average wait times in august/sep?

[adamandkate]

im going for my first trip to WDW 31st aug to 14th of sept. Ive been wondering if there is anything that can give you an estimated schedule of wait times based on the day. Ive seen things that tell you how busy the park will be on a 1 to 10 but im unsure how that reflects on the wait times.

On the days we visit the parks it lists its crowd as 3 out of ten as an average. one day is 5, some days are 1.

thanks!

 

[2Tiggies]

The scale of 1 -10 you refer to is probably touringplans.com. This scale is the wait times. The crowd calendar you can see for the next 30 days without a subscription (you can see the whole year if you subscribe) will give you an indication of the crowd index expected, which is shown on this scale. If you go onto the website there is a page explaining what the numbers mean, relative to crowds and wait times.

 

[adamandkate]

thanks for that. read the faq over there and im still confused... on a level 1 day the wait for soarin can be 75 minutes???!!

 

[luke]

Just imagine what it is on a level 10 day

 

[2Tiggies]

thanks for that. read the faq over there and im still confused... on a level 1 day the wait for soarin can be 75 minutes???!!

Soarin is one of the biggest attractions in the parks. It will always have substantial waits. But these wait times are based on midday. So if you get there early and do it first/get a FP, the waits for the other things will be nominal to non existant on a level one day.

Just imagine what it is on a level 10 day

I've been on a few of those. We deliberately did Epcot due to its size those days (more space makes it feel less crowded). Soarin FPs were gone before noon. Standby lines for Soarin and TT were nearly 3 hours.

 

[BethEJo]

Soarin is one of the biggest attractions in the parks. It will always have substantial waits. But these wait times are based on midday. So if you get there early and do it first/get a FP, the waits for the other things will be nominal to non existant on a level one day.



I've been on a few of those. We deliberately did Epcot due to its size those days (more space makes it feel less crowded). Soarin FPs were gone before noon. Standby lines for Soarin and TT were nearly 3 hours.

We did a "level 10" day in epcot too. Even with FPs to ride soaring at the end of the day, the wait was almost 60mins.

On a "lower"'day, we basically just walked straight on with a FP.

We never understood it though - but that touring plans website was scarily accurate

 

[2Tiggies]

We never understood it though - but that touring plans website was scarily accurate

I have accepted that I don't have to understand it all the time. I do see how it works but there are the odd days where I think But as you say, I go with it and they are pretty spot on.

The scariest 10 was at MK. We took over 2 hours to exit. When I say exit, I mean we were on the walkway linking Tomorrowland to the Main Street hub. We tried to get out of the park half an hour before Wishes started as it was hectic. We got jammed in there, forced to watch Wishes and it took 2 hours to make it from there to the turnstiles. They eventually had the CMs with those blue flashing batons trying to create lanes of traffic and get the people out safely. Lots of panic! People lifting double strollers over the crowds' heads and others using them as weapons. We have managed around the crowds successfully but I was genuinely afraid that night. Found out later that the park had been closed to capacity that day. Funny, we knew it was busy, but with TP and FP we managed. We should have left an hour earlier than we tried to.

 

[All Star Paul]

im going for my first trip to WDW 31st aug to 14th of sept. Ive been wondering if there is anything that can give you an estimated schedule of wait times based on the day. Ive seen things that tell you how busy the park will be on a 1 to 10 but im unsure how that reflects on the wait times.

On the days we visit the parks it lists its crowd as 3 out of ten as an average. one day is 5, some days are 1.

thanks!

At the time you are going the crowds really should not be too much of an issue as all the kids have gone back to school. A little planning and the Unoffical Guide and you should get to do all you want to. Hope you have a great time.

 

[disneyholic family]

I have accepted that I don't have to understand it all the time. I do see how it works but there are the odd days where I think But as you say, I go with it and they are pretty spot on.

The scariest 10 was at MK. We took over 2 hours to exit. When I say exit, I mean we were on the walkway linking Tomorrowland to the Main Street hub. We tried to get out of the park half an hour before Wishes started as it was hectic. We got jammed in there, forced to watch Wishes and it took 2 hours to make it from there to the turnstiles. They eventually had the CMs with those blue flashing batons trying to create lanes of traffic and get the people out safely. Lots of panic! People lifting double strollers over the crowds' heads and others using them as weapons. We have managed around the crowds successfully but I was genuinely afraid that night. Found out later that the park had been closed to capacity that day. Funny, we knew it was busy, but with TP and FP we managed. We should have left an hour earlier than we tried to.

this happened to us trying to enter the MK right before the parade (at 8:45)..
i seriously thought we were going to die...seriously...
i have never seen such a crush of people....think germany the other day...
i was truly and seriously frightened...
but that was a few weeks ago, at peak time summer crowds..

that will not happen in late august/early september...
but in any case, never try to enter the magic kingdom right before the evening parade....
come in at least 2 hours earlier, or don't come at all...

 

[2Tiggies]

that will not happen in late august/early september...
but in any case, never try to enter the magic kingdom right before the evening parade....
come in at least 2 hours earlier, or don't come at all...

Very good advice!

But to the OP, you are going at a lower time. Although it is free dining you are more likely to find crowded restaurants than crowded parks.

 

[Howellsy]

I went for those two weeks last year and the crowds were great! We didn't get there for any rope drops and saw everything with minimal or no wait. One day, Soarin' even had a 15 minute wait at 2pm The only time we saw substantial waits was Hollywood Studios on a Fantasmic day, where the crowds were almost like July/August levels, though still managable with FPs and rope drop.

Have a magical trip!

 

[disneyholic family]

I went for those two weeks last year and the crowds were great! We didn't get there for any rope drops and saw everything with minimal or no wait. One day, Soarin' even had a 15 minute wait at 2pm The only time we saw substantial waits was Hollywood Studios on a Fantasmic day, where the crowds were almost like July/August levels, though still managable with FPs and rope drop.

Have a magical trip!

which is a good tip to avoid DSH on fantasmic days!!

 

[Sapper383]

I agree...avoid DHS on a Fantasmic day....we go Sep/Oct, so the crowds are usually low, but this also means that they cut down how many nigh they do the show....last year it was MAD.....also the wait for buses was crazy, it took about an hour to get on a bus