Just Back -- FYI's and what I observed...

[MollyBelle]

All STRICTLY my opinions:

1. Crowds were HUGE at MK on Nov 9th and 13th -- I mean HUGE -- I mean a 30 minute wait for SMALL WORLD! Verrrry frustrating. Couldn't even maneuver the stroller thru Fantasyland.

2. Noticed some things looking very worn and tired...ie.: Timon's costume - yikes! nubby for days! Koala Bears in Small World were scary, etc....some things need some serious attention...

3. Bus service from ASMu was very sketchy...some days we got right on...some times we waited for 40 minutes. No consistency, but I guess this is common.

4. For those staying at any All Star resorts, my opinion is to stay near the Food Court/Pools/Check-in....we stayed in the furthest bldg (Broadway) and friends stayed at Love Bug at Movies, and it is a looonnnng hike for little legs (and big ones)...if you have a refillable mug, you have to do A LOT of trotting.

5. Character interaction -- not very good on this trip. For the past two falls, we've been OVERRUN by characters...they seemed non-existent on this trip compared to 2001 and 2002...we DID get photos with Dopey, Captain Hook and Aurora this time, so that was exciting -- never gotten them before!

6. Chef Mickey -- if possible, go to EMH at MK and then get the LAST seating for breakfast here. It is GREAT -- the last seating is 11:15...you can get three hours under your belt and hop on the monorail, and it is GREAT! characters will just practically hang out at your table cuz you're the last ones here!!! This was GREAT FUN and a great photo op!

7. We coined a new phrase on this trip: PARAGE (combination of "parade" and "rage"). Parents, please do NOT try to push your children up in front of those who have been waiting patiently for 45 minutes five minutes before the parade starts. It's just WRONG. (and I know it's not the CHILD's fault).

8. 39-yr-old woman finds out that DINOSAUR and TEST TRACK are her FAVORITE RIDES! who knew?!!!! I never rode them before -- now I love them BOTH! yay.

9. Didn't have a single magical experience with a CM. They must've had crowd exasperation, or something. Never had this happen, either.

10. PHILHARMAGIC -- see it. It's tremendous. fantastic. excellent. We all loved it!

Finally, reading over this list, it sounds like we had a crummy time. We didn't...we had a GREAT time. As many have pointed out before me, Disney World is Disney World and YOU WILL have fun ...ha!

 

[Harambe]

I'm glad you had fun! Would have to support you on the PARAGE thing - twice I left my spot while waiting for a parade (both times leaving another family member to "guard") and twice I came back to find little ones in my spot.

What bothered me the most (other than my soft-hearted brother for letting them have the spot - he's been fired as our guard) was that there was one little girl who was petrified to be by herself! Her parents were way back by the wall of the stores on Main Street, and this little girl wanted nothing more than to go back to her parents - but they kept telling her to "sit there". It was horrible.

 

[westjones]

Was it mostly MK that was so crowded, or was it all of the parks?


We are going next month the week of Christmas and we are hoping that AK isn't as crowded so we can at least enjoy some rides there. I have already accepted that at MK we might not get to go on any rides (we hate standing in lines---and frankly we are going to see the decorations this time).

DJ

 

[sters]

I was also at the MK on November 4 and 9th, and especially on the 9th (SUnday) it was oppressively crowded. That was the day that the Pooh fastpasses were "sold out" by 3pm. DO FANTASYLAND FIRST. I found it crowded at all parks, except for Epcot's Futureworld

I thought charcter interaction was GREAT! I havent' been in 2 1/2 years and at that time you had to hunt to find them in their little huts. I thought we were forever stumbling on them, including Mary Poppins riding the Carosel in Fantasyland! We had the first seating for Chef Mickey's for dinner and also had a ton of interaction. We ended up riding in the front car of the monorail after dinner, just rode the loop around the resort, and ended the evenning watching Wishes from the 15th floor observartion deck of the Contemporary... music and narrative is piped in.

Bus service from POR was also sketchy. We ended up using our rental car because I was annoyed with.

I've stayed at the All Stars in the past and if you can get Fantasia, you're close to the Food Court our, you're right, it's a haul. There were locations at POR that had the same problem as well as being no where near convenient to parking.

Philaharmonic was awesome. WE saw this one morning, just walked on... it didnt' get really crowded at Fantasyland until about noon.

I staked out a good spot for Spectormagic early. My daughter ended up sitting on a strangers lap and we invited some kids up closer so they could see. I don't understand your rage about the kids.. Disney is for the kids and grown ups tend to stand so the kids can't see. But I also don't understand putting a scared kid up front if they'd rather be with the parents.

Also, we had no problem getting a spot for the afternoon parade in Frontierland 15 minutes before the parade started.

 

[welovemickey]

We just got back last night and have to agree, it was VERY CROWDED! We go at this time every year and have never encountered the crowds that we did this time.

We had a really good time, but didn't anticipate the crowds. One CM told us that there were 5 conventions going on last week and the President was at the Grand Floridian for a fund raiser on Thursday - so maybe that contributed to the amount of people there.

We'll be posting a trip report soon. Lots of funny stories to tell.

 

[pnelson]

I do understand the parade thing-Disney is also for adults. My mother's favorite thing is the parade and we will stake out a spot an hour before a parade to get a good spot. I know it's not the child's fault, but I still will not let them take my place. And this day and age, I would never offer to have a strange child sit in my lap. And I would never let my child sit in someone elses lap. Yikes-Your daughter sat in a stranger's lap-??? Never!!!

 

[MamaKate]

The 9th & the 13th were EE days for MK, right? I thought the MK was always packed on EE days and you should try and avoid them !

Where the other parks crowded or just MK? Do you do MK any other days, and if so were they as crowded?

I'm going at the beginning of December and I'm hoping for moderate crowds.

Thanks,
Katie

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by pnelson
I do understand the parade thing-Disney is also for adults. My mother's favorite thing is the parade and we will stake out a spot an hour before a parade to get a good spot. I know it's not the child's fault, but I still will not let them take my place. And this day and age, I would never offer to have a strange child sit in my lap. And I would never let my child sit in someone elses lap. Yikes-Your daughter sat in a stranger's lap-??? Never!!!

I agree!

Disney is for ALL people young and old, not just kids.

I stake out a spot early and then usually end up with little ones around me squeezing me out of my spot. I don't budge though.

I would never put my kids in front of anyone. It's just not something we do. If I was standing, I wouldn't mind a child sitting in front of me but then again it would most likely be my 2 DD's!

I sure hope your week was not the norm. Maybe it was a combination of Jersey week, the President and conventions etc...then the very next week was Veteran's day week.

I'm hoping for low crowds the first week of December too!

 

[danny1649]

Sharing I think your observations were well thought out and posted in a good informational post.I appreciate post's that give you information like this good, bad or in between on how things went during your visit. Tjanks

 

[bjakmom]

MollyBelle - Thanks for reassuring me about the 11:15 PS time at Chef Mickeys - that is what I made for our check out day & my birthday breakfast with Mickey - we chose the late seating because a few friends will be flying in early and meeting us there - I was afraid that we would end up getting the breakfast 'leftovers' and that the characters might be trying to get out of there by then - hope we have a great time, too - need my birthday pic with the mouse!

 

[jeankeri]

We will be in MK two weeks for now to see Spectro (YEAH!!!), but I have to say, the parade manners have me a bit, well, apprehensive. We will be going EARLY to stark a spot. Am I right that the curb is the closest you can be to watch? Could someone plop themselves (or child) in front?
Thanks for the wonderful report! Your vacation memories have me even more excited for our trip!

 

[pnelson]

Jeankeri,

It has been my experience that some children will sit directly in front of the curb. Anywhere there is a rope-people will sit up to the rope marker. I have found the best, least crowded spots to sit in Frontierland rather than Main Street. I'm pretty stubborn about it-stubborn, but not rude, mind you. The parades really make my mother's day, so I make sure we get a good spot.

 

[dairyou]

We were at Epcot 2 weeks ago and had problems with adults. We had sat at a bench 2 hours before Illuminations. My husband and I took turns with our 2 boys sitting on the bench. While I took my turn walking around a woman sat on the bench. That's no big deal. We knew she had seen us taking turns walking aorund. We thought she would get up as soon as she saw us come back. She never did. My husband gently told her the show was ready to start and if my son could get his seat back now. Her husband was a jerk and said really loud, "I can't believe you booted my pregnant wife off that bench!" We couldn't tell she was pregnant (maybe she was only a month or two along) and at that point told her my son could stand. He said no, you just pissed me off! He went on and on about it.

The show started, but it was definately awkward for us. Oh well, just because your at WDW doesnt mean that everyone has the Disney spirit.

Deb

 

[westjones]

We had a similiar situation. DH and I were sitting on a bench at Epcot and our two DD's went to the bathroom (luckily, there was one close to us and we could watch them go in and out of the door. DH and I 'spread' out on the bench to save their seats. Then some woman came up and said to an older woman with her, "Mom, here's a seat for you." I just looked at her and said that we were saving these seats for our daughters. She said, "Don't you have room for an elderly woman?" (well we had been there 2 hours, and it was only 10 minutes before the show). I held my ground and said, sorry there is only room for 4 people on the bench and our daughters are just in the bathroom and will be right back. She was mad, but I didn't care. There were other benches open back by the bathrooms near by if she just 'wanted a seat' to sit down. But she wanted our seats! I pointed to the empty bench back by the bathroom if they wanted a seat but she just 'huffed' off to look for another bench. I felt bad in a way, but heck, we had been sitting there for 2 hours (I couldn't walk any more, blisters on my feet, and the only reason we didn't leave the park for to see Illuminations).

DJ

 

[BlkBearSuz]

I also agree that Disney is not just for kids- it's for adults too! I never never got to go to Disney as a child, so now when I go it's my chance to be a kid. I was there at the end of October and I staked out an early spot for the Share a Dream Come True parade. Anyone else has the option to find a seat early if they want a good spot.

jeankeri- I sat on the curb and I had a great view of the parade and got excellent pictures. If you sit on a bench behind the curb, then a lot of people will fill up in front of you.

 

[DMS_cruisers04]

I don't see why people think they can take up seats, waiting for a parade or fireworks/lasar show. I mean, okay, so you sit for hours upon hours, waiting patiently, taking bathroom breaks, alternating kid breaks and trips for drinks and snacks and then expect to be able to have the seat you've been holding onto all day all to yourself. When another paying customer comes up at the last minute, acting like it's their spot - "don't you see my name on it, right there" - they expect you to move, get out of the way, find someplace else. I mean, somewhere, at sometime, probably years ago or in the future, they might be old or pregnant or have foot fungus, and you wouldn't even let them have your seat you saved all day.



Good for you Deb and DJ! We all need to stand our ground against these unDisneyfied folks!

Mike

 

[Disney Fool]

I have been a long-time Magic Kingdom parade fan. And, as with everything else lately, manners seem to have been checked at the door! A few years ago, my mother was delegated to the wheelchair section which was roped off. Unfortunately, very rude folks would inevitably stand in front of the roped off section just as the parade would begin. They knew there were wheelchair folks behind them, they just didn't care. The people in wheelchairs didn't have the option to move somewhere else, nor could they stand up to see the parade. The CM's would sternly tell the rude guests to move, but alas, they wouldn't. My mother passed away six years ago. Now, I sit on the curb like everyone else, and still, the rude folks will plop right in front of me just as the parade begins. I have often invited little ones to sit on the curb beside me so that they can see. What I am talking about is big kids, and teens, and adults who think (for whatever reason) that they are owed a spot on the curb because they decided to ride all the time and not stake out a spot, and feel that YOU are the idiot who claimed it in the first place! Where in the world do these people come from? A little kindness and courtesy would surely be welcome, but I think they are things of the past these days--which is why I now carry a giant hatpin!

 

[DiznEeyore]

I'll tell you, we've had so many bad experiences with rude people during parades/fireworks that even going to them now makes me tense. It's pretty sad when you're on vacation to enjoy yourself and the atmosphere of one of the events you should be enjoying most makes you so tense you avoid it altogether!!

 

[dairyou]

There are not only rude people, but it seems some have forgotten politness also.

I was amazed to see how many men would not give up their seat on the bus when it was standing room only. I have 2 boys and myself who stood up so many times. I don't mind standing up, and the boys enjoyed it. It just would have been nice if someone offered. I totally understand those who have children that were sitting next to them or sleeping on their laps. I'm talking about those who were just sitting next to their friends, spouses, ect. Maybe I just come from the old school

Deb

 

[Took]

You know, we decided some years ago that staking out a spot was just too fraught with problems (rude people, inconvenience, etc.) and gave up on it. Now we watch from the "sidelines." We don't get an excellent view, but we get a good one, usually, and that's enough to compensate for NOT having to deal with the hassles of claiming a spot.

I will say that,IN SOME CASES, people who appear to be rudely trampling over the rights of "stakers" don't mean to be. Once or twice, we've walked up to a parade group and found a spot (NEVER in front) and, inadvertantly blocked the view of someone who had been there for some time. Until they spoke up, we didn't realize the problem.

Also, having given up on getting a good spot ourselves, we forget, I think, how much the good view matters to some and how long these people will wait to get that view.

Of course, some of you apparently have spoken up and then had others blow up at you--that's sad. Why can't folks realize that politeness FEELS better than rudeness??

Took