Busy times for DVC compared to other busy times

[DizzyStitch]

I have heard a number of people comment that the busy times for booking DVC don't necessarily coincide with the up and down times the WDW experiences and gives out discounts for. Does anyone know when DVC is busy compared to when I would see busy as a regular person booking a resort?

 

[Sandisw]

DVC is really busy from October through Marathon weekend in January. This is typically a lower park attendance time but in terms of booking DVC, most owners book right at 11 months.

Summer, on the other hand, which is crazy busy in the parks, is less busy in terms of bookings and changing resorts at the 7 month mark is certainly easier--or has been for us--at these times.

 

[CarolMN]

Here's a very good recent thread on the topic:

DVC Peak vs. WDW Resort Peak

IMO, Post #14 by drusba is especially good.

 

[hakepb]

DVC is really busy from October through Marathon weekend in January. This is typically a lower park attendance time but in terms of booking DVC, most owners book right at 11 months.

Summer, on the other hand, which is crazy busy in the parks, is less busy in terms of bookings and changing resorts at the 7 month mark is certainly easier--or has been for us--at these times.

I don't get the summer crazy busy comment. I just spent July 1-10 at WDW and the lines for rides were just like the crowd level 3-6 days I'm used to in May, October and mid-November. Now I've also experienced some of Thanksgiving week level 9 crouds and This July was no 9.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I don't get the summer crazy busy comment. I just spent July 1-10 at WDW and the lines for rides were just like the crowd level 3-6 days I'm used to in May, October and mid-November. Now I've also experienced some of Thanksgiving week level 9 crouds and This July was no 9.

The parks are always going to be busier when schools are out. Summers, holidays, weekends.

 

[Missyrose]

I don't get the summer crazy busy comment. I just spent July 1-10 at WDW and the lines for rides were just like the crowd level 3-6 days I'm used to in May, October and mid-November. Now I've also experienced some of Thanksgiving week level 9 crouds and This July was no 9.

I also tend to think (and this just my opinion) that more people tend to take mid-day breaks during the summer because it is so hot. So the peak afternoon hours may not seem as unbearably crowded.

 

[hakepb]

The parks are always going to be busier when schools are out. Summers, holidays, weekends.

Weekend? Sunday July 1 9:20 PM PP had a listed 25 minute wait. I've never seen it that low at that time of the day and the line looked reasonable, so sweet I'll go on PP and still see Wishes! Oh, I only spent 9 minutes in line. That's level 1 stuff in my book.

Or on the 8th when I was arriving for my 4:30 TSM fastpass they were still distributing 8-9 TSM fast passes them I went to out ToT fastpass which was a waste because there were 0 people in standby despite the 25 min posted. There were only 8 others in the entry room

Or should I mention a 10 min wait for Primeval Wheel that was only 5 mins and that was after a Nemo crowd let out.

And the temps with highs of 92-94, yes that is hot but not bad for summer, especially while the Midwest was sweltering with 100+ temps the first week.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Weekend? Sunday July 1 9:20 PM PP had a listed 25 minute wait. I've never seen it that low at that time of the day and the line looked reasonable, so sweet I'll go on PP and still see Wishes! Oh, I only spent 9 minutes in line. That's level 1 stuff in my book.

Or on the 8th when I was arriving for my 4:30 TSM fastpass they were still distributing 8-9 TSM fast passes them I went to out ToT fastpass which was a waste because there were 0 people in standby despite the 25 min posted. There were only 8 others in the entry room

Or should I mention a 10 min wait for Primeval Wheel that was only 5 mins and that was after a Nemo crowd let out.

And the temps with highs of 92-94, yes that is hot but not bad for summer, especially while the Midwest was sweltering with 100+ temps the first week.

Wasn't that when it was raining daily? And when the parade is going on or right before or during the fireworks is also a good time to go on the attractions because so many of the guests are sitting on the curb waiting for the shows.

 

[Sandisw]

I don't get the summer crazy busy comment. I just spent July 1-10 at WDW and the lines for rides were just like the crowd level 3-6 days I'm used to in May, October and mid-November. Now I've also experienced some of Thanksgiving week level 9 crouds and This July was no 9.

Basing on my own summer experience...been every week starting with 4th of July through third week of August and it's been crazy busy. We've been going in the summer since 1994, almost yearly. By noon, wait times are usually 40 to 60 minutes, with rides like Soarin well beyond that. We now go in August because it is less busy than July.

Hey,,,if you found the crowds manageable, then that bodes well for my upcoming August trip!!!

 

[Sandisw]

Weekend? Sunday July 1 9:20 PM PP had a listed 25 minute wait. I've never seen it that low at that time of the day and the line looked reasonable, so sweet I'll go on PP and still see Wishes! Oh, I only spent 9 minutes in line. That's level 1 stuff in my book.

Or on the 8th when I was arriving for my 4:30 TSM fastpass they were still distributing 8-9 TSM fast passes them I went to out ToT fastpass which was a waste because there were 0 people in standby despite the 25 min posted. There were only 8 others in the entry room

Or should I mention a 10 min wait for Primeval Wheel that was only 5 mins and that was after a Nemo crowd let out.

And the temps with highs of 92-94, yes that is hot but not bad for summer, especially while the Midwest was sweltering with 100+ temps the first week.

Well..if that is what you experienced, I can tell you those are not typical summer crowds...since TSM has been open, FP have always been gone by noon in the summer...we have never seen PP less than 30 minutes after 11:00 am in years...

 

[hakepb]

Wasn't that when it was raining daily? And when the parade is going on or right before or during the fireworks is also a good time to go on the attractions because so many of the guests are sitting on the curb waiting for the shows.

No, that wa the week after TS Debbie "Downer" left.

And yes, it was during the evenings first MSEP.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the lines.

 

[hakepb]

Well..if that is what you experienced, I can tell you those are not typical summer crowds...since TSM has been open, FP have always been gone by noon in the summer...we have never seen PP less than 30 minutes after 11:00 am in years...

Now while that was not the norm, those were certainly unusual exceptions I never saw on "less busy" days in the fall or spring. I was expecting Thanksgiving level crowds in 98+ get and it was quite pleasant. I never had to adjust my normal touring plan of sleeping in (never RD) and never go on rides with waits longer than 20 mins and FP the headliners and it still worked fine. I don't think I ever saw more than 10 mins on the Teacups and that was unusual to me. Also it seemed the late MK EMH was less busy than the fall.

 

[Sandisw]

Now while that was not the norm, those were certainly unusual exceptions I never saw on "less busy" days in the fall or spring. I was expecting Thanksgiving level crowds in 98+ get and it was quite pleasant. I never had to adjust my normal touring plan of sleeping in (never RD) and never go on rides with waits longer than 20 mins and FP the headliners and it still worked fine. I don't think I ever saw more than 10 mins on the Teacups and that was unusual to me. Also it seemed the late MK EMH was less busy than the fall.

That is wonderful...what a great way to experience WDW in the summer...its always nice when we plan for the worst and then find out it is more manageable then we think...glad you had a great trip!!