Crowd level 8 vs 10- change my plan?

[Jchoma]

We're headed to WDW the week leading up to Easter which I know will be crowded. Our first day in the parks is Saturday 4/13. We have MK planned that day because it's our favorite to visit first, and AK on day 2 (Sunday 4/14).

Looking at the crowd calendar:

Saturday & Sunday- MK is a 9 both days
Saturday- AK is an 8 (also has EMH from 8-9 a.m)
Sunday- AK is a 10

Is it worth changing around our park days to hit AK on an 8 day vs a 10? We'll have a good plan, will arrive early etc. I've never experienced a 10 crowd level so I'm wondering how much worse it is than an 8.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Are you staying on site? Can you commit to being there 45 minutes before EMH if FoP is your priority without a FP?

If you answer no to either of those, don’t switch.

 

[Jchoma]

Are you staying on site? Can you commit to being there 45 minutes before EMH if FoP is your priority without a FP?

If you answer no to either of those, don’t switch.

Yes, staying onsite and I'll push my family to arrive at 7:15 a.m. (latest) for EMH. Really hoping for a FOP FP!

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Yes, staying onsite and I'll push my family to arrive at 7:15 a.m. (latest) for EMH. Really hoping for a FOP FP!

I wouldn’t count on a FP that early in your trip. If there are any other AK days that are 8 and not an EMH, I would pick that day instead.

 

[Klayfish]

Do not change your plans unless you want to. The "crowd calendars" are useless and have no value. Do what is best for your family.

 

[Solfe]

I was at the parks on Christmas and New Year's Eve 2018. MK for Christmas and Epcot for New Year's Eve. MK closed to new visitors on New Years Eve at 10-11 am so keep that possibility in mind.

If you have young kids where entertainment over rides is the priority, you don't need to sweat the numbers. They'll be too young to realize they missed out on non-FP rides. Older teenagers are the same way, say 14+. Don't really care, they just want the experience. My 16 year old cried when I walked him into Turtle Talk with Crush because it was for babies. And then he left crying because the toddlers talking to a turtle was too much cuteness in one place. They can roll with it.

The tough ages are 5-13. They don't notice massive lines, horrendous crowds and expect to go on whatever they want, when they want. At that point you might want to shift parks. However, I see you have AK on a 10. Animal Kingdom swallows crowds and has limited rides. Most of the park is about atmosphere and attractions like staged events. With some good fast passes on a 10 crowd day at Animal Kingdom, you should be fine. Just don't forget about the little entertainment events, like stage shows. If you get there early, you can hammer out one to three rides without fast passes, do lunch, and then catch the fast pass rides. After that, slow down and enjoy the sights at the park.

 

[randumb0]

I would just go by which schedule works for you. A crowd calendar can and is often wrong.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I ask this in all seriousness: Do you think you can really tell the difference between an 8 and a 10?

 

[Solfe]

I ask this in all seriousness: Do you think you can really tell the difference between an 8 and a 10?

Having been there on a 10 day, I don't think you can. The parks are huge. It's the queues times that change.

I was at Epcot on a 9 day AND it was New Year's Eve so people were trying to crowd together... the fireworks, dance parties left and right, overflow from bars and restaurants, people wanting to chat and celebrate, etc. We walked on to Space Ship Earth, no wait at about an hour before midnight. Twice. And we still made it out for the fireworks and more dancing. We did miss most of the Silent Dance Party. Almost a fair trade, I guess.

I watched a couple of videos about parks on 10 days and I can't help but notice that the really manic ones are filmed right next to lines or right after parades. Plus the camera compresses your line of sight, so it looks like a sea of people. For brief moments, it really does look like that and 10 minutes later, it goes down to something reasonable.

What can really get you is rides with not so obvious lines. On Dec 28th, the Muppetvision show looked like a 20 minute wait for a 20 minute show. That's what the sign indicated. It was more like 45 and we ended up back behind the theater for a good bit. It was all dark and cold back there. If it hadn't been so funny, I would have lost my mind. I got in line because I like Beaker that much. Realistically, the sign was totally accurate, 20 minute wait for a 20 minute show plus 5 minutes to clear people out a couple of times. It's the arrangement that is deceptive. On a crowded day, 45 minutes is nothing. That was my worst experience which really isn't that bad at all.

Animal Kingdom is a massive area with only a handful of rides. That should totally be manageable with a couple of FP's. The only problem with AK is the few rides they have are worth doing twice. You'd have to be a real die hard to do that on a busy day. I suspect you could do with a lot of patience.

The flip side of AK is, it is really beautiful. I'd burn a ticket and a day to walk around the park.

 

[CAQDaddy]

It's the weekend before Easter. I would consider all four parks to be at or near 10. I would rope drop and make the best of it. I can't imagine that changing parks is going to make a big difference. Wherever you go will be very crowded that weekend. You will be in Disney regardless and that is fantastic

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I ask this in all seriousness: Do you think you can really tell the difference between an 8 and a 10?

Generally I think you can feel the difference between CLs that are two apart (so 8 to 10). Not usually when they're one apart.
That said, I can tell the difference between a 7 and an 8. The reason being is that 8 is where I have noticed in the past that the parks start to be uncomfortable for me. I'm not able to get FPs as easily, the lines for everything are long (to me), and there starts to feel like to many people to move through. But everyone is going to be different on that and plenty of people are fine with CL10 and it doesn't matter much to them. I think it's what you're used to and what makes you uncomfortable.

OP I wouldn't change based on the predictions. I like cried calendars to generally get a sense of when is a good time to go but I don't think they're necessarily great at getting the day to day right. Also having AK one day later gives you a somewhat better shot at an FOP FP.

 

[chiisai]

In my experience, it’s going to feel just as bad at an 8 vs 10. I’ve gone this week twice before.

I wouldn’t change, unless you can move it out to later in your week (to have a better shot at a fp). If you can get there early like Cinder says, that’s the best option without fp.

Also, if fp not avail on your fp making date, keep checking as there are FOP fp drops periodically. This is how I picked one up on our last trip (someone in the April thread posted about it- are you following the thread for this April?). https://www.disboards.com/threads/april-2019.3688900/

Plus, there are currently same day drops daily for FOP. I think at 11:01am, and other times, a search here may find. Don’t know if those will stick around for Easter week.

Also, perhaps you can get a same day FP drop later in your week for the evening and can head back then.

I’ll be at the world at the same time!

 

[mamaofsix]

If you want a FOP FP, you won't be able to get one for the first or second day of your trip. I think your best bet is to do AK on a day with morning EMH to ride FOP. Generally, there are less crowds during morning EMH than during evening ones. OR, switch your animal kingdom day to much later in the week to try to score a fp (think 60+5 for the week leading to Easter)

I don't agree that crowd calendars are completely useless. I have found them to be very accurate. Difference between 8 and 10 will be that a 10 will be extremely crowded in the walkways - hard to move or get anywhere. 8 will still be crowded with long wait times, but not "I can hardly move" crowded.

Have fun

 

[gharter]

As others have said if you want a FP for FoP, move to later in the week, generally 60+3+, the later the easier to get.
I look at crowd calendars, but rarely fully believe them.They can help point me in the direction of a park to visit or not that day, but they are far from accurate in my experience..
And once I have ADRs and FPs for a park,suddenly changing the crowd level from a 5 to an 8 is not helpful, except to prepare that it may be more crowded.

 

[Jchoma]

I ask this in all seriousness: Do you think you can really tell the difference between an 8 and a 10?

I hope not, lol! I’ve never experienced a 10 crowd level which is why I was asking. 8 is the worst I’ve been in.

Thank you so much for these responses. I’m going to stick with our original plan of Magic Kingdom on Day 1 and AK on day 2. The day we check in is a resort day, so AK would actually be 60 +3 out. But, we’re there a week and also planning AK on 60 + 6 out...so hopefully we’ll get a FOP FP then. My family would love to ride twice, so if we don’t get a FP our first day at AK, we may try to rope drop it...not sure I want to rush there.

 

[anomamatt]

Really hoping for a FOP FP!

How many days are you there? I would move AK to at least day 3 if you want to get a FOP FP.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I hope not, lol! I’ve never experienced a 10 crowd level which is why I was asking. 8 is the worst I’ve been in.

Thank you so much for these responses. I’m going to stick with our original plan of Magic Kingdom on Day 1 and AK on day 2. The day we check in is a resort day, so AK would actually be 60 +3 out. But, we’re there a week and also planning AK on 60 + 6 out...so hopefully we’ll get a FOP FP then. My family would love to ride twice, so if we don’t get a FP our first day at AK, we may try to rope drop it...not sure I want to rush there.

If you don't get an FP for FOP on your first AK day maybe plan to go at the end of the night if that works better for you.

 

[holden]

My crowd calendar interpretation...

0-2= This designation doesn’t exist anymore
3-7 = Crowded
8-10= Very crowded

I never look at crowd calendars. I find them worthless. The parks are either crowded or very crowded. That’s pretty much it.

 

[_19disnA]

I never look at crowd calendars. I find them worthless. The parks are either crowded or very crowded.

^^ I agree. Honestly, even Disney has no idea how many people with AP's will decide to show up on a given day or those staying at non-Disney hotels. 3rd party sites that try to estimate future crowds are nothing but wild guesses, no matter how sophisticated the 'algorithm' they claim to be using. Most likely they use historical trends and known events, but still just an estimate.

 

[scottandtisha]

I DO look at Crowd Calendars for my planning. They really are hit and miss though. Yesterday was supposed to be a 4 at HS. It was SUPER-crowded. Looked today and the actual for yesterday was a 9.

So - make a good plan and hope for the best. Even yesterday, we were somehow able to snag a SDD, ToT and 2 TSM's and we arrived at 10 and left at 4.