Long lines and lots of trash

[AngiTN]

Wouldn't you expect that during the busiest Spring Break week of the year?

No. It's not even our Spring Break. Ours is later. So not sure it's "the busiest". The one actually during Easter may be. I have no idea of the actual numbers for the country.

 

[Gehrig1B]

No

Why? That has been my experience in the past.

 

[AngiTN]

Went to look at crowd numbers off TP. I guess I simply do not comprehend their analysis. I mean, I know what they do and how they do it but I guess a computer just can't replace what a human can see with their own 2 eyes. I have enough days in the parks to know where things feel in light, medium and heavy and I'd put 1-3 as light, 4-6 as medium and 7-10 as heavy. At least in my mind. I'd say that is what most would do, no?

Here's my thoughts
3/10, Sat HS
TP Crowd Level:
What we predicted: 7 out of 10
What we saw: 9 out of 10
My opinion, I felt like we experienced as guests in the park that day, more about a 6-7. Not a 9 by any means at all. I have been at HS with way heavier crowds and way longer lines. We got there at 8 and left after F! so I'd say we had a pretty fair time to evaluate the day

3/11, Sun MK
TP Crowd Level:
What we predicted: 7 out of 10
What we saw: 7 out of 10
My opinion, Close to a 7, I'd call it somewhere between upper medium so right on the border between 6 and 7. We had no problems in the walk ways, even the notorious one in FL, around Small World. Very light lines getting through bag check and turnstiles. Didn't find long FP lines, got lots of FP, one right after another. Got there in time for the opening show, left for a couple hours, came back for an hour, left again for a couple hours came back till close at 11:00. Found spot to watch HEA in grass area in front of Casey's about 20 min before began. This was the nicest weather day by far, in the 80's with lots of sun. No rain.

3/12, Mon AK
TP Crowd Level:
What we predicted: 6 out of 10
What we saw: 8 out of 10
My opinion, More close to their original prediction based on what I've experienced on other days at AK. I've seen busier by far. It was an EMH morning, we did not get there for EMH after doing a late MK night. It was raining off and on which I think did keep some people away. We didn't find it hard to navigate the crowds but we did find FP wait times long on all but FoP and Safari. We did find several additional FP after our initial 3 were done, but didn't try hard for the Pandora FP. We got a repeat for the Safari. With additional FP, we rode all rides and saw all shows.

3/13, Tues Epcot
Crowd Level:
What we predicted: 8 out of 10
What we saw: 9 out of 10
My opinion, Easily 9+ or even a 10. Only day I've seen more crowded than yesterday was NYE. We could barely navigate WS. Have never seen the bag check so busy or the turnstiles to get in. We arrived about 10:30, having had to check out and drop our bags at RAC. This is our usual arrival time on check out day, as Epcot is our regular departure day park every trip. I've never seen the FP lines as long as they were yesterday, much less the stand by lines. All of them were grossly under estimated. We didn't even bother to get any FP after our original 3. But we weren't planning to. We were in the park till 7:00, when we left for the airport. Lines for the food booths extended the ropes in every case so we didn't even bother to try any. When we were in The Land for Soarin' and LwtL there was not an empty seat for The Seasons.

 

[AngiTN]

Why? That has been my experience in the past.

Because it's not been my experience in the past. 4th year we've been there during a Spring Break week. And during a F&W week. We go a lot. Never seen a day like yesterday. Except NYE

 

[Dee McGee]

Touring Plans does put people in the parks to count riders with their own eyes.

 

[SomDayMyPrnceWillCom]

Wow. $24 for Deluxe resort parking PER NIGHT?!!! For my 5 night stay, that would be $120 extra just for parking. Did they release a reasoning for this? I know it was said it's for trips booked after 3/21. I'm guessing that meant actually booking the trip and not necessarily arriving because we do arrive after 3/21 but it's been booked a long time b/c we're using DVC points. That's very disappointing for me for that high of a price. So basically you have to pay to park in the resort, but you can park free at the parks still?

 

[AngiTN]

Touring Plans does put people in the parks to count riders with their own eyes.

I'm aware. Doesn't change that I don't agree with their opinion that the parks are not more crowded. But that's ok. We don't have to agree. I'm ok if they don't agree with me and I'm positive they are ok that I don't agree with them.

 

[AngiTN]

Wow. $24 for Deluxe resort parking PER NIGHT?!!! For my 5 night stay, that would be $120 extra just for parking. Did they release a reasoning for this? I know it was said it's for trips booked after 3/21. I'm guessing that meant actually booking the trip and not necessarily arriving because we do arrive after 3/21 but it's been booked a long time b/c we're using DVC points. That's very disappointing for me for that high of a price. So basically you have to pay to park in the resort, but you can park free at the parks still?

Industry standard is to charge for parking. Honestly, I can't think of any resort type hotel that doesn't charge for parking. So it's no shock that Disney has started this.

Besides, I'm pretty sure the announcement was DVC is not being charged. Either when they are on points or when they pay to stay in a resort.

 

[Dee McGee]

I'm aware. Doesn't change that I don't agree with their opinion that the parks are not more crowded. But that's ok. We don't have to agree. I'm ok if they don't agree with me and I'm positive they are ok that I don't agree with them.

We can all agree to disagree, but your exact comment was "a computer just can't replace what a human can see with their own 2 eyes."

 

[AngiTN]

We can all agree to disagree, but your exact comment was "a computer just can't replace what a human can see with their own 2 eyes."

They still rely very heavily on the computer, even if they use humans to supplement the computer too
The majority of their data is computer driven.
Trust me, I'm very familiar with what they do to determine their crowd numbers
Right now, they want to show that Disney is trying to drive things a certain direction and they are having no problems showing that.
I know how you can make numbers show whatever it is you wish. It's not hard at all. And it's all there, right in the numbers. The numbers aren't wrong. It's all in how they are presented.

 

[michelepa]

Wouldn't you expect that during the busiest Spring Break week of the year?

I thought the weeks before and after Easter were the busiest spring break weeks?

but I hope you're correct because I 'm going the week before Easter because that's when my son needs to be there. Otherwise I'd never ever go to Disney this time of year.

 

[MainMom]

I'm a fellow Texan and we're on spring break, too.

If school schedules are the issue, you can still visit during a slower time: summer. Our trip in late July 2016 featured the lowest crowds we'd seen since January 2009. It was amazing. Other people's midsummer trip reports have described similar experiences.

This!

Our last 2 trips have been in the summer and crowds were great. We are testing spring break this year (our trip is next week.) I’m anxious to see how it goes.

 

[AngiTN]

This!

Our last 2 trips have been in the summer and crowds were great. We are testing spring break this year (our trip is next week.) I’m anxious to see how it goes.

Will be interesting to see how this summer goes. I'm not sure this January-March resembles last year, or the year before, even a little. They are considerably more crowded.
So will this Spring or Summer resemble the past Spring or Summer? Or be equally as more crowded?
I hope not because we have trips in April and June. If they have the same percentages of increases it will not be much fun. We'll find it easy to compare since the next two trips are yearly trips for our Anniversary and end of school. Both will be the 4th year for us. Makes it easy to see the changes.

 

[AngiTN]

I thought the weeks before and after Easter were the busiest spring break weeks?

but I hope you're correct because I 'm going the week before Easter because that's when my son needs to be there. Otherwise I'd never ever go to Disney this time of year.

Yes, usually they are but it is a holiday that moves around a lot so maybe more schools moved away from Easter this year? No idea, ours didn't.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

My theory is that Disney is cutting staff amd ride capacity to appear busier than they actually are so they can justify the price increases. The Dis Team have been speculating on this since the ticket prices and plans for tiered pricing on multi-day tickets were announced.

I'm hearing this more and more that WDW is actually getting less guests but are trying to make it seem like there is more people while the exact opposite is going on at Universal. Universal appears to be actually booming and are doing everything to increase capacity.

 

[VitaminC]

We are here now as well. Our trips have always been over spring break and I have never seen it so busy! We arrived yesterday and went to MK for the first part of the afternoon to do our 3 fast passes. Big Thunder Mountain fast pass line was 15ish minutes. SDMT fast pass line was easily 30 minutes. Stand by was 220! That is nearly four hours for a 60 second ride! Hollywood Studios was ok today but we definitely tried to get it all in early. Single rider for Rockin Roller Coaster was 65 minutes, same as stand by. Maybe that is normal? We plan on hitting the mornings and evenings from here on out. The weather is gorgeous!

 

[AngiTN]

We are here now as well. Our trips have always been over spring break and I have never seen it so busy! We arrived yesterday and went to MK for the first part of the afternoon to do our 3 fast passes. Big Thunder Mountain fast pass line was 15ish minutes. SDMT fast pass line was easily 30 minutes. Stand by was 220! That is nearly four hours for a 60 second ride! Hollywood Studios was ok today but we definitely tried to get it all in early. Single rider for Rockin Roller Coaster was 65 minutes, same as stand by. Maybe that is normal? We plan on hitting the mornings and evenings from here on out. The weather is gorgeous!

Single Rider at RnR being the same length as Stand By is normal. Maybe not 65 min but the same length, yes. They even warn you of this on a sign as you get in the line.

Where you can see it abnormal, single rider at EE at AK was 50 min on Monday. That was a first for me. And from what I saw, that was under estimated. The FP line was lined up past the entrance to the store. It was nearly to the bridge to Nemo.

 

[jhoannam]

Long time Disney fans. Had annual passes for DL for a long time.

I am typing this as I am waiting in a 3 hour line for navi. Posted at 120 when we entered.

The wait times posted do not match actual wait. CSM are definitely under posting. Monday at Hollywood wait for tower was easily 180 when posted 105. Sunday at MK wait for 7D was also 180 when posted 120.

Lots of rides going down. Today navi and Kali were down at the same time. Sunday it was space and people mover.

Is it just us and we are having a string of bad luck?

Also, staff are definitely stressed and running short. Bathrooms have not been clean at any park so far. Restaurants don't have enough staff and people are cleaning their own tables. I like the mobile order though. That's a good add to the app.

Anyone else having issues at wdw?

Happy to be here but have to say that in the 100+ trips we've made over the years, this one ranks at the absolute bottom.

Haven’t read the rest of the comments but I would totally write them an email and complain about the bathrooms, that’s unacceptable.

 

[Linkura]

We are here now as well. Our trips have always been over spring break and I have never seen it so busy! We arrived yesterday and went to MK for the first part of the afternoon to do our 3 fast passes. Big Thunder Mountain fast pass line was 15ish minutes. SDMT fast pass line was easily 30 minutes. Stand by was 220! That is nearly four hours for a 60 second ride! Hollywood Studios was ok today but we definitely tried to get it all in early. Single rider for Rockin Roller Coaster was 65 minutes, same as stand by. Maybe that is normal? We plan on hitting the mornings and evenings from here on out. The weather is gorgeous!

Single rider at RNRC is always terrible, unfortunately. I don't know why they don't just get rid of it as an option entirely. Last time I was there, it wasn't even in use- the CM said SR would be a longer wait than standby, so they closed it.

 

[wdw4rfam]

Because it's not been my experience in the past. 4th year we've been there during a Spring Break week. And during a F&W week. We go a lot. Never seen a day like yesterday. Except NYE

I have to admit, I am nervous over our trip next month over what you said. I know how much you go just by your posts, and you tell it like it is. So if you say crowds seem way crazier, that makes me nervous. We go spring break a lot and it’s never been horrible. We don’t go Easter week, but during spring break season. We are only going so close to Easter this year, because our AP expire on the 20th, and we plan on taking a major break from Disney for a while. We were trying to sneak one last trip in to use up our DVC points, and AP. My parents are going, as well as my oldest DD who haven’t been there in years. So I’m stressed a little. We may just end up relaxing at the resort a lot. I saw pictures of the last couple days too and it looks bad. Then again, things like these crowds, daily rooms checks, etc are the reason we decided to break for a while anyways. But was secretly hoping our last one for a while would go smooth.