Crazy to consider July 4 next year?

[DisMama5]

What are wait times like during the week of the 4th? I've been reading people didn't feel that over whelmed this year and though they felt it was summer busy but not any busier than they had expected. Which is nice news.

We've always wanted to try the week of July 4th to see MK fireworks but the scare of unbearable crowds always held us back. We usually go in the fall so wait times are maybe 15 minutes max. How crazy is it really?

 

[yulilin3]

I'm a local and go to the parks every 4th of July. My park of choice for that particular day is DHS. We went this past Saturday and I'm not sure if it was the threat of a storm or what but the park felt empty. Walked on ST 2 times around 7pm no line, GMR wait was about 10 minutes around 5pm, no line for the Sing Along.
We also did the Animation class twice after the fireworks, so this was around 10:30pm, the Animation Bldg was a ghost town (obviously it won't be there next year). After the last animation class we headed over to TSMM, this was at 11:45pm, and walked on, no wait.

 

[CAS239]

I wasn't there over the 4th but had a friend there. MK was packed and it had long wait times. The other parks might not be so bad earlier in the day, but fully expect MK to have huge crowds and long waits. In the afternoon on the 4th MK was starting to reach capacity so at one point only AP's and on site guests were allowed in

Here's a screenshot I sent him at almost 6pm of MK wait times on the 4th. I didn't take a screenshot of the others but I know it's a small world was 70 min, Haunted Mansion was around 45, Speedway was about an hour

 

[DisMama5]

Thanks guys this helps fully!

We are considering going the "week of" the 4th of next year but maybe for the actual 4th we will have a resort day at the pool. But we of course would want to see the MK fireworks so I guess we would have to figure that out.. If MK hits capacity and we couldn't get in then that wouldn't be a stinker!

Is the whole week that crazy with wait times?

 

[DrivenByDisney]

I'm a local and go to the parks every 4th of July. My park of choice for that particular day is DHS. We went this past Saturday and I'm not sure if it was the threat of a storm or what but the park felt empty. Walked on ST 2 times around 7pm no line, GMR wait was about 10 minutes around 5pm, no line for the Sing Along.
We also did the Animation class twice after the fireworks, so this was around 10:30pm, the Animation Bldg was a ghost town (obviously it won't be there next year). After the last animation class we headed over to TSMM, this was at 11:45pm, and walked on, no wait.

We're locals as well and were at Studios on the 4th too. It did not seem overly crowded to us either. Having said that. When we headed to EPCOT at around 6:00 that afternoon, we saw CM's at the buses and asked what phase they were at heading to Magic, They told us they were at Phase 3 at that point. RnR was down for a part of the day which I'm sure teed some guests off though we just used the FP+ at ToT and did it back-to-back quickly.

We were heading to EPCOT, as we always do on the 4th, and it was busy. Though to me it was just maybe a little more than regular summer busy as far as the crowds, wait times, etc. I like Illuminations and the 4th's version is the best to me in the parks. That park also offers the most capacity to see the show than others, to me.

It did rain, as you know, though I didn't see or even notice the crowd thinning out at all. It did quit before Illuminations started and it was packed where we were sitting to watch the show.

 

[madge]

W

What are wait times like during the week of the 4th? I've been reading people didn't feel that over whelmed this year and though they felt it was summer busy but not any busier than they had expected. Which is nice news.

We've always wanted to try the week of July 4th to see MK fireworks but the scare of unbearable crowds always held us back. We usually go in the fall so wait times are maybe 15 minutes max. How crazy is it really?

We just got back last night -- went to parks on July 2 (Magic Kingdom), July 4 (Epcot & Studios), and July 6 (Studios & MK). We are seasoned October WDW travelers & had never been over a true "holiday" weekend before. The only thing we had to compare as far as "big" crowds would be the Saturday night of Columbus Day weekend at the F&W Festival.

Taking that into consideration, we were pleasantly surprised at the crowds over July 4. We did not have fastpasses for either park, but had no trouble riding Soarin', Mission Space, and Test Track in the 9am hour ... and had a repeat ride on Mission Space later in the day. Really, the only crowds we experienced (and happily so) were at the American Pavilion for the 5pm Voices of Liberty show. It was PACKED. At the Studios, we didn't do much ... just soaked in the atmosphere. There were long lines at the Animation Academy drawing class, but according to the CMs we've talked to, that has been the case since they announced the closure of the building.

Far worse for us was the heat. July 4 was miserable. Absolutely miserable. Also, there were some big thunderstorms around all week long. Massive lightning strikes, heavy rain, etc.

We would definitely return over the July 4 holiday again, although probably ending the trip then vs. beginning.

 

[mom2travel]

last year (2014) we arrived at WDW on the 4th, walked from CR to MK (11:30am) hit 4-5 rides then a late lunch ADR @CP; we then went to DHS (arrived @4pm) until about 9ish. After stopping at our resort, headed back to MK around 11:30pm. we did not think that day or the following days (5 park days from 7/4-8) were bad, or not any worse than any other summer or spring break time we've been there. we were, however, mentally prepared for wall to wall people on the 4th, so it could just be that it wasn't as terrible as i imagined

 

[Moonwolf]

I think as long as you know what you are getting into and make your expectations match that anytime can be a good time at the parks.

If you go in expecting it to be like it is in the fall then it won't be enjoyable. If you go knowing that the 4th is one of the busiest times of the years and don't stress yourself out trying to hit everything you normally would then you can have a great time.

 

[Sargeant Tibbs]

I was just there from 6/22 to 7/5. We switched our plans around for a lucky CG snag on the 3rd, otherwise we would have been in the MK that day. We went on the 2nd instead and it was busier but bearable, nothing like Christmas. Celebrate America was worth the long delay (due to a very nasty and impressive thunderstorm. The lightning was so close we could feel the heat. That's when we decided that it was probably not a good idea to stand on an open terrace on top of a building next to a lightning rod, lol.) My parents say that the view from CG was the best they've ever had with Celebrate America.

the crowds started to build around the 1st, but the main and most important thing was that the tour groups hadn't yet arrived en masse. It was so nice not to have to fight our way through groups of 50 chanting teenagers for a change. In fact the only tour group we ran into was at AK on the 4th. That park was dead, everything was practically a walk on except Kali later in the day.

So no, you aren't crazy at all for wanting to go on the 4th. The fireworks were the best I've ever seen and this trip was one of the most magical I've ever had. As long as you keep in mind on the 3rd and 4th that you are there for the fireworks foremost, you should have a blast.