Anyone have success with crowd/which park day calendars?

[edk35]

Years and years ago I was a big fan of Tour Guide Mike. I used him for every trip for years and years under the old fast pass system. I have used Touring Plans and Kenny in recent years, but I am wondering if those predictions even work anymore. Does anyone have any tips/suggestions? We used to always go to MK on Wednesdays, but that went out the window a few years ago. Planning out our dining tomorrow for our trip in March. I have some "crowd predictions" for our week in March but I am thinking I might want to just wing it.

 

[MomOTwins]

The simple rule I follow is crowds are higher on EMH days, so we choose a park without EMH.

 

[edk35]

The simple rule I follow is crowds are higher on EMH days, so we choose a park without EMH.

Very true!!!

 

[SaintsManiac]

I don’t find them reliable. We just pick based on FP strategy.

 

[edk35]

I don’t find them reliable. We just pick based on FP strategy.

What FP strategy do you mean? LOL

 

[SaintsManiac]

What FP strategy do you mean? LOL

The one that works for us. FoP is our priority, then Slinky, so we plan those parks at the end of our trip regardless of what days they fall on.

 

[dizneefan13]

We pretty much wing it too. I used to be a micro-planner but many times things didn't go according to plan and all that work was for naught. I avoid EMH and rope drop and like to do the parks later morningish and stay until close.

 

[disneymoon0606 2.0]

The simple rule I follow is crowds are higher on EMH days, so we choose a park without EMH.

But does this even matter when they have extra extra magic hours, and most of the parks have emh every day? We’re going next month and I have to think emh won’t make much difference considering there are so many emh options offered.

 

[SaintsManiac]

But does this even matter when they have extra extra magic hours, and most of the parks have emh every day? We’re going next month and I have to think emh won’t make much difference considering there are so many emh options offered.

This amount of EMH is unprecedented.

 

[edk35]

This amount of EMH is unprecedented.

I am thinking going forward it is just not going to be easy to plan for less crowds at a particular park on a particular day. LOL

 

[bdarling]

I used TGM like crazy back in the day. But that was long before Pandora, Toy Story Land, Star Wars, Frozen Ever After and Magic Bands. We always had a FP runner for the paper FPs and came back with a handful of them for later use after our break. See the Line Eliminator below I always avoided the EMH parks because I never stayed on site.

I think if you have hoppers and are eligible for the EMH in the morning, go to that park for RD, but do FP for the park you are hopping. That is my plan, anyway for my first on site stay!

 

[Klayfish]

Crowd calendars are an intentionally misleading joke, don't waste your time.

I also don't think you need to worry about which parks have EMH, as I don't think it makes that much of a difference, if any. I think SaintsManiac has it exactly right. Pick what strategy works for you based on your own needs and go with it.

 

[DisLiss]

I agree with the "Do-it-you-own-way" folks. Sure, we plan to a certain extent, but you never know what change Disney may throw out just weeks or days before you arrive that throw off your carefully laid out touring plan. Not to mention weather issues, rides being down, something happening with someone you're traveling with, etc.
We form a very loose plan based on our own needs & wants and try to be very flexible with it. We find that keeps us all pretty darn happy.

 

[Tomh]

I don't worry a bit about the crowd calendars. I look at EMH. I try to avoid EMH parks since I stay offsite, and I will often go to a park the day after it has evening EMH. Beyond that, I don't worry about crowds. Crowds will be what they are, and to be honest, the only time crowds have any impact on my experience is at counter service meals (avoid "normal" meal times) and parades / fireworks. Beyond that, I couldn't care less about the crowds. Smart use of FP+ makes even busy days quite manageable.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I am thinking going forward it is just not going to be easy to plan for less crowds at a particular park on a particular day. LOL

Disney is always crowded. EasyWDW did some blogging with real wait time data on every day of the week. It's worth a look if you're really concerned about it.

 

[_19disnA]

Honestly, even Disney has NO idea how many locals with AP or those staying in offsite hotels plan to go to which park on any given day. Certainly, no 3rd party will know any better and not months in advance. Most of those are probably based on historical data and may include known big events. As others have mentioned, Disney is almost always crowded, so don't waste your time trying to figure out some day/week when it won't be.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

I agree, do what makes sense for you and your FP availability.

We relied on crowd calendar on a trip last year during a supposedly very slow time. On our MK day the weather was beautiful but the forecast was for 100% chance of rain all day for the following day. So the entire world revised their plans and came to MK the day before! Shows you that other factors beyond y8ur control can change things. So do as others suggested and plan your days around what you want to do.

 

[CastAStone]

I have found TP to be reasonably reliable but with 2 caveats)

1) they can’t predict the unpredictable (EEMH, new land openings, unexpected ride closures)
2) they are predicting peak waits for your typically busiest rides. Which is NOT the same thing as crowds.

This week, for example, is fairly dead on the busiest rides, and as such was mostly 1-3s at Epcot, AK, and MK. But Epcot will be busy (in terms of people in the park, not wait times) with Food and Wine crowds, and Fantasyland rides without height requirements have had longer lines than they would have on a 1-3 day in say February, because people with only small children make up a disproportionate share of the crowds in September.

So it depends on exactly what you want to do.

 

[Alison S]

Disney is always crowded. EasyWDW did some blogging with real wait time data on every day of the week. It's worth a look if you're really concerned about it.

I remember those posts too- they were very helpful. I think the average wait time difference between the slowest and busiest day was like 5 minutes or something. Made me realize it doesn't matter.

My strategies:
1. Go to MK on party days
2. Avoid the park with EMH
3. Plan for hard to get FP+ at the end of the trip (example: SDD @ 60+6, so I'll go to DHS that day)
4. Plug in special events where they fit the best (Parties, EMM)

 

[DisneyFive]

Pretty much #1 rule for us is to avoid morning EMH.

Why? We don't mind normal rope drop times (say, 9am), but any earlier and it's just too early for us. If we show up at typical rope drop time we lose the normal rope drop advantage. The park is already busier and standby times are MUCH longer than usual.

We tend to avoid MK on Saturdays and Monday's.

Also, during MVMCP or MNSSHP, non party days at MK are MUCH busier. Non party days are the only days to watch the castle fireworks without having to pay for the party, plus you still have a full day. This makes those days busy. That being said, party days can be excellent in the mornings and up to mid day, but you lose the fireworks. If you have hoppers, it can be nice to visit MK on a party day in the morning/afternoon then hop to another park once the crowds for the party start showing up. (they are allowed in at 4pm even though the party starts at 7pm)

Dan