Crowd level the week after Labor Day?

[PammyPoppins]

Hi! This year we are going to Disney World from September 2nd to September 11th. We usually go in the fall, but usually in October or November but I read other years that the week after Labor Day is one the least crowded of the year. I remember seeing a picture last year someone posted of Hollywood Studios the day after labor day to show how low the crowds were, I can't seem to find it now. Can anyone confirm that week is usually low crowds?
Thank-You
PammyPoppins

 

[MickeyWaffles]

The week after Labor Day is usually pretty light crowds. Labor Day weekend is busy, of course, but from the 5th on there should be low crowds (at least I hope so, we'll be there too!)

One thing different this year - Epcot F&W is starting earlier this year and will be going on that week. Epcot could see higher crowds than normal for that week.

 

[wendow]

We are there 8/31-9/9. We go every year for this week and the crowds grow every year. It's not light anymore, imo, but manageable. F&W is bumped up this year which will definitely increase Epcot crowds.

I still think this is one of the slowest times to go. Keep in mind though, with the slower time, there are also less CM's and slower loading so attractions can take just as long to get through as moderate time periods.

 

[PammyPoppins]

The week after Labor Day is usually pretty light crowds. Labor Day weekend is busy, of course, but from the 5th on there should be low crowds (at least I hope so, we'll be there too!)

One thing different this year - Epcot F&W is starting earlier this year and will be going on that week. Epcot could see higher crowds than normal for that week.

Thank-You, for the reply.

 

[PammyPoppins]

We are there 8/31-9/9. We go every year for this week and the crowds grow every year. It's not light anymore, imo, but manageable. F&W is bumped up this year which will definitely increase Epcot crowds.

I still think this is one of the slowest times to go. Keep in mind though, with the slower time, there are also less CM's and slower loading so attractions can take just as long to get through as moderate time periods.

Thank-You, wendow for the reply.

 

[rstevens333]

It was super light last year. Hoping for the same this year. Labor Day itself will be the worst.

 

[Doug S]

It was super light last year. Hoping for the same this year. Labor Day itself will be the worst.

Actually, it's the lightest of the 3 day weekend because people are headed home. Might be a little crowded through the afternoon, but the FL residents who came out for the day/weekend likely won't stay through the evening.

 

[wendow]

Actually, it's the lightest of the 3 day weekend because people are headed home. Might be a little crowded through the afternoon, but the FL residents who came out for the day/weekend likely won't stay through the evening.

Agree. We don't find Labor Day itself to be as bad as the Saturday and Sunday preceding it.

 

[mom2rtk]

Lots of schools start in August now. But most Northeast schools still start after Labor Day. So a huge group of WDW's customer base is heading back to school that week. And most families will not take kids out the first week. It's the best shot you'll find at a predictably slow week at WDW.

 

[mousefan73]

I remember that Picture and thinking "were we really there at the same time?" as we go every year and I found last year "crowded" for us.. granted you have lots of Walking space ( when I compared shoulder to shoulder crowds on main street shots) but I base my Crowd Level on ride wait times and for us they were Long.. Long for us means when buzz light Year in MK has a wait time of 30 or more minutes.. years ago that was a walk on. I am honestly Setting my expectations really low this year and expecting large crowds and having to depend on FP and not to expect any walk ons or 20 minutes waits... I am not counting rope dropping times.. but middle of the afternoon. with the MNSSHP starting in Aug, F&W and Pandora... I am not expecting "slow"...

again we never went Peak, spring break, thanksgiving so i cannot compare,, but Labor Day has been for the past 2 or 3 years, no longer a walk-on time.. unless you get lucky and hit the right park at the right time. I think also FP+ played a role here.

 

[mousefan73]

Lots of schools start in August now. But most Northeast schools still start after Labor Day. So a huge group of WDW's customer base is heading back to school that week. And most families will not take kids out the first week. It's the best shot you'll find at a predictably slow week at WDW.

So do Chicago Schools... Not only that, but I met so many southern families who had pulled their Kids out.. more than I had noticed before.. but maybe I was looking for them as I recall being mildly annoyed at the ride wait times and noticed more while waiting in line ( which years before never happened, waitiing Long in lines). I know some states Kids have been in School a while.. They are out more May-beg. August..so Labor Day is a nice pause to pull Kids out if you do that.

 

[mousefan73]

Seeing that Friday before Labor Day, MK Closes due to MNSSHP and there are no MK PM EMHs,,, curious if this will affect Labor Day.. Also AK has EMH over the Weekend.... I just find all These variables make past crowd calendars obselete.

 

[flortlebap]

Seeing that Friday before Labor Day, MK Closes due to MNSSHP and there are no MK PM EMHs,,, curious if this will affect Labor Day.. Also AK has EMH over the Weekend.... I just find all These variables make past crowd calendars obselete.

I'm not sure about obsolete, but I agree that they are less reliable. There isn't enough data for pandora at the moment, and DHS has closed down a lot of attractions and that will affect crowd levels too.

That said we always find the first 2 weeks in September to be very quiet, but as a PP pointed out, with F&W starting at the end of August it probably will be slightly busier than previous years.

 

[anniemae]

It is one of the slowest weeks of the year. All schools (U.S and Canada) are back in session after Labor Day. It has become busier than it used to be, but still very slow.

 

[ryukage]

My father has spoken to cast members about this re: Ft. Wilderness reservations, and they CMs generally agree that reservations drop off precipitously on Labor Day.

I'm planning on arriving on this upcoming Labor Day with my DW, and have seen that morning FPs are very difficult to get, but there's plenty of availability for most things later in the day. I concluded that people are getting in their last hurrahs before hitting the road.

 

[tinkerbella16]

We went that week last year and it was wonderful compared to our usual week in November. We are going the same week this year, 9/2-9/10. The weekend was a little crowded but even that wasn't too bad, but after Labor Day it was like the crowds disappeared. Our resort pool was really crowded during the weekend and the day after labor day, it was almost empty and stayed that way for the rest of the week. We loved it! It is a lot hotter than November, but we will take the low crowds over the weather any day. We even lucked out with rain - it only rained a couple of times and only once was it a steady rain for hours on the evening of 9/4. 3 weeks from tomorrow we arrive, so excited! Have a great trip!

 

[PammyPoppins]

Thank-You, everyone for all the Great info, I really appreciate it.
PammyPoppins

 

[hertamaniac]

We are local and are going around then too. My bigger concern is the updated hurricane forecast.

 

[Tonyz]

We are local and are going around then too. My bigger concern is the updated hurricane forecast.

What's the update?

 

[hertamaniac]

NOAA just revised their forecast to higher probability and intensity of hurricanes.

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/09/noaa-now-raising-tropical-storm-and-hurricane-forecast-for-2017.html