Just Back...crowds Are crazy & magic is low...

[2Gma]

OP, I have to disagree with you. We just got back today from 9 days there. It was the lowest crowd levels I've ever experienced on a fall trip (vs. 2011, 2013, 2015). Most rides were 5-15 min wait and SDMT was only 27 min wait at 12:30pm! The only ride I saw with high wait time was PP (posted 80 minutes at 1:30 pm) but we had FP+ so I don't know if it was actually that long. FoF parade was delayed an hour because of rain that day. Crowds were also low at DHS most things 10 min wait. There was even 4th FPs available in the afternoon and evening for ToT, RnR and TSM! which we took advantage of. I also saw Brown Derby and Hollywood and Vine had dinner reservations for the same evening at 5:30pm. Star Wars fireworks were awesome! Loved the look of amazement on my children's faces. Most CMs were cheerful and helpful! Definitely no loss of magic for our family! Actually wished we had booked more days at Disney!

We found crowds also to be low at Universal and Legoland as well. All around I could see that tourism was down in Orlando as had been reported.

 

[Accident]

Labor Day week was awesome this year!! Moderate Sat and Sun and slow rest of the week.

Good to know. Will try for that next time!

Labor day weekend is not normally awesome. The storm that went up the west coast of florida and then into the lower states happened right about then so a lot of travel was impacted or people just stayed away and that turns into amazing time at disney. week after labor day is generally really nice but labor day weekend itself I've never seen quiet without a storm helping out.

 

[anniemae]

Sept in general is very slow. Especially after Labor Day. The first few weeks are the lowest you will see. Also early May is slow, as is January, right after new years day.

 

[hakepb]

OP, I have to disagree with you. We just got back today from 9 days there. It was the lowest crowd levels I've ever experienced on a fall trip (vs. 2011, 2013, 2015). Most rides were 5-15 min wait and SDMT was only 27 min wait at 12:30pm! The only ride I saw with high wait time was PP (posted 80 minutes at 1:30 pm) but we had FP+ so I don't know if it was actually that long. FoF parade was delayed an hour because of rain that day. Crowds were also low at DHS most things 10 min wait. There was even 4th FPs available in the afternoon and evening for ToT, RnR and TSM! which we took advantage of. I also saw Brown Derby and Hollywood and Vine had dinner reservations for the same evening at 5:30pm. Star Wars fireworks were awesome! Loved the look of amazement on my children's faces. Most CMs were cheerful and helpful! Definitely no loss of magic for our family! Actually wished we had booked more days at Disney!

We found crowds also to be low at Universal and Legoland as well. All around I could see that tourism was down in Orlando as had been reported.

I'd agree that weekdays are still good.

But if you are like me, once you experience a F&W weekend at Epcot, it becomes a "never again, Nope!"

 

[KBship]

OP, I have to disagree with you. We just got back today from 9 days there. It was the lowest crowd levels I've ever experienced on a fall trip (vs. 2011, 2013, 2015). Most rides were 5-15 min wait and SDMT was only 27 min wait at 12:30pm! The only ride I saw with high wait time was PP (posted 80 minutes at 1:30 pm) but we had FP+ so I don't know if it was actually that long. FoF parade was delayed an hour because of rain that day. Crowds were also low at DHS most things 10 min wait. There was even 4th FPs available in the afternoon and evening for ToT, RnR and TSM! which we took advantage of. I also saw Brown Derby and Hollywood and Vine had dinner reservations for the same evening at 5:30pm. Star Wars fireworks were awesome! Loved the look of amazement on my children's faces. Most CMs were cheerful and helpful! Definitely no loss of magic for our family! Actually wished we had booked more days at Disney!

We found crowds also to be low at Universal and Legoland as well. All around I could see that tourism was down in Orlando as had been reported.

I'm glad you had that experience and truly wish I'd traveled on your dates. Mine train was over 115 mins all weekend, everything at HS and Epcot was over 45 and Elsa's ride at Epcot was 90 minutes 20 mins after rope drop. Roll of the dice I guess. Just picked a bad weekend.

 

[FoxC63]

Any weekend at EPCOT, during F&W, will be insane.

September between Labor Day and F&W is still slow.

So true, however September is hurricane season and it's been pretty brutal. On the "Official MNSSHP 2016" thread you'll be able to read reports from all the times it rained and or stormed so badly things were delayed or cancelled. October has been our go to WDW month for better weather and lower crowds but I fear it's a thing of the past as Disney no longer offers free dinning Sad, sooo sad! Oh and is another no thanks. When I travel I want warm weather, not rainy, cold or overly crowded.

 

[margareton27]

We did a split visit at the beginning of food and wine last year. Week days at WDW, trip to the coast to check out Vero Beach on the weekend, and back for a few more week days. It worked out really well. CM's said the weekend had been crazy busy. But seems like that is the rule not the exception.

 

[DebbieB]

I was there May 8 to 15, crowds were not bad, weather was nice.

 

[Nancyg56]

I do not think that there are any true slow seasons left. October used to be much less crowded, but between F&W, the Parties and discounts, that ship sailed. When I go in October I try to avoid Epcot on the weekends and plan to be shoulder to shoulder on a Saturday night in the MK. If you can mange to set your weekend expectations, the rest of the week is pretty good actually,

 

[DeluxePrincess]

We were there last week and had a great time with some pixie dust!!! By going at rope drop and leaving mid-day then coming back in the evening to close, we were able to ride every ride we wanted to multiple times.

Yes! I've been successful utilizing this strategy during Christmas week, so I have faith that if used during any part of the year, you can "beat" the crowds.

 

[holden]

We were there this weekend too. HS wasn't too bad Friday. EP was insane in WS Saturday (as expected). I was shocked how crowded MK was Sunday. It was ridiculous.

 

[Klayfish]

I'm glad you had that experience and truly wish I'd traveled on your dates. Mine train was over 115 mins all weekend, everything at HS and Epcot was over 45 and Elsa's ride at Epcot was 90 minutes 20 mins after rope drop. Roll of the dice I guess. Just picked a bad weekend.

I'm certainly sorry to hear you feel like the magic is gone. Personally, for my family, it's more alive than ever. Keep in mind that you're singling out two of the newest and most popular rides on the entire property to illustrate standby times. Yeah, that's going to happen, and always does. Remember TSMM every single day, until they just added the third track? Specifically when there used to be paper FP+? At rope drop, you literally had to run to the ride and get to the kiosk. If you were 30 minutes late, the FP+ tickets were completely gone, for the entire day. These things are going to happen.

I'm not a fan of overwhelmingly massive crowds either. Few people are. At the same time, I try to have perspective that crowds = revenue for WDW. Revenue for WDW = new/improved rides and attractions. If there were no crowds, they wouldn't be building ToyStory Land, Avatar World, etc... So look at the bright side.

 

[craedaisy12]

Remember TSMM every single day, until they just added the third track? Specifically when there used to be paper FP+? At rope drop, you literally had to run to the ride and get to the kiosk. If you were 30 minutes late, the FP+ tickets were completely gone, for the entire day. These things are going to happen.

i remembered this.. i was the one that took my families tickets and "walked" ahead of everyone to get the fast passes and then met them at Starring Rolls for breakfast! Gone are those days! One day at Epcot we had my sister do it for Soarin'.. she didn't know which way to go. so she didn't try for fast passes again haha

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I'd agree that weekdays are still good.

But if you are like me, once you experience a F&W weekend at Epcot, it becomes a "never again, Nope!"

Agree - We stopped going to WDW in the fall because of the F&WF. Nights and weekends at Epcot are a super-crowded disaster, and if you are not a foodie (we are not) then the benefits of the festival are wasted on you. We go in early September or after Thanksgiving - before Christmas.

 

[mindeola]

I was there May 8 to 15, crowds were not bad, weather was nice.

WE were there the same time. It was perfect!

i remembered this.. i was the one that took my families tickets and "walked" ahead of everyone to get the fast passes and then met them at Starring Rolls for breakfast! Gone are those days! One day at Epcot we had my sister do it for Soarin'.. she didn't know which way to go. so she didn't try for fast passes again haha

That used to be me in our big group! LOL So glad those days are long gone!

 

[nilla]

Epcot was pretty slow when we were there in June.

 

[loves to dive]

I was there the first week of F&W and found the crowds really manageable, even Epcot on a Saturday night. I didn't book any FPs in advance and only booked one while standing in line and never waited longer than 15 min. for any rides. I didn't ride FEA simply because I really don't have any interest in it until the work out the kinks and it gets over it's newness. I rode most of the headliner like Soarin, SDMT, TT, ToT, TSMM, EE all without FPs and none at rope drop and could have ridden the others but just wasn't interested in doing so. I even did a spur of the moment meet and greet with Chewy and it was only a 10 min. wait. Actually, my longest line was waiting at the Festival Center to pick up my tickets for an event. We were also there in March during my son's college spring break and walked on most rides without even a 10 min. wait, that was during F&G at Epcot. I think, for us at least, park hoppers are a big must since if you think it's too crowded at the park you are at, you can just hop on over to another one.

 

[Missyrose]

Here's the thing to remember, even if it's a low-crowd time, it doesn't mean the attractions will all magically be walk-on all day. Disney cuts back on staffing and also cuts attraction capacity when the crowds are lower, which means wait times can be just as high as when there's more people in the park.

Also, the middle of the day and evening will always be pretty crowded at the parks, no matter what time of year it is.

 

[SaintsManiac]

The most popular theme park in the world and you're never going to set foot in again because it was crowded this past weekend? I do not understand this mania over crowds. I go in expecting it to be crazy no matter what time of year it is.

 

[DopeyDame]

The most popular theme park in the world and you're never going to set foot in again because it was crowded this past weekend? I do not understand this mania over crowds. I go in expecting it to be crazy no matter what time of year it is.

As Yogi Bera said, no one ever goes there any more, it's too crowded.