How do you define "crowded"?

[loriwvu]

We have been to WDW during the first week in May for the past two years. During both trips at MK main street was so busy it was very difficult to get a double stroller through. Frontierland the same way. It was a 30 minute wait to get food at counterservice. We waited at least an hour for Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan etc. (without fastpass) And it was over an hour to see Cinderella in Toon Town. At MGM the first year each showing of Playhouse Disney was difficult to get in if you didn't wait shortly after the previous show began and once again we waited about an hour to see Buzz and Woody. This past May we could not get any same day PS at MGM. (we had made most of them ahead of time though). To me this is pretty busy but yet I have read post after post how May is "not a busy time of year". This past October the World Showcase was also shoulder to shoulder and difiicult to move a stroller around and we waited 30 minutes at a counter for margaritas. Is Easter and peak summer really any worse?

Lori

 

[kilee]

At Easter and Spring Break (I haven't been during the summer). All FP's for major attractions are gone by noon and the standby lines are 120 minutes. This includes Pooh and Peter Pan. Getting a curb seat for Spectro on Main St needs to be claimed about 2 hrs in advance.
Counter service at Cosmic Rays the week of Easter at 2pm took us 35 minutes--- we went right around noon and the lines were out the doors. There were no walk-up PS's. We didn't know about PS's and didn't make any. We ended up eating off site a lot that trip.
Our Easter trip we were there for 10 days and only came home w/ autographs of 9 characters. The lines just for that were outrageous.
We've gone various times throughout October. We've found the crowds in October were about 1/8 of what they were at Easter. Now, we've also been during the height of spring break in March and the crowd levels were probably only 1/4 more during Easter then what we expierenced during mid March.

 

[Wishing on a star]

OMG!!!!

We will be there the first week of May this year... I had held out a very faint glimmer of hope about the crowds until reading this post!!!! Years ago, we went to Epcot a week earlier, and things were not too crowded at all.

We are taking DS to MK on this trip (other plans are off-site) So, we have planned for TWO days. Sounds like I need to be prepared for crowds, and to plan on using FastPasses and touring 'commando' style???

Have I mentioned that we HATE big crowds!! LOL!!!

 

[rgf207]

Last year and 2 years ago we went around the beginning of march. During the morning hours it was not bad. After noon it got more crowded. We had about 30-45 minute wait on major attractions. Fast passes were never gone by noon for us and we made PS for Crystal Palace and others during the day (probably around 3 or 4pm) and we had no problems. We are going this year March 4 - March 11 and hope it wont be too bad. This is the early spring break time so maybe it's wont be too bad

 

[dturner]

OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wanted to go the middle of May right before school gets out thinking it wouldn't be very crowded, maybe I should change it to September, my favorite month to go.

 

[beccasmom]

Early May is my favorite time to go, although school has interrupted our plans the past few years. However, I have noticed that there is no REALLY good time anymore - it always seems to be busy at WDW! This will be our first trip in February, although we were there for spring break in 2000. That was crazy! I always say I can handle crowds and heat, but not at the same time!

 

[dvcgirl]

Well, I've been many, many times in May and experienced heavy crowds at MK on Saturday, but never as bad as you're describing. 30 minute waits are the norm, except in Fanstasyland where you can always add about 15 minutes to the "normal" wait time.

We moved to Florida last year and spent lots of time at Food and Wine in October. The only time we saw it crowded was on Saturdays and Sundays when the locals head over to enjoy F&W.

So maybe you just hit the wrong parks on the wrong days?

For those of you going in May, don't panic. The crowds are moderate...the weather is very warm and if you avoid MK on the weekend you should be fine.

But to the original poster, if you think May and October are bad....you'd never want to visit the two weeks surrounding Easter Sunday or the week between Christmas and New Years. You'd wait at least 30 minutes for counter service and probably just as long in the lines for the rest rooms. That's if you're lucky enough to even get into the parks before they close them due to the park being full.

 

[LindaR]

How do you define crowded?????????? Only YOU know what/how much you can tolerate. Everyone has a different idea of what "crowded" means! Alot depends on if you've gone before, what time of year that was...........

Our first few trips were made in September and early December, so we were used to the low crowds (value season). Then we had change our time due to dd16's class load. Our first time going in May (Memorial weekend).....we were pretty apprehensive. Though it was more crowded, we did not find it to be anything WE could not handle. We always take a mid-day break anyway. This year, we are going at the end of March (Easter weekend). We fully expect it to be very crowded and have planned accordingly. Since we have been quite a few times, we know to make a PS for EACH meal, arrive early, use fastpass on the attractions that we want to hit, and just be prepared for more people watching and leisurely touring.

If you absolutely CANNOT stand crowds of people, you shouldn't be going to Disneyworld! And as you experience WDW at various times of the year, you will be able to "define" for yourself what your tolerance level is.

Being informed and planning ahead is a MUST no matter what time of year you go. The more you know, the more you get to do! Have fun!

 

[wdwoldtimer]

"Crowded" is when you look up at the Standby time for TT, RnR, ToT, Buzz, Space or Splash before noon, see "180 MIN" and all the Fast Pass dispensers covered.

"Crowded" is when you try crossing the MK hub from Liberty Sq to Tomorrowland and it takes you 45 minutes to an hour.

"Crowded" is when you watch 4 fully packed busloads of resort guests leave your bustop before you get on one, after park closing.

"Crowded" is when you see a line for TTA and it stretches all the way over to the CoP.

"Crowded" is when the line for Spaceship Earth actually uses all zig-zagging queue space on the side by the lockers.

"Crowded" is when the Wonders of Life Pavillion is open and there's actually more than 20 or 30 people inside.

 

[hokiefan33]

We have went the week immediately following July 4th the last 2 years, and I don't find it bad, or "crowded" as you might say. Is it busy? Yes. Are there a lot of people there? Yes. But is it manageable if you plan ahead, use FP and EXPECT it to be crowded? Absolutely. My family (myself, DW, DS8 and DD5) don't exactly like waiting in long lines for 2-minute rides, but that is sometimes what you do. Pick and choose. In the MK, get a FP for PP and Splash early in the day, before they run out. If you want to ride twice, it may take a longer wait or a little more work, but at least you've rode it once. Get your FP's immediately before eating, that way part of your time waiting for your FP window to open is spent eating, something you have to do anyway. And realize that crowds are a part of WDW, and don't sweat it. Just have fun!

 

[JennyMominRI]

I was there May 10th-20th 2003..It wasn't crowded,with the exception of one day at MK.. We had like 10 minutes wait for Test Track on Sunday afternoon.. We tended to go back to the CR and rest midday though..That may have been when it was most crowded..I didn't think it was bad at all

 

[Feralpeg]

Crowd level is very low at this time of year. Everything is pretty much a walk-on (5 minutes). I went to Epcot a few days ago. Mission Space had a standby wait of 10 minutes. Test Track had a standby wait of 20 minutes.

We literally walked into everything else.

If you can manage it and don't mind some cool days, mid-January seems to be a great time.

 

[Mainebound]

Last year and 2 years ago we went around the beginning of march. During the morning hours it was not bad. After noon it got more crowded. We had about 30-45 minute wait on major attractions. Fast passes were never gone by noon for us and we made PS for Crystal Palace and others during the day (probably around 3 or 4pm) and we had no problems. We are going this year March 4 - March 11 and hope it wont be too bad. This is the early spring break time so maybe it's wont be too bad

We will be there then too and I am predicting patterns as you describe. Early March has been good to us two years running.

You can also tell crowd level prediction sbased on park hours. The shorter the hours, the lower the crowds. (Also, for Universal Parks, I can tell by the cost of Express Plus [basically this is a FastPass booklet which you pay for], which ranges from 15-$35. Four the first week of March Express Plus is $15, which tells me Universal is not expecting high crowds. Not sure how that translates (if at all) to WDW.)

 

[dizprincess717]

I've never been to WDW when it wasn't "crowded" ... I'm talking summer crowds and Christmas crowds. When I was younger I went when it wasn't an on season, but I hardly remember it. That's why I'm really hoping that when I'm down there in a little over a month that it isn't going to be like this past summer and a few years ago during Christmas. It would be my dream to wait for 10-15 minutes for RnRC, Splash, and Space Mountain. Let's home that dream comes true this time...

Oh, and I define "crowded" as Christmas of '96, when my family was in a standstill on Main Street because it was so full, and no one was moving, because the parade was going on. Insanity...

 

[Lcm2108]

Crowded to me is when you have 10-15 minute wait for the TTA.

Lisa

 

[HomeSweetDisney]

"Crowded" is when you look up at the Standby time for TT, RnR, ToT, Buzz, Space or Splash before noon, see "180 MIN" and all the Fast Pass dispensers covered.

"Crowded" is when you try crossing the MK hub from Liberty Sq to Tomorrowland and it takes you 45 minutes to an hour.

"Crowded" is when you watch 4 fully packed busloads of resort guests leave your bustop before you get on one, after park closing.

"Crowded" is when you see a line for TTA and it stretches all the way over to the CoP.

"Crowded" is when the line for Spaceship Earth actually uses all zig-zagging queue space on the side by the lockers.

"Crowded" is when the Wonders of Life Pavillion is open and there's actually more than 20 or 30 people inside.

That's my idea of crowded too. We were at Magic Kingdom on Christmas Day once...never again

 

[JJsmama]

You all are freaking me out! We'll be there the Sunday - Wednesday before Easter. I almost don't even want to go now. We were there during Jersey Week 2003 and it was not fun. Would it do me any good to take the kids out of school and move it up a couple weeks?

 

[KevinM]

I think we all agree that it's impossible to predict exactly what crowds will be like. We went the 1st week of December in 2003 and 2004 and there was a definate increase in crowds (that being said, wait times were short despite crowded walkways - go figure).

What we do agree on is that the summer season and times when there are school breaks it will be crowded. I have no problems taking DD out of school to go during the "off" season. Of course, everyone's situation is different, especially as kids get older.

I say take them out of school. If you don't like crowds, you will not enjoy yourself during the busy season.

 

[wdwoldtimer]

I wouldn't worry too much because you can have those crowded conditions I mentioned on one day and have it completely the opposite a few days later. And even when it is that bad, you can still enjoy yourselves...get up early, use fast passes, use whtever early entry/extra hour/whatever is going on etc.

 

[DreadpiratK]

Personally, when you have to wait in line to walk down the street, it's too crowded. I give you peak season visitors credit, I don't have the patience for it, and would not enjoy it one bit.

Our last visit was in September, labor day week, and we made the mistake of going on Labor day. UGH! Lines lines lines. We wanted to catch the parades and fireworks, and that part was good, but in the middle of the day it was just so bad I just wanted to leave. You literally could not get into Fantasy land at all, just no room. We finallly just got on the people mover, wich had a short line, and rode it around for an hour to cool off! My poor wife had to apologize to people trying to stand near us for the parade because my attitude was so poor. I feel bad about that.

The rest of the week was awesome, enough people to give the place some life, but no lines at all, except on the biggies, and then about 10 mins max. We went on Kali river falls 5 times in a row without getting off because no one was waiting! very cool.

Of course that was the week of 9/11, so it got VERY empty the next few days, sad, but we were there, and had paid, so we went to the parks anyway, and it was almost too empty.