EEK! crowd levels updated for week of 12/14

[warrenz1963]

Our last trip to WDW was second week of December 2012. We planned everything around the info we found at TouringPlans and had a fantastic, stress-free time. Smallish crowds, hardly any waits for anything. Were we just lucky that time?

So, we made plans months ago for the week of 12/14/14 based on crowd levels published at TouringPlans, because we really need a dose of the Magic this year, we've had a tough one.
This morning I received an email with crowd level updates, and now I'm worried.
We are doing the MK on 12/15; originally the crowd level was predicted to be a 3, and now it's changed to a 6. We're committed to MK on that day thanks to ADRs and FP+ reservations (that will most likely be impossible to change with only a week to go.)
Should I be worried? My partner really hates crowds, like really seriously will whine all day about them. I know, first-world problems, right? I just want to be prepared for a different experience than what we are expecting based on past experience.
Help!

 

[Frozen2014]

I don't have an answer for you, but how frustrating. I mean, you spend lots of time planning, booking your days and then ADRs and FPs around crowd levels, and then it changes on you. Wonder why as you would think the week prior to Christmas break would be low crowds. Whatever it is, I'm sure you'll still have a wonderful trip. My DH is the same wrt crowds and it was also about a level 6 when we came in October and he was fine.

 

[ArwenMarie]

6 is ok. Not great. Nothing like a 9, so look on the bright side

I would just stick with your plans. But yeah, it will be more crowded than a 3. Walkways, bathrooms, lines obviously. Getting there for rope drop is always a good thing.

If your partner really really hates crowds to the point that whining will be going on all day, that is another story! Might want to have a talk about that to make sure everyone's expectations are in line with reality.

 

[saskdw]

MK is the least recomended park that day on EasyWDW crowd calender. We will be at DHS that day.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

At this point I am just accepting the fact there are probably fewer than 20 days per year that are less than 5. I have absolutely zero faith in any of the crowd calendars any more. Face it, we have seen abnormally high crowds since before Thanksgiving and the high crowds are here to stay.

 

[pmaurer74]

I think high crowds are here to stay as well. We were there that week last year and it was great. We are going the same week this year and I have been a little concerned by how tough ADRs and other things have been to get plus them opening early every day means the resorts are full. MK is not recommended on Monday. We will be at EPCOT that day. I think I saw on easywdw.com that that week are 6's all week. I have never seen crowd level 3's that would be awesome.

 

[minnie mum]

6 is ok. Not great. Nothing like a 9, so look on the bright side

I would just stick with your plans. But yeah, it will be more crowded than a 3. Walkways, bathrooms, lines obviously. Getting there for rope drop is always a good thing.

If your partner really really hates crowds to the point that whining will be going on all day, that is another story! Might want to have a talk about that to make sure everyone's expectations are in line with reality.

I agree. At this point there's not much you can do other than having a talk with your partner. And maybe buying ear plugs.

 

[warrenz1963]

Thank you all for the replies!
We'll make the best of it, I'm sure we will have a great time regardless.

All the necessary reservations create stress for me, because it's a new experience. This is our first trip using FP+, so we don't know what to expect. I guess with the levels up at 6 we'll be glad for the ride reservations.

When all is said and done, it's still WDW, it's still a day at the Magic Kingdom, that's still a pretty good day!

 

[saskdw]

At this point I am just accepting the fact there are probably fewer than 20 days per year that are less than 5. I have absolutely zero faith in any of the crowd calendars any more. Face it, we have seen abnormally high crowds since before Thanksgiving and the high crowds are here to stay.

The Easywdw crowd calender has always worked well for us. We go at the same time every year, so we are quite familiar with the crowd levels at that time. Our typical trip is Dec. 14th-28th. This year is Dec. 10th-26th. It's the same every year. We go to the EasyWDW recomended park and up until about the 21st the crowds are very low. Or at least low by our standards as we are also used to the Christmas crowds that second week.

There is a noticable difference though if you hit the busy park. Our plan is always to hit the parks hard the first week when the crowds are lower and then take things at a leasurely pace the second week with the crazy Christmas crowds.

I'm fully expecting it to be the same this year as previous. I guess i'll find out in a few days.

 

[DebbieB]

I think an indication that this week (week of 12/14) isn't slow anymore is they moved it into the peak hotel rate category.

http://www.mousesavers.com/2014-all-star-movies-room-rates-season-dates/

 

[warrenz1963]

I think an indication that this week (week of 12/14) isn't slow anymore is they moved it into the peak hotel rate category.

http://www.mousesavers.com/2014-all-star-movies-room-rates-season-dates/

We booked this trip very last minute, last minute for us anyway, about 90 days out. Didn't even notice this detail.

 

[disneyerin]

We were in WDW last year from 12/16 to 12/22 and I was VERY nervous beforehand about the crowds! We had never been there so close to Christmas before.

I remember my first post after having been there a couple days. I think the title was, "Where Are The Crowds!?" We were SO pleasantly surprised!

We followed easywdw in terms of what park to visit on which day, got to the parks as early as possible (but never made an opening), made at least one dining reservation per day, and avoided MK on the Sat. and Sunday before Christmas. It was the best trip to WDW we had ever had!!

Have a wonderful time!!

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I think an indication that this week (week of 12/14) isn't slow anymore is they moved it into the peak hotel rate category.

http://www.mousesavers.com/2014-all-star-movies-room-rates-season-dates/

Actually, that week was moved into peak category last year, and there was post after post about the parks being dead that week in spite of the peak pricing.

I'm not worried, at all. We've been to Disney in October with crowd levels between 4 & 7, and by choosing our parks wisely, we never felt like it was crowded and never waited long for rides.

 

[Laketravis]

I posted this information on another thread, but it's relevant to your question so I'll include it here.

TP bases their "Crowd Level" numbers on the standby wait time of certain attractions - they use a core sample of only 25 attractions across the 4 parks and only uses sample data from 10am to 5pm each day.

So if they raised their "Crowd Level" prediction on certain days it is because they are seeing a rise in Standby times for certain attractions. Does that mean many more people are in the parks? Maybe. But it could also mean that more guests are simply reserving FP's for those attractions, causing the Standby lines to increase. Crowd levels didn't necessarily go up, but the wait times for certain attractions did.

I wouldn't worry too much about it - avoid the middle of the day, seek out the less popular attractions especially those with low cycle times/high capacity like Captain EO, GMR, Star Tours, CoP, and PeopleMover because the wait times are still the same there are just more people at each showing, and if you are staying on site be sure to make use of morning EMH when the standby line is not competing with the FP line.

 

[mymermaid]

We have been the week before Christmas a few times, and it has never been what I would call "crowded" compared to higher crowd dates. We last visited in 2012 and it was fine. That Friday before Christmas the crowds started to get heavier, but it wasn't so much as it made our day bad. We used to go the first 2 weeks of December then decided to move to that 3rd week. The week before Christmas as the first 2 weeks were beginning to get more chaotic in my opinion. We have been to Disney in December around 10 times in the past 15 years. Yes crowds have gotten bigger, but Disney knows how to handle them well. Go and have fun. It will in no way be as crowded as it is during the busier times of the year. We will be there the same week as you our dates are 12/14-12/19. I only do EMH at MK and arrive before it begins. We get so much done and then we hop to another park for the afternoon and evening. The rest of the week I do a different park than the EMH parks.

 

[pmaurer74]

I read that WL is 100% capacity right now. when we were there last year it felt empty and we were upgraded. I am assuming it will be at capacity when we are there next weekend as well.

 

[3CW]

We were there 12/14-12/20 last year and we had no level 3 days for sure - it was 4s/5s/6s but mostly 5s. The 19th and 20th were definitely 6s. It was still the lowest crowds we'd ever experienced because we'd only been in June and August until that trip.

Regardless of whether you're going in a high-crowd or low-crowd time, sticking with "recommended" times to hit a park always us helps a lot both in wait times and general people density levels. Like going to MK during the daytime when they have a Christmas party that night, or hitting a park the day after EMH. I guess probably rope drop too, but we are not rope drop people.

Good luck and I hope you don't have too much whining to deal with!

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I read that WL is 100% capacity right now. when we were there last year it felt empty and we were upgraded. I am assuming it will be at capacity when we are there next weekend as well.

Keep in mind that a significant portions of the rooms at WL are out of inventory due to the work going on at the resort.

 

[pmaurer74]

Keep in mind that a significant portions of the rooms at WL are out of inventory due to the work going on at the resort.

I did not know that. What rooms are out of inventory? I thought the pool was just about open and the work almost done?

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I did not know that. What rooms are out of inventory? I thought the pool was just about open and the work almost done?

The pool reopened this past week, but that work didn't affect the room inventory. There is some sort of exterior work going on (appears to be some sort of regular maintenance) around the outside of the Lodge, which has been ongoing for some time. Scaffolding has been moved around the Lodge as the work is done, and those rooms affected by the scaffolding are taken out of inventory.

You should check out the big thread on the Resorts subforum for more details.