Last Week of April Crowd Level Change AGAIN

[crazyj4488]

The last week of April crowd levels listed at touringplans.com originally jumped from 3 to 5 recently. That sorta upset me. NOW, they are 5, 6, and 7's!!!!

I am seriously thinking about making a trade here, deal with the higher heat, and re-book my vacation for May 15-21 (luckily I can be flexible). I just can't stand Disney when it's crowded like that. I've gone in May twice before and really enjoyed myself. UGH....this sux.

What do you all think?

-J

 

[disneyjunkie]

Changing for a slower time isn't an option for us. I can't pull my son out of school for a WDW trip, so we travel when school's closed.

I plan to take advantage of EMH and use fastpass as much as possible to stay ahead of the crowds.

Since we're using the dining plan this trip, I've made plenty of PS. I hope this helps us to avoid long lines at meal times.

I know we will have a blast no matter how crowded the parks are.

 

[MrsJ Henry]

The last week of April crowd levels listed at touringplans.com originally jumped from 3 to 5 recently. That sorta upset me. NOW, they are 5, 6, and 7's!!!!

I am seriously thinking about making a trade here, deal with the higher heat, and re-book my vacation for May 15-21 (luckily I can be flexible). I just can't stand Disney when it's crowded like that. I've gone in May twice before and really enjoyed myself. UGH....this sux.

What do you all think?

-J

Don't do it. I hear the crowds are going to be high then.
I'm not really too worried. There are still quite a few rooms left in the resorts from what i see on WDW site.

I would stick with what I have - you may end up getting a worse deal out of it!!!!
We are also going the last week in April. We are staying at AKL. There is every room category open still except standard view.
Have a great time no matter what you pick!!!

 

[golfgal]

Where do the Touring Plan people get their information? I have always wondered how they know those things. With Easter being so early this year, I would think the mid to end of April would be not so busy, but who knows. What would bring those crowds in then? Disney sent out a bunch of postcards last month for people to come in April, offered $150 in DIsneyDollars for people staying in April. To me that suggests they aren't expected it to be as busy as normal. I think with the 50th Celebration, the Flower Show, Star Wars, and last year's hurricaine season, May is going to be busy.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I What would bring those crowds in then?

Many school systems in the northeast have spring break the last week of April.

NYC public schools (a system with more than a million students) are out that week. My son and I are heading to the airport as soon as he get out of school on Friday.

 

[WDW LOVR]

I wouldn't change. We were at WDW Easter week. It was...OMG crowded. But we still had a great time. To be very honest, MK was the only park the crowds prevented us from doing what we wanted. Part of that was our fault as we waited until 7:00 on an extended hours evening to get to the park. By that time, all the fast passes were pretty much gone and the lines for the biggies was over an hour wait past midnight.

If we'd have gone during the day we could have used fastpass and been fine. MGM was a little more crowded than we'd have liked, but we managed to ride RNR and ToT multiple times and saw all the shows we wanted to. Epcot and AK were fine.

 

[starwood]

I think you can blame our town on that. We have spring break and practically everyone is going because our high school band is marching in MK on 4/25.

 

[kareneast]

I think you can blame our town on that. We have spring break and practically everyone is going because our high school band is marching in MK on 4/25.

Good Luck to the Band on their memorable experience! Can't get much better then marching down Main Street!

The Jackson, NJ High School Band will also be there. They are marching in MK on 4/26. :thewave:

 

[crazyj4488]

First, Disney's website is coming up with rooms just about everywhere I've clicked on during the 2nd week of May. I didn't try the value resorts though because I am shooting for Moderate.

Man, this is making my head hurt. I dunno....I just would rather go during the quieter time of year. I guess I could just book a trip for the winter season sometime since I just bought an annual pass this month in order to get some discounts. I just never thought this last week would be so bad. Some people have reported on this board that this past week wasn't too crowded to them...aren't there more people on break earlier in April?

The last 3 times I've been to Disney were both in Mid May and once at the end of Feb in 2002. I'll tell you the crowds in MK at that time in Feb were a bit nasty which shocked me. The other parks were just about empty though. I guess there just isn't a break for the MK at any time since it's the most popular theme park in the world.

I'm kind of siding with you guys and am thinking I will keep my trip as is just because it is, obviously, easier NOT to shift everything around and I really prefer the cooler weather....May is just about too hot down there if you ask me. I'm from Texas too...I just hate walking around with sweat pouring off me and May has some nasty humidity and high temps nearing the 90's.

 

[cdpa4d]

It seems to me that touringplans crowd level calendar has changed for just about every week. It seems as if the numbers keep going higher for just about every day of every week. My thought is that since tourism is picking way up that the people at touringplans.com are expecting crowds to be higher than in previous years. I've heard on the news and in newspapers that so far WDW has experienced a stellar Spring Break which usually means a stellar Summer and a stellar year is ahead. With any crowd level prediction system certain assumptions have to be made. I also found it surprising that the whole Summer season is an 8 or a 9.

I am going the last week of April into May and I would not change my plans even if touringplans.com said 10's across the board. Just being there is fantastic!

ADP

 

[mjmcca]

What would bring those crowds in then?

The last week of April is Passover.Easter and Passover did not coincide this year,so some schools in the Northeast are out now instead of for Easter.

 

[Mady/Sophiemom]

I just looked at the site, that I think you are talking about. Someone posted a link yesterday. For the last 9 days in April, there is only one day that the crowd level is expected to be at 7, and 2 that it will be at 6. The other days are 4s, and 5s.

I think we will all be fine. I think with all the information, we planners, or over-planners (such as myself) have available to us, we overthink it, and worry too much. Believe me- I put myself in this group as well!!

That being said- The day that the crowd is expected to be the highest (7), Epcot is the one to avoid- WELL Guess what is on my afternoon itinerary- that day!!!! UGGG

 

[cocowum]

We'll be there and I was really starting to get upset about the crowds, especially because we have our CRT on 4/25 at 10:00. I guess we'll just get there at opening, grab some FP's before breakfast, then go back to the hotel for an afternoon break. I keep telling myself it doesn't matter as long as we're there 6 more days!!!

 

[brendrek]

"That being said- The day that the crowd is expected to be the highest (7), Epcot is the one to avoid- WELL Guess what is on my afternoon itinerary- that day!!!! UGGG"

We have a PS at Alfredo's at 5:30pm that evening in Epcot....rofl

 

[DisneyObsessive]

i go to a CUNY (city university of NY) and my spring break is last week of april, like disneyjunkie said. i can imagine a lot of people will be going from this area.

 

[crazyj4488]

I will have a car during the entire week I am there and planned on going to Universal Studios on that Monday which is marked a 7. I've never been to US and decided that I would fiinally check it out. I'm not doing IOA...just not a huge coaster fan.

Okay, you guys have just about convinced me to smile and deal with it. I think the person that says we plan and think too much about this stuff is right.

 

[Trinity721]

i think it will be ok. i wouldn't change my plans. we will be there 4/26-4/29 and I am excited. Trying not to let the crowds reports dampen things. I really won't mind b/c we'll be THERE!

We have been there during July4 week and it was crazy. Hot, loooooong lines and waits for all the rides. But I still got in line and waited and made due with the weather. Though I probably wouldn't go in the middle of summer again. Having gone 2 springs now, i think it's the best and most comfortable time to be at WDW.