Just back, no or low crowds

[CaipiraBob]

Back from a stay at the Polynesian concierge.

No crowds, greatly improved service and overall excellent resort experience.

Saw MK and MGM exclusively on this trip. On early arrival within 20 minutes park opening, generally everything was a walkon or max 15 minute wait as it got busy. We didn't go in the evenings except for Saturday night, and that was fairly busy, but enjoyable.

Biggest improvement: Resort maid service. "Maid-zilla" has been defeated and consigned to the depths of the Universal Hotels (dunno, just guessing.)

Biggest complaint: Fix the freakin' park, Eisner! Many rides broke down on many different occassions. Some never got started on the days we visited as far as we knew. On that list of rides that broke down or experienced a major problems:

1) Dumbo
2) Peter Pan
3) Mickey's Philhar-Magic

There were apparently others, but none that we hit at that time.

The worst was when the monorail had to be shut down completely while we were departing MK. They apparently had to hit "CTRL-ALT-DLT" for this one. Everything shut down and rebooted. When they pulled up into the Contemporary, the system announced we were arriving at the Polynesian. There was a general fear they were going to open the doors before we got into the Contemporary.

People were calling it "The Broken Kingdom".

It dropped down into the 30's while we were there. I told my children it was "The Frozen Kingdom". They liked that better.

Anyway, full report later.

 

[jwfla422]

I agree, we just got back and the crowds weren't there which was so nice, especially after hearing how booked up the resorts were. You just wouldn't think that was the case.

We went to MK Friday and it was very comfy with waits less than 15-20 minute waits on the popular rides and plenty of room to walk. Main Street wasn't crowded at all. We went to DTD a little later that day and thought it was more crowded than MK, all the holiday shoppers!! Finding a parking space was a bit challenging!

EPCOT on Monday was just great! TT had a 20 min wait and a FP time 25 min later and when we came back at 3:15 to ride it had a 5 min wait. MS only had a 5 minute wait in the standby line. AK was a bit busy on Sunday but probably because of it being a weekend. And MGM was pretty packed at the Osborne lights Friday night with a huge crowd waiting to get in from Pop Warner.

Some of the CMs said this was the calm before the storm. Come tomorrow and Friday they expect it to be packed.

 

[nativetxn]

I returned home on 12/13. The crowds were better than Christmas but much busier than I remember them last year.

 

[AladdinsPrincess]

Good news! My DH and I are heading up Saturday for a long weekend through Monday. I'm hoping this weekend will be the calm before the Christmas storm!

 

[rkmassa]

We are hoping for the same thing. We are leaving tomorrow and coming home the 23rd. Hope to miss the crowds we saw pour in last year on the 24th. Cold weather or not, we are ready.

 

[leighe]

Those are our exact dates rkmassa. I'm just going under the assumption that it's going to be super crowded with so many schools going on Christmas break. Then if it's not it will just be a nice surprise! Not looking forward to temps in the 40's though. Brrrrrr.

 

[lulu71]

I returned home on 12/13. The crowds were better than Christmas but much busier than I remember them last year.

I totally agree. We returned on the 11th and I wouldn't categorize it all as as no crowds, we experienced this in Dec. 2001 when you couldn't see a soul around sometimes. The December crowds have steadily increased each year since then. The change is amazing.

 

[disneymom3]

I totally agree. We returned on the 11th and I wouldn't categorize it all as as no crowds, we experienced this in Dec. 2001 when you couldn't see a soul around sometimes. The December crowds have steadily increased each year since then. The change is amazing.

Okay, but keep in mind that Dec 2001, no one was travelling. Tourism was dying at the time as I recall.

We were there in Dec 2002 and were surprised at how crowded it was. I think so much depends on your perception. So, since then, we just go and expect it to be pretty crowded and then if it's not we are pleasantly surprised.

 

[waughzee]

Gosh, I don't know where you guys were, but I just returned and I have never seen it so crowded in December! Tuesday and Wednesday, the crowds really thinned out, but before that, it was really busy! Saturday night in the MK was a madhouse!

 

[CaipiraBob]

Gosh, I don't know where you guys were, but I just returned and I have never seen it so crowded in December! Tuesday and Wednesday, the crowds really thinned out, but before that, it was really busy! Saturday night in the MK was a madhouse!

We did make a "quick hit" on MK Saturday night, but it was just to see it, the lights and the sights. Not really to ride.

We generally hit things right in the morning within 15-20 minutes of the park opening. We didn't stay late into the afternoon.

Our general gameplan is to make the morning "Park Time", then return in the afternoon for resort activities, and then explore or eat at a nice restaurant in the evening. It works really well for us, as we focus on specific parks on a given trip so that the kids get to see and do everything. We don't have to spend all day in a park. Our resort time gives us time to either rest the kids or check out where we're staying. Finally in the evening, more of the same but following a good meal.

We find that ther kids don't melt down that way and neither of us burn out while trying to relax. Then again, we live down here so Disney isn't too far for a return visit.

Did you run into the break downs on Monday for PP and M'sPM? We were getting worried there at first.

Anyway, in the end all went well.

 

[got2travel]

I totally agree. We returned on the 11th and I wouldn't categorize it all as as no crowds, we experienced this in Dec. 2001 when you couldn't see a soul around sometimes. The December crowds have steadily increased each year since then. The change is amazing.

Thank you, I'm not alone. Although it was not packed, I really expected less people in the parks. I kept commenting that I wish it weren't so crowded. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad, e-ticket wait times were no more than 20 minutes, but I still felt there were more people walking around the parks than usual. We were there Dec 8-13.

 

[jwfla422]

We were in MK on Friday, 12/10 in the morning. We waited about 5 minutes in Toontown to see the Disney princesses compared to our trip 2 months ago when we waited in the same line to see them for 45 minutes. Definitely less crowded than October. Sunday we were in AK which was also very manageable. Now I wouldn't clarify the parks as "empty" by no means but certainly not crowded. Monday at EPCOT was for sure not crowded with TT and MS having 5-15 min standby wait times.

My one friend who was also up there at the same time said she heard they closed FP at a lot of the attractions because they weren't being used. The weekend was definitely busier than Mon & Tue but not busy as far as "crowded" goes.

The CMs told me it should really pick up by week's end...like now, hope they're wrong for all of you going this weekend hoping for the "calm" before the storm because the "calm" may have already passed.

 

[NancyIL]

I arrived on Sat. the 11th and went to MGM around 7 p.m. to see the Osborne Lights. There was a long line to get into the park, and for awhile they weren't letting people in - saying the park was at capacity! Once we did get in, there was a LONG line to view the lights. It was a much different story when I returned on Monday night to see the Osborne Lights again. The moral of the story.....don't go to the MK or MGM on a Saturday night!