Epcot this past weekend, 12/8 and 12/9

[kdnmom]

We just returned from a long weekend trip to the World. We were at Epcot both Saturday 12/8 and Sunday 12/9 and there was a HUGE difference in crowds between the two days. Saturday was very crowded (not summer-crowded: we've done that before, too...) with some difficulty manouevering the stroller through the World Showcase. Test Track was down from park opening until sometime in the 10-10:30 range, and the line reached the fountain. We waited in line for an hour in the middle of the afternoon for a photo with Santa. We actually used fastpasses for Maelstrom. Long line for fish and chips at 7:45 or so.

Sunday was very quiet! Rode Soarin' twice, Sum of All Thrills/Living with the Land (party split up), TestTrack, and Mission:Space all before 11am. We walked all the way through the World Showcase and back in the afternoon with no problems at all. Saw almost all of the Holiday Storytellers. Walked right on Maelstrom. Saw next-to-no line for Santa. Did two Agent P missions.

Anyway, for future planning purposes, I'm wondering why the big difference in the two days. Epcot had EMH Friday night, so I expected Saturday to be quieter than it was. Is it just because of the new TestTrack? Then why was Sunday soooo quiet? Thoughts?

Thanks!

[mesaboy2]

Originally Posted by kdnmom

We just returned from a long weekend trip to the World. We were at Epcot both Saturday 12/8 and Sunday 12/9 and there was a HUGE difference in crowds between the two days. Saturday was very crowded (not summer-crowded: we've done that before, too...) with some difficulty manouevering the stroller through the World Showcase. Test Track was down from park opening until sometime in the 10-10:30 range, and the line reached the fountain. We waited in line for an hour in the middle of the afternoon for a photo with Santa. We actually used fastpasses for Maelstrom. Long line for fish and chips at 7:45 or so.

Sunday was very quiet! Rode Soarin' twice, Sum of All Thrills/Living with the Land (party split up), TestTrack, and Mission:Space all before 11am. We walked all the way through the World Showcase and back in the afternoon with no problems at all. Saw almost all of the Holiday Storytellers. Walked right on Maelstrom. Saw next-to-no line for Santa. Did two Agent P missions.

Anyway, for future planning purposes, I'm wondering why the big difference in the two days. Epcot had EMH Friday night, so I expected Saturday to be quieter than it was. Is it just because of the new TestTrack? Then why was Sunday soooo quiet? Thoughts?

Thanks!

All other things being equal, Sunday is often a travel day for people. I think this has a marked impact on crowd levels at all of the Orlando parks.

[kdnmom]

Thanks for the input, Mesaboy!

I believe you helped me with touring suggestions a little while back as I was trying to determine our morning plan with the new Test Track. Thanks for that, too! We did get fastpasses for Test Track first (actually, we got the very first TT fastpasses of the day - we were first in line at the International Gateway entrance) and were about 8th in line for standby when they announced that the ride was down and would open at about 9:30. We bailed and booked it to Soarin and rode stand-by with no wait. So glad we didn't wait in that TT line because they didn't end up opening until 10:30!!!

The next day, we opted for the same plan so that we could ride Soarin' twice again, since we like it so much more than the new TT. We got TT fast passes, then rode Soarin' twice STAND-BY before 9:40am. Quiet!

[mesaboy2]

Originally Posted by kdnmom

Thanks for the input, Mesaboy!

I believe you helped me with touring suggestions a little while back as I was trying to determine our morning plan with the new Test Track. Thanks for that, too! We did get fastpasses for Test Track first (actually, we got the very first TT fastpasses of the day - we were first in line at the International Gateway entrance) and were about 8th in line for standby when they announced that the ride was down and would open at about 9:30. We bailed and booked it to Soarin and rode stand-by with no wait. So glad we didn't wait in that TT line because they didn't end up opening until 10:30!!!

The next day, we opted for the same plan so that we could ride Soarin' twice again, since we like it so much more than the new TT. We got TT fast passes, then rode Soarin' twice STAND-BY before 9:40am. Quiet!

Glad to help!