June 13-18th 2016 Crowds

[BrownHP800]

Ok, just how bad is it that week? We are all booked. WDW vet, 1st time to DL. We are staying across the street at the Del Sol.

What are crowds really like? We are morning people so we will be there right at opening and I think we can get a lot done the 1st few hours. We have a 5 day park hopper so we at least do not have to rush it every day to see most everything. Our son is 14 so pretty much anything in Fantasy land will be a no go for us. haha. RSR at California Adventure is an absolutely must do. (Or my wife would kill me)

Any tips and strategies are appreciated. I do have the Touring plans app so maybe that will help plan the day a bit.

Thanks

 

[tlovesdis]

I will be there the 15th -18th. I am expecting it to be pretty crowded since most, if not all, schools will be out for the summer so people will be on vacation. We plan to get there early, before rope drop, get tons done, utilize FP, then take a break when it gets crowded and hot, go swimming, relax, etc...then come back for dinner and nighttime entertainment!

 

[sherilaine]

While it will likely be busy - like weekend busy - you will likely have full park hours as well - meaning 8AM through to Midnight at DL and closing at 10PM at DCA - that gives a person a lot of time to manage their day even when it's crowded. Getting there EARLY is the key - and since you won't have EMH staying off site we always try to start at the opposite park with EMH - except for when we used our MM for DL - we arrived at 6:15 for a 7AM MM to DL and we were first at the gate and got a lot done that hour!! So I'd say if you are there half a hour prior you'd likely do great.

Our kids are 13 and 12 and we used single rider a lot for RSR - for us it was a shorter wait than using a Fastpass - it's a great option - twice my DD and I were placed in the same car even and once my DH and DS were in the same car.

My only tip is one shared with me that I find makes a big difference and that is to always be holding a fast pass. Before you use a fast pass (and are therefore able to pull your next, do that before using your current fast pass) then while you are enjoying the ride, the clock on the next fast pass window is already ticking, especially since for some rides, a fast pass shortens your wait but it certainly does not eliminate it entirely. Of course if the return window is beyond 2 hours then pulling your next right at the 2 hour mark keeps things moving as well.

I was very nervous about crowds our last trip - but I found that getting up early and getting a lot done in those quieter morning hours and being diligent with the use of fast passes we really got a lot done. Now after our last trip I think I could go when it's much busier and still get a lot done. Sometimes you have to just mentally accept the crowds and once that is over with, then you can relax and enjoy your time.

 

[HydroGuy]

Ok, just how bad is it that week? We are all booked. WDW vet, 1st time to DL. We are staying across the street at the Del Sol.

What are crowds really like? We are morning people so we will be there right at opening and I think we can get a lot done the 1st few hours. We have a 5 day park hopper so we at least do not have to rush it every day to see most everything. Our son is 14 so pretty much anything in Fantasy land will be a no go for us. haha. RSR at California Adventure is an absolutely must do. (Or my wife would kill me)

Any tips and strategies are appreciated. I do have the Touring plans app so maybe that will help plan the day a bit.

Thanks

Hmmm, I plan to be there that week too. Who said it was going to be "bad"? I personally was expecting "good" like I normally experience.

 

[lovebug33]

We went last year on those dates. It was not that bad. Now I've only ever gone during busy times, but the waits weren't bad. Space and Big Thunder were 30 minutes mid day (that's the only time we got to ride because it's when our girls nap). It is always way too crowded in Adventureland. I don't care when you go!

 

[sherilaine]

We went last year on those dates. It was not that bad. Now I've only ever gone during busy times, but the waits weren't bad. Space and Big Thunder were 30 minutes mid day (that's the only time we got to ride because it's when our girls nap). It is always way too crowded in Adventureland. I don't care when you go!

Currently I'd say 30 minutes is a short wait for Space since it's been changed into HyperSpace Mountain - it would be a 30 minute wait shortly after park opening now and can easily get up to 90 minutes with fast passes running out by mid afternoon.

 

[PHXscuba]

I was there just after those dates last summer (June 22-23) during the first month of the 60th anniversary stuff. We went knowing it would be busy. But you're right, you can get so much done during the first few hours, especially on weekdays. We went hard all morning, took a more leisurely lunch break (Carnation Cafe), hit the lower-priority rides and shows in the afternoon, and finished up with single-rider lines* and the new entertainment at night. *There are many more single rider lines at DL that are super-useful!

If we (2 moms and 2 16-year-old daughters) can hit almost everything in 2 days (with the craziness of the new entertainment), you can certainly see everything without a frantic pace over 5 days. Just know what is the newest -- Hyperspace Mountain, Frozen show, etc. -- and everything else will be smooth. You can probably even sleep in one morning. And don't count out the classic Fantasyland rides, especially the ones you don't have in WDW.

PHXscuba

 

[BrownHP800]

And don't count out the classic Fantasyland rides, especially the ones you don't have in WDW.

My wife and I will probably hit some of the classics. He is old enough he can go hit some single rider lines and meet up with us later.