Have you changed when you go to Orlando due to increasing crowds?

[kathy884]

I'm wondering if anyone else has changed travel patterns for going to Orlando due to increasing popularity and crowds. For decades I've been a big fan of the March spring break trip, especially with rope drop and a good touring plan. I do love the weather in Florida then too. I was planning to go in March again, but then looked at the wait predictions for attractions we'd want to hit in the parks (unofficial guide tourinplan.com predictions) -- yuck. Sure I could probably get a few FP+ stuff to help, but I'm only doing two Disney park days and will be staying offsite. Also, I felt like the crowds were heavier than ever on my last spring break trip, actually to the point that it affected my enjoyment. And I'm talking a popular spring break week, but not the super heavy crowd Easter week.

We are still tied to the school schedule, but the college my son goes to has a really long Christmas break, starting again after the MLK holiday. So anyway, despite more iffy weather, I'm planning on the week after the Disney Marathon before the MLK holiday in January for a mini trip instead of spring break. Crowd calendar predictions are 3s instead of 7s and 8s Predictions of wait times in touringplans.com look very doable even without fastpasses. Anyway, I'll hope for the best weather wise and bring a warm coat just in case.

If you've changed when you go, what's your story? What did you used to do and what are you doing now?

 

[larryz]

We just did. Rather than hit "regular season," which now includes the second week of December (our normal time to go), we've pushed back to "value season" in January. Maybe we'll see you on the monorail...

 

[Mambo Junkie]

The majority of my trips has been the 3rd week of September. Still manageable crowds, but free dining has done us in with the lack of walk in TS. Then we started going the first week of December. Due to the increased crowds, lack of TS walk in and add unpredictable weather, well, I've changed again. I'm trying the first week in May, in part due to it being Nurses Day (for my DIL) but I was hoping for better crowds since I was careful to avoid SWW. I will see. This will probably be the last off season family vacation as my DGD starts school next September.
What I have changed is I've gone back to offsite. The crowds being what they are I just don't see the perks. We are not early risers, and I find the EMH parks super crowded anyway. I find I am more likely to have downtime and go to other attractions offsite, where I spend every minute in the parks when I stay onsite. I am also buying APs for US.
I'm going to try a few things then we'll see.

 

[heart4dis]

I always try to go when crowds are lower but I would say if your schedule isn't flexible enough to allow that, it's all in the attitude. If you go expecting to get on fewer rides or to see fewer attractions you won't be upset as much. Plus you can go just to absorb the ambiance!

 

[AngiTN]

Yes but not in the way you think.
Now that it's always crowded it's harder to tell the difference between low crowd days and crowded days. So now I am less concerned about trying to find low crowds. It's harder, if not impossible so we just go when we can and it works out fine. I've learned that even crowded it's very easy to do what you want and have a great trip.

 

[mom2rtk]

Yes but not in the way you think.
Now that it's always crowded it's harder to tell the difference between low crowd days and crowded days. So now I am less concerned about trying to find low crowds. It's harder, if not impossible so we just go when we can and it works out fine. I've learned that even crowded it's very easy to do what you want and have a great trip.

I think everyone handles crowds differently.

On our recent trip to DL, we had the experience of 3 high crowd days at the beginning of our trip. With FP and good planning we were able to do all the things wanted to do those days. The days were good, but they weren't great. I have a hard time having great park days when I'm crammed in so closely with so many other people.

Those 3 days were followed up with 3 magical low crowd days (typical of mid-week at DLR). And the difference was quite stark. The magic returned. We not only got to do what we wanted, but we could be more spontaneous and generally just felt happier to be there.

So I will continue to hunt for that mythical low crowd time to visit Disney. And I will likely continue to pass on opportunities to visit when peak crowds are expected.

 

[Accident]

We've been picking different times of year or specific events because we've never attended. We do pay a lot more attention to what week(s) might be lower crowds when picking the exact date though. It's more because there is no longer any school obligations for my daughter so we have a lot more freedom on when we can go.

 

[AngiTN]

I think everyone handles crowds differently.

On our recent trip to DL, we had the experience of 3 high crowd days at the beginning of our trip. With FP and good planning we were able to do all the things wanted to do those days. The days were good, but they weren't great. I have a hard time having great park days when I'm crammed in so closely with so many other people.

Those 3 days were followed up with 3 magical low crowd days (typical of mid-week at DLR). And the difference was quite stark. The magic returned. We not only got to do what we wanted, but we could be more spontaneous and generally just felt happier to be there.

So I will continue to hunt for that mythical low crowd time to visit Disney. And I will likely continue to pass on opportunities to visit when peak crowds are expected.

I did notice a much bigger difference in crowded and not crowded days at DL. The difference in those days are smaller at WDW now, even low crowd days by WDW standards are elbow to elbow. It wasn't always the case but it is now.

 

[ArwenMarie]

The week before Labor Day continues to be good for us in terms of crowds. Weather, not so much, but we deal with it.

For the past two years, we have gone during Presidents Week. Two years ago, the crowds weren't that bad at all. Last year, the crowds were terrible IMO! I would hesitate a bit before booking that week again.

 

[Accident]

The week before Labor Day continues to be good for us in terms of crowds. Weather, not so much, but we deal with it.

I was there the same time this year and I do agree that was a nice week between the weekends but I suspect the almost hurricane was a big part of why it was so nice.

 

[lustergirl]

Our last trip was in late September this year. Low crowds but man was it hot still. Expected it though as we have been several times during that time frame. Going back in late January, waiting to see how the crowds are then.

 

[bc7ate9]

We were September people. The HOT weather and CRAZY humidity was totally worth dealing with when crowds were non-existent. Now that September is crowded too, we'd rather go when the weather is more pleasant. So excited to be wearing cozy winter clothes at Disney in a couple weeks!

 

[jensen]

For the past 10+ years, we've gone the last week of January which has historically the lowest crowds... we put up with the cold, crappy weather because we had the parks almost to ourselves. We would sleep in, get to the parks around noon, ride 2-3 rides PER HOUR, hopping from park-to-park at our leisure. We always had an amazing time which kept us going back year after year!

Fastpass+ and increasing crowd levels at all times of the year has drastically changed things. On our latest trip, we found 20+ minute lines at every attraction. Fastpass+ forced us to stay on a schedule and stay in parks even when we wanted to hop or go back to the resort. We were cold and miserable as we trudged around trying to find a line that wasn't too long.

That experience taught us two things: 1) we won't go back as often & 2) we'll go at a warmer time of year. If we are going to have to keep to a schedule and stand in lines anyway, we may as well be warm doing it. And if we decide to throw in the towel and head back to the resort, it will be warm enough to swim!

 

[ArwenMarie]

I was there the same time this year and I do agree that was a nice week between the weekends but I suspect the almost hurricane was a big part of why it was so nice.

We were actually there the week before (that late Labor Day is still messing me up!). It was decent that week too.

 

[msmama]

I changed in the opposite way.

I purchased an AP last year because I knew we were going again this year. Well, I also added 2 extra trips - during busy times!!

Like someone else said, it's all in your mindset. If you go in already fretting about crowds and wait times, you're going to have a rough time. If you go in happy to get anything at all done, and knowing that you may have to wait in some lines, then you'll probably be okay!! I do have to say that it's nice going during a busy time, but also knowing that you'll be back in a few months. It makes skipping things a little bit easier.

 

[hakepb]

I changed in the opposite way.

I purchased an AP last year because I knew we were going again this year. Well, I also added 2 extra trips - during busy times!!

Like someone else said, it's all in your mindset. If you go in already fretting about crowds and wait times, you're going to have a rough time. If you go in happy to get anything at all done, and knowing that you may have to wait in some lines, then you'll probably be okay!! I do have to say that it's nice going during a busy time, but also knowing that you'll be back in a few months. It makes skipping things a little bit easier.

Having gone 4th of July and Christmas Day within the past few years ... It almost makes more sense to go at peak times.

At least Disney knows its peak times, and adequately staffs the parks, and runs rides at full capacity.

 

[loves to dive]

Nope, don't even look at crowd calendars. I pretty much go when I can get off work or there is a room discount going on. We used to have to go around my son's school schedule so it was usually late August since back then school didn't start until after Labor Day. The hot weather is no problem for us, we are from Georgia. After he got out of high school, we had a little more freedom but he was in college so we had to work around those breaks. We still stuck to the late August/early Sept. schedule. After he joined the Navy and his schedule got even more difficult to plan around, I started going on solo trips. F&G and my birthday happen to fall at the same time so I shifted to going early April/mid May. Then F&W started getting my interest so now it's solo trips during F&G and F&W. My son and his wife were able to join me in Mid May last year and I've shifted around my birthday trip this year to early March since my son is now divorced, medically discharged from the Navy and back in college so that is his spring break. F&G will be going on, it's peak season as far a resort rates and probably colder than we like but what the heck. It's WDW so no worries.

 

[anniemae]

week right after labor day is the best for low crowds IMO, but oh so hot. We may try lat Jan.

 

[mom2rtk]

I did notice a much bigger difference in crowded and not crowded days at DL. The difference in those days are smaller at WDW now, even low crowd days by WDW standards are elbow to elbow. It wasn't always the case but it is now.

I'm just saying that the experience of low crowd and high crowd days so close together gave me a renewed appreciation for low crowd days, so I probably wouldn't even attempt a trip at a time when I didn't at least have a shot at lower crowds.

 

[mom2rtk]

Having gone 4th of July and Christmas Day within the past few years ... It almost makes more sense to go at peak times.

At least Disney knows its peak times, and adequately staffs the parks, and runs rides at full capacity.

You make a great point. Not great enough to actually get me to go at a peak time, but a great time nonetheless.