how are the crowds?Is the resort packed?

[disneyworldmomma]

hello all!! we will be leaving in 20 days for WDW we will be staying at pop and i'm wondering what the crowds are like!!! i know the resort is full because i made my reservations over 6 months ago and all that was left for our week(9/9-9/16)was preferred rooms and now nothing.... but is it so full that its unbearable and we'll be unable to get a seat on the bus?? oh and are the parks packed too?? sorry i'm really excited and worried that the crowds will ruin this trip HELP!!



dh me dd dd

 

[disneyworldmomma]

is anyone on who could help me???

 

[tasha99]

The crowds 20 days from now won't have anything to do with the current crowds (be glad of that). September after Labor Day is traditionally the lowest crowd time of the year. We went at that time last year, and there were no crowds at the parks we went to (we avoided EMH parks since we didn't have hoppers). Restaurants were still busy because of free dining, though.

I don't know about Pop, but the buses at CSR were awesome. I'm thinking they may be a little more crowded at Pop since I don't think CSR was full and there were a lot of convention people there who didn't use the park buses. Maybe someone else who went at that time last year can update you on that.

Have a great trip. I would love to go in Sept. again.

 

[dburg30]

Yea, as a PP said, shouldnt be bad crowd wise, but will be VERY crowded dining wise if that's during free dining.
I just went and looked at the UG crowd guessimator and it shows most days a '4' with your first 2 days 5 and 6 (out of 10, where 3 is usually the lowest given)

 

[stitchrulz]

As the OP's have said, the time you are going is traditionally a slow period (by Disney standards). We've always had great luck going this time of year as far as low crowds go. The TS restaurants will be PACKED due to the free dining, but that should be about the biggest issue. I can't answer any POP specific questions, but hopefully they will run enough transport to keep everyone in a magical mood.

 

[KatMark]

We went last year September 5 - 13 and never waited more than 10 or 15 minutes for any ride (and that included Soarin' and Expedition Everest...which we walked on twice!). The restaurants were more crowded than usual, but we didn't mind the extra rest.

 

[lyzziesmom]

I have never seen the UG site give a crowd rating less than a 4. I was at POP for the last 2 years right after Labor Day, and the crowd ratings were 4s and 5s. The parks were EMPTY. Several times, we were the only people on the bus, especially if we had an early ADR or were coming/going in the middle of the afternoon. It's a great time to go. Right now is probably pretty crowded, but like a PP mentioned, that has nothing to do with how it will be in 20 days. The POP food court gets a little crazy for breakfast, but it's usually empty at lunchtime and not too bad for dinner, esp. if you eat late after coming back from a park. We have found that breakfast at the parks works better for avoiding crowds, but really the POP food court is so big that even when it's busy it can be pretty fast. Also remember that rooms get blocked out for certain codes and promotions, so just because the room type you booked is no longer available, doesn't mean the resort is totally full. It should be a great time to go!

ETA: We never waited more than 15 minutes for a bus, and that was only when we would see a bus pulling away right as we were walking up to the bus stop. They come to POP pretty often, esp. in the morning when everyone is trying to get to the parks.

 

[Sophie's Mom]

We were at Disney from 8-5 - 8/12 and the parks were very busy. I waited in lines for things I haven't waited for in years! We go every year in early August and this was the most crowded I've seen it in since pre 9-11. Florida schools had not yet gone back to classes. As PP's have suggested, I suspect September will be better due to schools being back in session.

 

[cheerforchelsea]

I was there July 31-August 5 and everything was packed!! The day we left the food court at POP was so crowded in the morning that I wanted to cry - I was actually glad that we were going home. As for sitting down on the bus - that only happened a few times while we were there. Hopefully mid-September won't be that crowded for you.

 

[BamaFan121s]

You really can't judge what crowds will be like from day to day, much less week to week. We were there a few weeks ago and crowds were not that bad. Made a last stop by the food court the day we left (1st day of free dining for Europe?) and it was so packed!

As far as getting a seat on the bus is concerned, depends on how many people get on in front of you--the buses fill up during the morning and evening even during minimal crowd times. If a bus seat is that important to you and there is standing room only, just stand aside and wait for the next one.

The parks were not the worst I've seen, but the ride lines all seemed longer than the norm.

 

[mcdee1980]

I stayed last year at the Pop the same week, POP was busy--its a value resort at the cheapest possible time. The Deluxe resorts were fairly empty. The parks were almost completely empty. We waited a little bit for oh maybe two rides. One was Kali River Rapids and that was because it was hot as Hades. No problem for me--used to it living in NOLA. This year I was still able to book a one night discount rate at the POP on 9/10 before moving to CBR for my free dining package. I did it fairly recently. I decided to upgrade this year. I'm so excited just to go to Disney again this year!

 

[CTPacky]

What is the UG crowd guessimator? Or better yet, can someone provide the link?
Thanks

 

[Poly Pal]

I was there July 31-August 5 and everything was packed!! The day we left the food court at POP was so crowded in the morning that I wanted to cry - I was actually glad that we were going home. As for sitting down on the bus - that only happened a few times while we were there. Hopefully mid-September won't be that crowded for you.

We were at Disney on the same dates and didn't find the Polynesian to seem crowded, except for one hot afternoon at the Volcano Pool when snagging a table and chairs was like finding parking at the mall at Christmas . We didn't think the parks were terribly crowded. In fact we had the lazy river at Blizzard Beach all to ourselves one morning during EMH and played mini-golf one night at Winter Summerland with only 5 cars in the entire parking lot. We didn't wait in any lines more than 10 minutes. But we got to the parks at park opening, used Fast Passes, and left the parks around 12:00 or 1:00 pm for a mid day break. We did get stuck in a big crowd right after SpectroMagic one night, but that was about it.

 

[BamaFan121s]

We didn't wait in any lines more than 10 minutes. But we got to the parks at park opening, used Fast Passes, and left the parks around 12:00 or 1:00 pm for a mid day break. We did get stuck in a big crowd right after SpectroMagic one night, but that was about it.

10 minutes! We apparently picked the wrong park to go to then...I don't think we ever even saw a line that was only 10 min (during that same time frame). OK, well, maybe the Snow White Ride.

 

[micmacmissy]

Posting the link to the Unofficial Guide will do you no good--you have to be a paid subscriber on the website to access the crowd calendar.

I am a subscriber, and the crowd ratings (1 to 10, 10 being worst crowds) are the following for your dates:

Sept 9----5
Sept 10---6
Sept 11---4
Sept 12---4
Sept 13---5
Sept 14---4
Sept 15---5
Sept 16---4

These are great numbers--as another poster said, numbers in the 1-2-3's are almost unheard of--so the parks will be empty. This is the main reason we pull our kids out of school for a week in early December or after New Years and go.

I can't understand the people who willingly go to Disney in the summer--between the massive crowds and blazing heat, we would be MISERABLE!

Enjoy your off-season trip!

 

[Poly Pal]

10 minutes! We apparently picked the wrong park to go to then...I don't think we ever even saw a line that was only 10 min (during that same time frame). OK, well, maybe the Snow White Ride.

Oh, we did not get to Snow White. But we did Buzz (probably 12 times), Space Mountain, COP, Indy Raceway, Dumbo (longest wait), Peter Pan, IASW, Big Thunder (5 times), Pirates (3 tiimes), Splash Mountain (3 times), Jungle Cruise, Hall of Presidents, etc. in 2 mornings and 2 evenings at the MK, plus we did all of EPCOT and AK, and only TOT, RR, Great Movie Ride, and Muppets at MGM.

 

[Gotta Love Eeyore]

Would you PLEASE post the UG #s for 9/17 - 9/21?

I can't wait!!!!!

 

[GofFreak]

hello all!! we will be leaving in 20 days for WDW we will be staying at pop and i'm wondering what the crowds are like!!! i know the resort is full because i made my reservations over 6 months ago and all that was left for our week(9/9-9/16)was preferred rooms and now nothing.... but is it so full that its unbearable and we'll be unable to get a seat on the bus?? oh and are the parks packed too?? sorry i'm really excited and worried that the crowds will ruin this trip HELP!!



dh me dd dd

Thanks for posting this ?. we're going to be there the same week but we're leaving the 15th.

the previous post have been very helpful. thanks!!

 

[BamaFan121s]

Oh, we did not get to Snow White. But we did Buzz (probably 12 times), Space Mountain, COP, Indy Raceway, Dumbo (longest wait), Peter Pan, IASW, Big Thunder (5 times), Pirates (3 tiimes), Splash Mountain (3 times), Jungle Cruise, Hall of Presidents, etc. in 2 mornings and 2 evenings at the MK, plus we did all of EPCOT and AK, and only TOT, RR, Great Movie Ride, and Muppets at MGM.

Wow...I guess we were just unlucky with where we were...we saw nothing but long waits for most of the bigger rides...except for EHM times. You must have one of those elusive 'magic' all access fastpasses that people always dream up. This trip was the first time I ever saw the EE wait at 90 min and Splash at over an hour.

 

[lissiesmum]

Micmacmissy: I have the same questions about October for crowd size. I thought it was a quiet time of year but someone posted me that Oct is the month when the Europeans tend to visit. I was wondering how much it affects the crowds, especially where October goes from value season to regular. Would it be too much to ask for you to check the UG predictor for the dates of Oct 14-31? I would greatly appreciate the help. If the crowds are too high, we'll go a month earlier in September I think. Thanks for your help if you can...it will save me many a sleepless nights