How are the crowds right now?

[sharkbait89]

We leave for WDW in 4 days!!! Just wondering how crowds have been. Thanks.

 

[sharkbait89]

anyone?

 

[DisneyFan06]

Well, to answer your question - I just have one phrase for you:

BEWARE! Tour Groups Ahead!

I was there is past Saturday and each park is filled with Tour Groups. It is the summer season so expect it to be filled to capacity! But, it doesn't feel like Disney if the crowds are not there so I enjoy them!

 

[AdventurerKat]

I was at EPCOT last Saturday and it was eerily quiet there. I could not imagine it being that empty on a Saturday in July! We went from opening to about 1:00 or so, but usually around 11:00 people start pouring in and from what we saw...they just weren't. It was kind of bizarre really.

Now...when we got over to MGM...well, that was pretty busy. I guess that's where everyone was.

MGM always feels a little busy to me though, not as much open space to disperse people into.

 

[AdventurerKat]

Oh, and I saw plenty of tour groups as well.

 

[Jillian]

In all my trips I have NEVER seen the crowds like they were the last four days. I just returned last night. Fastpass will be your friend. EPCOT was quite tolerable, although the crowds were still large... and the countries really were very pleasant. It's good for Disney as it appears that tourism is back up, but there seems to be fewer employees around to clean and help the large crowds. Please don't get me wrong, I love Disney and DisneyWorld... I've just never seen so many grumpy, overworked CMs. And the LINES

Be sure to strap on your patience hat before you leave your resort, and you'll be fine. Also, get your dining reservations. Most sit down restaurants were not talking any walk-ins at dinner. I saw many unhappy families.

 

[Kimi313]

Speaking of tour groups beware of getting behind 2 tourguide chaperones in a fastpass line, our line wasn't moving and then I looked up at the fastpass machine and the chaperone had a 3 inch stake of tickets she was getting fastpasses for. As for crowds first let me tell you what our plan was, we went to the park that had evening EMH the night before, did that have anything to do with the crowd levels I don't know. But we found the crowds very, very, managable each day. We found Space Mt on Moday at noon with a 30 minute wait but Splash with a 60 minute wait. TOT on Thursday never over a 30 minute wait but RoR had a 60 minute wait. So a few rides had a long wait but it seemed to be 1 ride at each park had the usual long line. We did not use fastpass as much because the crowds were not bad. Some nights we hopped like to AK for EMH, MGM for ToT, and two nights to MK for wishes and a few rides and the crowds were still very managable.

I had an AP tickets and hoped for an AP rate at Poly but when the codes came out they didn't include Poly so we were expecting a crowd at Poly and crowds at Parks with all the talks of pre 9/11 bookings. But we did not see it at all. Not at the hotel and not at the parks. As for Poly I think they had so many buildings down for remodeling that's why they didn't give discounts.

Hope you have a great time. Plan on large crowds and hot weather and then maybe you too will be pleasantly surprised (weather wasn't as bad either, it is worse here in North Alabama when we got home).

 

[Evil Queen 12]

We were there last week and they are not bad. I was expecting large crowds, but if you take full advantage of the Fast Pass you will not have to wait much at all. The tour groups are out there, so do your best to beware. You might want to avoid eating at Pecos Bill or El Pirata. We ate there the day Pirates officially opened and later that week and had to search for about 10 minutes just to find a table. Also go to the second showings of Fantasmic and Spectromagic if you are going to watch them. Have fun!!!

 

[DisneyFan06]

Yes, I couldn't agree more. I went into a fastpass line, which I felt was going top go by quickly because there was one person ahead of me. However, she kept inserting ticket after ticket. Even though it beats the purpose of getting a fastpass if you have to wait in line, I felt that I was going to be a good citizen and just wait. Well, let me tell someone ran up to her and gave her another huge bundle of tickets! You have to be kidding me! How many were there! Well she almost completed getting the tickets for all of them when all of a sudden - the machine broke! Well, she was really kicking the machine and saying every bad word you can imagine around all kinds of children. I was getting quite upset at this point - I have been waiting for 15 minutes and now this. Well, I offer to help her and go get someone. Well she replies, "I dont need you help." She then keeps kicking the machine. What is this womens problem? Is she Insane? Finally someone comes gets her ticket out and tells her, "You are going to have to wait in line again because you already go a few more fastpasses than needed and everyone has been waiting patiently." This was a nice castmember! I was gonna finally get my pass. Well, she didn't give up without a fight. But finally I got my fastpass!

 

[sharkbait89]

Thanks everyone for the replies! We leave for the Beach Club on Sat and will be using the bus system for the first 2 days until we pick up a car at the Dolphin. We plan on going to the MK SAt night and I am nervous about the bus line but I will keep reminding myself I am at Disney and hopefully that will give my patience a boost!

 

[JulyGirl]

I always take my trips around the same time in July. I just got back on Monday. The parks were the busiest I have seen in 5 years. However, you can get an awful lot done if you are there at the opening every day. Don't stroll in at 12pm and act surprised that the place is packed already (I have seen people do it ).

Take those afternoon breaks and go back when the sun goes down. Most lines really thin out in the evening, plus it is much cooler. You will have a great time. I wish I were back already!

 

[momtotnt]

Any insight as to crowds at Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach?

 

[Tam1067]

We were there July 10-18 and found the crowds large in MK and AK especially after about 11:00 a.m. If you get there early, you can literally walk on most rides. Afternoons are brutal (which is why we went back to the hotel around then).

For an example: POC and Thunder Mountain both had posted waits of 50 minutes on Tuesday of this week at about 2:00 p.m. Soarin' and Test Track were out of Fastpasses for the day by early afternoon, and the standby wait for Soarin' was about 100 minutes.

But if you get there early, you'll have no problems doing what you want to do.

That said, we found Epcot manageable and MGM was really easy too. I did use the UG touring plans mostly which helps a lot.

 

[Hollyster2]

We spent the first two weeks of July in WDW! We have always visited in July and found that weatherwise, it had to be the mildest July we had ever experienced! Also, we visited all of the parks including the two water parks and ALWAYS entered each park at opening-avoiding the early entry mornings and literally walked on all the rides without any wait at all! The exception for early entry mornings was the water parks. WE DID enter the water parks early and were wise to do so. They get crowded fast, so I would advise you to get there as soon as possible or save it for later in the day. We usually were done with each park by 2 p.m. and had covered so much ground that we could take the monorail to a resort for a meal or go back for a swim. Usually we never return to the hotel, but seriously we covered so much ground using a good touring plan(a compelation of experience and several guide books(Birnbaum and Passporter) and visiting the parks on suggested days. (Thanks Tour Guide Mike!)
Have a wonderful trip! I am still there in spirit!

 

[elgerber]

We just got back Wed. also. You can get a lot done if you get there early, and you use fastpass. But the parks were very crowded. Especially by later morning and afternoon. The lines for Pirates were unreal!!!!!!!!! Johnny must really be boosting the popularity of that ride. We got to ride pretty much what we wanted, but missed Soarin' because we didn't go to Epcot until later. We were able to walk right on Kali at AK, twice, in the first 2 1/2 hours, and they told us the one time we could stay in our raft and ride again if we chose. We did Everest twice by noon, but even getting there 20 minutes before opening we still had to use fastpasses for both rides.

 

[ntsammy5]

Yes, I couldn't agree more. I went into a fastpass line, which I felt was going top go by quickly because there was one person ahead of me. However, she kept inserting ticket after ticket. Even though it beats the purpose of getting a fastpass if you have to wait in line, I felt that I was going to be a good citizen and just wait. Well, let me tell someone ran up to her and gave her another huge bundle of tickets! You have to be kidding me! How many were there! Well she almost completed getting the tickets for all of them when all of a sudden - the machine broke! Well, she was really kicking the machine and saying every bad word you can imagine around all kinds of children. I was getting quite upset at this point - I have been waiting for 15 minutes and now this. Well, I offer to help her and go get someone. Well she replies, "I dont need you help." She then keeps kicking the machine. What is this womens problem? Is she Insane? Finally someone comes gets her ticket out and tells her, "You are going to have to wait in line again because you already go a few more fastpasses than needed and everyone has been waiting patiently." This was a nice castmember! I was gonna finally get my pass. Well, she didn't give up without a fight. But finally I got my fastpass!

WOW! I wouldn't have had that much patience. Bless that CM.