Friend's trip report scared me...

[dlstc]

A friend of mine just got back from WDW on May 1st. Now keep in mind that her husband booked the trip (TA, or CRO) and they do no research for their trips - they don't even buy a guide book. Also, they just went to WDW last year, so they probably weren't very motivated.

It doesn't sound like they saw much. Granted, my friend said they would get to the parks around 10 a.m., do a couple things, head back to the hotel for lunch (around 1 or 2), take a break and dinner. They didn't even go back to the parks in the afternoon/evening! The didn't see Fantasmic or Illuminations. In fact, she didn't know what they were!

But, what really scared me was that she said the parks were unbearably crowded. Again, I'm not sure what her tolerance for crowds may be. She did say she had to wait an hour to get into Playhouse Disney at MGM - which I can understand if you don't show up till 10 and the show is 15-20 minutes long. (BTW, I asked her if she liked the Muppets and she didn't know what I was talking about - and she had her dd4 with her!)

For MGM, I was planning to grab a FP for Little Mermaid, get in line for PHD, go to Muppets3d and then back to LM. Then lunch and Beauty and the Beast.

Any comments about the crowds for May 15th-22nd? Any suggestions for our MGM itinerary?

Help! I'm scared to death! I will be alone with dd4 and dd2 and am worried the crowds will be horrendous.

Thanks in advance for ideas/suggestions/assurances?

Diana

 

[bevemjake]

First of all I can't say what the crowds will be since I'm not a Disney expert but I'll be watching this thread since I am going the same dates.

Secondly your friend sounds pretty clueless. She went to Disney and stayed at the parks from 10-1??? Why bother?

 

[Leigha]

I'll offer assurances! I think you'll do fine. You've obviously researched your trip. You know what's available and you've got a shedule so that you can do everything you want to do. If you haven't already, buy or borrow from the library the Unofficial Guide. Studying that REALLY will give you a firm idea of what is offered and the best way to go about accomplishing all you want to do. This will also give you the confidence you need to face whatever crowds you run it to. You'll know what to do in any situation. She didn't plan well so what can you expect? You will know what to expect - a good time!

 

[Sarahsmom85]

I'm going around the same time. I'm hoping the spring break crowds are over now. New England had spring break week before last. it should be calmer now. lets hope.

 

[Synonymous]

Don't pay any attention to your friend's report- she did exactly the worst things you could do, practically guaranteeing a bad trip. You're way ahead of her, and ahead of the average visitor. You'll have a great time.

 

[westjones]

We were at Disneyland (California) last month, and it was VERY crowded. Apparently the schools were out for spring break that week and they had some good deals for locals going.

We found that if we went first thing in the mornings when the park opened it wasn't too bad, but by afternoon is was terrible.

Someone a couple years ago gave me some good advice. They said to go in the park when it first opens, head to the back of the park (most people stop at the closer rides), go for a couple hours riding the rides in the back of the park until the crowds make it back there, then use fastpasses for the popular attractions.

We will be doing this in July when we go the week of July 4th (which I expect to be very crowded).

DJ

 

[mbcary]

It looks like several of us are going to be there at the same time. Let's hope it's not too crowded, but it sounds like we all know how to handle it if so.

Have a good trip everyone!

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I just returned today after being at WDW from April 26 to May 1st. I thought the crowds were medium - very comparable to trips I done in mid-May in past years. Certainly there were big waits on the major rides in the middle of the day, but if you plan accordingly you can do just about everything you want. So don't worry too much about crowds - they weren't THAT bad last week!

<img src="http://home.att.net/~disneysue/hugsmall3.gif">

 

[dan-tot]

I hope that they didn't spend alot of money for the trip. If they were so lack luster about the trip why did they go back in the first place? If they were by themselves I might agree about them doing so little but to have a child with them. They cheated her out of the experience of the majic of Disney by not doing as much as they could for her.


Dan-tot

 

[MelissathePooh]

Crowded can be a pretty relative term, but we were there April 17-25 and thought it was pretty bad for what we're used to. This was apparently New Englands spring break week - unknown to us when we booked things. But what I've also found is that thanks to the internet, the Unofficial Guide and such - you are less likely to find very "uncrowded" times at Disney anymore.

We typically go the first week of May, mid September and mid January and since 1999 the attendance has been increasing during those times. Even though its not bad, its still busy compared to what it used to be in those off times. People take their kids out of school more often, pre-schoolers can go any time of year and so on.

Information - its a blessing and a curse! But I do know that we will never go in April again!

 

[susy]

Showing up at 10 is a big NO NO!!!!

 

[moinab]

Your friend couldn't have made more mistakes if she were deliberately trying to. DH and I have a little saying about people like this: too much money, too little brain.

You will be fine. You have a good plan, and you are well informed. WDW is always crowded to some degree, but you are definitely going at one of the less crowded times.

We were at MGM on Sunday, April 25. We were there a few minutes after opening. We went to RnRC first, and got fastpasses that were good a half-hour later. We did some shopping, and then went back to use our fastpasses, taking turns staying with the kids. Then we headed to Playhouse Disney. We got in line 15 minutes before show time, and got in, no problem. We could have waited at least another 5 minutes before getting in line, but we really didn't have anything else we wanted to do in the area. Then we headed over to MuppetVision and waited only 5 minutes. After that, DH went on Star Tours, with only a 5 minute wait. I think you get the idea.

If you get fastpasses for Little Mermaid first, then go to Playhouse Disney, you might not want to go all the way over to MuppetVision and then back again. Chances are, your fastpass time for Little Mermaid will be within the hour, and you'll be able to go after Playhouse Disney.

Stop worrying! You're going to have a great trip!

 

[ryley26]

hello granted my wife and dd-9 and ds-6 and myself are disney commandos planning is the key. last april we went spring break and were able to ride 13 rides before noon. the best advice you've been getting is go early and have a plan. try to get a show schedule a day before to avoid long waits. you'll do just fine because you have a plan .

 

[Magic2000]

I agree with the other posters. You'll do fine, as long as you have a plan. And definitely show up before 10:00 AM!!!

We'll be at Disney for the 4th of July (this is our third time going at that time). Yes, its crowded, but very manageable!!! We are always able to ride the rides we want with minimal waits! Of course, we use fastpass, etc.

Before our trip this past October (week of Columbus Day), I read so many reports about how busy and crowded the parks would be, and I started to get nervous. We went and had a GREAT time! We must have just hit it right because we didn't think it was crowded at all!!! Although I still see reports about how long the lines were, we were able to ride almost all of the rides with no more than a 10 minute wait! (We didn't ride any of the "mountain" rides this time since my little one doesn't like them). She rode Buzz Lightyear three times within 20 minutes!

Go and have a great time!!!!!!

 

[missypie]

Plan, plan, plan...and please drag yourselves out of bed fairly early...you can always rest at the hotel when crowds are heavy.

The second year WDW was open (back when Magic Kingdom was the only park) my family, grandma and two sets of aunts and uncles and cousins went to WDW. We showed up at about 10-10:15 and the first thing my aunt just HAD to do was eat breakfast at a sit down restaurant...that basically took all morning...we waited in long line after long line...is it any wonder that I always said that I hated Disney parks and that it took me 30 years (literally!) to return to one?

Of course then, I studied, planned and had a great time!

One more thing: Make sure your family is aware of, and on board with, your plan. If your plan is to commando the rides in the morning, be sure and tell the kids that you will stop to visit with characters in the afternoon, or whatever, so they aren't upset when you pass them by in the morning. If your kids typically want a morning snack, bring a couple of things with you for them to munch on, so you don't spend any of those early hours in line for food. But be prepared to keep your promises...if you tell your shopaholic daughter that she can't shop on Main Street 1st thing but that you'll come back later, make sure you remember to bring her back later.

 

[susy]

We go on holiday weekends all the time, so our touring strategies are fool-proof!

Eat an early breakfast in your room or food court. Get on the first bus to the parks!

You would rather wait one hour at the turnstile than wait an hour for EACH ride all day.

When you get to the front gates, stand in front of an empty turnstile. They open ALL of them. True story: This past Thanskgiving, we went to AK on the Saturday after. It was not open yet, but the lines were all the way back to the ticket booths. Then I spot an empty turnstile. Nobody was standing in front of it. You should have seen the 1000 pairs of eyes watch us walk right up to the front of that turnstile. You knew everyone was thinking that no way were we going to get in first. Well, when the park opened, in we went!!!!

Hit all your must-do attractions.

Eat an early lunch-even when it's crowded, there are no lines and plenty of tables right at 11:30am.

Head back to your resort for a break around 12:30-1pm. You will notice the crowds and lines building.

Swim, nap, shower, change

Return to the parks refreshed around 4-5 pm. You will see hoards of sweaty, cranky people leaving. More will be leaving than entering at this time.

We usually get our "B" attractions done. Eat dinner and enjoy parades/fireworks, etc.

Even with this schedule, you will need down days of rest. On these days you may want to make a special trip to see a specific parade or do a character meal.

We also usually do one sit-down meal per day.

 

[Synonymous]

Susy- that's the most concise and accurate statement of park strategy I've ever read. Probably everything else you'll read on these boards about park touring boils down to just what Susy said. Follow her advice and you'll have a great trip.

 

[vmorris1921]

FASTPASS - FASTPASS - FASTPASS!!!!!

 

[NotUrsula]

Check the times for the first PHD show in relation to the first LM performance. In my experience, the first show of PHD usually lets out approx. 5 min. before the first LM of the day.

My strategy (never failed me yet, but I haven't used it since last June) is to go to MGM at early entry, and head straight to LM for FPs as soon as the park opens. *Then* we head straight for Star Tours, which has no line this early. When you leave Star Tours, you should be just in time to get into the first performance of Muppets. When the Muppets performance ends, go directly back to the courtyard and get in line for PHD. The line should be somewhere over 50%capacity at that point; you WILL get in, but you'll be sitting near the back. When PHD lets out, you will be in perfect position to use your FP to waltz right into LM. If the times hold, it should be well before 11 when you leave LM.

BTW, you don't have to arrive when EE first starts for this plan, but you need to be IN the park and have your LM FP before general admission begins. Hitting the gate at 8:30 should do it nicely.

 

[Planogirl]

susy's plan is super but do try to work in FastPass. The most important part of the plan is to get there early. I can't stress that enough.

It'll be OK, you'll see.