At WDW NOW...how are the crowds?

[MissMagnolia]

I have seen posts from people who got back 8/20 and last week crowds were sort of heavy. I leave on Sat. and I am wonder how the crowds have been THIS week.

Anyone?

 

[MissMagnolia]

Bump...

 

[pear86]

Not too bad if you plan your day right. This is our 3rd trip in late August (previously here in 2002 and 2004) and it is busier this year than in the past. However, if you get to the parks early and use Fastpass well, you should be OK. We were at MK yesterday, and arrived at about 9:45, which is later than we usually do. We got Fastpasses for Pooh right away, which were for 11. By 11, we rode Dumbo, the Carousel and saw Mickey's PhilharMagic. Before we rode Pooh, we got Fastpasses for Peter Pan. We then did the Teacups and went to Toontown before we rode Peter Pan.

By 3, the Standby wait for Splash Mountain said 100 minutes. However, there were still Fastpasses available for 5:30. The standby wait for Space Mountain at 5:00 was 80 minutes, again Fastpasses were still available. Even with FPs, we waited 15 minutes.

 

[GrandFloridian4]

FYI - when the wait times say things like 90 or 100 min., I would suggest asking someone that's just exiting the ride how long they actually waited. We have been on rides numerous times when the wait time was posted as being very long, but it was actually very short.

Last fall we were in EPCOT & the wait on FT was posted as 90 min. & we asked a CM what was the "real" wait time & she said she thought it would probably be about 45 min to 1 hr. We timed ourselves & the entire wait until we boarded the cars was only 12 min.!!! BIG difference!! Don't know how that happens with such a wide range, but I guess it's just the amount of time that it takes them to have people time it & change the signs.

Recently we experienced something similar in MGM - a wait time of 40 min. posted & an actual wait time of 15 min.

 

[zookeeper]

FYI - when the wait times say things like 90 or 100 min., I would suggest asking someone that's just exiting the ride how long they actually waited. We have been on rides numerous times when the wait time was posted as being very long, but it was actually very short.

Last fall we were in EPCOT & the wait on FT was posted as 90 min. & we asked a CM what was the "real" wait time & she said she thought it would probably be about 45 min to 1 hr. We timed ourselves & the entire wait until we boarded the cars was only 12 min.!!! BIG difference!! Don't know how that happens with such a wide range, but I guess it's just the amount of time that it takes them to have people time it & change the signs.

Recently we experienced something similar in MGM - a wait time of 40 min. posted & an actual wait time of 15 min.

Good tip! I'm going to remember that one next week

 

[TigerLaw]

The standby time issue can really be seen in the mornings. I used to experience this with test track, and I hear its the case now w. soarin and EE. For example, how can a ride have an hour plus wait time 10 minutes after opening? the answer I believe is that it can't, rather, the parks are stacking the crowds to try to get you to FP the attraction and go elsewhere first.

obviously, there are times when the posted time is correct, so the idea of asking someone coming out makes sense, as I doubt a CM would openly say the time is different than what's posted, esp. since the CM at the front of the line is the person who probably posted the time in the first place.

 

[MissMagnolia]

Thanks! Good pointers.

 

[The Mick]

Agreed, ask the riders exiting.

Several weeks back, (a few weeks after POTC hit theaters), we went to see the new ride at MK - expecting it to be a crazy long line.

We got there and it was posted as a 45 minute wait. So we got in line and waited - for less than 20 minutes. We actually timed it, wanting to test out that wait time.

So many times these rides post innaccurate wait times so it's worth asking.