me stumped. On November 10th they have AK as the best park to visit with a crowd level of 6 out of 10. Hollywood studios has a 4.2 out of 10 so why is this listed as a neutral park?

Can someone please give me some insight?

I used to be confused as well, until I read how they come up with their "formula". It's kind of nice that they include the "7 day rule" to make sure that visitors can get to every park in a week.

Here's from their website:

The Park Recommendations Formula

Here is the set of rules we use to determine our park recommendations for the Crowd Calendar:

A park that has Extra Magic Hour morning cannot be a "Best Park" (more info).
A park hosting a special event cannot be a "Best Park" - Magic Kingdom Parties excluded (more info).
The park with the lowest crowd level is recommended.
The park with the highest crowd level is avoided.
If there is a 7-day stretch where a park is not recommended then recommend it on the day with the lowest crowd level during that 7-day stretch (aka the 7-Day Rule).

Hope that helps!

 

[onemaybaby]

Thanks, that is starting to make a bit more sense. I think that maybe it is recommended by default then and not the seven day rule because AK is the recommended park 5 times in a two week period. I'm guessing it's because the other parks have events then? I'm looking at November 4-17 week

I'm off to look at the website and see if I can find that area you refered back to.

Thank you for your help!

 

[Caseheidi]

Just to add my two cents... Given the time you are going, the Monday to Thursday's are all going to be great for crowd level. MK and Epcot will be busy on the weekends (I believe F&W will still be going on) so I would figure out the weekends based on the crowds first and then fill In your weeks. I love Early Nov. and Dec. for just that reason. Have fun!

 

[lindsmom]

Thanks, that is starting to make a bit more sense. I think that maybe it is recommended by default then and not the seven day rule because AK is the recommended park 5 times in a two week period. I'm guessing it's because the other parks have events then? I'm looking at November 4-17 week

Sounds like you're not the first one to ask about that particular day. There is a large paragraph at the top of the page:

The Walt Disney World crowd level is in the top 10% of all days. All parks are going to be crowded. We're recommending the park with the lowest per park level, The Animal Kingdom. The best way to beat crowds is a touring plan. Touring plans are 5 times more effective at saving time than picking the right day. Today the Magic Kingdom has its highest crowd level of the week. Food and Wine Festival is going on at Epcot. Today we recommend avoiding Epcot as it has the highest per park level. Today Epcot has its highest crowd level of the week. Even though Hollywood Studios has the lowest per park crowd level it is not recommended because the recommendation formula does not allow a park with morning EMH to be a "best" park.
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So because DHS is a EMH, it can't be a best park - also they feel that AK will have a less crowded feel due to the size of the park and the anticipated crowd. I think that's why Epcot gets "best" park sometimes when we think it shouldn't be - because Epcot and AK have larger square footage for people to be in, it can hold more bodies without feeling as full.