Is July 4th a Bad Day?

[BarbaraMB]

Is being in Disney World on July 4th any busier than any other summer day? Should I reconsider and be there at another time?

 

[Fortune1211]

I wondered this myself I heard it is horrid...but next year it falls on a friday which would work out wonderfully when planning DH vacation time. Wondering also if they charge extra for this particular holiday even though it is not during "holiday" time??? Hmmmm....

 

[patsal]

Just went this 4th. It was great. I didn't notice the resorts any more crowded than any other peak summer date. MK did close due to crowds by 3pm. We skipped MK and went to MGM, all rides were very easily walk ons, the RNR was the only place with a twenty minute wait. We used fast passes and had PS's for meals. I'd go again over the July 4th holiday in a heartbeat. They also had sorcery in the sky on the 4th--which was a nice extra. MK stayed open until midnight, and both Epcot and MGM opened an hour early for on-sight guests. I'm not sure how crowded MK became because we listened to the advice on this board while we were planning and just stayed away from there. PI had some extras as well, but with younger children we stayed away from there as well.

 

[Fortune1211]

Did you have to pay an extra "holiday fee" for staying over the 4th? Thanks for the info

 

[patsal]

Disney does't do that. Whatever price you are quoted for the day you check in is the price you pay per night. July 4th fall in peak season, so whatever rate you reserve at you will pay for the entire trip. No extra holiday charge.

 

[Fortune1211]

I thought July 4th fell in regular season?? I thought peak ended at the end of april? That would change things completley for us then...

 

[patsal]

No your right about the "Peak" thing I mean't to say peak crowd levels in the summer. Sorry if that confused you. Spring break time is peak rate season, regular is summer and discount is the less travelled times. Sorry!

 

[Fortune1211]

Ohhhhh....phewwww...Well we have always gone to disney in the summer whether it be june or july so we know what to expect in terms of the crowds....did you use any special codes to get discounts for your trip??? Thanks again

 

[ceecee]

We went a few yrs ago in July...BIG crowds, major waits for everything and it was VERY hot. Not a pleasant time.

 

[patsal]

From what other's at the bus stop were telling me there were some really great codes. We are DVC, so I used points at WLV. Some people were saying that they paid $92.00 per night at WL. We did not experience the difficulty that ceecee mentioned. We did get to the parks close to opening, left from 2-5 and then returned. Some days we stayed in the park the whole day (did this on the 4th). We used fast passes adn never waited olonger that 20 minutes for anything except to see Ariel!

 

[BarbaraMB]

We went to Disney in July (not on the 4th) 7 years ago and it was hot and crowded, etc., friends and family think we are CRAZY to go in the summer to Disney. They insist taking their children out of school for vacation (no matter what the grade). If it is so much better (and cheaper) to go at another time of the year, then why is the summer months SO CROWDED?

 

[Fortune1211]

Well like I said before we went mid july 2 years ago and yes it was crowded and we did have to wait for some rides but there were quite a few that we were on in no time at all. I specifically remember the jungle cruise being maybe a 10 minute wait and BTM was probably about 20 in the standby line!....Then it broke while we were on it but we got some behind the scenes look at the big mountain..lol...well I think you have solidified my choice of going then...regardless if the 4th is busy or not that would be our arrivial day anyhow...soo...thanks for the great info....much much appreciated

 

[patsal]

Because many people will not take the kids out of school especially when they get to the upper grades. Many European countries get an entire month off in the summer and that time is used to travel as well. I teach so I am locked into summer or spring or Christmas, but truthfully since I have kids and I would not put the academics at risk I'd be locked into those months anyway.

 

[Fortune1211]

I don't know why they are so crowded either because it's also my understanding that the fl. passholders have the summer months as blackout dates??? Is this right??? We have no kids right now to take out of school it just reminds me of a good ole summer vacation with the family...as a matter of fact we are going this year with my family to the beach can't wait it will be like the old days, now if I could only convince my parents to go back to disney again...maybe when we become dvc members...lol

 

[patsal]

The DVC thing helped convince my parents that they would like to go back on vacation with us again!LOL. I had so much fun this summer ( I bought AP's because we were there 14 days) I am planning a short surprise trip for June 25th -July 1st. I'll be working to get a code rate since my points are all used up (We're going at Easter and taking my parents so I had to borrow some DVC points from 2004!). Have fun planning your trip!Fl. Season tickets are blacked out for the summer months, but many will purchase the AP because they are good all summer. I guess I'd still want to go in summer if I lived in FL!

 

[cindala]

Actually, July 4th starts the VALUE SEASON at the deluxe resorts, and the rates go down considerably! The seasons at the moderates and the values are different though.

We go to WDW the week of July 4th each year, and love it. MK is the park that gets the most crowded, so we avoid it and stick to Epcot. It is very festive and lively, and not that bad as far as crowds go, although this year was definately an off year.

Next year, the 4th falls on a Friday, so many people may take it as a long weekend, but this year it was on a Thursday, and many had off that Friday...still it wasn't that crowded. Maybe people are afraid of a place like WDW on a major holiday since 9/11.

Also remember, there is now Fast Pass, and the parks are open a little bit later around the July 4th week. I still don't think the parks will be that crowded next year either. The economy and unemployment rates haven't really improved.

 

[Fortune1211]

One of my bigger concerns now about going then is flying out on the 4th because that would be what we would do. Fly out from pa in late morning early afternoon and get down there in a few hours. Neither of us have ever flown before and I don't want to end up in some horrid fiasco because the airport is CRAZY!!...I know that we would be there hours before our flight leaves just because we would be so nervous about missing it but still I don't want to do all that planning and miss it anyhow..lol...
Anyone have any good advice for those of us who have never flown before and are control freaks and claustorphobic(sp?)..hehehehehe...Thanks again