Crazy Train...

[ilovedisneymm]

We are headed back to WDW for the third time in three years at the same time frame ( last 2.5 weeks in January ). We love coming down during January. The weather and crowds couldn't be better! We typically leave home in the negative temp range so 50's to us is perfect!

In 2013 ( paper fast pass ) low lines and it was fun snagging those paper fast passes. Spontaneity was the MAGiC!
Low crowds, low wait times and timing was key! If you time things right then we never really waited in a line longer than 15 mins. Maybe 20 once or twice. The majority we just walked on.

In 2014 ( meh magic bands time ) still low lines and low crowds and all rides were available through fast pass even when changing our day around. I didn't seem to notice longer lines for B rides and we waited around the same as we did the prior year. We had one year under our belt already and were even better this trip with our wait times.

Now here we are planning for 2015 and I'm more stressed than ever. I also just found this forum a few weeks back. Do the two go hand in hand?!?! Maybe...

Is this stress coming from all the negativity here? Am I fueling my stress level by reading more here? Is it the fact things truly are messed up at Disney? Did the fast pass plus work better at the start than now??? Is it a combo of all the above?

With everything I have read I'm just short of jumping on the crazy train!!! I'm doing my best to weed out and gain useful information but it's hard.

One thing I can say for certain is the custom service is going down but that is not going to really effect me much cause I treat them with respect, I don't let my kids get out of line and we don't expect the CM to jump through some hoop to make or break our trip. We make our own magic!

Is it really possible that D has made the FP system go from not bad ( jan 2014 ) to something sort of a disaster ( fast forward year later ) or is it just the time of year when people go??? That and maybe they came when D was testing a new method of distribution??? Or maybe it's just the people that you can't please no matter what you do and those are the ones venting the loudest on here???

Next, I'm worried about crowds. Should I be? I didn't really feel like the crowd level went up from 2013 to 2014. Should I expect a new level of crowds for this trip? I know MT and A&E are the latest and greatest but should I expect that to really drive crowds that much higher???? I can see crowd levels changing at peak times but should this effect January too? After marathon by the way.

To further fuel my crazy train.....

Touring planning has crowd levels at 5 - 8 during our trip. What?
WD Easy has crowd levels at 1 - 5. Really?

That is a huge difference!!!! What is best to follow?

Park Hopper

We are staying 17 days with 10 day magic your way ticket. We have used park hopper before and our last trip we did not. Freedom is good with the park hopper but sometimes feel that I miss things in the park because it's a hurry up and ride this so we can go to x park and ride that. Plus I'm not a fan of bag check and transportation to and from the parks. We are undecided on which to do this trip. To hop or no hop?????

I was planning on just going early resting mid day and back at night when crowds are low but with everything I have read is there such term anymore...low crowds?????

I have changed our fast passes and schedule around 20 times trying to get a good game plan and as soon as I do I read about something else's that makes me want to change everything AGAIN!

So many questions and so much confusion about planning this trip...
I don't know why, I didn't have a problem planning the first nor the second.
And I really hate the fact that I'm going crazy ( not really ) about planning a trip to Disney. I am blessed truly blessed to have the ability to do this and yet here I am stressed!

 

[Grumpy92]

I think you are going to find a mix of answers to your questions. Some see the current state of WDW as fine and are having wonderful trips, others are taking a step back for a while.

FP+ and the new crowds do seem to be going hand in hand. Times when it used to be slow are not. They are setting record attendance levels this year. I am hoping that the traditional slow period of late Jan continuous but we will have to wait and see.

Saying all that dont stress over some of this. Go and make up your own mind. It will be different then what it was before but you may find it works for you.

We love the park hopping option. If it is crowded we leave and go to another park. We have always done the midday breaks and that is usually when we switch parks. Try to build some flexibility into your time dont go in thinking that you have to get everything on your list done. This is a major mistake too many guest make. Take time and make it a vacation. Slow down enjoy a good dinner as a family, sit on a bench and people watch, or do something you have never done before at WDW.

Have a great trip.

 

[lustergirl]

OP: you stated that you have 10 day passes correct? With that amount of time you should be able to do alot.

Good Luck

 

[larryz]

With everything I have read I'm just short of jumping on the crazy train!!! I'm doing my best to weed out and gain useful information but it's hard.

Well, you picked the right year to go -- the Crazy Train will be down for refurbishment and enhancement the whole year.

Just go and have a good time!

 

[KimBean]

You are going to be fine. Make sure you are aware of the changes. Plan and then just go and have a good time.

I've made all my plans and now I'm just counting down the days to go. Probably half the plan won't work but that's okay. First year I have really had a plan for each day except where we were going to eat and get there at rope drop. I've had fun every time!!

This is my first on-site stay, dining plan, magic band, fast pass+ trip...

SO EXCITED! And you will have a great time too!

 

[surferdave]

FP+ and the new crowds do seem to be going hand in hand. Times when it used to be slow are not. They are setting record attendance levels this year.

I believe that's mainly for two reasons:

1. Disney has become very adept at marketing away their slow seasons. For virtually any time of the year that there used to be low crowds in the parks, Disney has found some corner of the globe that's out of school, has good credit and makes unwise spending decisions to focus on and provide travel deals to.

2. It took them half a year to realize how big it really was but they put a cheap Frozen makeover on the parks and it's a bigger draw than anything they've done in 20 years. I'm sure the suits like to stand up in front of stockholders or board members and credit MDE or new Fantasyland for the bigger crowds to justify their expenditures but the credit really goes to the girls in the wigs.

 

[jrmgreer]

We are in WDW now. We have 1 1/2 days left of our 9 day trip. We have had no issues with magic bands or FPP... We were always able to snag a couple more FPP at the kiosks with no problems. Yesterday was a crowded, busy day at the parks, so we did what we had FPP for and just leisurely toured the park until we got tired are went back to the hotel. Today it has been pouring rain and the parks have been empty. We are currently sitting in the Tommorrowland Dessert Party praying that they still do Wishes...

All in all, it has been a fantastic trip. We had days that were 2/10 and days that were 9/10... But we were able to do everything we wanted and our last couple of days we will be able to repeat our favorites. If you just go into it with a good attitude and plan on being happy no matter what - you can't lose! I mean - even a bad day at the Happiest Place on Earth is a good day, right?

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Thank you!

Enjoy your first on-site stay!

You are going to be fine. Make sure you are aware of the changes. Plan and then just go and have a good time.

I've made all my plans and now I'm just counting down the days to go. Probably half the plan won't work but that's okay. First year I have really had a plan for each day except where we were going to eat and get there at rope drop. I've had fun every time!!

This is my first on-site stay, dining plan, magic band, fast pass+ trip...

SO EXCITED! And you will have a great time too!

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Your right! You can't go wrong even on a bad day and it really is what you make it out to be

We are in WDW now. We have 1 1/2 days left of our 9 day trip. We have had no issues with magic bands or FPP... We were always able to snag a couple more FPP at the kiosks with no problems. Yesterday was a crowded, busy day at the parks, so we did what we had FPP for and just leisurely toured the park until we got tired are went back to the hotel. Today it has been pouring rain and the parks have been empty. We are currently sitting in the Tommorrowland Dessert Party praying that they still do Wishes...

All in all, it has been a fantastic trip. We had days that were 2/10 and days that were 9/10... But we were able to do everything we wanted and our last couple of days we will be able to repeat our favorites. If you just go into it with a good attitude and plan on being happy no matter what - you can't lose! I mean - even a bad day at the Happiest Place on Earth is a good day, right?

 

[bumbershoot]

Is it really possible that D has made the FP system go from not bad ( jan 2014 ) to something sort of a disaster ( fast forward year later ) or is it just the time of year when people go??? That and maybe they came when D was testing a new method of distribution??? Or maybe it's just the people that you can't please no matter what you do and those are the ones venting the loudest on here???

It's possible it's a combo WITH the addition of it just being something that works for some people and doesn't for others.

We like getting to parks early. Not generally rope drop at WDW, because we're still dealing with jet lag, but still, early. We enjoyed getting FPs at will and using them. We aren't big later-night park people; we don't particularly care for Wishes or Illuminations, we've seen MSEP, since we've seen Fantasmic at Disneyland we don't need to see it at DHS, and so on. So the concept of being able to snag FP+s for later in the evening isn't part of the appeal for our family trips.

(for my recent running-buddy trip, however, it worked VERY well)

FP+ just doesn't really fit our family's touring style. Doesn't mean you can't ever please me, just means it's not something I would have chosen.

And if I had chosen it, I would have chosen for it to have been rolled out fully, in one shot, and FINISHED. Not the way they've been rolling it out the last 2 (holy moly) years. That's been ridiculous.



As a thought, if you can move your future trips to an earlier time in January, you might look into getting Annual Passes. So this trip starts January 15th, say; if next year's trip could end before or on that date, an AP could cover both trips. Worth a thought.

 

[AprilRenee]

We are also going in Jan and I've been a Touring Plans fan girl however I think they're just flat out wrong for Jan. I'm sticking with easywdw's park suggestions and using touring plan's plans. I think it's gonna be just fine.
you should come join us on FB too. There is a great fb group going and no one on there is as freaked out as people on here can get.
just search DIS WDW January 2015. There are 2 groups and both are pretty active.

 

[Shaden]

They are setting record attendance levels this year

Are they ?

Reports I have seen suggested a modest (though you would be correct in suggesting "record") increase in crowds. Like, as in the 1-2% range.

BUT of course we don't really have any official numbers.

At the same time others have reported there SEEMing to be higher crowds due to wait times, but not actually seeing more people in the parks, in total.

There is this thing about FP+. Because it is more widely used ... and don't think any of us deny that FP+ is being more widely used than legacy FP ... it creates the simulation of more people, without actually adding people.

How ? Simple, you can virtually be standing in line, while actually being in another place. Same as it was with legacy FP, only now more people are doing it. The effect, while someone is in the parks, doing other things, but while within the window of their FP+ return time .... they essentially account for 2 people in the park at the same time. Or at least, that is the impact of the system.

 

[Shaden]

Your right! You can't go wrong even on a bad day and it really is what you make it out to be

And this is utter crap ... for the most part.

Things aren't just "what you make (them) to be", things are what they are, and sure you can make the "most" out of them, buy your experience isn't independent of the actual conditions you experience.

And for many people, especially those who have to work hard and make sacrifices to make their trips to Disney world (not a cheap vacation) and degradation in the experienced value of that vacation is a serious consideration.

Its all well and good to wish someone the best of luck and pixie dust on their vacation, and hope that things are as awesome as they can be, but I do tire so much of people here suggesting that we should just be happy that we get to go, and that we are in Disney, instead of demanding that Disney actually live up to the expense and the expectations that go along with such an expensive vacation.

 

[Shaden]

OP .... you should, in general, be ok.

That is one of the slower times of year ... though it does depend on Disney's success, particularly in reaching out to other regions, as to how busy it actually pans out to be this winter.

If it is as slow as some of the predictions suggest ... you will be fine, no format of FP really makes much of a difference in low season.

If the crowds are higher, 5 - 8 range, that might be more of a concern, and to be honest, there is no easy solution to your worries. The best you can do is plan like mad (like Disney wants you to) and maximize your potential outcomes assuming the worst, and then, if things are better, you will enjoy yourself that much more.

I strongly dislike the new fastpass system, BUT, it is still possible to have a great time at Disney World, I think it takes more work, and I feel more restricted in general, BUT, still had a good time on our last trip. Enough that I can't wait to go back. Was it -as- good as previous trips ..... maybe not. But still pretty darn good. If prices continued to go up, or this became any more difficult to manage .... well, we will visit that if it happens.

So, expect and plan for the worst, have your FPs locked in and strategize how to make the most of RD and FP+ .... I suggest booking starting at 10ish... so you have 1 10-11, 2 11-12, 3 12-1. RD everything you can .... and you can delay using the early FP until crowds get busier. then use your First FP at 11 or 11:10, use the Second at 11:30ish, and by then either check for a short wait time and do that first, or head straight to your third for 11:55. Jump over to a kiosk and book a 4th, go ride something else sB, and hit your 4th FP. Then, play it by ear, repeat this cycle if you want, pop back the the resort if you want, whatever.

Alternatively, book FPs at a second park starting around 11 or later in the afternoon. RD one park until crowds fill in, head to second park or back to the hotel, then move on to second park and enjoy your FPs.

Hope you have an awesome trip !!!

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Hey thanks! I'm so glad I'm not the only one thinking that touring plan has lost their mind on crowd control during that time frame. I just don't see it. I just don't. You can't tell me that in one year turn around time that the crowd is going to grow that much. I too am sticking with easy wdw!

I will search your fb group too! Thanks

We are also going in Jan and I've been a Touring Plans fan girl however I think they're just flat out wrong for Jan. I'm sticking with easywdw's park suggestions and using touring plan's plans. I think it's gonna be just fine.
you should come join us on FB too. There is a great fb group going and no one on there is as freaked out as people on here can get.
just search DIS WDW January 2015. There are 2 groups and both are pretty active.