9/16+9/24 crowds- just back.

[maddhatir]

Just back 9/16+9/24--- Met up with some friends who were leaving the day after we got in and they told us how great it was to have no crowds.

Sat 9/16 thru maybe Tuesday or Wednesday the crowds were low for us- but then- I don’t know what happened after that- In my opinion- they GREW! You can tell from the amount of the people at the resort and parks bus stops too. The first few days we were the only ones on the buses- it was great!

Just to give you an example- it poured- not just a shower- I am saying poured almost all night on Tues 9/19 and the MK was not emptying out after the rain started- they stayed until later- when it got to be really bad! I always read you have the park to yourself while it is raining- not the case- Fantasyland was the worst! Pooh had a 20 minute wait.

OMG! The next day 9/20 we went to MGM- packed! Not sure if it was because all those people had plans to be @ MGM the night before and it rained, but it as crowded.

I made a mental note- if I am going in Sept again- make it RIGHT after labor day and before say- the 20th!

Just my opinion!

 

[bnorm27]

I agree. by Thursday, the crowds were double what they were earlier in the week. Probably people comin in for the MNSSHP. We did go to EPCOT on Fruiday around lunchtime, and the world showcase was quite empty.
Saturday we did Cindy RT dinner. When we left around 7PM, the people were already lined up 4 deep for the 8PM parade. It was quite busy.

 

[maddhatir]

I agree. by Thursday, the crowds were double what they were earlier in the week. Probably people comin in for the MNSSHP. We did go to EPCOT on Fruiday around lunchtime, and the world showcase was quite empty.
Saturday we did Cindy RT dinner. When we left around 7PM, the people were already lined up 4 deep for the 8PM parade. It was quite busy.

WOW- thanks for posting this- only b/c I am a very neurotic person and I thought it was just me! I am not a crowd lover and it seemed to get pretty crazy midweek---

OH well next time-- even EARLIER September!

 

[amytx5]

I AM SAD TO HEAR THIS ...We've been hearing such great "low crowd" reports... Oh well.. I just somehow knew it wouldnt last ....
Hope your trip was enjoyable otherwise ....

Were the lines really long for the rides ? Wait time ??
Thanks
Amy~~

 

[Mariposa]

I just got back yesterday, too.. I did notice a lite pick up in the amount of people around about midweek. But the lines were still nothing at every park we visited- except Saturday night at MK, but that was to be expected and we didn't really try to ride anything. We didn't wait in line for more than 5 minutes (or for more than a single show to get out) the entire trip. It was fantastic.. now I just have to decide if free dining/lots of heat/no crowds beats paid dining/cool weather/low crowds.

 

[maddhatir]

I AM SAD TO HEAR THIS ...We've been hearing such great "low crowd" reports... Oh well.. I just somehow knew it wouldnt last ....
Hope your trip was enjoyable otherwise ....

Were the lines really long for the rides ? Wait time ??
Thanks
Amy~~

Well- I notice you say 5 days- Food and Wine will be starting then- the crowds ALWAYS pick up for that- over the years- it seems to get to be more and more people.

DH and I dont get up early- But we did one day to open the MK (GREAT EXPERIENCE!-- HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT! ) Anyway- the park and wait times are good in the morning and earlier in the day. Most of the times posted later on were about 20 minutes. not bad at all. But earlier- you walk right on.

 

[bnorm27]

You are not crazy! And that was one heck of a rain storm on Tuesday night! Wednesday night was beautiful though. It was about 68 degrees!

Definitely more crowded by late Thursday. Friday and Saturday were pretty jammed. Noticed the change at the hotel right away. But POP is so big, the crowds are well disbursed. The only place you could really notice the crowds at POP were the bus stops, and in the food area.

Ride lines were not horrible, and bus lines moved pretty quickly too!

 

[cats04]

We were at Blizzard Beach on Thursday and Epcot on Friday morning, neither one was crowded. But Friday night MNSSHP was crowded and Saturday afternoon at MK was bad!!! We were leaving for home that afternoon so we swam in the morning and then headed over to MK. We let our dds pick their favorite rides to do 1 more time before we left for home. Splash Mountain had a posted wait time of 30 minutes. We got a fastpass and then went to the standby line. It took an hour! We got off, used our fastpass to do it again, then left the park. This was the first time all week we used a FP.

As a side note, I'm sick of the rude comments from people in the standby line while using a fastpass. Everyone is allowed to use fasspass, why be crappy to people who choose to use it????

 

[jennib5426]

We also just got back last night from 5 days at CR. I thought the crowds were heavier that usual and we go in September every year. At MK yesterday all rides in Fantasy land had a 40+ minute wait. Pirates had a 30 minute wait but it really only took 15 minutes.
Wednesday - Friday afternoon were quite but at the 9/22 MNNSHP and the weekend the crowds really picked up.

I think next year we will try a different month than September. I think the free dinning the past couple of years has made September a much busier month. I can stand the heat if there are no crowds and I can stand the crowds if there is no heat, but I can't stand both.

 

[mickeysaver]

Odd, but I thought the crowds were very light. I was at MGM on Wednesday and I didn't think it was that bad. The longest wait time that we had for anything was only about 30 minutes.

There was not that much difference in the crowds Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday compared to what we experienced in late September 2002, or December 2003 or December 2005. All visits were Value season stays with more or less equally low crowds. I guess it's all a matter of opinion, but I thought the crowds were really low and it was a great time for park touring.....sans the love bugs. Maggie

 

[PlutosFriend]

As a side note, I'm sick of the rude comments from people in the standby line while using a fastpass. Everyone is allowed to use fasspass, why be crappy to people who choose to use it????

Really? What is an example of what they say? I have never experienced this.

 

[Kay1]

Really? What is an example of what they say? I have never experienced this.

I've heard comments like, "Where do they think they're going." Or, "Yeah, you have to PAY for those things." The latter said in a bitter tone.

 

[nluvwithmickey]

Thanks for the update on the crowds, Kinda expected it to be that way. At this point, I am more worried about the bugs(DD hates all of them) than I am with the crowd factor.

 

[disneymom2twins]

Was the reason for some of the increase in crowds was because Friday was a Jewish Holiday? Some kids that are off of school could do a 4 or 5 day weekend with only missing one or two days of school?

 

[maddhatir]

Thanks for the update on the crowds, Kinda expected it to be that way. At this point, I am more worried about the bugs(DD hates all of them) than I am with the crowd factor.

I would take the lovebugs over the crowds anyday-- the bugs dont bite!

But seriuosly- once you have to put up with the love bugs, the higher crowds AND the sweltering heat--- you get a bit "nasty"!

 

[maddhatir]

Was the reason for some of the increase in crowds was because Friday was a Jewish Holiday? Some kids that are off of school could do a 4 or 5 day weekend with only missing one or two days of school?

This is true- that could be the reason for the higher crowds- I didnt think of that at all.

 

[gypsydoodlebug]

I returned yesterday as well. We went to MK on Wednesday, MGM on Thursday, AK and Epcot on Friday and returned to Epcot on Saturday.

MK was great -- our longest wait time was the Jungle Cruise at about 15-20 minutes. Walked on to several rides, including Buzz Lightyear, PoC, The Haunted Mansion, and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (twice). DD LOVED Goofy's Barnstormer and cried when she had to get off, so the CM just let her stay on it two times in a row. It was pretty cute -- DH wanted off but she didn't!

MGM was a bit more crowded. Our longest wait time was the Great Movie Ride at about 20 minutes. Pizza Planet was packed. We walked into The Little Mermaid and Playhouse Disney.

AK was very crowded, but still manageable. Kilamanjaro Safari ride was about 5 minute wait, but that was immediately after the park opened. Saw Pocahontas at Rafiki's Planet Watch with no line, but DD was having a shy moment and wouldn't have her picture taken.

Epcot was very empty until EMH that night. We walked on to Spaceship Earth and Ellen's Energy ride. I waited about 35 minutes for Soarin' despite the 50 minute posted wait time. Turtle Talk with Crush was a pleasant surprise -- very cute, although DD wouldn't go sit with the kids -- and had about a 10-minute wait until the next show.

On Saturday, Epcot was very dead in the morning -- we rode Spaceship Earth twice with no line. There was no line at all for the boat ride through Mexico OR The Maelstrom (we were the only ones on that! Pretty cool!). We saw Mulan in China and there was no line -- she's pretty hidden back there, eh? DD about burst a vein trying to get out of her stroller and to Mulan. Unfortunately, the picture turned out rather blurry, but she was really pretty. Journey Through Imagination with Figment was also a walk-on at about 5:30 p.m.

We thought the crowds were very low and managable.

 

[cats04]

The comment that bothered me the most was earlier in the week. My dd (8) is very shy. While on Tom Sawyer's Island she found one of the paint brushes and received a "golden fastpass". We were told it could be used on any FP attraction to go to the front of the line. She was so happy. She talked about it all day. She picked Splash Mountain later in the day when the line was about 20-30 minutes long. A woman pointed and said, "the line's back there", are you too good to stand in line like everyone else". She said something else but I can't remember. I stopped and told her we had a FP. The woman said we had to get in line behind her. Both sides were open at the point were a CM usually takes the FP but no one was there. We stayed to the right where there was no line. Everyone was lined up on the left. When we got to the point were they group you to get onto the ride the CM was telling everyone who was on the left side they were on the wrong side. What a mess. It was a situation were everyone followed the person in front of them. Anyways, the situation made my daughter very uncomfortable. It kind of took the fun out of winning the fastpass. Saturday's comment was minor, while we were in line a women said "FP is unfair, I don't like them", someone responded "yes, but some people don't mind taking cuts".

 

[plgrn]

Saturday's comment was minor, while we were in line a women said "FP is unfair, I don't like them", someone responded "yes, but some people don't mind taking cuts".

???? They act like you have to be rich and famous to get one! Sheesh!!

 

[Evil Queen]

We were there from Sat. the 16th to Sat. the 23rd. The only day I really seem to notice the crowd was the last Sat. We stopped by MK to do a few rides we missed earlier in the week. It was still managable, but was indeed more crowded. We never go to MK on a Saturday, but wanted to try to catch those couple of rides. But we did say we would stick to our regular Tuesday's for MK.

I didn't notice big crowds at any of the other parks either.

We did notice on some rides, we must had timed it right. We would get in line with a Stand by wait of 10 minutes or less, we walked right on, but when we got off the line was doubled what it was when we got into it.