Here now...Crowds are crazy!

[Pete W.]

I agree. They have matched very closely if not exactly every time I check MDE on recent trips.

Very helpful, thx. I'm checking the FP return times from home this week since we'll be there 1st week of April and both weeks are listed as 9 for crowd levels and the park hours are the same, so I'm hoping to get an idea of how quickly the FPs run out. Today the app showed TSMM FPs available until 2pm which is a far cry from them running out as early as 11am which I've seen reported.

 

[mesaboy2]

Very helpful, thx. I'm checking the FP return times from home this week since we'll be there 1st week of April and both weeks are listed as 9 for crowd levels and the park hours are the same, so I'm hoping to get an idea of how quickly the FPs run out. Today the app showed TSMM FPs available until 2pm which is a far cry from them running out as early as 11am which I've seen reported.

I agree with PPs that TSM FPs available at 2:00p seems odd, but I won't say it isn't possible. Sorry to throw some doubt in again, but in general I've come to trust MDE--not sure I do in this particular case.

I would really recommend getting TSM FPs no later than 11:00a in order to ensure the best chance of getting them.

 

[refinnej]

Thanks to those of you posting your spring break experiences. We're going over Easter and I know it's going to be super crowded, but we're still excited.

We plan to be up early every day and to do morning EMH whenever possible. I figure we'll have an early lunch in the parks and then head back to the resort after lunch.

After a swim and a nap, we'll head out to dinner and a park.

We are on the same schedule as you. We'll be sure to wave at RD!

 

[cheesemouse]

We are here this week and yes, it is crowded as expected. We were at DHS yesterday. FP WERE available for TSMM until 1pm and I was surprised by that. The park opened at 8:30. I got TSMM FP at 8:35 with a RT of 9:40 and then got another set at 10:10 with a RT of 4:05. Despite the park opening at 8:30, ToT and RnR didnt start operating until 9:00. We were able to do a LOT despite the crowds by arriving at 8:10, having an ADR for lunch and doing JTA in the afternoon. We WERE allowed to choose a later JTA show during the sign up process.

This morning we were at MK and it rained all morning. We walked on everything the entire morning - tinkerbell, jungle cruise, tiki room, POTC, haunted mansion, small world, BTMR. We weven took sizeable breaks for a snack and early lunch just to get out of the rain. But, as we left at 1pm and the rain had stopped, the crowds were streaming in.

Best way to deal with the crowds is to GET THERE EARLY!

The MDE app wait times and FP times are very accurate as far as matching the real posted time. Now, are they accurate with the actual wait time, not so much. We have found that they are overstated as compared to the real wait time.

 

[Tbiafore]

Anytime kids are out of school, expect a madhouse at Disney.

--Thor

 

[bizeemom4]

Honestly, it sounds far from crowded.

 

[DebbieB]

I was there last week. Sunday and Monday were the most crowded I've ever seen MK. I usually do off season but have done June. I've never seen PoC lined up outside before.

 

[Tbiafore]

I was there last week. Sunday and Monday were the most crowded I've ever seen MK. I usually do off season but have done June. I've never seen PoC lined up outside before.

WOW POC outside? That makes for one long wait for sure...

--Thor

 

[SUSIEQ]

We went last week, and had moderate crowd. It was quite cold though.

March break started for many schools this week and thus we know the parks would be crowded this week.

That's why we also went last week. It was very managable.


Posted from DISboards.com App for Android

 

[mesaboy2]

WOW POC outside? That makes for one long wait for sure...

--Thor

To be fair, it's likely that one of the queues (the right side) is/was closed and under refurb for NextGen enhancements. That would cause a longer line than usual, but not necessarily a longer wait.

 

[bamagirl@hrt]

We'll be there Friday - Sunday. My daughter's performing at Festival Disney with her school orchestra. I expect it to be crazy crowded. Only Friday & Sunday will our schedule allow us to make RD. We've been enough times that we are happy just to enjoy being there. I know that our limited time in the parks won't allow us to do a lot. I do feel badly for those kids in the orchestra who have never been to WDW before. They are so excited to be going, but I know they don't "get" how busy it's going to be.


My sister & I took a girls' trip three years ago during March because our spring breaks were the same week. If it weren't for the Give a Day, Get a Disney Day fastpasses, we wouldn't have been able to ride all of the headliners. I said then never again during spring break. Famous last words.

 

[Tbiafore]

To be fair, it's likely that one of the queues (the right side) is/was closed and under refurb for NextGen enhancements. That would cause a longer line than usual, but not necessarily a longer wait.

Good point!

--Thor

 

[lucas]

We'll be there Friday - Sunday. My daughter's performing at Festival Disney with her school orchestra. I expect it to be crazy crowded. Only Friday & Sunday will our schedule allow us to make RD. We've been enough times that we are happy just to enjoy being there. I know that our limited time in the parks won't allow us to do a lot. I do feel badly for those kids in the orchestra who have never been to WDW before. They are so excited to be going, but I know they don't "get" how busy it's going to be.


My sister & I took a girls' trip three years ago during March because our spring breaks were the same week. If it weren't for the Give a Day, Get a Disney Day fastpasses, we wouldn't have been able to ride all of the headliners. I said then never again during spring break. Famous last words.

We'll be there this coming Saturday 3/16 thru Thursday 3/21.

BTW, what is Festival Disney (or maybe I should be afraid to ask)?

 

[bamagirl@hrt]

Festival Disney is a music competition for bands, orchestra, and choirs. This will be our first time going for a school trip. While our kids are teenagers, they are very well behaved. Plus, our director has told the kids that anyone caught acting in a manner that does not represent themselves, their parents, or their school well will be sentenced to riding It's a Small World with her over and over and over. No one wants that punishment!

 

[AuroraRora]

That's why we also went last week. It was very managable.

Here too, last week was really nice in terms of crowd levels. A few busier times, but only during the busiest parts of the day as you'd expect. My last day was the day before the crowd calendars all jumped up to "8".

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

I'm here now and went to Mk Sat and the crowds were ok, nothing too horrible.

Went to Seaworld Sunday and the crowds were about a 5 or 6.

Went to DHS today (it was raining in morning) and the crowds were about a 6-7, I didn't think they were bad at all. TOT was 40 minute wait at 3 then became a 110 minute wait by the time I used my fastpass. but I got another from 6-7 return time at3:30

TSM --got there at about 9:35 50 min wait, got FP return time 1:10-2:10. FP were gone by 2 when we rode it.

Startours was 30 min. at 3:00

Met Donald and Minnie at art of animation attraction in DHS with no line at 11:00

and getting lunch around 11:45 was only a 5 min wait.

So I thought the crowds were great, but I've been during school vacation for many many years usuallly Presidents Day week and thought the crowds were a lot less then that.

 

[DebbieB]

To be fair, it's likely that one of the queues (the right side) is/was closed and under refurb for NextGen enhancements. That would cause a longer line than usual, but not necessarily a longer wait.

Nope - both sides were open.

 

[mesaboy2]

Nope - both sides were open.

Then YOWZA.

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

Oh I knew that it was spring break but I wanted to give the boards a sense of just HOW crowded it was. It does prove, however, that you can always make it work if you have a workable plan. Thanks to everyone for all the knowledge you've shared with me over the years! It worked beautifully!

We knew going into this trip that we'd have crowds to contend with so I pulled my son out of class last Wed, Thurs and Fri. They only had a half day on Friday and it gave us W-F with decent crowds, the weekend picked up and then BAM! And we did the KTTK tour on Sunday and that was great idea for a very crowded park day. Loved it too!

We also did Rope Drop, as you know, went back and napped and rested from noon til 6:00PM and then returned for Dinner ADRs and the evening events and late EMH til 1:00 AM. That worked out so well. We were able to watch Wishes walking in at 9:50 PM from the MS right by the closed Bakery and then swung left and walked on to most everything save for Space Mtn during the 11 PM parade.

Home now - weary, but with wonderful memories and piles and piles of laundry!

Peace out!

 

[DebbieB]

My best advice would be to get there early. I had planned this to be a casual solo trip so I didn't get to MK on Monday until around 11:30. Big mistake, lines were already long. The rest of the week I tried to get out earlier. Went back to MK on Wednesday and lines were managable.