It is HOT and CROWDED

[Aurora0427]

I am just back. It is HOT and CROWDED. Thickest crowds I've ever seen in 10 years of going in August (first or second full week). Rope Drop is still your best friend; but wait times for standby are ridiculous very early. Yesterday at AK stand by for ExE was 60 minutes and Kali was 90 minutes at 11:00 am.....

Heat index hit 107-111 (according to my phone) Saturday-Tuesday. I live in the south without a/c and I work outdoors, but this August heat and searing sun kicked my patootie. AK and MK were PACKED every day by noon.

LOTS of international visitors which really surprised me--so it's not the last minute before school starts crowd. Many visitors from British Isles.

All Star Music continues to not disappoint. Good bus service, mousekeeping, friendly CMs, etc.

We went the first and second week in August 2007 and it was very similar to what you described. It was so crowded, with lots of visitors from the UK. There were long waits at 2am at MK during EMH. We are also from the south and used to the heat- but the crowds. Wow!

 

[Eccle]

I'm British, we're coming over on Monday for just over 2 weeks. Schools here broke up on 17th July and my boys aren't back until 7th September so we've gone for end of the holidays hoping it will be quieter then as I think your schools go back a little sooner. It's a popular summer holiday destination for Brits though - the only school holiday apart from easter we can do 2 weeks without taking them out of school.

I'm glad we're at least polite though!

 

[AngiTN]

Haha i always forget that you say vacation instead of holiday. It does get confusing sometimes especially when us Brits use completely different words and keep getting confused looks from other guests.

LOL I can only imagine what might have happened if they'd asked DGD about her jumper or where the lift is. Or about her flat.

 

[dkrauss]

It's interesting to me that one of the WDW insiders here on the Dis just commented yesterday how slow things have been there lately. We try to tour off season and pick the lightest crowd days, but it still seems like the place is teeming with people.

And don't get me started on the Brits. The way they act all courteous and polite, always pleasant. Don't they realize it's every man for himself???

So true those Brits All that quiet talking and proper manners......where do they think they are?

Doug

 

[danny1649]

Sorry here now and just back threads are not allowed, I will move thread to proper Board. Thanks Danny

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

90 minutes for Peter pan. 115 minutes for space mountain. 100 minutes for mine train. These wait times are asinine. I have never been to Disney with wait times that are like this every day. Add in the heat and it is not good at all.

 

[Dentam]

Huh, I have a friend there now who said it's not crowded at all and the longest they've waited for a ride is 15-20 minutes. Of course, she said this after their first two days which were spent at EPCOT and I haven't heard an update since they've been in the MK...

 

[jerseygal]

90 minutes for Peter pan. 115 minutes for space mountain. 100 minutes for mine train. These wait times are asinine. I have never been to Disney with wait times that are like this every day. Add in the heat and it is not good at all.

Those wait times are INSANE! Us "old folk" don't have the "stamina", haha!

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

I am here now and I assure you my wait times are 100 percent accurate. For fun we check the app even when we are not at the park. They are crippling. Even freaking Small World was 30 minutes at one point and I've never in my life seen it over 10-15. Peter Pan was105 at one point this evening but that was because stormy weather closed some if the attractions. But pan has consistently been around 70-80 minutes. And unlike my last trip 11 months ago the wait times were not embellished. I waited 80 minutes for Peter Pan one day and it may have been even over that. Today for magic kingdom was brutal.

 

[Dentam]

Oh man - I hope the crowds die down before our trip! Hope it gets better for you there!

 

[Sytrace]

We were at EPCOT on Wednesday and it was really quiet. According to Touring Plans it was an 8 out 10 day, but it sure didn't seem like it to me.

We have been there during the Flower,, Food and Wine and of course Christmas and those times are 10 /10 times.
This past Wednesday was like a 5. Walked onto everything we wanted to do and didn't even have to use the FP's I got.
5 minute wait for a table mid afternoon at Via Napoli too. Strange days indeed.

Some of our kids went back to school this week, some will go back next week and some the 24th of August so you should see some drops really soon. I homeschool my two so we plan on having a "Not back to school" field trip to one of the parks during the last week of August.

That being said, we started our new school year on May 4th and are halfway done the current school year. So it is more like a "we are not in traditional school but definitely back to school" field trip. How would one abbreviate that? lol

The heat and humidity is something else though. We had Frogg togs on our necks and it was still pretty uncomfortable.
Stay hydrated and grab the AC when you can get it.

 

[Dentam]

I just ordered Frogg Toggs for us on amazon! We're thinking of afternoon pool breaks if the heat is too intense... and we have adr's for lots of table service meals (2/day) in the ac!

 

[Imamom2]

We have done August trips 4 times and each time we met lots of Brits staying for at least 2 weeks. I love late August in Florida - if it's going to be hot anyway I'd rather be in Disney I have noticed an increase in crowds each time. When we first went in 2000 the MK EMH was 12:00 - 3:00 am! When the nighttime EMH was 3 hours it was so easy to go on all the rides several times and eat anywhere. There was no 'free dining' then and parks seemed empty. Now that EMH is 2 hours and parks close earlier to begin with no one leaves before closing time. Late August has been the start of 'free dining' for several years now and we all know how much that impacts crowds. Our family always had a wonderful time and met lots of very cool people from around the world. WDW is a business and they are going to do all they can to make money so I expect the offers from late August thru fall to continue and the crowds to increase during that time. I am looking forward to our September trip this year and I expect some crowds but nothing overwhelming.

 

[2kidsForMe]

We are at the World right now and can confirm that it is very crowded. We always go this time of the year and are used to the heat and storms, but it is usually offset by lower crowds. Not this time. At one point Peter Pan hit 105 minutes today and Small World was hovering around 40. Crazy!

 

[TDDisney]

Don't British guests always get great deals as Disney knows these folks spend longer vacas on property. Seems like the "average" stay is about 14 days based upon what I've read.

We were in London this summer. The dollar to the pound really stinks...so the pound to the dollar is already a "good deal" in and of itself, although they do have a more expensive flight. It is frustrating, though, living here and not getting the same deals as people from other countries. Show the Americans your love, Disney ! I think it should be the same for everyone, but then again, I'm not in the business world .

 

[jerseygal]

We were in London this summer. The dollar to the pound really stinks...so the pound to the dollar is already a "good deal" in and of itself, although they do have a more expensive flight. It is frustrating, though, living here and not getting the same deals as people from other countries. Show the Americans your love, Disney ! I think it should be the same for everyone, but then again, I'm not in the business world .

I don't participate nor follow free dining room packages, but when I followed those rates many years ago, it seemed that free dining rates or discounted room rates for British residents were announced before Free Dining rates for US guests for the same time period. Is that still the case?

 

[anniemae]

I am here now and I assure you my wait times are 100 percent accurate. For fun we check the app even when we are not at the park. They are crippling. Even freaking Small World was 30 minutes at one point and I've never in my life seen it over 10-15. Peter Pan was105 at one point this evening but that was because stormy weather closed some if the attractions. But pan has consistently been around 70-80 minutes. And unlike my last trip 11 months ago the wait times were not embellished. I waited 80 minutes for Peter Pan one day and it may have been even over that. Today for magic kingdom was brutal.

We were checking the app yesterday, and the wait times were crazy. Peter Pan was 110, and like you said, small world was at 40. I couldn't believe it. I think it is pretty typical for August. Hot, and crowded.

 

[anniemae]

I can do Disney when it's hot or crowded but not both, especially the August/summer heat and humidity. Our first family WDW trip was in August and DH and I still joke about how the humidity slaps you in the face as soon as you walk out the door - at 9am!
The positive was that it was late August and the crowd level was reasonable and we had both value season rates and the kids stay/play free discount promotion.

This made me laugh. When we were there last Aug, the humidity was so intense that DH kept saying that walking out of the room in the morning was like getting punched in the face!

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

I always say I'll never do August again and then it's like I forget or something. I need the occasional reminder! Ugh, 40 minutes for Small World. I can't even process that.

 

[pinkle]

I'm not sure if I should be reading this We leave on Friday!