crowd levels 12/2-12/10 2017?

[BuyAllTheEtsyThings]

Hi! I am a first time poster and I'm really trying to navigate the board here. I've been to DW a few times, most recently about 3 years ago. The crowd levels were just horrible (May) and I'm trying to figure out whether we are facing the same expected crowd levels this time or will they be better (Hoping!!) or worse (NOOO!!!). Is there a board or app or page that lists expected wait times for rides, crowd levels by park by day, and maybe suggestions of FP+ strategies at busier times? I'm going with a fairly large group this time. We are 9, so dining reservations are super hard for us to get too. UGH I feel like a first timer with all the changes they've implemented! lol

Thanks for any help you can offer.

 

[Disney_Alli]

Hi! I am a first time poster and I'm really trying to navigate the board here. I've been to DW a few times, most recently about 3 years ago. The crowd levels were just horrible (May) and I'm trying to figure out whether we are facing the same expected crowd levels this time or will they be better (Hoping!!) or worse (NOOO!!!). Is there a board or app or page that lists expected wait times for rides, crowd levels by park by day, and maybe suggestions of FP+ strategies at busier times? I'm going with a fairly large group this time. We are 9, so dining reservations are super hard for us to get too. UGH I feel like a first timer with all the changes they've implemented! lol

Thanks for any help you can offer.

I think what you're looking for is probably TouringPlans.com the website associated with the Unofficial Guide to WDW. They have crowd calendars and expected/historical waits for all the rides plus touring plans and FP+ suggestions. There is a small yearly fee for the full version but a lot of the information is available for free or with a free subscription. HTH

 

[Haley R]

I like to use the crowd calendars on this website: https://www.undercovertourist.com/orlando/crowd-calendar/

 

[beedee12]

I definitely also recommend touring plans! They're a great resource for crowd calendars and for planning your trip. If you are specifically looking at that first week in December, though, that is notoriously a slower time at WDW. We'll be there 12/1-1/10 this year. Definitely our favorite time of year to be there!

 

[Timothy02359]

I cringe saying this but... The pop warner football and national cheer and dance competition will be at Disney Dec 2nd -9th

 

[kydisneyfans]

There is absolutely nothing available in terms of rooms for both DVC and regular price customers through most of those dates. May is not a heavy crowd month. If you thought May was bad, you haven't seen anything yet. Sorry to say that.

Our strategy over Columbus Day weekend was rope drop in the mornings, Fastpasses during the busier times, midday breaks, and going back to the parks 4-5 hours before closing. We were able to do everything we wanted with minimal waits with this strategy.

 

[peg2001]

I cringe saying this but... The pop warner football and national cheer and dance competition will be at Disney Dec 2nd -9th

We've gone during Pop Warner several times and even stayed at the All Stars. You will see very little impact at the parks due to this event. We had no problems at the resort other than crowding in the food court but others have reported issues with noise. Groups on the buses seemed well behaved and supervised during our visits but others have reported some bus issues with rowdiness as well.

If not staying where the Pop Warner groups are staying, this is a non-issue, IMHO.

 

[JennyDrake]

We've gone during Pop Warner several times and even stayed at the All Stars. You will see very little impact at the parks due to this event. We had no problems at the resort other than crowding in the food court but others have reported issues with noise. Groups on the buses seemed well behaved and supervised during our visits but others have reported some bus issues with rowdiness as well.

If not staying where the Pop Warner groups are staying, this is a non-issue, IMHO.

I've been multiple times during Pop Warner and have had ZERO issues, even staying at the same resort (and i'm not exactly Kid Friendly). You have picked a GREAT time of year to go! Great weather and crowds as low as you will ever see them nowadays. MK is always crowded and miserable after lunch, same for AK. Pandora is crowded ALL the time.....as is to be expected.

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

I've been in May and actually consider that low-moderate crowds (unless you went Memorial Day weekend). I've been the first two weeks in December the past 4 years. The first year I went it was dead empty. The last few it's been busier, but not busy. They had made the park hours shorter which I think makes the parks appear busier - instead of spreading out the day you have to jam it into few hours. This October they extended the park hours twice (and have already done so once for December) so maybe the parks will be open later again this year. You can check out touring plans like some people have suggested. I've honestly found that park crowds can be hit or miss any time of year outside of holidays, so I would plan for them to be busy and if they're not, enjoy all of the extra time! I was just there Columbus Day weekend and everyone was saying OMG IT'S GOING TO BUSIER THAN EVER!!! It really wasn't. I did sooooo much, it was ridiculous how overblown the crowd projection was. Just make your plans and then go with the flow! If you plan your meals (whether it's packing sandwiches or doing an ADR) & fastpasses, you'll have free time whether or not the parks are busy. Good luck!

 

[Karen06]

Traveling with a party of 9 can be challenging. The beginning of May should be a reasonable time to visit. Good luck!

 

[stinkpickle]

...I was just there Columbus Day weekend and everyone was saying OMG IT'S GOING TO BUSIER THAN EVER!!! It really wasn't...

It wasn't? TP had MK at level 10 on Saturday and nothing below level 8 at the other parks for both Saturday and Sunday.

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

It wasn't? TP had MK at level 10 on Saturday and nothing below level 8 at the other parks for both Saturday and Sunday.

Weird. I was physically in MK both days and I thought it wasn't bad at all. I took some fun pictures around the parks because the spaces were so empty! I don't think TP is very accurate compared to what I've seen in the parks. It was busy from maybe 1-4pm but outside of that it was nowhere near what I've seen during spring break or Christmas/New Years. I changed my plans one day and ended up in MK without fastpasses and the longest line I waited in was BTM & Space (50 minutes each). My sister and I got in line for buzz light year when the sign said 40 minutes and we were on the ride in 18 minutes.

 

[kydisneyfans]

Weird. I was physically in MK both days and I thought it wasn't bad at all. I took some fun pictures around the parks because the spaces were so empty! I don't think TP is very accurate compared to what I've seen in the parks. It was busy from maybe 1-4pm but outside of that it was nowhere near what I've seen during spring break or Christmas/New Years. I changed my plans one day and ended up in MK without fastpasses and the longest line I waited in was BTM & Space (50 minutes each). My sister and I got in line for buzz light year when the sign said 40 minutes and we were on the ride in 18 minutes.

We did the MK on Friday 10-6.
The early entry hour Friday was so empty is was surreal. Had never seen anything like it.
The Halloween Party Friday night had the lowest crowd I have seen for a party in many years of attending.

Saturday was a no park day for us, Sunday at AK was rather busy, but not crazy. The Pandora boat line wait was about 25 minutes, we arrived about 45 minutes after opening. The Safari wait was about 20, we walked in to FOTL, and It's Tough to be a Bug had a wait of 1 show. The kids went over later and rides outside of Pandora were walk on.

Epcot on Monday was crazy in the morning with long waits for Figment, Nemo, and Living with the Land. Never saw Living with the land waits longer than Soarin. It did quiet down as the day progressed.

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

We did the MK on Friday 10-6.
The early entry hour Friday was so empty is was surreal. Had never seen anything like it.
The Halloween Party Friday night had the lowest crowd I have seen for a party in many years of attending.

Saturday was a no park day for us, Sunday at AK was rather busy, but not crazy. The Pandora boat line wait was about 25 minutes, we arrived about 45 minutes after opening. The Safari wait was about 20, we walked in to FOTL, and It's Tough to be a Bug had a wait of 1 show. The kids went over later and rides outside of Pandora were walk on.

Epcot on Monday was crazy in the morning with long waits for Figment, Nemo, and Living with the Land. Never saw Living with the land waits longer than Soarin. It did quiet down as the day progressed.

Yes! We did Epcot Monday and it was totally crazy how long the line was for Living with the Land! My guess was because of how stinking hot it was.

On Sunday in MK a guest said to a CM near me that they were surprised it wasn't busier, and the said it was super empty on party days.

 

[stinkpickle]

Yes! We did Epcot Monday and it was totally crazy how long the line was for Living with the Land! My guess was because of how stinking hot it was.

On Sunday in MK a guest said to a CM near me that they were surprised it wasn't busier, and the said it was super empty on party days.

For that week at MK, it appears that party days were 5s and 6s, while non-party days were 8s, 9s, and 10s. I wonder if it's more of a ride capacity issue. ??? Here's Josh's experience from 10/7...

https://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/magic-kingdom-8am-rope-drop-on-a-saturday-in-october-10717-part-1/

https://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/magic-kingdom-8am-rope-drop-on-a-saturday-in-october-10717-part-2/

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

For that week at MK, it appears that party days were 5s and 6s, while non-party days were 8s, 9s, and 10s. I wonder if it's more of a ride capacity issue. ??? Here's Josh's experience from 10/7...

https://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/magic-kingdom-8am-rope-drop-on-a-saturday-in-october-10717-part-1/

https://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/magic-kingdom-8am-rope-drop-on-a-saturday-in-october-10717-part-2/

Yeah I dunno. When I was there I didn't think it was bad, especially compared to other times I've been.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

Yeah I dunno. When I was there I didn't think it was bad, especially compared to other times I've been.

This is a very common report as of late...actually all year. Near empty parks. To the OP, it seems like you may be fine for December. No matter what time of year people have been going this year, reports are always "not nearly as crowded as expected".