How to AVOID the CROWDS and after park traffic

[BringBackTapestries]

I have a tip that might just ADD TO your vacation.

Everyone's biggest complaint with Disney World is the rush hour traffic while exiting the park. So here's my tip: When the last shows are over ... DONT LEAVE!!! Sit back, enjoy the ambiance (yes, even with 2 or 3 tired kids) and take in the magic of WDW. After Reflections of Earth (Epcot Center) we always grab a bench overlooking the lagoon, pull a few candybars out of the fannypack, and listen to the music and just relax and take in the beauty of the place. We do this for about 45 minutes to an hour or so, then walk at our own pace to the front and out of the park without anyone anywhere near us. Most people dont know that the buses are still running WAAAAY after the last firework, often 2-3 hours later, and the walk back is more peaceful and you can actually enjoy it. The buses are usually quicker, the waiting lines at the buses is cut by about 1/10th, and the entire exiting system is much more relaxing. Yes, it takes longer but its DEFINATELY worth it!!! You can squeeze out in misery with the rest of the hot sweaty tired and rude guests and get ran over by strollers and bumped by people too tired to notice how badly they are walking, or you can actually enjoy the walk out of the park. In my opinion, that is the most magical time of the trip. The lights are on, the music is playing, the smells have penetrated the cool night air, and worrys seem to fade away. After sitting for an hour the kids arent usually much of a trouble at this point as they are worn out too; my 2 year old daughter usually grabs the occasion for a quick nap in the stroller. They actually build up a last reserve of energy for the exit; usually enough to play on the colored lights in the walkway at Innovations, and do it with noone around. 30 minutes earlier this would have been impossible. We have done this for years and have never missed our bus back to the Pop Century or All Stars yet.
At MK we find a spot off the beaten path and stare at the castle. Hey, were only here 3-4 weeks out of the year, we want to burn that peaceful colored castle image into our heads while were here! Its also a great place for a smooch or two.
We havent figured out a good way to do this at MGM (with those butt cheek killing metal seats at Fantasmic!!!) or AK yet. Open for suggestions...
As for the driving after the park closes... I'll pay more for the Disney resort, use the buses, and save my roadrage for I-95 on the trip home.

 

[newholidayx2]

so at MK & EpCot the CMs REALLY arent hurrying you along?

I especially want to take our time exiting EpCot as we will just be walking back to the BCV

 

[BringBackTapestries]

Noone has ever hurried us along or tried to make us leave. Weve met some really nice people while sitting there like that who were doing the same thing. So far only good things to say.

 

[foxfire]

We like to do this, too. It really is nice to sit, relax, and enjoy some special moments; then, walk to the exits without being in a crush. As you said, you can meet some very nice people who do the same thing.

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

Thanks for the tip! I want to see Illuminations for the first time this trip, and can sense a rise in my blood pressure every time I think of getting out of Epcot afterward - this sounds like a great strategy!

 

[GeorgiaTiggerGirl]

I couldn't agree more! That tip is one of the best, and I learned the hard way! Just take your time leaving, check out the stores, sit on a bench with a snack and people watch. It's much better than standing shoulder to shoulder for 45 minutes waiting for transportation.

 

[ncbyrne]

Once, DH and I were the very first ones on line in the parking lot at Epcot. Then we were the first through the gate when they opened. We decided to see if we could be the last ones to leave. We watched Illuminations right in front of FW and when it was over we strolled to the bakery in France. We bought a pastry strolled around the lake and then parked ourselves on a bench to watch the crowds exit. Finally, when there was no one but a few CMs in sight, we headed to the parking lot. 14 hours of Epcot! Ahh, what could be better.

 

[epcotter]

WOW!! What a great idea! My family will definately be one of the 'stay arounds' in April when we go ...especially at MK and EPCOT!!

Thanks!

 

[ChrisNif]

I like to get towards the front of any park and watch the droves of people move like the ocean.

My favorite park for this actually is Epcot. I go up front near leave a legacy there is an "island" i guess you would call it, where mickey and minnie topiarys are normally waving you into the park, and I sit down and rest for 20-30 minutes and watch as the absolute worst comes out in people.

For such a magical place, you would be superised how "no holds barred" it gets during the closing rush. I have actually helped some ppl who have fallen and are being trampled get up, and sit down with me and explain to them that I've only been "left" once and that was because it was almost 3 hours after MK closed as i made my way to the front. (Me and my fiance actually were transported in a giant golf cart to security, and the security person coming on to cover DTD gave us a lift with him there to catch our bus from PI)
Embarassing but funny story

Either way, it is much more enjoyable to "relax" on your way out then to rush...

Just my 2 cents in agreement.

Chris

 

[SCOTTOHIOCPA]

On June 11th we'll be sitting around Canada waiting for everyone to leave while eating our snacks from the Boulangerie. We never have stayed late at Epcot before.

We have taken the resort monorail to the CR and gone downstairs to play in the arcade for a while. We still had the monorail wait, but it was shorter than the TTC one, and the parking was empty when we got there.

 

[clkelley]

I agree!!!! Especially at Epcot!! I go find a place near the Fountain and watch it dance!!!

We used to go to Fountainview Cafe and sit for an hour or more, but Disney in it's "wisdom" closes Fountainview Cafe at 7pm.

MK is the same thing, I watch the castle till the last possible minute!!

I agree, the studios is harder if you are there for Fantasmic.

Animal Kingdom is also a great place to wander through the Tree of Life pathways and the Oasis slowly.

Carol

 

[LovePug]

We do the same thing. It's so nice to wait until the stampede is over. As far as MGM goes....we were lucky enough to be at the park last summer on a night that Fantasmic was actually over before the park closed. We left the theater via the road that comes out by Oscar's, but instead of turning left with the crowd at a certain point (I'm not sure where it was), we turned right. There was nobody around. We came out by ToT and walked on ToT three times in a row . By the time we finished, the park exit had cleared considerably. Of course, it's not that often that Fantasmic runs that way...

 

[BringBackTapestries]

We spend 3/4ths of our time at WDW in Epcot. So weve pretty much mastered it. But sssshhh! Dont tell anyone. Most people go to MK and dont do Epcot. Lets keep it that way!!!

 

[wicket2005]

Definitely going to hang back this time. I think MK is the worse for the crowds, Epcot is crowded but at least you are straight into the car park, not like MK where you have to wait for the monorail/ferry.

 

[Toni300z]

What an awesome tip.
I could almost feel your calmness and peace while reading your post.

 

[BringBackTapestries]

Calmness and peace...... That's 2 words that dont surface too much in our home. Our son has high functioning autism (a really weird combination of Aspergers Syndrome and Oppositional Defiance Disorder.) If your not familiar with O.D.D. I encourage you to look it up. Bad news. REALLY bad news. The ADD/ADHD/hyperactivity is a breeze in light of a child who does not understand any principles of discipline or authority. Chaos, high blood pressure, autistic screams, and anger is much more prevalent around our home (Unfortunately), though we do everything in our power to keep things calm.
But yes, its a very calming tip and its one of the smartest tips to remember. Thats why we go there so often actually. The autistic boy keeps our nerves completely fried! Ironically, after a long day in the parks, even he is calm as we sit and watch the lights and music.
Its funny actually, one night as we sat there watching the colored flares in the lagoon, our son was twisting around on the ground and was wanting to talk to the man beside of us. Not wanting to bother him I asked my son to stop. and said "He's probably very tired right now and dont want to hear every detail about your video games" he replied back with "Actually, its my job. I enjoy it. I was wondering how long I could leave the office before I got singled out by an autistic child" he smiled and asked my son to continue. My son (being delighted to actually find an adult other than his parents who wanted to hear every detail of how to defeat the heartless on Kingdom Hearts) was VERY delighted to actually meet this stranger who seemed genuinely interested in what he had to say. This stranger knew immediately that our son was autistic (Not that its not EXTREMELY OBVIOUS... I'm sure the fact that he walks around in circles as he talks was a dead giveaway), and even knew which conditions he had without us telling him. He said that autistic children seem to be drawn to him like a magnet, its as if they can sence it. He talked to us for about an hour and a half. Said he had actually began to miss talking to the autistic children that morning, and that he now had his fix for the rest of the week. He was extremely knowledgeable, (something we dont see too much of in this area) and we learnt a lot that night. What better setting to be instructed (for free I may add), by a man who obviously was at the top of his field, than the cool night air at Epcot? If he had been a North Carolina doctor he would have definately had a new client!

 

[Holly]

...I have actually helped some ppl who have fallen and are being trampled get up..
Chris

That is horrible.