Crowds??

[buzzriders]

How are crowd levels right now?? We leave in 6 days and wondering if the crowd levels are higher than normal for this time of year. Is the celebration causing crowds to be larger?! We always go this time of the year so we are used to the crowds but I hope they are not alot higher!!

Also, are MK crowds lower on a Saturday or a Sunday? We will be in WDW June 24- July1 and are going to MK twice. We will go on Thursday June 30 and will go on either Saturday June 25 or Sunday June 26. Any suggestion are wanted.

 

[tamman]

I'd like to know too!!! We will be in Disney June 24- July 1 and the Universal July 1-3.

 

[dvcgirl]

Crowds are up this year, across the board...all theme parks in Orlando. I live in Orlando and it's been reported on local news that the hotels/theme parks are up 12% this year.

Of course Disney doesn't release their numbers, but it's obvious to my husband and I that it's more crowded this year than last year at the same time. I personally visited AK last Tuesday. It wasn't an EMH park of the day and by 11:00am, Kali had a 70 minute wait and the safari was an hour long. When I entered the park the lines to go through the turnstiles weren't too bad, when I left around 1pm the lines were out to the security screening area. I couldn't believe it. Fast passes for Kali and the Safari were out to between 4 and 5 pm.

And if you hit an EMH park, well then prepare for even more crowds. There are a couple of good threads going around now about strategies to avoid to EMH park of the day, and I highly suggest following them. If you're looking to visit MK late-night for the ambience, well that's one thing. But don't go over there until after the EMH hours begin.


EMH is really not working out well at all. It was billed as a perk for on-site Disney guests, but during moderate to busy times of the year so far it's been an absolute disaster.

I do think that people coming in for the summer months can use EMH to their advantage. The parks are open for very long hours anyway, and so you won't need that extra three hours in the MK. Avoid those parks like the plague and you'll make out better than the hoards who are following the EMH schedule.

 

[buzzriders]

Thanks DVCgirl!! We will definitely avoid the EMH parks!! I hope it won't be too bad!!

I'd like to know too!!! We will be in Disney June 24- July 1 and the Universal July 1-3.

We will be at Universal July1 -July4 too!!!

 

[blue_eyes5212]

I just got home a few days ago and the crowds were pretty bad. I went June 04 and didn't think the crowds were bad at all. I have decided that even though I love Disney anytime, I am going to plan my next trip when school is in session since I don't have kids. We stayed at POP, which I loved but you could hardly move in the food court.

 

[buzzriders]

Any suggestions on which day to go to MK?(See OP)

 

[kerrynic78]

Well we were at MK yesterday (saturday) and it seemed really crowded when we got there about 3:30 (Space Mountain 70 min, Splash 60 min, 45 min for Buzz) but at about 9 pm when people were watching the parade and getting ready for Wishes, it was pretty much walk on for most of the rides.

 

[buzzriders]

Well we were at MK yesterday (saturday) and it seemed really crowded when we got there about 3:30 (Space Mountain 70 min, Splash 60 min, 45 min for Buzz) but at about 9 pm when people were watching the parade and getting ready for Wishes, it was pretty much walk on for most of the rides.

But do you think Saturday is better than a sunday?? I'm very confused!!

 

[dkrause716]

Well we were at MK yesterday (saturday) and it seemed really crowded when we got there about 3:30 (Space Mountain 70 min, Splash 60 min, 45 min for Buzz) but at about 9 pm when people were watching the parade and getting ready for Wishes, it was pretty much walk on for most of the rides.

We have always found this to be the case and that is why we enjoy doing evenings so much more than the daytime. I'll be curious to see how the EMH evenings work out but I'm not hopeful....

 

[tamman]

Buzzriders- Where are you staying at in Universal? We'll be at HRH

 

[CinderEmma]

We went to Animal Kingdom yesterday; it was early EMH. The crowds were not bad at all, and we were able to walk onto almost every ride. The longest wait was 10 minutes for Kali River Rapids, and we were able to avoid a line for Kilamanjaro Safari by using Fastpass. We were able to walk right onto Dinosaur twice, so we really encountered no problems. I hope you have a great trip!

...I've also heard Saturday is better for MK. I've never tried it out, but it was in a guide I've read. Not sure if that helps or not...

 

[kerrynic78]

buzzriders:

personally I do feel Saturday is better than Sunday for MK. We go every weekend and feel that although not by much, it is not as crowded at MK on sat. then it is on a sunday. But honestly I believe it will be crowded at the MK almost every weekend in the summer....us AP holders just can't get enough!!!

have a great time

 

[buzzriders]

Tamman~ We will be staying at PBR!!! Never been so kinda excited!!!

I think we will go to MK on Saturday June 25 and Thursday June 30. This way if the park is really crowded on Sat we will still have Thurs. Can't wait!!! Only 5 days!!

 

[tamman]

The Unofficial Guide has Saturday as a good day for Mk. Plus, Friday is the evening EMH and I've read on this board that it is good to go to a park that has EMH the night before. We are also planning on doing MK on Saturday.

 

[dvcgirl]

Saturday and Sunday are both awful days for the MK, as locals come in to the parks. Even the person who said that MK is best for them on a Saturday said they were a local. If you must do MK on a weekend, arrive about 30 minutes before the park opens to give yourself a couple of hours before the massive crowds arrive.