Just Back - 11/8-11/13

[DisneyHardin]

We were in Disney from Election Day (11/8) until the Sunday of Veteran's Day Weekend (11/13) - this week is also what people call Jersey Week (although we are from KY, not NJ, this is the week we tend to travel to WDW). This was the 3rd year in a row we traveled this week and it was the busiest we have encountered, but I believe it was the first time that Election Day and Veteran's Day fell in the same week.

Pros -
*Rope Drop was the key. No problem knocking out tons of attractions in the first 2 hours.
*Friendly Cast Members - We didn't encounter a single rude cast member.
*MVMCP - we went to the Friday night party. It was great. We did a few rides - wait times were very low. We only did a couple Character meets because DH doesn't like waiting in long lines (we had waited to meet the Dwarfs and Scrooge McDuck a few years ago). We got a great spot on Main St. for the fireworks and then just camped out on the curb there for the parade.
*We stayed at the Polynesian and the boat was definitely the way to go for travel between the Poly and MK.
*We went to Epcot 2 days for the Food and Wine Festival. I planned ahead enough to make sure we weren't there on the weekend days and it worked out great. No huge crowds and no people who had over indulged.

Cons -
*Frozen was down during our FP window and we were not offered another FP to come back another time. I asked at the concierge desk at the hotel if I could get another FP to ride Frozen the second day we were going to be at Epcot and explained what happened and was told no, that there was nothing she could do to help me out. It was disappointing because we really wanted to ride and I had cancelled a Soarin' FP to get the Frozen one.
*The no children under 12 in the hot tub without a parent rule is NOT enforced at all at the Polynesian hot tubs and that is frustrating to be trying to relax and having little kids jumping in like it is a swimming pool without a parent in sight.

Overall it was a great trip. We only visited MK and Epcot this year. DH doesn't really like Animal Kingdom and we decided to skip Hollywood Studios a year to give some of the new stuff time to open since Rockin Rollercoaster was closed anyway. The weather was perfect and we can't wait to go back next year.

Any questions - feel free to ask.

 

[kaybird]

Sounds like a great trip! Thanks for taking the time to post!

 

[hiroMYhero]

*Frozen was down during our FP window and we were not offered another FP to come back another time. I asked at the concierge desk at the hotel if I could get another FP to ride Frozen the second day we were going to be at Epcot and explained what happened and was told no, that there was nothing she could do to help me out. It was disappointing because we really wanted to ride and I had cancelled a Soarin' FP to get the Frozen one.

Thanks for sharing!

For the downed Frozen FP, an Anytime FP wasn't added to your MDE account for that day? You have to check your account as soon as you know a ride is down and then use the Anytime FP to ride later in the day. The original Frozen FP could be Modified for another ride - giving you 4 FPs.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Thanks for sharing!

For the downed Frozen FP, an Anytime FP wasn't added to your MDE account for that day? You have to check your account as soon as you know a ride is down and the use the Anytime FP to ride later in the day. The original Frozen FP could be Modified for another ride - giving you 4 FPs.

I checked and nothing was added. When we walked up and saw it was down, there was just a CM at the gate saying it was having technical difficulties and to check back later, but our "window" only had 15 minutes left, so we couldn't check back later.

 

[Alice777]

I checked and nothing was added. When we walked up and saw it was down, there was just a CM at the gate saying it was having technical difficulties and to check back later, but our "window" only had 15 minutes left, so we couldn't check back later.

I was there from 11/4 through 11/12 and Frozen also went down when we were in line with our FP+ and within few minutes, anytime FP+ for Frozen was added to our ME account so we went later and was able to ride it.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I was there from 11/4 through 11/12 and Frozen also went down when we were in line with our FP+ and within few minutes, anytime FP+ for Frozen was added to our ME account so we went later and was able to ride it.

I wonder why I didn't get one :-(. oh well, we will ride next year.

 

[hiroMYhero]

I wonder why I didn't get one :-(. oh well, we will ride next year.

The Attractions Manager probably was delayed in posting that FEA was downed. The FP system has slowed a little in updating info.

For downed rides, Modify the FP to something else and check for the Anytime FP. Also, Guest Relations in the park could have added an Anytime FP to your MDE account. Resorts only add Anytime FPs if there is an issue at the resort.

 

[crazedprincess]

Great report... thank you!

The unsupervised kids playing and jumping in and out of the hot tub is a HUGE pet peeve of mine too. Not enjoyable at all!

 

[wfjny]

Just to add a little…

We also just returned, having been in the parks Thurs – Sat, 11/10 – 11/12 .

Like always, we had a great trip.

No issues on Thursday, parks were as expected (HS & Epcot). A little busier Friday (Epcot & MK). Saturday was insane at MK. At one point, 7DMT was 120, while Space mountain was 140 min, and Peter Pan was 90 min. Strategic use of fast passes as well as choosing what we wanted to do allowed us to skip those lines.

Many lines were beyond the ropes, with at one point the fast pass line for space mountain almost intersecting the crazy long line for the peoplemover. I have never seen lines for Carousel of Progress, never mind full theater after full theater.

The very long lines creates opportunity for another pet peeve of mine, line cutters. I must admit, with all of the confusion, many of the line cutters did not even realize they were cutting in line. I am sure there were a handful of deliberate ones (again I saw one happen behind me on the peoplemover line).

My guess is that crowds certainly were not helped with various rides down for rehab. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the need for rehabs. However, with the reduction in capacity at HS due to the expansion work, then having various big rides down (Rock’n Rollercoster, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and one whole side of Innovations), certainly strained what was left operating.

My feeling is that Disney was somewhat unprepared for the amount of people. Just a feeling, but I would have thought they would have organized some lines better had they known.

Then there is Disney Springs, where both garages were full to capacity, to the point where they would not let you in the Lime garage at all. I am thinking that Disney do not build in enough capacity there either.

Don't get me wrong, a bad day a Disney is better than a good day at work. We had a blast, did our own thing, life is good. But I am thinking that some of the rumors that Disney is struggling with park attendance may not be completely accurate.

 

[SpaceMtnGirl]

Totally get your frustration at the hot tub thing. We experienced that at Universal's Royal Pacific Resort. The kids were splashing each other and I kept getting it in the face. I reprimanded them (since no parent was in sight) and it worked for a minute then they would start up again. Ugh! On the other hand, at the Beach Club, some of the hot tubs are "hidden" and it was total bliss. I recommend that resort for peaceful hot tub experience!

 

[BridgetR3]

We are typically Thanksgiving week people but decided to go last week instead. We were there from Nov. 6-13 and it was the craziest crowds we have ever seen on most of the days. We were a part of the Peoplemover line that met the Space Mountain line on Saturday. I had never seen it all so backed up. Also, I had never seen 20-30 lady lines for the restroom!!! Glad I don't have little girls!!

Overall, we still had an amazing time but we were shocked!! We will go back to our Thanksgiving week schedule!! lol.....

 

[Koz]

Sounds like it was truly the perfect storm. On the plus side, I didn't see one tour group of any kind from the 5th to 13th.

 

[disfanforlife]

We were there last week too 11/5-11/12. We have been down this week before, but never saw it this busy. We still had a great time, but definitely planning a week later next year.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

We are typically Thanksgiving week people but decided to go last week instead. We were there from Nov. 6-13 and it was the craziest crowds we have ever seen on most of the days. We were a part of the Peoplemover line that met the Space Mountain line on Saturday. I had never seen it all so backed up. Also, I had never seen 20-30 lady lines for the restroom!!! Glad I don't have little girls!!

Overall, we still had an amazing time but we were shocked!! We will go back to our Thanksgiving week schedule!! lol.....

That's funny because I said the same thing to my family about the Wedway line. We were there on Saturday too. I don't know what time you were in line for it but what happened was they closed the ride down to clean it because someone threw up on it. The sun was hot and some people left the line after waiting, but we stayed because we knew that once it started up again the line moves quickly.

Wedway was also shut down on Wednesday for awhile. So we went on CoP and by the time we came out the line went down and we went on then.

Wedway and the CoP are our fallback rides when we don't have fast passes.

 

[NileNellie]

We were there the same time. RNR opened on Friday and somehow we got lucky and got a fastpass. While I agree it was quite crowded, everyone (cast members included) seemed in good spirits. I think the nice weather helps too.

 

[thelittlemermaid2]

Thanks for the post! I'm glad you had, for the most part, a great trip!

 

[disfanforlife]

True

We were there the same time. RNR opened on Friday and somehow we got lucky and got a fastpass. While I agree it was quite crowded, everyone (cast members included) seemed in good spirits. I think the nice weather helps too.

True, the weather was gorgeous. And we spent some time by the pool which was very nice too.

 

[xipotec]

Unfortunatly, this does not appear to be a "perfect storm" as we keep seein these issues week after week this Fall. MK was a disaster yesterday.

 

[xipotec]

Thanks for sharing!

For the downed Frozen FP, an Anytime FP wasn't added to your MDE account for that day? You have to check your account as soon as you know a ride is down and then use the Anytime FP to ride later in the day. The original Frozen FP could be Modified for another ride - giving you 4 FPs.

Hiro.....as for this we were told "just grab another FP" at 9:10pm (park close at 10pm) by the apologizer cast member at the broken Space Mountian. I know about the anytime FP, but they were not telling people about it.

As of this morning, it has not appeared on our MDE either.....

 

[hiroMYhero]

Hiro.....as for this we were told "just grab another FP" at 9:10pm (park close at 10pm) by the apologizer cast member at the broken Space Mountian. I know about the anytime FP, but they were not telling people about it.

As of this morning, it has not appeared on our MDE either.....

Thanks for reporting this, xipotec. It now appears that Anytime FPs are no longer being given out for rides that are downed for technical difficulties.

Yet, they are immediately processed for rides that are downed due to weather. And freely given out by Resorts to appease guests who have concerns.

Stopping by Guest Relations while in MK to address the downed ride FP should hopefully result in a replacement FP.