Here is a thought about crowds..

[katyringo]

Now that I have been here for 4 consecutive days, here is a thought about the “low crowds”

I don’t think they are low. Walking through the park feels just as busy as other visits where wait times where higher. There is people everywhere. The ride wait times are deceiving. Food lines have been long. (Thanks Mobil ordering) and character lines long.

I think ride wait times are down because star wards land added capacity and while they haven’t needed the boarding system- the land is busy. The ride is around and hour wait most of the time- so it’s eating people, and then people in the land itself.

Do I think Disney had some low attendance days? Yes. But I think these new ride wait times will hold for awhile. I think operation star dust and the added capacity of the land spreads people out. That’s just my take.

 

[midnight star]

I was there today and was trying to get a sense of the crowds. They for sure weren't low, but it didn't feel slammed. It felt doable. I only stayed until 3 so I am not sure how it was later tonight. Hope you guys enjoyed your trip!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Today was busier than it has been recently, but that makes sense given the major holiday. (And this morning's earthquake had more people in the walkways and not on rides as the rides were closed for safety inspections -- so the parks felt congested for a while.) But it wasn't nearly as crowded as it has been on July 4th in recent years and was better than pre-SWGE days during the ticket promo. I agree with the pp that it was very doable. When we arrived in the late afternoon, there were no lines at bag check (Harbor or Pixar Pals) and no lines at the turnstiles. There were FPs available via MP for popular rides well into the evening -- not something I would have expected at DL on a major holiday. Even SWGE didn't go to the boarding pass system -- on July 4th! When we entered GE in the early evening, it wasn't super crowded and the wait time for MFSR was well under an hour. One thing I did observe that made the congestion noticeable was the number of large groups who didn't know where they were going and clogged walkways while glued to their phones or while trying to read a map. One group blocked the bridge over POTC while debating whether Cars Land was anywhere near NOS. (Uh, no... now, please, step aside to allow the traffic jam behind you to pass...) The first show of F! was very crowded -- as expected on July 4th, the dining packages were sold out -- but if you knew to plan for that, it wasn't so bad. Friends told us that watching fireworks in other areas of the park wasn't bad -- they knew where to go to avoid the pack at the castle. Shops and restaurants in DTD were open late tonight. There were lines, but there was also extra staff, so the lines moved fairly quickly. CMs agreed that today was busier than previous days, but was good overall.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

As someone who visits about six times a month and has been to DL about 10 times since SWGE opened...

Crowds were extraordinarily low for most of that time. They picked up a bit near the end of Deluxe blackouts, at the end of the reservation period, and then this past Saturday. But the parks really were quite empty on many days since May 31; there were not just “some low attendance days.”

As for the ride wait times, yes, it does seem like wait times are lower overall at this point. But it will be interesting to see how that plays out in the long term. We know they don’t have as many visiting SWGE as they anticipated (no boarding system), so we’re still not in the situation Disney expected. When enough crowds show up for SW to necessitate the boarding system, then we’ll see how the rest of the park looks.

 

[Erin M]

Now that I have been here for 4 consecutive days, here is a thought about the “low crowds”

I don’t think they are low. Walking through the park feels just as busy as other visits where wait times where higher. There is people everywhere. The ride wait times are deceiving. Food lines have been long. (Thanks Mobil ordering) and character lines long.

I think ride wait times are down because star wards land added capacity and while they haven’t needed the boarding system- the land is busy. The ride is around and hour wait most of the time- so it’s eating people, and then people in the land itself.

Do I think Disney had some low attendance days? Yes. But I think these new ride wait times will hold for awhile. I think operation star dust and the added capacity of the land spreads people out. That’s just my take.

We were talking about this last night (my DL travel buddies were over for the 4th) and we're of the same thought. We also realized the last two times we were at the parks together things were not running at full capacity. They had taken down some major rides for refurb. So when the whole park is running, and running well, which was the plan for SWGE, then line are just better.

I hope it stays this way for a bit. I can handle a busy park, especially if lines stay like this.

 

[midnight star]

They had taken down some major rides for refurb. So when the whole park is running, and running well, which was the plan for SWGE, then line are just better.

Didn't think about this. I remember this past winter and spring there were major refurbs going on in anticipation for the crowds this summer. So now everything is running. Might contribute to lines being bearable as well. Even last summer there were some refurbs during summer which was odd to me (i.e. The Pier before it opened, Mattherhorn, BTMRR)

 

[Skyegirl1999]

I think the wait times today establish that THIS is what real crowds look like.

 

[katyringo]

I think the wait times today establish that THIS is what real crowds look like.

We are here. We chose today not to hit the parks until around noon... we haven’t accomplished much. Which is okay we’ve done everything we’ve wanted. But today is crazy.

 

[az4boys]

I think the wait times today establish that THIS is what real crowds look like.

Is it bad?

 

[katyringo]

Is it bad?

Yes. This is very busy today.

 

[katejc]

Looking at wait times around 6. Looks like CA is worse. DL has waits but they don't look crazy for a summer day. Hoping it's the holiday weekend and that it'll stay pretty calm for a few more weeks until I get there!