How we toured around higher than expected crowds

[hllb]

Posted this on another thread but wanted to share separately as well:

We just returned yesterday from a 1 week trip. I was used to empty parks (crowd levels on previous trips were typically 2’s and 3’s). I picked this week because it was supposed to be 2 to 5 crowd levels, with the average being 3. I hate crowds and get cranky pretty easily. Instead of 2 to 5, we saw 4 to 8 crowds, with the average being 5 to 6. As it turned out, the crowd levels were fine. We got to do almost everything we wanted (we dropped a few unimportant things, which probably had more to do with over planning rather than crowds). We did our favorites multiple times and generally didn’t wait more than 15 minutes for anything (waited 39 minutes for ToT once, I think because they had problems- the posted wait was 20 minutes and the Lines app said 13 minutes).

The only time we really felt the crowds was walking around in AK. It was an 8 day, and the walkways were a bit difficult to navigate.

Here’s what we accomplished as a family of 5:

Arrival Day:
Wander around Poly w friends
Disney Springs for T-Rex dinner
Illuminations Cruise

MK Day 1, CL 5:
Welcome Show
PP (RD)
7DMT (FP)
BTM (FP)
SM (FP)
Buzz (standby)
Small World (standby)
Magic Carpets (standby)
Jungle Cruise (FP)
Pirates (FP)
Tomorrowland Speedway (standby)
Tea cups (standby)
Dumbo (standby)
Haunted Mansion (FP)
HEA dessert party
Lunch @ BOG
Dinner @ Skippers Canteen

MK Day 2, CL 6:
PPO breakfast at BOG
7DMT (FP)
BTM (twice, standby and FP)
SM (4 times I think, all FPs)
Tomorrowland Speedway (FP for just 2 in our party while the other 3 hit SM)
Barnstormer (standby)
Buzz (3 times, combo standby and FP)
Pirates (FP)
Jungle Cruise (FP)
Under the Sea (standby)
Philhatmagic (standby)
Dessert only at BOG to meet Beast
Sorcerers of the MK for maybe 40 minutes
Left the park maybe 5 or so
California Grill dinner @ 7:40 (this ended up being too late for my 7 year old)

AK, CL 8:
Navi (RD)
FoP (FP)
Everest (3 times, FP and standby)
Dinosaur (FP)
Tough to be bug (standby)
Safari (standby)
Lion King show (standby)
Nemo show (standby)
Tusker House late breakfast
Satuli Canteen for dinner
Met Flik (happened upon him and no wait)
Primeval whirl (once for whole group, one addtl ride for 2 while rest went on Everest, both FP)
ROL show (dining package)
Didn’t end up doing the two walking trails we wanted to hit

HS, CL 5:
Rock coaster (3 times I think, RD, and FP)
TSM (FP, wished we could’ve done it twice but nope)
Star Tours (twice, FP and standby)
Jedi Training
ToT (twice, FP and standby)
Launch Bay theater for movie
Beauty & Beast stage show (FP)
Indiana Jones show (standby)
Muppetvision (Standby)
Kyle Ren meet (Disney Visa)
Sci Fi Dine in for lunch
Fantasmic dessert party

Epcot, CL 4, EMH morning:
FEA (RD)
Soarin’ (twice, once standby once FP)
Test Track (3 times, all FP I think)
Baymax meet (standby)
Mexico CS lunch
World showcase (didn’t do a lot here, stopped in Germany, Mexico, China, Japan, ate snack at Festival cart, mainly just walked around the loop)
The Sea w Nemo (standby)
Aquarium
Living w Land (standby)
Spaceship earth (FP)
Mission Space (3 times, standby and FP)
Left park around 5:30 or 6, relaxed at Poly in room for 45 min
Ohana dinner at 7:20 (originally was 8:30 but moved it as 7 yr old had trouble staying up that late)

AK and HS, CLs 8 And 6 respectively:
This day was about experiences, not touring
Ohana breakfast @ 7:30
AK around 9 on EMH day
FoP (FP)
Dinosaur (FP)
Everest (FP)
Pandora snack
Wild Africa Trek (3 hr experience w snack)
Back to Poly for late lunch @ capt cooks
Arrive at HS at 6
Rock coaster (FP)
Star Wars dessert party
Meet BB8
Meet Chewie
Star Wars fireworks

We also did a ton of photos with the Disney photographers, including magic shots.

 

[hllb]

I’ll also add that we walked very fast, and other than Epcot and our last park hopping day, we didn’t stop to just enjoy the atmosphere. We decided rides were more important. Have to say though, we did enjoy kind of meandering around AK on our last day in between FPs. Got to do quite a few picture opps with magic shots.

 

[belledreamer]

I noticed you said you did dessert only at BoG to meet Beast. Did you have a dinner reservation instead and just had dessert or is that something new that they're offering?

We had tried to do standby for lunch on our 1st MK day and they told us they were no longer doing standby, but I would be totally fine to just go to BoG for 'The Grey Stuff' and get to meet Beast.

 

[DaisyNY]

We would also love to do just dessert for BoG...following along!

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Sounds like you had a great trip! I’m jealous, lol. I’m staying at the Poly on my next trip this coming November, how’d you like it? We’re so excited to stay there.

 

[hllb]

I noticed you said you did dessert only at BoG to meet Beast. Did you have a dinner reservation instead and just had dessert or is that something new that they're offering?

We had tried to do standby for lunch on our 1st MK day and they told us they were no longer doing standby, but I would be totally fine to just go to BoG for 'The Grey Stuff' and get to meet Beast.

We had a dinner reservation. Actually we ordered two appetizers and 5 desserts. Wasn’t cheap lol. I’m glad we saw the TS side of the restaurant. It was nice.

 

[hllb]

Sounds like you had a great trip! I’m jealous, lol. I’m staying at the Poly on my next trip this coming November, how’d you like it? We’re so excited to stay there.

We loved the Poly. I really debated due to cost (even though we got a killer deal). We would definitely stay there again!

 

[asumom]

We were there at the same time. Toured for 8 days. Definitely able to do everything, but so glad I preplanned most days (changed around our Fast Pass plans at AK on an EMH day because we got everything major done in the EMH; dumped the AK fast passes and make 3 for Hollywood Studios in the evening). We did visit each park more than once and took a small break in the afternoon most days. My husband has a bad knee so we were not able to move too fast but, taking advantage of rope drop and strategic fast pass times, we were fine. The days of low crowds in the "off season" are gone. I detailed my trip in the trip reports forum.

 

[GovieMom]

Thanks for sharing the info. I have to say though, you were very lucky to have waited no more than 15 minutes standby for the Safari at AK on a CL 8 day. Wow!

 

[hllb]

Thanks for sharing the info. I have to say though, you were very lucky to have waited no more than 15 minutes standby for the Safari at AK on a CL 8 day. Wow!

Thinking back, that one crept to 20 minutes. It was late afternoon and was supposed to be a 15 Minute wait or less. We were maybe 6 families back from the place where FP merges when a big tour group got in FP. Disappointing because we were only going to have maybe 10 to 12 Minute wait until then. It stillonly delayed us maybe 8 minutes. Not sure why the wait was that low. It could’ve been early dinner time - I can’t quite remember. I had removed the safari fromour touring plan because we were doing the wild Africa Trek later in the week but added it back in on the fly due to the low wait.

I think the CLs are a bit misleading at AK right now because so many people stay in Pandora for long periods of time.

 

[theone74733]

Thinking back, that one crept to 20 minutes. It was late afternoon and was supposed to be a 15 Minute wait or less. We were maybe 6 families back from the place where FP merges when a big tour group got in FP. Disappointing because we were only going to have maybe 10 to 12 Minute wait until then. It stillonly delayed us maybe 8 minutes. Not sure why the wait was that low. It could’ve been early dinner time - I can’t quite remember. I had removed the safari fromour touring plan because we were doing the wild Africa Trek later in the week but added it back in on the fly due to the low wait.

I think the CLs are a bit misleading at AK right now because so many people stay in Pandora for long periods of time.

Must have been because a safari ahead of us had some animals crossing the path in the savannah so we had to wait until it cleared. This backed up the safaris behind us as well for a few minutes.

 

[KristenB17]

Seems like it was a great trip!

 

[KenHutch]

Glad you had a good trip. The crowd totals I have been seeing are aa bit surprising.

 

[hllb]

Glad you had a good trip. The crowd totals I have been seeing are aa bit surprising.

They definitely are! Though I was equally surprised how much we could get done pretty easily with the crowd levels. The key was hitting RD each day. The only day we did morning EMH was our Epcot day and we got FEA, Soarin’, and Test Track done in that hour.

 

[Spencer Wright]

I really appreciate this thread! I have an trip in August (gone several times then before), but was getting a little nervous as it seems WDW is getting more and more crowded. I remember, that I've always had a great time with high crowds and it appeared you did as well!

I find with ADR's and FP's we can usually do most everything we want!

We typically follow the method you did, which seems to be rushing (sorry if that is the wrong word) around a lot to do a high volume of rides.

Since this trip will probably be my last for a few years, due to financial and career concerns, I believe I will actually try to appreciate the atmosphere and details more. This is especially true of MK, which I have not appreciated enough, and have almost never been in any of the stores or food places!

 

[KenHutch]

They definitely are! Though I was equally surprised how much we could get done pretty easily with the crowd levels. The key was hitting RD each day. The only day we did morning EMH was our Epcot day and we got FEA, Soarin’, and Test Track done in that hour.

Oh being a Marine I get up at 04:30 every morning so we are rope drop vets (well the girls mother and stepfather sleep until 11) but it is good to get a 1st hand report on the crowds. It really looks like the days of crowds 2-4 are gone.

 

[hllb]

I really appreciate this thread! I have an trip in August (gone several times then before), but was getting a little nervous as it seems WDW is getting more and more crowded. I remember, that I've always had a great time with high crowds and it appeared you did as well!

I find with ADR's and FP's we can usually do most everything we want!

We typically follow the method you did, which seems to be rushing (sorry if that is the wrong word) around a lot to do a high volume of rides.

Since this trip will probably be my last for a few years, due to financial and career concerns, I believe I will actually try to appreciate the atmosphere and details more. This is especially true of MK, which I have not appreciated enough, and have almost never been in any of the stores or food places!

Yup, rushing is the right word. I felt a little bad about it at times, but we had more downtime the second half of the week. Hope you have a good trip! It’ll be our last for probably 5 more years. We have so many places we want to go.

 

[mamamelody2]

Sounds like a great trip!
Thanks for sharing!
I am now thinking about doing dessert only for BoG dinner...

 

[hllb]

Sounds like a great trip!
Thanks for sharing!
I am now thinking about doing dessert only for BoG dinner...

We had originally planned to eat dinner there but the more I looked at the menu, I didn’t think my teens would like it. We did California Grill later that night which was amazing.

 

[avalovesminnie]

How did you book your FP to get so many in? I assume back to back in the morning so you could then book more?