Crowds summer

[Michaeluk92]

What have crowds been like this summer so far?

 

[ParrotBill]

I look at wait times periodically and they have been moderate. Right now, 40 min Haunted Mansion, 60 Tron, 45 Space Mtn, 25 pirates, 65 Tiana

 

[stinkpickle]

The first week of July made it look like another pandemic had hit.

 

[princesslover]

We just got back and I’d agree that the crowds were moderate. Still well over an hour to 90 minutes for the major headliners. That said, we were very successful in getting additional unpaid lightning lanes for all unpaid attractions except for slinky dog and Tiana. If you can bear the heat, wait times went down in the afternoon when the heat got too much and people left the parks.

 

[OKW Lover]

Just got back from the MK and the crowd level seems to be typical summer levels.

 

[DaviVascaino]

The first week of July made it look like another pandemic had hit.

That was my impression as well, but then the past 2 weeks, crowds are high again

 

[snacks]

we were very successful in getting additional unpaid lightning lanes for all unpaid attractions

What does this mean? What is an unpaid lightning lane?

 

[princesslover]

What does this mean? What is an unpaid lightning lane?

Sorry for the confusing terminology. Lightning lanes other than Pandora, Guardians. I knew what I meant so I guess I figured it made sense. lol

 

[kylenne]

Sorry for the confusing terminology. Lightning lanes other than Pandora, Guardians. I knew what I meant so I guess I figured it made sense. lol

For clarity’s sake, what you were referring to is Multipass. The a la carte rides are Single Pass.

 

[snacks]

Sorry for the confusing terminology. Lightning lanes other than Pandora, Guardians. I knew what I meant so I guess I figured it made sense. lol

"Unpaid" sounds like free and I couldn't come up with any way to enter a Lightning Lane for free.

 

[sp'smom]

Today Touring Plans dropped crowd levels for next week. Are they usually correct with the predictions?

 

[hardcorestitch]

What have crowds been like this summer so far?

They have been quite manageable. Not like the crowded mess that is DCA/RSR. I know 4th of July this year wasn't as wall to wall.

 

[han22735]

Today Touring Plans dropped crowd levels for next week. Are they usually correct with the predictions?

No...im not sure any are accurate anymore.

 

[Mousefan mom]

From what I have heard (we go in August so no direct experience yet), international travel to the US is down, impacting Disney and also a lot of folks are choosing Universal this year over Disney due to the new park. Now I think it doesn't always "feel" uncrowded if they run less cars on rides, etc--but overall based on the things I've read, less folks are going to Disney lately for various reasons. We started going in 2008--scary time economically but it used to be lower crowds and great deals...unfortunately not seeing the great deals, lol...but what is these days?

 

[princesslover]

When we were there July 7-20, the crowds fluctuated throughout the day. Early morning was fine (we did early entry too which helped). Build up was 10:30-2:00 or so when waits were high on popular attractions and we felt crowded in certain areas, like Adventureland in MK. Then we would sometimes go back to the room and we’d watch the waits go wayyyyy down from 2:00-6:00. Then spike up after dinner. We surmised that people are getting smarter about leaving the parks in the afternoon. At one point Tron was like 30 minutes at 3:00 or so.

 

[DaviVascaino]

Speaking of summer crowd levels, for anyone here thinking about going to WDW next June/July 2026, please reconsider. That is when US will host the 2026 World Cup, and I guarantee we will see a significant increase on attendance and crowd levels of WDW and Universal from international tourists.

I am going in 2026, but only late August, to avoid the crowds

 

[mickeyluv'r]

The new discount offer for AP's is solid evidence that crowds/bookings are down and expected to stay down.

Right now, if you buy a new Sorcerer AP you'll get a $100 gift card. And if your family buys 3, you get the giftcard for each AP.

That kind of discount is a bit unusual.

With so many ride closures at WDW, it is not the ideal time to visit.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

The new discount offer for AP's is solid evidence that crowds/bookings are down and expected to stay down.

Right now, if you buy a new Sorcerer AP you'll get a $100 gift card. And if your family buys 3, you get the giftcard for each AP.

That kind of discount is a bit unusual.

With so many ride closures at WDW, it is not the ideal time to visit.

What is currently closed other than Big Thunder?

 

[princesslover]

What is currently closed other than Big Thunder?

Yeah we just got back I don’t think the ride closures were bad. Big Thunder and Test Track, but Test track already opened back up. However next month will be Buzz Lightyear and I believe Spaceship earth. By the end of 2025 probably RNRC for a long overhaul. But it’s in waves and not all at once. It doesn’t seem bad to me.