Just Incase You Took Touring Plans Seriously

[Kindermouse]

So we all know that touring plans crowd calendar is full of errors and shouldn't be used as the ultimate way to avoid crowds but today while I was looking at it I realized just how much it cant be taken seriously.

it lists friday September 30th as a 3 for Disneyland. I think we can all agree that day 1 of gay days weekend is not going to be a 3. Then it lists Saturday-which has gay days events at DL as a 6 with DCA being an 8. I doubt that with extra events at DL that day it will be less crowded than DCA. Then the next day there are gays days weekend events at DCA but not at DL and yet it shows DL as being the more crowded park.

I get where they were going with friday and the idea that those without party tickets might focus on DCA that day but I hardly think that will make DL a 3 considering everything else going on there. geez touring plans. you need to do a lot more research.

 

[Geemo]

So we all know that touring plans crowd calendar is full of errors and should be used as the ultimate way to avoid crowds but today while I was looking at it I realized just how much it cant be taken seriously.

it lists friday September 30th as a 3 for Disneyland. I think we can all agree that day 1 of gay days weekend is not going to be a 3. Then it lists Saturday-which has gay days events at DL as well as a halloween party as a 6 with DCA being an 8. I doubt that with so many event at DL that day it will be less crowded than DCA. Then the next day there are gays days weekend events at DCA but not at DL and yet it shows DL as being the more crowded park.

I get where they were going with friday and the idea that those without party tickets might focus on DCA that day but I hardly think that will make DL a 3 considering everything else going on there. geez touring plans. you need to do a lot more research.

Saturday is October 1st. While there will be Gay Day events on Saturday, there isn't a MHP..
There is one on Friday September 30th and again on Monday October 3rd.

It would be nice if there was a website with an accurate crowd predictor.
The one thing I look at for an opinion on what to expect for crowds in the parks is figment_jii's thread each year "2016 Calendar of Events & School Breaks and DLR". http://www.disboards.com/threads/2016-calendar-of-events-school-breaks-and-dlr.3434866/

Geemo

 

[Indiana Scott]

There's a lot of days during our upcoming trip (9/11~16) that shows DL with very low numbers and DCA as much higher.
Not sure what's tripping them up but it just looks silly.

 

[IBLarsen]

I have to say we went to DL during Gay Days weekend the first time we took our children in 2008, and were shocked at how low the crowds were. We didn't realize it was Gay Days when we booked, and kicked myself when I found out thinking it would be so crowded. When I say it was low crowds, I would easily believe it was a 3. In fact, the crowds were so great, that we booked for the same weekend on purpose the next year with similar crowds. I was shocked when we went later October after that and the crowds were insane, we had been spoiled. Maybe it was a fluke and has gotten worse in the years since (seems like all time frames are getting busier each year).

 

[Shanti]

So we all know that touring plans crowd calendar is full of errors and should be used as the ultimate way to avoid crowds but today while I was looking at it I realized just how much it cant be taken seriously.

it lists friday September 30th as a 3 for Disneyland. I think we can all agree that day 1 of gay days weekend is not going to be a 3. Then it lists Saturday-which has gay days events at DL as well as a halloween party as a 6 with DCA being an 8. I doubt that with so many event at DL that day it will be less crowded than DCA. Then the next day there are gays days weekend events at DCA but not at DL and yet it shows DL as being the more crowded park.

I get where they were going with friday and the idea that those without party tickets might focus on DCA that day but I hardly think that will make DL a 3 considering everything else going on there. geez touring plans. you need to do a lot more research.

I no longer take any crowd calendars seriously. Don't even look at them anymore when planning trips.

 

[tarheelalum]

The crowd calendars are a joke. The key to it is looking for big events, official or otherwise, and avoiding those days. But its usually crowded at Disneyland regardless. Just some days are worse then others.

 

[Kindermouse]

I have to say we went to DL during Gay Days weekend the first time we took our children in 2008, and were shocked at how low the crowds were. We didn't realize it was Gay Days when we booked, and kicked myself when I found out thinking it would be so crowded. When I say it was low crowds, I would easily believe it was a 3. In fact, the crowds were so great, that we booked for the same weekend on purpose the next year with similar crowds. I was shocked when we went later October after that and the crowds were insane, we had been spoiled. Maybe it was a fluke and has gotten worse in the years since (seems like all time frames are getting busier each year).

I sure hope your right. We will be there the m-f following gay days weekend and I would like nothing more than to find myself downright lonely in the park. I was basing my idea that its crowded on the numbers regarding gay days participation.
"The first Gay Days Anaheim in 1998 attracted about 2,500 people. Today the event attracts over 30,000 guests to the Disneyland Resort each year! "

30,000 extra guests sounds like a lot to me, though maybe it's not as bad as it sounds. I guess I cant really pictures what 30,000 spread across the parks looks like. I just know it felt like there were too many people there on a Tuesday morning last March.

 

[disneymom0104]

Our first family trip to DL was during Gay Days in 2011. We thought the crowds were very manageable, and in hindsight- better than we have seen at DL other times. Also looking at Touring Plans for May 2015 (prior to the 60th) they were SO SO off. Predicting 5's and 6's and ending with 9's. They only use their data from wait times between 10-5 and we had one Friday night that we literally could barely move. That had to have been a 10 (I would have even called it more than a 10- it was the most crowded I have ever seen anything)- but TP still called it a 9 since their calculations end at 5pm. That is tough at DL where so many people can get there after work for a few hours. Anyway- none of our 5 days were anywhere close to the predicted value. I am not sure why they even bother guessing.

 

[IBLarsen]

I sure hope your right. We will be there the m-f following gay days weekend and I would like nothing more than to find myself downright lonely in the park. I was basing my idea that its crowded on the numbers regarding gay days participation.
"The first Gay Days Anaheim in 1998 attracted about 2,500 people. Today the event attracts over 30,000 guests to the Disneyland Resort each year! "

30,000 extra guests sounds like a lot to me, though maybe it's not as bad as it sounds. I guess I cant really pictures what 30,000 spread across the parks looks like. I just know it felt like there were too many people there on a Tuesday morning last March.

I think that's a great time to go! Especially as it's not the actual Gay Days weekend I was wishing it was still easy to take my kids out of school to go that week. I love the fall decorations! Sending you wishes for low crowds!

 

[Kindermouse]

I think that's a great time to go! Especially as it's not the actual Gay Days weekend I was wishing it was still easy to take my kids out of school to go that week. I love the fall decorations! Sending you wishes for low crowds!

Actually it is our school break. I was wishing it was during a different week, but if it turns out to be a great week I'll feel very lucky. I do love october break a lot more than spring break.

 

[GatorChris]

None of these are really any good anymore. There was a time (before the world wide web really exploded - early 2000s) when there was an actual off-season. I remember after my first trip to WDW in June 2002, all I wanted was to go back when it was less crowded. So we picked Feb of 2004. And when we went, the place was truly empty. But as the years went on, and more people found crowd calendars online, and more people gravitated to forums like these, those off-seasons disappeared. Suddenly, everyone knows that Sept and Jan are super low crowds....and suddenly those times are crowded in the parks because we all headed for Disney during those months because we thought we were the only ones who knew. For instance, our trip to DL in mid-June and mid-November had nearly the same crowd levels (very busy).

So it really doesn't matter what the crowd calendar says...because once we see it, we defeat it by either going/not going. Touring Plans has brought equilibrium to park attendance.

 

[T0rrent]

Honestly, this year I'd say all crowd predictors are going to be off. When we were in Disney back in June, I was chatting with a CM about the low crowds and she said that since the ticket switch, Mon-Wed have been significantly more crowded then Thursday-Saturday. Even as recently as this weekend, people have been posting pictures of empty walkways during the middle of the day on weekends.

 

[VandVsmama]

I don't put any faith in the Touring Plans crowd calendar or app. I used it once a couple of years ago...paid for the service...and Touring Plans was going to have us go on rides during EMH that aren't available during EMH (Indiana Jones, for example). It was ridiculous. Total waste of my money! Lesson learned, though!

 

[wildflower329]

Honestly, this year I'd say all crowd predictors are going to be off. When we were in Disney back in June, I was chatting with a CM about the low crowds and she said that since the ticket switch, Mon-Wed have been significantly more crowded then Thursday-Saturday. Even as recently as this weekend, people have been posting pictures of empty walkways during the middle of the day on weekends.

This is really interesting. I hadn't thought about how the change in one day pass pricing would change crowd levels for weekdays/weekends.

 

[Kindermouse]

Honestly, this year I'd say all crowd predictors are going to be off. When we were in Disney back in June, I was chatting with a CM about the low crowds and she said that since the ticket switch, Mon-Wed have been significantly more crowded then Thursday-Saturday. Even as recently as this weekend, people have been posting pictures of empty walkways during the middle of the day on weekends.

WHAT! the new less crowded time in the parks it summer weekends. I may be changing the way I visit the mouse.

 

[WestMom2two]

Ive used touring plans for a few years now and they have always been pretty accurate. With that being said I always book week days and I do use multiple sources to pick my travel dates. I have noticed that I will receive updates from them as my date gets closer with better predicted crowd levels. Is it the ultimate guideline, No. If your basing your whole trip solely on their predictions without other sources you may run into problems. Im happy to say we have not had anything way off from what they reported we would have in the years we have used them so I'm still a satisfied customer.

 

[Meldev]

Ive used touring plans for a few years now and they have always been pretty accurate. With that being said I always book week days and I do use multiple sources to pick my travel dates. I have noticed that I will receive updates from them as my date gets closer with better predicted crowd levels. Is it the ultimate guideline, No. If your basing your whole trip solely on their predictions without other sources you may run into problems. Im happy to say we have not had anything way off from what they reported we would have in the years we have used them so I'm still a satisfied customer.

I've used their service for WDW and been quite happy - I'm a little worried with the not so fantastic feedback on TL for DL. But I've subscribed regardless and hope it's somewhat helpful. We'll be first time visitors.

 

[Indiana Scott]

I've used their service for WDW and been quite happy - I'm a little worried with the not so fantastic feedback on TL for DL. But I've subscribed regardless and hope it's somewhat helpful. We'll be first time visitors.

Same here - hoping they are right about our upcoming trip. We've been during the same time of year before and it was good.

 

[sunflare]

You have to remember that TP's numbers are based on line wait times, not on how crowded the park feels. Just because the park is wall to wall people doesn't mean that the lines for attractions are long. This could especially hold true for event days like large conferences and gay days, where there are more events outside the rides (social and otherwise - meetups, etc.) than on them.

 

[peachiepie]

I have to say we went to DL during Gay Days weekend the first time we took our children in 2008, and were shocked at how low the crowds were. We didn't realize it was Gay Days when we booked, and kicked myself when I found out thinking it would be so crowded. When I say it was low crowds, I would easily believe it was a 3. In fact, the crowds were so great, that we booked for the same weekend on purpose the next year with similar crowds. I was shocked when we went later October after that and the crowds were insane, we had been spoiled. Maybe it was a fluke and has gotten worse in the years since (seems like all time frames are getting busier each year).

This gives me hope! I hadn't realised it was Gay Days when we booked our first (and likely only DL visit) and when I found out this week I was worried about the crowd levels.