Crowd levels August

[RivaLJ]

I usually travel the 2nd half of August to WDW, but due to the promotions, I need to move my trip up. Is there a significant difference in the crowd levels between the 1st and 2nd half of the month?

 

[Tomh]

I have only been to the World for two August trips in recent history. In 2008 we were there from the 13th through the 19th. In 2009, we were there from the 24th through Sept 4th. Because of my relatively small sampling, I don't know if my observations are a good general rule or not, but I'll share them with you anyway.

When we were there in 2008, it seemed quite busy. It was the week before the Free Dining started. The parks were pretty crowded, the big rides had long lines fairly early, and the parks had quite long hours, including two showings of Fantasmic on many nights, two showings of Spectro Magic the first couple of nights (after that, the stopped showing it due to the bridge construction in MK), and EMH hours until 3:00 AM at MK.

In 2009, we were there at the end of August, and it didn't seem nearly as busy. We hardly waited more than 10 minutes for most rides (though we did use FP quite a bit on the headliners). Park hours were cut back quite a bit with early closings at AK, single showings of Fantasmic only three nights a week, and single showings of Spectro, again not every night. At MK, the evening EMH (remember it had been open until 3:00 AM the previous year) was ending at 12:00 PM, with regular park hours ending at 9:00.

I definitely felt there was a significant difference in crowd levels between the two trips. The restaurants did seem a bit busier in 2009, but we expected that being it was Free Dining.

I've read here on the DIS a few times that the first week of Free Dining tends to be very busy, then it slows down a bit. We were there during the second week of Free Dining last year, NOT the first, so that may make a difference. This year, we will be there during the first week of Free Dining, starting on August 15th. I'm kind of expecting the first week to be pretty busy, and the second week of our trip to be somewhat less busy.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

This year, we will be there during the first week of Free Dining, starting on August 15th. I'm kind of expecting the first week to be pretty busy, and the second week of our trip to be somewhat less busy.

How do you know free dining is starting on Aug 15? Is this for the general public, or only those with PINS or live in UK?

 

[rstamm]

How do you know free dining is starting on Aug 15? Is this for the general public, or only those with PINS or live in UK?

Bounceback from last year, we booked last August and got FD for this year.

This year rumor is it will start Aug. 15 for GP but until it is annouced its just a guess.

 

[g-dad66]

We were there last year during the first week of August, and it was crowded.

Free dining began the third week of August, and from what I have read, crowds spiked upwards somewhat during that week, even though school was starting in some places.

By the fourth week, however, crowds dropped significantly, as school had begun in many more school districts.

 

[Tomh]

rstamm is right, I don't know for sure when the PUBLIC offering may be, but anyone who was there last year during free dining had the opportunity to book bounceback for this year with travel dates starting on the 15th. Regardless of whether they offer it to the public or not, there is free dining during that period that was booked last year as bounceback, and that will have some effect on crowds.

 

[bleeps]

We were there this past August, from the 10th to the 19th. The only reason we went then was to celebrate DH's 50th b-day. We normally go in Dec. or Oct.

We found the crowds to be unbearable, and it got worse after free dining started (8/15). It was our 6th trip to the World so we know all the ways to avoid crowds (rope drop, touring plans, smart use of fp, etc). By mid-morning, wait times would be through the roof, fp's would be either totally gone OR have returns of 6 or 7 p.m. There were lines for everything -- food, bathrooms, even IASM had ridiculous waits!

Watching the comments here after our return, I did have the sense that the crowds eased off during the final week of the month (once many schools are back in session).

We will never, ever go in mid-August again because of the crowds, and don't even get me started on the melt-your-face-off heat