Help me pick my park days!

[Delphinidae]

Guys, my trip is coming up in August and I still haven't nailed down which park we are going to on which day. My biggest hangup is trying to decide whether I want to follow the crowd calendars and touring guides' advice on avoiding the EMH park each day. I know that's always the advice, but I would like to be able to maximize our time in the parks. However, I have never been in August, so if the crowds will be massive enough to where we can't do anything then it's pointless.

We have 5 day tickets and our days in the park will be 8/15-8/19. No hoppers. Going back to the room or pool is an option but honestly i don't like wasting time traveling back and forth more than we need to. I'm thinking right now that MK will be the one we go to twice but honestly that could change to either Epcot or AK, especially with the nighttime things at AK still in the air. I can't stare at the crowd calendars anymore! Help!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Follow the calendars, avoid the more crowded emh parks in favor of the lower crowd park.

 

[Alesia]

Since you don't have hoppers you should avoid the parks with EMH. Follow the crowd calendar at easywdw.com

 

[Delphinidae]

That's the one I have, and also I look at Kenny the Pirate's calendar. Just bums me out to not be able to take advantage of the extra hours. But if it would be too packed to make it worth it I guess we'll go for less hours at the "green" parks. Although I've never understood how the recommended park doesn't become swamped if the majority of people are going by park recommendations lol

 

[Alesia]

That's the one I have, and also I like at Kenny the Pirate's calendar. Just bums me out to not be able to take advantage of the extra hours. But if it would be too packed to make it worth it I guess we'll go for less hours at the "green" parks. Although I've never understood how the recommended park doesn't become swamped if the majority of people are going by park recommendations lol

Because the majority of people aren't going by park recommendations.

Most people will end up going to the park with EMH, Even if they aren't going to take advantage of them - it's just the power of suggestion.

The parks with EMH are noticably more crowded than those without them. Avoiding them will make a huge difference in what you can accomplish in a day.

 

[Delphinidae]

Ok, we will try to go that route then. Assuming that goes for both morning and evening EMH? Also, on Tuesday August 16th, easywdw has MK as the most recommended park, but on Kenny's calendar MK is yellow that day. Is there anything going on there that you know of? Or any reason for the big difference?

 

[Alesia]

Ok, we will try to go that route then. Assuming that goes for both morning and evening EMH? Also, on Tuesday August 16th, easywdw has MK as the most recommended park, but on Kenny's calendar MK is yellow that day. Is there anything going on there that you know of? Or any reason for the big difference?

Yes, avoid all parks that have EMH.

I have always found easywdw to be spot on, other calendars - less so. I would stop looking at the others. You're making this way more complicated than it needs to be

 

[Delphinidae]

Yes, avoid all parks that have EMH.

I have always found easywdw to be spot on, other calendars - less so. I would stop looking at the others. You're making this way more complicated than it needs to be

Lol. I know I am, I always do! It just kills me to purposefully NOT spend extra time in a park using a perk I'm supposed to get for staying there! But I know that extra time is useless if it's too packed to get to do anything with the time.

So here's another dumb question. Tentatively looking at having that Friday be our AK day. But now I'm wondering that with all the new nighttime stuff that will *supposedly* be open then, if Friday would be more crowded that night with locals? I'm probably still looking into this all way too much. Just want to maximize our time since I don't know when we're going back again.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Lol. I know I am, I always do! It just kills me to purposefully NOT spend extra time in a park using a perk I'm supposed to get for staying there! But I know that extra time is useless if it's too packed to get to do anything with the time.

So here's another dumb question. Tentatively looking at having that Friday be our AK day. But now I'm wondering that with all the new nighttime stuff that will *supposedly* be open then, if Friday would be more crowded that night with locals? I'm probably still looking into this all way too much. Just want to maximize our time since I don't know when we're going back again.

Actually, I think that's a legitimate concern. Sadly, we just won't know what park traffic patterns will be like until a couple months from now. Maybe by August, most of the locals who are interested will have already checked it out and things will be normalizing. Hard to say.