Best things to do during level 10 crowds?

GPC0321

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Aug 1, 2015
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So, this isn't about strategic touring to minimize the effects of heavy crowds, but more about certain activities that are less affected by higher crowd levels. Whether it be rides, shows, restaurants, or other activities, at the parks, the resorts, or at Disney Springs. I realize level 10 crowds will impact pretty much everything, but what attractions and activities are recommended at these ultra busy times?
 
On July 4 and Christmas, I tend to concentrate on FP (now FP+) and mid-day I mostly do shows (HOP, COP...) and then hit evening EMH.
 

Rope drop, FP+, an early lunch (11 AM), resort hopping, a nap back at the room, maybe a swim if it is warm enough, dinner at the resort, then closing the park that has morning EMH scheduled the next day.
 
We did our FP for the day and then went resort hopping, looking at the ones we hadn't seen or want to stay at. Thhe Christmas decorations were up so that was neat at the resorts. We rode buses, monorails and boats that day, all that Disney had to offer. We stayed away from the busiest park, which in my case was MK, and went to others. Watched alot of shows that we had never seen before. I also enjoyed the World Showcase, just lazily strolling along, people watching and enjoying treats in each land.
 
If it's crazy busy at MK we will place Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom, and my son likes to collect pressed pennies so I always take some extra quarters and pennies in our backpacks for that.
 
Look at the details that you normally miss, like the new statues in the hub, the windows on Main Street, the decorations in each country at AK. I would also consider getting a tasty, adult beverage to help relax. Tom Sawyer Island is a good one too.
 
We have actually enjoyed our level 10 days but strategic planning is part of it and really goes hand in hand with your question. We literally have had very low crowds by hitting the early RD and then leaving parks in the afternoon. Then in the afternoon we enjoy the pool, shop downtown, and resort hop.

But to answer your question, below are the things we have enjoyed that don't seem as crowded as other areas of WDW (I will preface that I have two sons who have never been into anything with princesses so those types of attractions we can't comment on):

At MK:
People Mover, Tom Sawyer Island, Carousel of Progress, Hall of Presidents, Country Bear Jamboree, train, Laugh Factory, snacks and people watch and take in all the park details (If Stitch's Great Escape has a short line, no matter how tempting, I do not suggest. It is literally sitting in the dark with weird noises. Kids cry. Waste of time.)

At Epcot:
This is probably the easiest park because you can just take time and enjoy the various entertainment throughout the park. We also have "escaped" and walked to the Boardwalk.

AK:
Not much advice here as this is our go to park on Christmas day but we leave right after lunch - with this strategy we have been able to avoid crowds. I feel the walkways can get very crowded on the various paths/treks. The boneyard can be a nice place for kids to play and take a break but it too gets crowded.

DHS:
So much has closed here that this too is kind of hard as some of the less crowded attractions aren't open. The Stunt Show seating is extremely large so that is a good option. Star Tours use to have a shorter line than some of the other headliners but with the release of the new movie and opening of Launch Bay - and closure to other attractions - I don't expect that to be the case when we are there in two weeks.

Other:
On Christmas evening we had a carriage ride scheduled at POR which was very nice and certainly away from the crowded parks. We've also enjoyed resort hopping to see decorations and riding the monorail. - And of course the pool and resort playground when the kids were younger. From Disney Springs you can take a boat to POFQ / POR and visit those resorts and enjoy a boat ride too.

One last tip:
One year when I was planning and trying to come up with a strategy for Epcot, I read that the "Silver Ball" / Spaceship Earth ride fluctuates significantly throughout the day. If it has a long wait time then come back later. That is exactly what we ran into and sure enough, when we came back later in the afternoon, the wait time was much shorter. We also had the same experience with Buzz at MK. There are some rides where the line will be long all day - and only get longer - but many fluctuate throughout the day.

My best piece of advice is to expect crowds, manage expectations, and go with the flow. Enjoy what you get to do and don't worry about what you miss. Good luck and enjoy your trip!
 
Everybody has given great tips. My #1 rule during those times is to get up early and stay up late. Obviously rope drop affords you the opportunity to hit some headliners before things get too crazy. Same thing goes at night (especially during EMH). But the absolute best thing to do is to just have reasonable expectations. I know that is difficult, and I have a problem doing that even when I know the parks will be super crowded. But if you get up early, stay out late, and maintain a positive mindset, I think you will have a great time (we always do)!
 
Swimming - poolside games if you've got kids
Movies under the stars
Nightly campfire (if you're at a mod or deluxe)

No matter how crowded your resort is, I never find too many people doing this.
 
I agree with Disneylover99, Even though resorts are full, resort time is great -- swimming and playing tennis at your resort are great activities. Everyone is at the parks and it's such a breath of fresh air to be at a place and having fun with no crowds. If you have a condo too -- dinners in, movies, games, and family visiting as well as sitting out on your balcony are heavenly. We for sanity reasons do lots of resort time when crowd levels are insane.

I also find parks like SeaWorld that are animal exhibit and show based to be much more tolerable than attraction based parks like the Magic Kingdom at those heavy times. This may be the time to check out indoor sky diving in a wind tunnel, Gatorland, and maybe the Orlando Eye and the new wax museum instead of one of the World Class theme parks that are mobbed.

The first two hours of the day at parks are pretty good too even at the Magic Kingdom if you do rope drop. It's downhill from there on a crowd level 10 day. And OMG the difference between a crowd level 9 day and a crowd level 10 day IMHO is quite significant. Go for the 9 instead of 10 time if you can.

I've done Christmas week five different times, but I find the older I get the less I enjoy the crowds. These days I tend to find a less busy time to come or if not just skip Orlando.
 
Don't forget to see a Movie at AMC Dine In Theaters. Movie Theaters are the most likely to fill day off and most people don't have an experience such as Alamo Drafthouse or CineBistro in their hometowns.
 
I went on Fourth of July last year, and the most important thing we did was hit rope drop and walked so fast! By the time it was 11, we got almost everything main thing we wanted to hit. Magic Kingdom was madness that day and we left around 3, went to Epcot until 6, ate at downtown Disney, and by the time we went back to Magic Kingdom the crowds weren't as bad as earlier in the afternoon! If you really wanted to avoid the most congestion in the park, I recommend going to another one mid-day, then returning at night!
 
Commit to skipping the Mountains and Mine Train as standbys at any point in the day. Start in Fantasy Land, Use 2 FP+ between 12:30-2:30 (visiting Presidents, Tiki Room, Country Bears, Tom Sawyer's Island during this time too), watch the 3pm parade, last FP+ between 3:30-4:30, Dream Along with Mickey, Philharmagic, Dinner, and then just use the earliest 4th+ FP+ available to maximize rides until it is parade/fireworks time.
 


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