crowds

[katmouse]

My DH and I are leaving May 2 to take our three children on a suprise trip to DW. Has anyone been recently that could tell me how the crowds have been?

 

[Richyams]

I am going May 1 for three nights, guess that aint much help, huh?

But I can't wait!

 

[Pa@okw95]

May, September and January there are no crowds. I was there in January, I walked right on everything. May will be the same.

 

[MelissathePooh]

I wouldn't say that there are no crowds. Blanket statements like that scare me! We go the first week of May every year and it has progressively gotten more crowded. That isn't to say it will be crazy - manageable for sure, but not empty by any means.

What we have found is that weekends - as any time of year - are just as bad as always - its nice out - not too cool and not too hot. And families with preschool age children like this time as it is a chance to get in a vacation before the hot summer.

Like I said it shouldn't be packed by any means, but it won't be empty either. The last time I saw WDW empty was Oct 1998 - we've been every May, Sept and Jan since and have always seen plenty of people.

 

[Carl]

Isn't it strange that Disney keeps complaining that their attendance is down and thus their profits, yet I keep seeing posts saying there are hour + waits for the rides?

 

[Pa@okw95]

Saying there are no crowds like I did does not mean there are no people, it means it is not crowded. I don't think some people realize how crowded WDW used to be. In January when I went like I said before I walked right on everything, does that mean i didn't have to wait for 4 or 5 people, no, it means walked right up to the ride proper. I remember waiting at the Pirates of the Caribbean right to outside where people park there strollers and both sides being used to get to the boats, I would say it took about one and half hours to go. In January we had the boat to ourselves, I would say one was crowded and the had no crowds, but I did see people. Some people do not really know what crowded is like it was when there was only MK for example or when they first opened EPCOT, now that was crowded. You don't see crowds like that anymore or will you ever until they make the complete change over to amusement park which should take years, then you will see kids, teenagers all over the place from Florida. That will end it for me.

 

[MelissathePooh]

Well thats another point - crowded can be a relative term depending on what you're used to. For a family who is used to taking a summer vacation - a trip in May might seem pretty empty, but for off season travelers - May can seem pretty hectic.

May is regular season and lots of families with small children travel in May. The closer it gets to Memorial Weekend the more crowded its gets as well.

I remember most of my life waiting an hour for Pirates or other rides, but after what seemed like a slow down it seems to be picking up. Part of the cause, I believe, has been the reduction in hours and attractions - forcing people into the same places at the same times in order to see what is open.

As they have lengthened and added some things this May I'm hoping it will help, but judging from the threads of "who's going in May" just from the people on the resorts board and dvc - not to mention the rest of the world - May has become a pretty popular time.