Sept not low crowds anymore?

[BillyBuff]

We went on Sept 2-8 and wow was it crowded! One of the days we were at Animal Kingdom, we heard over the park's PA that they will extend closing to 6pm. Then half an hour later they announced it will close at 7pm. Saying it was crowded is an understatement!

 

[briellemary]

Here now and just fast passed splash mountain and passed a crowd waiting for 105 min... Ouch. Crowds aren't insane but it's definitely not a 3....

 

[siskaren]

Here now and just fast passed splash mountain and passed a crowd waiting for 105 min... Ouch. Crowds aren't insane but it's definitely not a 3....

Odd - MDE is showing 45 minutes.

 

[PinkaMickey]

We just got back. My husband and I stayed 9/18-9/22. As someone who just visited the parks last Thanksgiving week I feel like the crowds were even busier than Thanksgiving. There seem to be people everywhere and an unusually large number of Europeans and South Americans. We heard accents unfamiliar everywhere we went. I wonder if Disney is running some kind of international specials to attract people from other countries that may not be in school at this time. I had cast members even remark to me that attendance was much higher than expected and they were changing parade protocol because of it.

 

[NicholeB630]

We just got back. My husband and I stayed 9/18-9/22. As someone who just visited the parks last Thanksgiving week I feel like the crowds were even busier than Thanksgiving. There seem to be people everywhere and an unusually large number of Europeans and South Americans. We heard accents unfamiliar everywhere we went. I wonder if Disney is running some kind of international specials to attract people from other countries that may not be in school at this time. I had cast members even remark to me that attendance was much higher than expected and they were changing parade protocol because of it.

This is just annoying. I get Disney wants to make money and I have no problem with people from all over visiting Disney but why do they need to do so many things to get more and more people to come. Enough people visit Disney. They are making where its not going to be enjoyable anymore any time of the season. I mean walking shoulder to shoulder everywhere. Long lines for every ride and every character is just gonna not be fun. I understand not walking on things but if you can hardly even more around and waits are ridiculous who the hell enjoys that.

 

[Dentam]

This is just annoying. I get Disney wants to make money and I have no problem with people from all over visiting Disney but why do they need to do so many things to get more and more people to come. Enough people visit Disney. They are making where its not going to be enjoyable anymore any time of the season. I mean walking shoulder to shoulder everywhere. Long lines for every ride and every character is just gonna not be fun. I understand not walking on things but if you can hardly even more around and waits are ridiculous who the hell enjoys that.

Amen!

 

[nat8199]

We have been here for a week (leave tomorrow) and have had a wonderful trip with very little waits for anything. We pushed three kids in one stroller and never felt that it was difficult to maneuver around the crowds. We were able to show up at FoF parade after it had started and walk up to the rope. At rope drop Fronteir land was literally empty this morning for the first hour. Tomrrowland was still empty going on the second hour. We came in Oct two years ago and I think the crowds were less than the last trip. I do think, however, that visiting MK on non-party days is a disaster form talking to other people. We only visited on three party days and all three were very light crowds.

 

[nat8199]

Double.

 

[kandb]

Today I looked on the Disney wait app? and the ride waits were very low, in the middle of the day.

 

[wsharis]

Yep, on the plane back right now. Was at the world 9/20-9/25. Definitely not level 3 crowds... Was a bit busier than I was expecting, probably closer to a 6. Wait times for big ticket rides were consistently between 45-80 min no matter what time of day and the Halloween party Tuesday night 9/22 was unbelievably crowded if you were near the castle for the parade/stage show/hallowishes. Stayed trough two stage shows and even the second one was verrry crowded. Of course this could have been the hype around the Hocus Pocus show (myself included). Fantasmic was standing room only Wednesday night at 7:30. Not unexpected but definitely more crowded than I had heard this week would be, especially considering Food & Wine started today and most people would be coming in this weekend. Also seconding the poster above, I have never heard more unfamiliar accents or languages than I have this week. I think I heard maybe 1 American accent for every 5 foreign accents, TONS of international visitors this week. Trying to plan another vacation back but now I have to figure out if there is even a slow season anymore!

 

[Dentam]

We were there Sept. 5-12th and the evening we went to HS the first showing of Fantasmic was filled to capacity which they announced over the loudspeakers. It was also the final night for the Frozen fireworks and the place was packed.

I don't know if there is a slow season anymore but I'm thinking about the first week of March to catch the opening days of the Flower and Garden Festival. Crowd levels are supposed to be 3's and 4's before the spring break madness begins later in the month.

 

[wendow]

We were there Sept. 5-12th and the evening we went to HS the first showing of Fantasmic was filled to capacity which they announced over the loudspeakers. It was also the final night for the Frozen fireworks and the place was packed.

I don't know if there is a slow season anymore but I'm thinking about the first week of March to catch the opening days of the Flower and Garden Festival. Crowd levels are supposed to be 3's and 4's before the spring break madness begins later in the month.

We have just always gone for Sept for the low crowds but we saw nothing resembling low crowds this trip (other than our one day at Epcot). So, we are looking at May. I know Feb seems to still have some 'slower' times but that does not work for our dc's activities. I truly do wonder though if all the real slow times are gone.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

Has anyone ventured over to Universal this past month?

I'm assuming that with their explosive growth that they are having big crowds during "slow periods" as well?

Since they only have two parks it must seem really crowded over there.

Anyone have any reports?

 

[DebbieB]

We have been here for a week (leave tomorrow) and have had a wonderful trip with very little waits for anything. We pushed three kids in one stroller and never felt that it was difficult to maneuver around the crowds. We were able to show up at FoF parade after it had started and walk up to the rope. At rope drop Fronteir land was literally empty this morning for the first hour. Tomrrowland was still empty going on the second hour. We came in Oct two years ago and I think the crowds were less than the last trip. I do think, however, that visiting MK on non-party days is a disaster form talking to other people. We only visited on three party days and all three were very light crowds.

That's the key during party season (Halloween & Christmas parties). Party days will be light at MK due to early closing. Non-party days will be crowded because those are the nights with MSEP and Wishes. I've found the other parks are the opposite. If MK is a party day, DHS will be more crowded. This is where a park hopper is very helpful. Do MK during the party day, leave around 4:00 when the party crowds start coming in and go somewhere else. If you want to see MSEP and Wishes, do another park during the day and just go to MK at night. Always works for me.

 

[DisneyFive]

We are heading down today, and I will do my best to report the crowds as we see them . we have been to Disney four of the last five years during this same week, so we should have a good reference.

Dan

 

[ohiotodds12]

My wife and I just returned from a two week trip after Labor day. We ran into a ton of people who had fall break week in the southern schools. Talk to people from Atlanta and other cities.

 

[godders]

I'm here now (heading over to Universal later - thank god for unlimited express pass!) and it's the busiest at MK as I've seen it in the last 2 weeks. Think the reopening of Pirates has something to do with it though. Just did HM and it was posted 20 mins but was a walk on. Winnie the pooh was posted 25 mins and looked it. PP posted 70 and looked it. In the line for Pirates now and it's all the way back to the entrance. Part of me doesn't mind though because the aircon is lovely!

 

[anniemae]

Can you let us know how pirates was? Did they change anything? Are the boats different?

 

[godders]

Can you let us know how pirates was? Did they change anything? Are the boats different?

As far as I could tell very little was different. A few AAs had changed but I think a lot of the work was under the water to do with the ride tracks to make it run more smoothly with the new boats they brought in last year. It was mostly just the same old pirates tbh. They have been having technical issues I believe with the new computer system though so we might see it down a little more over the next few days/weeks

 

[jimmykitefan]

It was busier than the Capt Cook's planned for. We headed over to the Poly for dinner on Mon, Sept 21st and they were out of over half of their menu items. Not good! We found something to eat and the food was good but our first choices were not available.