Just back - crazy busy & I think the GP have lost their minds....

[TaraPA]

Just back today from a 5-day stay. It was crazy busy - the fullest I've ever seen. I can't imagine what the big holidays are like being even much more crowded! We did rope drop & evening EMH & even that didn't seem to help much - everyone else was doing those things too. Thankfully we did the KTTK tour so we got on Jungle Cruise & HM instantly. We left MK last night at 1am (closing time, no EMH) and there was still a 25 min. wait for HM & 45 min. wait for Space Mtn. At one point there was even a queue line for TTA, yes, TTA. We tried to do Fantasmic last night. The 8pm show was full to capacity & the line for the 10pm show was out to the main street of DHS by 8:15pm. You could barely move in that area.

The weather was perfect - highs of 80 & lows of 50-55 and no humidity. Not a drop of rain. Today was going up to 85 & there was a little humidity in the air as we left.

CMs were great - but the GP - General Public - oh my! I have never encountered more rude, obnoxious & entitled people on any trip. We saw several groups & individuals who had an over-inflated feeling of self worth every single day. Demanding crazy things that went against the rules & throwing a fit until they got their way.

I'm going to try & start a trip report tonight or tomorrow, but just wanted to post a quick update here!

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

It's spring break at Disney World. Completely nuts until almost the end of April.
Your post makes me glad I decided not to do my F&G weekend at the end of March.

Glad you survived!

 

[fla4fun]

I'm sorry the GP were on less than best behavior. That seems to be the norm these days when the parks are packed. At least it wasn't hot yet - those same crowds in July are downright ugly. To be honest, I would say the spring break crowds are fairly close to equal those at Christmas or July - especially the two middle weeks of March. I'm spending my birthday next Friday at Epcot - and I'm not looking forward to the crowds. I'm just focusing on my lunch at Le Cellier and all the lovely flowers and the fact that I'm going for 10 days in May, so if I don't get on a single ride, it's OK. I had thought about going to MK instead, but I think Epcot can be more enjoyable during peak times.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Right now we are running at about 75% of ultimate capacity. The projection for today at DHS was 36,000. Yesterday we almost hit 36. I have seen a 48 day during Christmas week, and we were at a Stage 4 closing that day for a while.

 

[mousireid]

I was quite surprised last Saturday at the queues for the monorail from the TTC, at the endless lines and throngs of people - I am not acustomed to this level of madness - but we had a plan and we ate where we had never eaten before, we tried out a few attractions we had never done before and spent quite some time in almost empty stores 9about the only place that was empty). We also spent some time at the entrance area/bottom of Main Street where teh crowds were far less around lunchtime - it was quite pleasant and dared not venture into the back of the park! luckily we have APs so it was a good experience all round.
Again, I was just surprised!
We are heading to AKV next weekend and plan on really enjoying our time at the resort as well as a hop to Epcot, Ohanas and Bomas - otherwise I plan on obscure areas we rarely visit and finding hidden mickeys! I am feeling a relaxing weekend actually (even in the midst of chaos)!
Oh the GP - quite a fwe crazies out there with that droll look in their eyes and the line jumpers/shovers were abounding - I jsut let it roll this time because I was totally in MY happy place Dagnamit! It worked for me this time and I skipped along which likely annoyed a few of the grumpies. Still, its always about I just noticed more 'Sheeple' this trip!

 

[sjms71]

Just back today from a 5-day stay. It was crazy busy - the fullest I've ever seen. I can't imagine what the big holidays are like being even much more crowded! We did rope drop & evening EMH & even that didn't seem to help much - everyone else was doing those things too. Thankfully we did the KTTK tour so we got on Jungle Cruise & HM instantly. We left MK last night at 1am (closing time, no EMH) and there was still a 25 min. wait for HM & 45 min. wait for Space Mtn. At one point there was even a queue line for TTA, yes, TTA. We tried to do Fantasmic last night. The 8pm show was full to capacity & the line for the 10pm show was out to the main street of DHS by 8:15pm. You could barely move in that area.

The weather was perfect - highs of 80 & lows of 50-55 and no humidity. Not a drop of rain. Today was going up to 85 & there was a little humidity in the air as we left.

CMs were great - but the GP - General Public - oh my! I have never encountered more rude, obnoxious & entitled people on any trip. We saw several groups & individuals who had an over-inflated feeling of self worth every single day. Demanding crazy things that went against the rules & throwing a fit until they got their way.

I'm going to try & start a trip report tonight or tomorrow, but just wanted to post a quick update here!

Tara, I have been here since March 4 and we have 2 days left. I have to agree with you 100% on ALL points, especially the GP comment. Yes it is Spring Break but we come every year this time and it does seem more busy than past years. For us that is why we are glad we had two weeks. Most of this week has been spent at the pool.

 

[TaraPA]

We did the same thing since our group all have APs - ate at a lot of new resort TS, did a lot of people watching (I have lots of pics if someone ever starts a "People of WDW" thread like the "People of Wal-Mart" website)...we watched Wishes from the beach at Poly since the one night it was complete chaos in MK for 10pm Wishes - it was almost scary crowded. It was complete gridlock for about 20 min. So lots of new adventures! I'm back next week with the kids & I'm already thinking we will have lots of pool time, maybe mini golf or something like that instead of commando park days.

Here are some crowd pics:

This was after 10pm Wishes trying to exit across the bridge from Adventureland to Main Street - heading towards Crystal Palace & Casey's - we stood here in gridlock for awhile. They did bring CM's out with light-up wands to try & get it moving but it was just complete chaos.

30 min. wait for Spaceship Earth:

World Showcase around 3pm:

AK around 11am:

Line for the 10pm F! show - at 8:15 pm already up the entire street towards the entrance:

 

[kaffinito]

Holy cow! Those crowds look as bad as NYE crowds!

 

[MickeyMouseMomofSix]

OMG..those pics! We leave for our trip tomorrow. I.AM.OFFICIALLY.SCARED! lol

 

[sjs314]

We went during Spring Break in 2009 Never again, while the weather was perfect warm and sunny but not hot no rain only once during the overnight hours but those crowds are horrible.

I feel bad for anyone who has to travel during that time because of school age children or their jobs.

Funny thing is we use to go down for Easter week every year when they had the live televised parade at MK and honestly I do not remember it being as bad, crowded yes but people as a whole were less rowdy

 

[ObsessedDisPlanner]

Holy cow!! Those lines and pics remind me of Christmas when we went and I said NEVER AGAIN! They last few years we have done May and I would call it empty compared to that!! Spring break is crazy down there and now with Easter in LATE April, Disney will have 2 months of sheer craziness!

Im sure your time was enjoyable though! Thanx for posting, but glad we are doing May!!

 

[clshirk]

Wow. Those pics were a bit scary when I think of having 2 preschoolers with me...eck.

 

[Jonell]

OH MY!!!! We'll be there March 30th-April 8th. These pics make me want to cancel my trip and stay home

 

[Mommyto2Princesses]

Let me begin by saying that we normally come in October. I was NOT prepared for this. I have a friend at home that said she came Spring Break two years ago and the parks were almost empty. That has not been the case this year. People are everywhere. I thought we were in a recession? Guess that's over.

Yes, MK is so crowded, that we only did 1/2 of the park in a day. Is that normal? Guess so, but NEVER AGAIN will I do disney during Spring Break. We couldn't even find someone to feed us yesterday.

GP is always rude I think. You gotta come with your game face on and be ready to be polite yet not get walked all over. Fast Pass machines can't keep up and it's just plain crazy down here right now.

BUT..... I'm at Disney World and not at HOME!!!!!

 

[katiekoester]

Will it be better in late may? We are going for our first ever trip and while I can deal and roll with the punches, my DH and dad may have to stay at the hotel!!!

 

[Planogirl]

We've been during Spring Break and it's hard. You have to really plan carefully but it's doable.

Except for Fantasmic that is. I would skip that one unless you have the dinner package personally.

 

[smalltowngirl504]

Will it be better in late may? We are going for our first ever trip and while I can deal and roll with the punches, my DH and dad may have to stay at the hotel!!!

we will be there at the end of may, and the weekend is pretty crazy of memorial day but the weekend after doesnt seem too bad! according to the crowd calenders !

 

[Mr Potatoe Ed]

We are going to be there 3/8-4/1. What are the crowds like? One post said busy til the end of April, is that right?

 

[domestic goddess]

We were there for spring break in 2007 and it was the week before Easter. It was crazy busy and very hot! This year we are going 3/30-4/8 and we were hoping for a little bit lower crowd level since it will be 3 weeks before Easter, but I guess that won't be happening.

Oh well, we will just have to do what we can. We have to go then because my DS is marching with his high school marching band for the MSEP parade at MK on April 2nd. My older DS marched with his band in 2007. Then we will be back again in 4 more years as my DD will be marching then. Then we don't have to go at spring break anymore! If anyone is at MK on April 2nd and sees the Lakeview High School Spartan Marching Band from MI, scream and say "HI"!!

As for the GP, it seems that they get worse every time we go down there. It amazes me how many people think that they are the ONLY ones on vacation at WDW and should be catered to by everyone else. My DH and I decided to use it as a life lesson time for our children to show them how NOT to behave and what it looks like when someone does act like that. It can be very frustrating to see it happening so much and I really feel sorry for the CM's who have to deal with it and in the "Disney" way.

 

[TBLaube]

We are traveling from Mar 28-Apr 06. We are doing DxDDP and are designating this a trip for eating and relaxing. If we don't get to do a ton of rides, we will be okay, especially since we are going to DL (only an hour and a half away and we are AP holders) in May.
We will miss the band by one day and are bummed. I was lucky enough to perform in DL when I was a freshman and it was such a fun experience. And my Junior year we performed at Tokyo Disneyland. That was amazing!