Here Now And Boy Is It Crowded!!!

[lovebuzz]

No, please say it's not true. We are going tomorrow.

 

[WDWRocksMySocks]

We just got back on Tuesday and the crowds were pretty crazy. We were able to utilize FP and got to ride everything we wanted at least twice, but still! The worst crowds we experienced were at Epcot on 10/11. All I could see were a sea of heads while walking around the WS. It was nuts! Oh, and we attended MNSSHP on 10/13 and it was insanely crowded. We still managed to get great seats for the parade and Wishes, but there were just SO MANY people there.

Oh, and there was about a 210-230 minute wait for TSM at one point during our trip. It made me very happy that I read the boards and got the tip to head over there first thing in the morning to ride and get a FP. Otherwise, it would've been unbearable to wait in those lines.

 

[PlutosFriend]

We just got back on Tuesday and the crowds were pretty crazy. We were able to utilize FP and got to ride everything we wanted at least twice, but still! The worst crowds we experienced were at Epcot on 10/11. All I could see were a sea of heads while walking around the WS. It was nuts! Oh, and we attended MNSSHP on 10/13 and it was insanely crowded. We still managed to get great seats for the parade and Wishes, but there were just SO MANY people there.

Oh, and there was about a 210-230 minute wait for TSM at one point during our trip. It made me very happy that I read the boards and got the tip to head over there first thing in the morning to ride and get a FP. Otherwise, it would've been unbearable to wait in those lines.

I am surprised no one has posted pictures of the crowds yet!! I sure hope it dies down soon!

 

[Tanzanite]

When its free dining everyone comes to get a cheap holiday thats why its so crowded.

 

[leeh1530]

I believe next week is part of the blackout dates for extended FD because that's when we'll be there and we looked to see if the dates were included. So maybe people will filter out by Sat. / Sun. Here's hoping!

 

[ligirlz]

We just got back and yes, the MK and Epcot crowds were horrible!

What I don't understand, is why were the Brazillian tour groups there? I'm used to seeing them in June and July but October? Anyone know what's going on with that?

I think it has to do with International Travelers. I was watching the news the other day here and it said that in Orlando International travel is up 20% from last year and it has to do with the US dollar. They said domestic is down drastically but they didnt give the numbers.

I also noticed when we went to EPCOT Tuesday it was packed at 10AM. Everything had a 60-90 min wait. It was unbelievable. But DH noticed that everywhere he turned they seemed to be foreign.

Here is the breakdown of the busy and dead seasons: Sept to mid Oct are dead then it is busy until down Halloween then dead until Thanksgiving. Then it is busy Thanksgiving until after New years then it is dead until March. Then March until end of Aug is busy. This is how it used to be.

 

[WDWRocksMySocks]

I am surprised no one has posted pictures of the crowds yet!! I sure hope it dies down soon!

I have some pictures on my home computer. I'll post them tonight. I took a pic of what it looked like from the front of the line at rope drop on Sunday at DHS, and then I took a pic of what it looked like behind me at rope drop. It was pretty scary actually.

 

[tink4ever]

It is just a shame that we planned a nice quiet vacation for Oct and it has been a little stressful with the crowds. We are making the best of it but I don't think there is such a thing as a quiet time anymore. Since Jan 07 we have been .... Jan medium crowds
July very crowded
Sept medium crowds
Nov very crowded
June very crowded
August very crowded
October very crowded .....there is truly no quiet time anymore. We have decided to skip 2009 completely and who knows when we will be back.

 

[Darcy03231]

Yikes, I hope the crowds clear out a bit after this week. We arrive on Saturday. Touring Plans has most of the days as a 4 or 5 next week, except for Monday which is a 7. I hope they're right.

 

[eddieras]

Yikes, I hope the crowds clear out a bit after this week. We arrive on Saturday. Touring Plans has most of the days as a 4 or 5 next week, except for Monday which is a 7. I hope they're right.

touring plans also had last week a 4/5 - and it was packed -

how does last week - wed 10/8 thru sunday 10/12 compare with mid june? anyone there last week that also traveled in mid june? i'm dying to know!

 

[leicesterbob]

I went to Epcot yesterday (15th) and Animal Kingdom today and to be honest it wasn't too bad. 30 mins for Everest at midday, Soarin' was probably the longest at about 60 mins midday ish. For anyone due to travel soon, the weather is great, about 80 - 85 in the day and 65 to 70 in the evening. Not humid at all and blue skies.

 

[taliategan]

When we were at Disney over Columbus Day Weekend - the crowds were as follows at the park we visited (keep in mind our two daughters are young and we did not go to the Thrill Rides):

Arrival day on Thursday 10/9 - Epcot from 6:00-9:30; not very crowded except for Soarin (which we waited in standby line for about 40-45 minutes);
Friday 10/10 - Epcot; arrived 10:30; FW was crowded; obtained FP for Soarin upon arrival (return time was 3:45); rode Figment with about 10 minute wait; the other rides on that side of FW all had significant lines; went to WS around 11:30 and stayed until about 5:30 - crowded but very manageable; returned to FW - was not crowded except for Soarin - had 90 minute wait in standby line when we used our FP; other rides on that side of park were close to walk-ons; had dinner at Coral Reef - did not stay for PM-EMH
Saturday 10/11 - MK - very, very, very crowded the whole day except from 9:00 to 10:30 A.M.
Sunday 10/12 - DHS - crowded when we arrived at 11:00, but seem to thin out a lot after 4:00
Monday 10/13 - went to AK in afternoon from 1:00-4:00 - seemed fairly crowded, but hard to say b/c we were only in a couple parts of the park; went to MNSSHP on Monday night - was sold out, somewhat crowded but line waits varied from walk-on to 15 minutes from what I was able to see.

 

[BoardWalkBelle]

I was at Epcot, the MK and DTD yesterday. Epcot and DTD, not too bad, but the MK was packed. People were lining the streets at 6"30 waiting for spectromagic. I wanted to stay for the parade and Wishes, but main st was a zoo and knew i would never get out of there if i stayed, so i left before 8.

 

[JoJo's Mom]

Makes me a little nervous...we are planning on going next year during this same week!!!!! Last year we went the last week of Nov (right after Thanksgiving) and it was great! We were planning on going this time of year because of MEA in Minnesota. Our kids wouldn't have to miss as much school. Hmmmm......we will have to think about this.....

 

[JHarveyTN]

touring plans also had last week a 4/5 - and it was packed -

how does last week - wed 10/8 thru sunday 10/12 compare with mid june? anyone there last week that also traveled in mid june? i'm dying to know!

This will be our 3rd year in a row at Disney in Dec. All the trips have been at different Dec. weeks. The past 2 years the touring plan predictions underestimated the crowds. So, I'm not putting much stock in what they are predicting for our upcoming Dec. trip. Does Touring Plan ever adjust their #'s as Disney releases specials like free dining?

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Does Touring Plan ever adjust their #'s as Disney releases specials like free dining?

I would like to know about this too. If they do not, then it seems to me to be a waste of my money.

 

[wdhinn89]

Does anyone know what Tour Guide Mike's predicition for the Colombus Day weekend was? Was he more accurate then Touring Plans? because they were waaaay off

 

[Alice In Tinkerland]

Part of the problem may have been WDW issusing room discounts Oct thru Dev with very few blackout dates. They also offered FL resident rates to GA, SC, and 2 other states.

The rates I saw were around 60 a night. I got a room on the Sunday following Thanksgiving for $54 at the POP

 

[jenjersnap]

I would like to know about this too. If they do not, then it seems to me to be a waste of my money.

Yes, they fiddled with our September 2008 dates a couple times, adjusting the crowd level up each time. Ironically, they could have stuck with their original lower projections because WDW was as quiet as we have ever seen it, much less crowded, in fact, than the same week in 2007. I took a 360 degree pictures of the Epcot fountain area between Innoventions and the wait times board at 11 a.m. and there was only one other family visible. I really think financial and/or hurricane jitters made many cancel this year ... I am really surprised to hear October being so much more crowded.

 

[melissac]

We are going in 9 days and touringplans said it was 3 and 4 on many days. That is why we planned our vacation the way we did. It will really stink if it is really crowded. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.