July 4th week?

[Anal Annie]

Just starting to think ahead to next summer....we've never been down in early July (such as July 4th week). Are the crowds as bad as I THINK they might be? We have been in mid-August many times & late July-early August a couple and early June once. I'm thinking the July 4th week tho might be a zoo? Who's been? Do the parks fill up (MK) early & close like they do over spring break? Would you compare the crowds that week to spring break week (either week surrounding Easter)?!?!?

I don't really want spring break level crowds....but am looking for a week that our DS might be able to join us for a long weekend or something (yes, I know the 4th is on a Tuesday next year so not technically a long weekend). He is supposed to do a summer co-op for his college major (tho he has yet to secure it) so we don't know where he'll be or if he'll be able to take a couple days off somehow... I'm just in the early stages of counting points & trying to get a couple of ideas together. Now if only the member website WOULD WORK so I could access the point charts & RAT. Every time I try to log in I get an "OOPS" msg.

 

[amcnj]

I was there in 2015 and MK was crowded for the fireworks on July 3 and 4, but otherwise I didn't feel it was horribly crowded the rest of the time. And I believe I read that people who went in 2016 said crowds were lower than usual.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I hate to say this, but I have been "spring break" and I have been July 4th. July 4th was worse! They closed MK when I was there a few years ago.

 

[supersnoop]

The week of July 4th was not crowded at all this year. Parks that were predicted to be a 9 were closer to a 5. I think there was even a 2 at Hollywood Studios while we were there.

I don't know why crowds were so light, but we really enjoyed it.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I do not remember either the crowds being heavy or light this year, but I know it was so hot that I passed on my Frozen Ever FP because it was just too hot for us to leave BLT and get to Epcot!

I once again have reservations for next year's 4th of July because I like the fireworks!! I stay at BLT for the firework viewing and then BCV for SAB!

 

[mousestruck]

We were locked into July 4th week in 2016 for similar reasons... DD had a dance event while DS had an internship and could only join us for the long weekend. I feared the crowds, but have to say they were not bad at all! We were there the week leading up to the holiday (6/29-7/5) and stayed at the Poly. The MK fireworks (viewed from the Poly) were absolutely spectacular and it was our best July 4th ever! Parks were quite manageable, though we spent a good part of 7/3 and 7/4 at our resort. I would not choose that week every year, but I encourage you to do it a least once. WDW is an amazing place to celebrate America's birthday!

 

[Anal Annie]

Thanks guys. Glad to hear not all terrible news from everyone. We have done the week before Easter 2x and those were our biggest crowds ever. Now to talk to DH and look at the point charts again. Might do AKV std for the reasonable points (we have a limited # available) plus that is DS's fav resort & since it's larger more likely to have 7 month availability.

I was sick this past summer on July 4th and watched the NY fireworks on TV....I remember thinking how much better Disney does fireworks and that that's where we should be.

(Another plus is that my b-day is on the 2nd!

 

[DVC Jen]

I have been wondering this exact thing too. I have always wanted to see the 4th of July fireworks and finally decided to take the plunge for July 2017. We check in on the 3rd and out on the 13th. We will be there for the 4th and my 51st birthday.

We have been over Christmas in 2012 and it wasn't horrible until the 24th really. As long as it isn't that bad we can deal.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I have been wondering this exact thing too. I have always wanted to see the 4th of July fireworks and finally decided to take the plunge for July 2017. We check in on the 3rd and out on the 13th. We will be there for the 4th and my 51st birthday.

We have been over Christmas in 2012 and it wasn't horrible until the 24th really. As long as it isn't that bad we can deal.

The fireworks are first class! MK has them on the 3rd and 4th. We really enjoyed Epcot's fireworks this year!

 

[keishashadow]

OP DH has a forced week of vacation over the 4th this year, considering cancelling out June trip bu had concerns, glad to see this thread!

We've done the day before & after the 4th in the past, but it's been a few years. Was worried as to crowds too.

Will say that our week up to the 3rd did seem less crowded than coming in the year on the 5th, but might have had something to do with day of week upon which the 4th fell.

Wondering if airfare on SWA tends to be expensive out of the gate for the weekends surrounding the 4th.

 

[ldo]

fyi WDW offered free dining for arrivals 6/30-7/5 for 2017 as a bounceback offer this summer for those staying @ WDW. So, might be more crowded than last year.

 

[Anal Annie]

OP DH has a forced week of vacation over the 4th this year, considering cancelling out June trip bu had concerns, glad to see this thread!

We've done the day before & after the 4th in the past, but it's been a few years. Was worried as to crowds too.

Will say that our week up to the 3rd did seem less crowded than coming in the year on the 5th, but might have had something to do with day of week upon which the 4th fell.

Wondering if airfare on SWA tends to be expensive out of the gate for the weekends surrounding the 4th.

We're ok with the typical summer crowds just don't really want spring break size crowds all week... We will drive down for our summer trip (DH has a hybrid so we can drive for approx. $120 round trip from the DC area). We have been flying on our shorter and winter trips but have been driving the past few years for our longer summer trips. But my thought was that IF DS can join us at any time for a few days that might be the weekend - I'm sure we'd have to suck it up to fly him down from wherever he may be....and pay the cost whatever that may be.

 

[Anal Annie]

fyi WDW offered free dining for arrivals 6/30-7/5 for 2017 as a bounceback offer this summer for those staying @ WDW. So, might be more crowded than last year.

Oh phooey. Guess they're expecting lower crowds again?

 

[ldo]

I guess so, and commentary was that 4th of July crowds were lower this year. I don't know how many will book that, as most free dining is usually Aug/Sept and that's what the bouncebackers are used to.

 

[DVC Jen]

The fireworks are first class! MK has them on the 3rd and 4th. We really enjoyed Epcot's fireworks this year!

Thanks we are thinking about having dinner at the Poly the night of the 3rd and seeing the MK fireworks then - and going to Epcot on the 4th.

 

[Anal Annie]

OK, experts...if I go ahead & book our home resort (SSR std. view) for this week "just to be safe" until my 7 month window opens on Nov. 30th and then I want to change resorts I have to wait until 9:00 to CALL MS to change it, right? I can't make the change online at 8:00, right? That's not an option is it? So I would lose that hour to online bookers if I want harder to get resort?

 

[CarolMN]

OK, experts...if I go ahead & book our home resort (SSR std. view) for this week "just to be safe" until my 7 month window opens on Nov. 30th and then I want to change resorts I have to wait until 9:00 to CALL MS to change it, right? I can't make the change online at 8:00, right? That's not an option is it? So I would lose that hour to online bookers if I want harder to get resort?

You would have to call MS if you want to replace the SSR reservation with your preferred choice ( & use the same points). Since we cannot modify reservations online, you would have to do a cancel and re-book to do it online.

I'm assuming you would rather not cancel and re-book for fear of losing a SSR standard view reservation. If the "safe" part of the equation is stronger than the "wish we were somewhere else" part, I'd just call MS at 9 am Eastern and hope for the best.

IMO, it's a good bet that a preferred view will still be available at SSR for several days after the window opens, so if you're OK with that,your best shot at "somewhere else" would be to skip making the SSR reservation right now and book the "someplace else" as soon as the online window opens. No idea how long the standard views will last when 7 month window opens - they appear to be open right now. I'd think they'd last longer than any of the near-park resort studios, but you never know.

 

[supersnoop]

OK, experts...if I go ahead & book our home resort (SSR std. view) for this week "just to be safe" until my 7 month window opens on Nov. 30th and then I want to change resorts I have to wait until 9:00 to CALL MS to change it, right? I can't make the change online at 8:00, right? That's not an option is it? So I would lose that hour to online bookers if I want harder to get resort?

You can do it online, but it's complicated and not certain. But is there really a risk of losing your SSR room?

http://disboards.com/threads/making...n-you-go-ahead-of-time.3461485/#post-54707122

 

[Anal Annie]

You would have to call MS if you want to replace the SSR reservation with your preferred choice ( & use the same points). Since we cannot modify reservations online, you would have to do a cancel and re-book to do it online.

I'm assuming you would rather not cancel and re-book for fear of losing a SSR standard view reservation. If the "safe" part of the equation is stronger than the "wish we were somewhere else" part, I'd just call MS at 9 am Eastern and hope for the best.

IMO, it's a good bet that a preferred view will still be available at SSR for several days after the window opens, so if you're OK with that,your best shot at "somewhere else" would be to skip making the SSR reservation right now and book the "someplace else" as soon as the online window opens. No idea how long the standard views will last when 7 month window opens - they appear to be open right now. I'd think they'd last longer than any of the near-park resort studios, but you never know.

Actually, if we're at SSR then we'd want to keep the standard view (our preferred section is the Grandstand followed by the Paddock section as 2nd choice PLUS as a nice bonus it's fewer points). We've never gone for the July 4th week so I'm not sure how on top of it I need to be right AT 8:00 ON our 7 month window if we want to book elsewhere. By elsewhere I probably mean AKV standard view but would want Jambo House not Kidani so that's where that could be tricky. I know when I booked the 1st week of January for 2017 I booked it early and was glad I did as the "standard" view rooms were gone well before the "preferred" ones were and I was glad I'd booked it early. I may just call MS every week & kinda feel out the availability if I can find a sympathetic CM willing to look at availability in general terms. I think they use sort of a broad color coded method when browsing availability (ie green = wide open / yellow = getting spotty or partial availability / red = no dice). If AKV standard Jambo starts looking like a tough one to book then I can decide if we should go ahead & book SSR. If it stays green then I can wait for the 7 month window. I wish they would just give us the option to make these modifications online. I don't like this hour lag time....

You can do it online, but it's complicated and not certain. But is there really a risk of losing your SSR room?

http://disboards.com/threads/making...n-you-go-ahead-of-time.3461485/#post-54707122

I don't know the answer to this risk. In the old days before the new booking categories probably not. But if we're at SSR then we want the new "standard" booking category. My only experience with booking this new category is for our upcoming January trip which is during marathon week. I booked it early and it didn't take long for standard rooms to be gone well before the "preferred" category was. So there might be a cause for caution if this week is popular too. I don't know if it went first because of the lower points or if there are that many others out there who actually prefer Grandstand or Paddock?!

 

[mousestruck]

I booked a Poly lake view studio at the 7th month mark for July 4th week. I was so worried about it and then had no problem!