Anyone know why it's so busy right now?

[anomamatt]

Crowds are finally dying down in MK. I didn’t think the crowds were bad this week, except for tonight in MK.

The craziest thing tonight was Astro orbiter at 120 mins around 6. Insane...

 

[kenthanson]

I've never been when it's been truly busy, but I've been when it's been deeaaaadddddd. Dec 2009, so dead we rode splash mountain, no line so we didn't even need to get out of the log, rode it 4 times without getting out, it was glorious. We've been a couple of times during pop warner/cheerleading and the weekend was busy but not crazy busy. We did waterpark and epcot on the weekends then.

 

[AngieInOH]

I understand what your saying. Last time we went it was over MLK weekend and I couldn't believe the crowds. BUT my comparison was from visits years ago when the slow times really were slow! When we literally walked on just about every ride.

 

[disney144]

What kinds of wait times are we talking about?

 

[Action City]

Crowds were so low Thursday, but all the mountains were down, space all day!! We ere frozen to the point that half my family couldn't hang. It was our last day so me and my 6 year old rode everything together that we could. Hat lunch at the starlight, which was packed! And might I add that mobile order pickup is the best thing ever! 30 min wait for food, got mine in 2.

Had dinner at BOG, amazing, good steak! My seafood pasta was just okay. Fireworks were empty that night too and we jumped in last min for an amazing spot. Glad I didn't do dessert party! Then went in Friday morning before we left and it was back to insane crowds. I love it there, but I can't do that amount of people all the time, it's exhausting. Magic hour from 10 to midnight is the way to go! Hoping to come back in summer if it's like that at night!

Summer EMH at MK is just as crowded as during the day.

 

[fla4fun]

I just got back from an 11 day trip yesterday, and I would say it was a mix crowd-wise. You would look out into the walkways, and it looked like Main Street after the parade, but the rides weren't busy (at least not the ones I wanted, and I was even able to get additional FP). I know I saw more BTG than I have the past couple of January trips, and toward the end I saw some cheerleading groups (neither of which really impacted my trip). I had very good luck with Disney transport. Most of the time a bus was either already at the stop or just pulling in when I walked up, which I know isn't always the case. I didn't have to stand on the buses at all this trip, and only rode one bus where a few people did have to stand. I did see a few longer lines, but I also heard a lot of people commenting on short wait times. The Space Mountain line was back to the People Mover, but SM was having a lot of issues that day. The People Mover itself had a queue set up, but didn't have a wait when I rode it (in fact I stayed on for a B2B ride). It was strange to see the park so packed but such reasonable wait times - what were people doing besides rides?

 

[DisneyOma]

I'm gonna take a stab for why "I" think it's busier now:

1. Check your retirement plan performance.
2. The US's largest employer gave a $1,000 bonus to their employees and raised their starting wage.
3. EVERYONE is hiring right now.
4. Most will see their tax bill go down this year.

So funny to think all those Walmart employees who just got their little raise and dinky 'bonus' are going to take that much needed increase in income and blow it at WDW! Thanks for the laugh!

 

[hllb]

Yesterday, MK and AK were both 9’s instead of 6 and 5. EP was 7 and HS was 8. Yes, it was a Saturday, but still busier than expected!

 

[SarahC97]

And again... TP predicted MK to be a 6, it was actually a 9 while Animal Kingdom was supposed to be a 5 and it was actually a 9. What is going on with those crowd numbers???

 

[SarahC97]

Yesterday, MK and AK were both 9’s instead of 6 and 5. EP was 7 and HS was 8. Yes, it was a Saturday, but still busier than expected!

Haha, we posted at the same time.

I just wonder why. I mean, I get that it's always crowded now, but I'm really curious as to what why the predictions are so off.

 

[hllb]

Haha, we posted at the same time.

I just wonder why. I mean, I get that it's always crowded now, but I'm really curious as to what why the predictions are so off.

Me too lol. I know that every unexpectedly busy week over the last few months had this come up, but maybe hurricane reschedules. I heard they were offered dates in January and February, and I could see families selecting a holiday week as it’s one less day to miss school. It’s all I’ve got as ideas lol.

 

[anomamatt]

Haha, we posted at the same time.

I just wonder why. I mean, I get that it's always crowded now, but I'm really curious as to what why the predictions are so off.

The predictions have not caught up to the new reality.

And IMO, no site is very good at crowd calendars. Pandora threw everything for a loop. I did all 4 parks yesterday. A popular site said to avoid Epcot and AK and DHS was the best park. DHS was WAY more crowded than Epcot or AK...

These days I just avoid using or looking at the crowd calendars altogether.

 

[hllb]

The predictions have not caught up to the new reality.

And IMO, no site is very good at crowd calendars. Pandora threw everything for a loop. I did all 4 parks yesterday. A popular site said to avoid Epcot and AK and DHS was the best park. DHS was WAY more crowded than Epcot or AK...

These days I just avoid using or looking at the crowd calendars altogether.

I’ve been watching them closely for months. They usually only miss by 1 or 2 points. But January has been crazy misses, by 4 or more points sometimes. It’s very unusual.

 

[mco65]

I have come to the conclusion (scientifically) that WDW is always busiest when I AM THERE! I think that's Murphy's law!

 

[SarahC97]

The predictions have not caught up to the new reality.

And IMO, no site is very good at crowd calendars. Pandora threw everything for a loop. I did all 4 parks yesterday. A popular site said to avoid Epcot and AK and DHS was the best park. DHS was WAY more crowded than Epcot or AK...

These days I just avoid using or looking at the crowd calendars altogether

Sure, and I don't live or die by them and go to the parks I want regardless of what's predicted. I've just always used them as a way to set my expectations for how crowded it's going to feel. It's making me nervous that they haven't even seemed good for that lately. I arrive a week from today, so I'm in the pre-vacation freak out mode.

 

[hllb]

Sure, and I don't live or die by them and go to the parks I want regardless of what's predicted. I've just always used them as a way to set my expectations for how crowded it's going to feel. It's making me nervous that they haven't even seemed good for that lately. I arrive a week from today, so I'm in the pre-vacation freak out mode.

I’m kind of glad we booked a bunch of extras this time. So even if it’s crazy busy, we’ve got good stuff to look forward too. We are used to riding the big rides multiple times so maybe we won’t be able to this time. But we’ll get to ride everything we want to with very short waits because of FPs and a touring plan. It’ll be a good trip anyway.

 

[SarahC97]

I’ve been watching them closely for months. They usually only miss by 1 or 2 points. But January has been crazy misses, by 4 or more points sometimes. It’s very unusual.

Right! Being off my 1 or 2 is no biggie. 4 or more in the middle of January? What is happening?

 

[FastPasser.]

Help me out. Hardly ever being a guest at WDW, I have no reason to look at crowd level calendars, but it sounds like they make a prediction and then follow up with what they think the crowd levels actually were, is that correct?

 

[SarahC97]

Help me out. Hardly ever being a guest at WDW, I have no reason to look at crowd level calendars, but it sounds like they make a prediction and then follow up with what they think the crowd levels actually were, is that correct?

Yes, Touring Plans does that.

 

[hllb]

Help me out. Hardly ever being a guest at WDW, I have no reason to look at crowd level calendars, but it sounds like they make a prediction and then follow up with what they think the crowd levels actually were, is that correct?

Yes. Touring Plans is a huge, complex statistical model. They also capture actual wait times for everyday and calculate actual “crowd levels” for comparison. Their numbers aren’t exactly crowd levels, as they’re based on wait time rather than how many bodies are walking around the parks.