Going early August...need your best tips to deal with crowds

[Miss Park Avenue]

This is our first year going in the summer since the early eighties.

We have always gone in early May and crowds have been fine. Last year we went in late May and could see a real difference in crowds. We got there late and it took us all day just to cover Fantasyland.

How are crowds in early August? (Aug 7 through Aug 13 to be exact) According to my passporter, it will be really crowded. So...

What are your best secrets to beat the crowds???

Is it better to have length of stay passes when it is this crowded? We were planning on using leftover days on our park hoppers. I am also planning tons of PS this trip and going on EMH days.

 

[foodrocksluver]

We have always gone during peak times. We get up extra early and try to be at the parks at least an hour before they really open. And to make the best of the day and do everything we possibly can, we follow the touring plans in the back of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. These plans work like a charm and get you in and out having done everything you wanted in a short period of time. Try to do what you can early and leave the park for the evening hours. Also try to avoid the parks with early opening. The other parks are less crowded since many people are at the early opening park. Hope this helps~

 

[Miss Park Avenue]

Thanks...I'm on the fence on whether to go on EMH days or not. I've read on other threads that if I go on EMH, then we should hop to another park by 11:00 am! We've always spent the whole day at MK. I'm thinking we better change our itinerary for MK from Thursday to Friday.

They have touring plans in the passporter, it's pretty close to the path we seem to follow every year.

Anybody else???

 

[dgaston]

We were at WDW from 8/4 to 8/8 this year, and were able to do everything we wanted. We get up early, go to a non-EMH park, take a break in the afternoon, even if just to put our feet up for a while or eat at an Epcot restaurant. We return to a park for Spectromagic, IllumiNations, or Fantasmic. We do tend to drive to parks rather than take transportation, except for E-night at the MK. I do recommend E-night if available.

 

[QuickGold]

I think heat might be a bigger problem than crowds but that's just my opinion

You can find historical crowd sizes at http://www.mgmstudios.org/wait.html

 

[miste76]

We go at the end of July/beginning of August every year and I would suggest the same things as the other posters. My sister (14 yo) and I (twice her age) get to the park (whether it's an EE day or not) before it opens and move very quickly from one attraction to the next. If we want to go back and smell the roses inbetween the attractions, we return to that area around 12 or 1. Otherwise, it's off to another park or back to the room for a break. We can get 90% of the park done in the first 4-5 hours that the park is open.

 

[bobcat]

Have a flexible plan. We like to use EMH and hop if the park is too crowded. It's best to start out as early as possible to beat the heat.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

That week was our traditional week too but this year we switched to april due to the ds school and work schedules. In aug. be prepared for lots of rain and humidity. If you are doing a water park, get there right when it opens. You might want to consider doing an early morning ps for a park on a day that is not emh. That would get you already in and a head start. We also tried getting to the parks asap and took a granola bar on the go and had an early lunch to beat the crowds, by then we pretty much depleted the drinks we brought with us into the parks etc. In the mk we go to crystal palace, have a nice meal and stock up on drink refills before we go. We too also took the mid afternoon pool, rest and air conditioning breaks. Helped cool the hot temperature tantrums. Use fp and space out a/c breaks in the parks etc. The heat also affects your stamina I think, even our 3 teen ds get weary etc. With good planning, you should have a great time.

 

[Miss Park Avenue]

Thanks for the great replies...My ISP went down two days ago and I am just now able to read all the suggestions. Thanks!

luvmarypoppins...thanks, I do need to think of great touring plans for the heat and crowds. Since we will probably eat something quick in our room (OKW), I was thinking maybe an early lunch PS at the Plaza Restaurant, then either dinner somewhere quiet and cool or if we go on EMH day, hop to Epcot and have a dinner PS there.

 

[foodrocksluver]

We always do the early priority seating for lunch thing you were talking about. And we also stay at OKW in a one bedroom and tend to eat a lot of meals there. But we fill up early and then have something small or quick for dinner. But no matter what make the priority seatings even if you dont keep them. And even make one for dinner in case something happens. In the peak times of the summer, PS go FAST. And we tend to make plans of where we will go each day before we actually leave and we make the PS in the park we plan on attending. If we make a PS in a park that we dont spend most of the day in, we end up not eating there.