Just Back 3/29 - very very crowded!!

[TeenaS]

Any questions?

Crowds were huge. I've been there during my daughter's spring break in March for the last four years. Never seen anything like these crowds. In fact, all the times we've been there during the last 23 years, never seen crowds like this (we avoid summers though). Thank goodness she graduates in May and we'll never have to go during spring break time again. It was ugly!

Great weather, great food and we relaxed big time. After the mob scene 3/24 at MK, we just hit our few favorites and spent most of the week at the pools relaxing and reading. Since we go 3-4 times a year, we could do that and not feel bad about not hitting the attractions.

I'm not buying attendance figures being down. And the crownds hours did not justify the short hours last week!!!

 

[jeffemy]

A CM once told me Mondays are the absolute worst day for MK. What were the crowds like at the other parks? Do you know if the rides were all operating at full compacity? Glad the weather was nice and you were able to enjoy some down-time

 

[luvindisneyworld]

i personally am glad to hear that,and i hope this continues.maybe we will have longer hours.

 

[nativetxn]

Welcome back, Teena. As much as I dislike crowds at WDW it does my heart good to know that people are still going and still enjoying the parks. Especially with current events.

Will you be writing a trip report?

 

[TeenaS]

We hit Epcot on Tuesday, Animal Kingdom on Wednesday and the Studios on Thursday, then back to Epcot on Friday. Crowds were huge everywhere. First time in ages that I can remember at Hall of Presidents, every seat was filled. At Tarzan, Little Mermaid, Beauty & the Beast - - completely full shows. When we got our fastpass for Rock n' Roller Coaster, the standby line was I believe close to 2 hours. The fastpass was for 3 hours later.

We stayed at Port Orleans - Riverside and the CM said it was totally full and has been for the last few weeks and will be for the next few weeks. She said she was working overtime.

So I can't figure out the cut in hours and the layoffs.

 

[mom of girls]

I agree. It was quite crowded last week, every day, every park. Longer hours would be justified.

 

[BarbOKW]

We just got back also, we must have been at two different places, although it looks like we were on the same schedule. There seemed to be a lot of people walking around but the lines were very short. We went to Epcot on Tuesday and then to the MK for the e-night. I agree that the MK was a zoo until the e-night started but other than that I thought the parks were very managable.

On Wednesday we went to AK, picked up a fast pass for the river ride and then went on the new spinning coaster with a 10 minute wait, then we went to it's a Bugs Life with no wait.

On Thursday we went to Epcot, picked up a fast pass for Test Track then went to Universe of Engery..no wait and then we went through Living Seas with a 5 minute wait. Then we road Test Track. Went to World Show case got into everything with no wait except the ride in Norway where we had to wait maybe 10 to 15 minutes.

On Friday we went to MGM, got Fast Passes for Rock-in-Roll Roller Coaster then went to Star Wars... 10 minute wait, then we went to Tower of Terror maybe 15 minutes and then road the Rock-in-Roll Roller Coaster.

That's the main items we did but nothing had more than a 15 minute wait and if it did I picked up a Fast Pass.

It felt more crowded than the lines reflected, but I know of two other families that were also there last week and they also reported short lines.

 

[karenrc]

We just got back too - were there 3/22 to 3/30. I didn't think it was that crowded - of course my last Disney experience was New Year's Eve at Disneyland where the wait for Small World was about 2 hours. There were quite a few people there but the lines were very manageable.

The only place that was really empty was Animal Kingdom Sunday 3/23 in the pouring rain - no lines, but awfully wet! E-ride night on 3/25 seemd pretty crowded - had lines of 20 minutes for many things. Our longest line was 30 minutes at Typhoon Lagoon on Thurs 3/27 (before it rained) for the family raft ride. We did use fast pass for some things.

Saturday 3/29 my DS14 and I visited each park as part of some insane bonding ritual. I thought it was much more crowded than the rest of the week but we waited about 5 minutes for Winnie the Pooh, walked on to the safari at AK, had great seats at Beauty and the Beast, and could have done single rider for Test Track in a 15 minute line. My DH and DS17 rode ToT and RnR at about 4 pm that same day waiting about 20 minutes for each.

In short, I thought there were enough people to be a fun atmosphere but not so many as to be unpleasant.

 

[CRB#33]

I'm starting to think that the word "crowded" is a very subjective word

But I am for anything that will give me longer hours!

 

[PatriciaH]

DH and I were at WDW the 21st-25th. Epcot was empty on the 22nd. We walked on everything. Even around 2pm Test Track was only a 20 minute wait. We had fast passed it so we walked right on. Saturday night everyone left the MK after the fireworks so we were able to walk on about 7 rides. Splash, Big Thunder, Pirates, Winnie the Pooh, Snow White, HM, etc.. we walked right up to the cars! Sunday MGM was walk-ons for everything. It was pouring though! We rode TOT several times in a row. Monday at MK was busy- but again after the fireworks at 7:15pm everyone left the park. It was open until 9pm so we got on about 10 rides in the last hour and 1/2! It was like a mini E-ticket night. AK on Tuesday NO waits again. Kali was 5 minutes all day.

 

[Dancind]

We were there last week too. I noticed that first thing in the mornings, it seemed really packed at all the parks. I didn't think we would be able to do much of anything. Things seemed to thin out pretty quickly, though, and we didn't wait much. Of course, we used Fast Pass for major rides, but Test Track was the only one that was two hours out. The rest were about an hour, and we waited standby for many rides that were less than 30 minutes. The worst crowd we saw was at Sea World on Monday, couldn't get anything to eat without 45 minute lines. Diana

 

[laf]

Hmm...back on 3/30--thought was MUCH more crowded than short hours justified. Resorts full, Fantasia golf packed, Disneyquest very crowded, not able to do any last minute PS at any park restaurants...felt like spring break to us!

But we had fun

 

[#1MMFan]

Just back also. Agree that MK on Monday 24th was very crowded. Boy, we just got outta there as fast as poss and went to Epcot. Thought Epcot was fairly empty most of our 10 day stay, although Test Track always had a fair standby, the least was 30 minutes, but we just used Fast Pass. We even got a surprise Fast Pass for Honey I Shrunk the Audience with our Test Track FP on Saturday 29th.

Certainly more crowded than January 2002, but not as bad as the summer months! And the weather was generally sunny and warm.

#1MMFan