Crowd level in the AM during EVENT evenings - ??

[Forevermarypoppins]

I hope my title made some sense.
I have a vacation booked for SEPT 21-28. There will be 3 nights that have the MNSSHP in Magic Kingdom. I will NOT be purchasing an ticket for that.
My question is : would it be better to go to MK on event day or non-event day. I will have park-hoppers.

 

[kylenne]

As long as you don't care about seeing HEA, party days are actually excellent times to go MK because people tend to avoid it then due to the shortened hours for non-party guests. You can get a lot done during those hours. Things don't tend to get busy until around 4 when party guests are allowed in with their event tickets. You can knock the whole park out and then hop to another.

Conversely non-party days are always really crowded because they have regular park hours and it's the only time to see HEA.

 

[MadderAdder]

For our October trip we will have a MNSSHP night and an MK pre-party day, which I choose since I heard it has such more manageable crowds. I would go for party days!

 

[kylenne]

For our October trip we will have a MNSSHP night and an MK pre-party day, which I choose since I heard it has such more manageable crowds. I would go for party days!

We did this in October 2018 and the day we went to MK during the day of the party we weren't attending, we knocked the whole park out by noon. Went back to Poly for our midday break and then spent the evening at Epcot. It was fantastic. One reason I think hoppers are worth it even for people that don't normally get them, if you go during party season. The night we did go to the party we had a pool day and went in for the party around 6pm.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I hope my title made some sense.
I have a vacation booked for SEPT 21-28. There will be 3 nights that have the MNSSHP in Magic Kingdom. I will NOT be purchasing an ticket for that.
My question is : would it be better to go to MK on event day or non-event day. I will have park-hoppers.

Yes - go on an event day!

We book the majority of our MK days on party days! The very first thing I did last week when the parties were announced was go in and book those days as our MK days. Like you, we are not purchasing party tickets.

I will say as @kylenne has said, that this only works if you're okay skipping fireworks, rides at night or, can go/hop to MK on a non-party day. We will hop to MK on another day to enjoy Happily Ever After but historically crowds those evenings are CRAZY!!

 

[kylenne]

Yes - go on an event day!

We book the majority of our MK days on party days! The very first thing I did last week when the parties were announced was go in and book those days as our MK days. Like you, we are not purchasing party tickets.

I will say as @kylenne has said, that this only works if you're okay skipping fireworks, rides at night or, can go/hop to MK on a non-party day. We will hop to MK on another day to enjoy Happily Ever After but historically crowds those evenings are CRAZY!!

The very first time we saw HEA was on that Oct 2018 trip, we did our MK touring on a party day and then went back the next night on a non-party day to see the fireworks. I was extremely relieved that we'd booked the dessert party because the hub was absolutely insane, I have never seen crowds like that. I would definitely plan on watching fireworks from further back on Main Street if not doing a dessert party on a non-party night!

 

[scrappinginontario]

The very first time we saw HEA was on that Oct 2018 trip, we did our MK touring on a party day and then went back the next night on a non-party day to see the fireworks. I was extremely relieved that we'd booked the dessert party because the hub was absolutely insane, I have never seen crowds like that. I would definitely plan on watching fireworks from further back on Main Street if not doing a dessert party on a non-party night!

We had a similar experience in Sept 2019 but without the dessert party. I have never experienced crowds like that and honestly hope to never again!! We watched the fireworks then attempted to do one other thing and gave up. We had to shuffle everywhere and it was not fun. We tried it's a small world but the line was almost to Haunted Mansion so we made our way to People Mover but it stretched towards Space Mountain. By then we were just 'done!' We had hoped to ride even one attraction but it just wasn't worth it!

I will say, that was the day I learned the value of Mobile Ordering. We placed our order at Casey's and grabbed a table as our order was called minutes later. We had ordered, gotten our food, eaten and were leaving before people who had been in line when we started had even made it to the counter to order!

 

[kylenne]

We had a similar experience in Sept 2019 but without the dessert party. I have never experienced crowds like that and honestly hope to never again!! We watched the fireworks then attempted to do one other thing and gave up. We had to shuffle everywhere and it was not fun. We tried it's a small world but the line was almost to Haunted Mansion so we made our way to People Mover but it stretched towards Space Mountain. By then we were just 'done!' We had hoped to ride even one attraction but it just wasn't worth it!

I will say, that was the day I learned the value of Mobile Ordering. We placed our order at Casey's and grabbed a table as our order was called minutes later. We had ordered, gotten our food, eaten and were leaving before people who had been in line when we started had even made it to the counter to order!

The crush of people was honestly a little scary. Back then they just had the one party in the garden, no before and after, and we ended up staying in the the garden for like an hour afterwards just to let it calm down. We were worried about getting separated and both of us get anxiety in crowds like that. I don't think we could do it during party season without a dessert party if I'm honest. Even next month when we go, even though we're not doing a dessert party, we plan to mobile order a treat from the Confectionary and wait out the crowds when it's over.

 

[gharter]

We often go to MK during the day of a party event. Most of the time, we find the park much less crowded until party goers start to arrive about 4 pm. I think many skip the park on the day of an evening event because the park closes early.
If you don't care about HEA, being there on a party day works well.

 

[LeeLee'sMom]

We did this in October 2018 and the day we went to MK during the day of the party we weren't attending, we knocked the whole park out by noon. Went back to Poly for our midday break and then spent the evening at Epcot. It was fantastic. One reason I think hoppers are worth it even for people that don't normally get them, if you go during party season. The night we did go to the party we had a pool day and went in for the party around 6pm.

I think this is what we will do on the party day...MK during day then back to Poly then another park in the evening.

 

[elvispursley]

We plan to do MK on one of the MNSSHP days we're there and then hop to another park in the later afternoon/evening. On the day we DO have tickets to MNSSHP, we're planning to sleep in, hit DS for shopping and then hit MK at 4:00 to begin the pre-party!

 

[focusondisney]

I don’t think it’s quite as slow on party days as it used to be. Like everything else, when the word gets out, everybody starts doing it. And then, not slow anymore.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I don’t think it’s quite as slow on party days as it used to be. Like everything else, when the word gets out, everybody starts doing it. And then, not slow anymore.

Stats support what many of us are reporting having personally experienced. This is just a little snapshot of historical crowds captured by Touring Plans in 2022. The same data is captured throughout 2022.

The MK numbers are the ones between the red lines. Info on the right shows party days.



Crowds (and therefore attraction waits) are historically lower on party days, until the party guests begin to enter around 4:00.

We have followed the tradition of going to MK on party days for the past 10+ years and we will again this August. We get more done between rope drop and 4PM on a party day than we often do on non-party days when there far longer hours.

 

[MadderAdder]

I think many people just refuse to sacrifice a whole MK day for a short day when considering costs / fireworks. Even if the vloggers and boards tell them to do so!

 

[kylenne]

I think many people just refuse to sacrifice a whole MK day for a short day when considering costs / fireworks. Even if the vloggers and boards tell them to do so!

Lots of people conflate quantity with quality and their trips are poorer for it imo

 

[Luis Rodriguez]

Hi all,

We are planning a short visit to WDW this September, arriving Sunday 10th and leaving the 14th (Thursday).
Our original thinking was to check in at a Value resort on Sunday, about 5-6 pm, do a quick visit to Disney Springs and be bright and early on Monday to hit the parks (one day each for DHS, MK, Epcot and AK, in that order).

Now, I see that there's a Halloween party scheduled for the 10th! Would it be better to visit MK on that day as they would have (hopefully) lower crowds? We wouldn't be needing to buy Genie+ or pay extra for individual Lightning Lanes. Also, maybe we could shorten our resort days by one.

Last time we visited MK was in 2013, and the new rides we would like to get on would be Tron and the Seven dwarfs 's mine.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Luis

 

[scrappinginontario]

Your question has been merged with this thread as there is a lot of information above that was shared yesterday about the same situation - attending MK on a party day. Please see responses above.

 

[Luis Rodriguez]

Hi all,

We are planning a short visit to WDW this September, arriving Sunday 10th and leaving the 14th (Thursday).
Our original thinking was to check in at a Value resort on Sunday, about 5-6 pm, do a quick visit to Disney Springs and be bright and early on Monday to hit the parks (one day each for DHS, MK, Epcot and AK, in that order).

Now, I see that there's a Halloween party scheduled for the 10th! Would it be better to visit MK on that day as they would have (hopefully) lower crowds? We wouldn't be needing to buy Genie+ or pay extra for individual Lightning Lanes. Also, maybe we could shorten our resort days by one.

Last time we visited MK was in 2013, and the new rides we would like to get on would be Tron and the Seven dwarfs 's mine.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Luis

My apologies, as I forgot one very important item on my post.
We are thinking about skipping the regular day and visit MK only during the party.

Again, my apologies for the confusion

 

[kylenne]

My apologies, as I forgot one very important item on my post.
We are thinking about skipping the regular day and visit MK only during the party.

Again, my apologies for the confusion

Things to consider:

1. Crowds and wait times will be much lower all day until 4pm, when party guests are allowed in with their party tickets. Fewer hours, but you can get a lot done.

2. You won’t be able to see fireworks from inside the park on a party day. It closes to non party guests at 6 or 7 (I forget which).

3. Most people who take advantage of this strategy have park hopper tickets so they can hop to another park after 4pm. Without them, this will be a short day for you.

4. Nonparty days during party season have obscene crowd levels because of the longer hours and point 2. HEA only runs on nonparty days which also increases crowds. (Party nights have the holiday fireworks.)

Only you can decide based on your group’s priorities. But personally with only 1 MK day I would do it, trading fireworks for a much more pleasant experience and ability to get more done in a shorter period of time is a no brainer to me especially on a shorter trip.

 

[sdk1231]

Things to consider:

1. Crowds and wait times will be much lower all day until 4pm, when party guests are allowed in with their party tickets. Fewer hours, but you can get a lot done.

2. You won’t be able to see fireworks from inside the park on a party day. It closes to non party guests at 6 or 7 (I forget which).

3. Most people who take advantage of this strategy have park hopper tickets so they can hop to another park after 4pm. Without them, this will be a short day for you.

4. Nonparty days during party season have obscene crowd levels because of the longer hours and point 2. HEA only runs on nonparty days which also increases crowds. (Party nights have the holiday fireworks.)

Only you can decide based on your group’s priorities. But personally with only 1 MK day I would do it, trading fireworks for a much more pleasant experience and ability to get more done in a shorter period of time is a no brainer to me especially on a shorter trip.

Point #2 - Are you sure about that? For the Special Event parties I attended in 2021 and 2022, I could have sworn that the park closed to day guests AFTER the fireworks.