Just Back! CROWDED!!

[disneyluv4]

We just got back and it was sooooo much more crowded than last year. We were there last year the first 2 weeks in August. This year, the last 2 weeks of July. It was alot more crowded this year. But if you use your fastpasses it was fine. It rained every afternoon (just about) and that really cooled the place down. Evenings were wonderful. And talk about clearing out a place, one evening it keep on raining very lightly, there was no parade due to this, but the waits were minimal. It was great. We stayed on site, in the past we used EE and LOVED it. Well, this year we used EMH one time and that was it. Way too crowded and then they would only open one side to Space Mountain and the line was way outside. And we were there for opening! We did not get alot accomplished. So just decided not to do it and hit different parks those days. In the past we would get almost both lands done. Not this time. Did the raceway and SM. Otherwise had a Wonderful time. Will not be back in summer. We really like right before Chistmas or right after the new year into the first week of Feb. Summer just worked better with our schedules and the kids. And it is harder to go for a longer time during the school year. Plus they really like the water parks. But we could still enjoy one of those. Any questions?

 

[CaptainJackSparrow]

Glad to hear you had a good time. I went once at about this stage of the summer and had the same experience. I was amazed at how much it could rain in one day. You are right about the crowds though, when its not raining, there is barely room to breathe. Nonetheless, it was a good trip.
I heard that Disney is still able to do fireworks if there is rain. So its weird, if they can do that, why can't they still do a parade? Maybe I'm the only one who finds this a little backwards.

-Captain Jack

 

[lovin_disney]

We are leaving on Monday and I hope some of the crowds are gone. Public school starts here the same day so I am keeping my fingers crossed. The good news is we are staying on site for a week and have been many times before so we won't have the same urgency to make sure we get to everything. I really want to spend time enjoying our resort.

Glad you had a good time.

 

[pstepka]

How was the rain...a downpour or just sprinkling? And, how long did it last each day?

This is our first summer trip...our first one was a few days during Easter week and the second was a week at the beginning of October (it was HOT but did not rain).

I'm just trying to get a feel for how much rain I can expect.

 

[pstepka]

Luvin: Do you know if it is state-wide that the schools start? I know my cousin's kids in Cocoa Beach are in school then (they wanted to come to spend time with us while we're there and are not happy!). It would be nice if the crowds were less because of school!

Pam

 

[CarolA]

I was there this weekend and while it was crowded I never felt it was PACKED. Now I avoided MK so that could explain it, but the crowds were actually smaller then the last time I went in August (2000)

When it rains, it POURS and storms! Quite a site. However there are some plus sides. Saturday I arrived at Epcot at 8:00 pm and still found a great site for viewing illuminations. Yesterday I came to the park after my meeting arriving at around 5:30 and walked in the DELUGE to France and was seated right away for dinner without a Priority Seating reservation.

The reason they can't do parades has to do with electocuting the performers in the rain! Also, it is very hard to dance down main street without falling and getting injured in the rain.

 

[disneyluv4]

pstepka-Sometimes it would downpour, but usually would not last long. And sometimes it would rain lightly and those would last longer. It did not bother us, during the downpours we usually seemed to be indoors. And the light rain doesn't bother us.

 

[lap1031]

You said you did EMH once in MK, which day did you go? We are planning on doin Sunday EMH which I've heard is a great morning to do MK, but lately it seems everyone is saying its packed?!

 

[disneyluv4]

CarolA,
We never felt it was PACKED either, granted MK was more so than any other. But it was definately alot more crowded than last year. We used fastpass, but I cannot comprehend standing in line for TT for 120 min., and SplashM for 80 min. And so on, I think most of the really popular attractions had wait of +60 min. I cannot believe people wait in line for that long, when fastpass is available. We have been so many times that if we missed something we would either go back later or if we couldn't, it would not bother us a whole lot. We got to see everything we wanted (except one show), so we were happy.

 

[n2mm]

We also just got back and absolutely agree with the OP. We also tried EE on Sunday morning at MK...what a diaster. We did not do it again. We then hit MK on Wed. AM and it was much better. We did more in 3 hours on Wed. then the 4 hours on Sunday. A couple of evenings it continued to rain for more than 4 hours or throughout the night. We do summer every year and the crowds are heavy. Hope they thin out for our next trip. E-ticket on Tuesday the 29th also sold out. Not sure about the one on the 1st, because I didn't try then. Glad I passed on it this trip.

 

[crzy4dsny]

We got home last night from a 9 night stay at Riverside. For us it was crowded. We go during low crowd times for the most part. This was our first summer trip. We did early entry at the MK and did well. We did Dumbo, Peter Pan ,Snow White , carrousel, Tee Cups, Small World, and Haunted Mansion before 9:30. Then it got real crowded and we left. Sunday, 8/3, there was a 80 min wait for Winnie The Poo, the line for Small world was all the back to the carrousel. We did a couple fast pass rides and got to do Carrousel Of Progress. Later in the day the lines did go down alot but still to long for me. I won't wait if it's longer than 25 or 30 min. I feel like we didn't get much done but thats o.k. This was a last minute trip and when we go in November we can catch up on anything we missed this trip.

 

[Selket]

Was the EE at the MK on Sunday bad also in Fantasyland? I'm planning on taking my 5 yr old to it in two weeks. We'll not do the thrill rides but just the Fantasyland stuff on that EMH morning. I'd hate to drag my sorry backside out of bed and, even worse, my kid who doesn't like to get up early - only to find out that we hardly get to ride anything at the MK EMH!

 

[crzy4dsny]

On the first Sunday it was pretty light. On Thursday it was much more crowded. The lines were kind of long for everything. I assumed that on a Thursday it would be less crowded than a Sunday. We didn't get much done that morning. I have a 5,4, and 2 year. We spend most of our time in Fantasyland. I would recommend that you do the early entry. Every day after 11:00 was it was packed at the MK. The other parks weren't too bad though. Make sure you are there 10 or 15 min before 8:00, this way you get the full hour in.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

All FL counties have different schedules. My kids go back Aug. 18th. I think the 15th is when seasonal blackout ends, meaning crowds usually go down so they encourage "us" to come again !

 

[bobcat]

I had a totally different experience during the same time frame. We arrived on the 18th and left on the 30th and everytime I walked into MK I kept saying where are the crowds. We usually go during the 2nd week of August and I love the low crowds and late summer nights during that time so I was worried about July but was amazed at the lack of crowds.

 

[Snowysmom]

We were at WDW July 20-28. On Sunday July 20, MK was not too bad, crowded but very manageable. On Sunday July 27, it was packed! DH and I agreed that we have never seen it so crowded in July and we go in July every other year (with son #1 going to college now, it will probably be 4 years now.) We used fast pass alot so that helped. Epcot was not too bad on Saturday except for Test Track and Mission Space-we used fast passes for both. MGM on Monday worked out well. The bottom line is that MK was more crowded than we have seen in the past few years while the other parks were not too bad, just a little more crowded. FTP worked for Disney! Our resort, AKL, was alot more crowded than in 2001.