"Low" crowd days and why they arent always best

[g8torphan]

Everyone loves to look at easywdw or TP and pick the low crowd days to try and maximize their time in the park.

Something I think people dont really consider is that Disney decreases staff on anticipated "low" days.

So, while the crowd may be lower, the number of CM's available to operate rides, make and serve meals, man FP kiosks etc will also be lower resulting in longer delays and a feeling of busyness.

For that reason (and because there dont really seem to be "low" days very often) I like to hit the parks on 5/6 days.
Staff levels will be more adequate, and rhe parks will run more smoothly IMO.


Anyway...just putting that out there

 

[Laketravis]

Everyone loves to look at easywdw or TP and pick the low crowd days to try and maximize their time in the park.

Something I think people dont really consider is that Disney decreases staff on anticipated "low" days.

So, while the crowd may be lower, the number of CM's available to operate rides, make and serve meals, man FP kiosks etc will also be lower resulting in longer delays and a feeling of busyness.

For that reason (and because there dont really seem to be "low" days very often) I like to hit the parks on 5/6 days.
Staff levels will be more adequate, and rhe parks will run more smoothly IMO.


Anyway...just putting that out there

I think that's an excellent point.

 

[anniemae]

Never thought of it that way. Maybe that is why folks are reporting heavy crowds during days that are 1 or 2.

Also, they tend to do the refurbishments during the slow times, at least they used to. I don't think there are any slow times anymore.

 

[SeilerBird]

I have had an AP for the past six months and at first I used the crowd calendar. But the more I learn about the secrets of Disney and how to use the FP+ the less I care about the crowd level. I can see and do all I want any day no matter what the crowd level is suppose to be.

 

[nessz79]

Other than Christmas/New Year's, 4th of July, and Easter day, we tend to go during pretty heavy times like spring break, early summer, etc. We have always found it bearable, especially with FP and now FP+. So I think that's an excellent point.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

The park hours are often shorter, too. If you like to do the day straight through, that is good, but it might not be as conducive to afternoon breaks.

 

[Gillyrose779]

A million times over yes-

We were there last weekend and it felt so busy but the more you looked the more it seemed like there were just less CMs and the ride lines were not moving as efficiently.

It definitely changed are minds on when the best times to go are.

 

[Mikie]

I completely agree! Years ago, I had a trip that began at the very end of a somewhat busy spring break time & transitioned quickly to "value" season & much lower crowds. This results in shorter park hours, reduced show schedules and a noticeable lack of staff sometimes. One day in DHS it was so empty we should have appreciated it, but it had an eerie, boring feel since there were so few people around. I think crowd levels 4-6 is my sweet spot.

 

[mggeary]

A perfect example of this is when disney decides to run rides at half capacity (ie only one side of Space Mountain, etc,..) for much of the morning on expected low crowd days, wait times end up being the same.

My favorite time to visit MK is when there is an 8am non EMH open. Feels like the old days of rope drop.

 

[OZMom]

I never thought of this, but it totally makes sense. I am going to look at crowd calendars very differently now.

 

[cakebaker]

We noticed this some years back when we went for Christmas/New Years. We were there the week before Christmas up until New Year's Day. The first few days, the crowds were extremely light, but the bus service took forever. By the 23rd, it was getting busy and the busier it got, the better the bus service.

As you say, they reduce services to match the crowd levels- unless the parks are just nearly empty, and that rarely happens anymore- going at a slower time doesn't always help.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think one of the "money making" (i.e. cost saving) "advantages" of MM+ is about them knowing in advance which days will actually be low crowd, so they can staff down.

So I think you are spot on, OP.

 

[HockeyMomNH]

I completely agree with this too. There are also less buses running, so it always seems like we wait longer at bus stops when it's a slower season.

 

[Lovetherodent]

One of my trips was in May, right before the summer season. The parks closed early. At the time, I don't think there were parades/firworks every night at MK, so we had to plan around that. Dinsey doen't run everything at full speed in slower times. I'm going second week of March. Both touringplans and easyWDW are predicting crowd levels of 7, but the parks are open long hours and everything will run at full capacity. If the attraction wait predictors are accurate, being there evenings will mean being able to do what I want

 

[HydroGuy]

Wait. I thought the crowd calendars were not based on a count of those who pass through the turnstiles - but on ride wait times themselves. Both TP and EasyWDW show wait times correlated with the infamous 1-10 crowd rankings.

For example, here is the EasyWDW AK cheat sheet: http://www.easywdw.com/cheatsheets/ak_cheatsheet.pdf

So if WDW cuts back on staff and ride capacity - which of course they do - that will increase wait times and make that day a "higher crowd" day. TP does the same thing.

 

[Takket]

I have traveled on the low and high crowd days and have never noticed any issue related to low cast member levels. The only exception being that the bus and boat transportation is really slow but when its busy you usually have to wait for the 2nd boat or bus anyway.

 

[Disney Von Drake]

I'll take my chances...

 

[Fratthouse]

While I think there are advantages to low crowd seasons, I think you are right that Disney makes adjustments to staffing, park hours, parade & entertainment schedules and other factors that really level the playing field in a lot of ways. We'd always gone the week after Labor Day (historically some of the lowest crowds of the year), and this past year planned a trip in July. I was shocked in the best way at how manageable the crowds were and how much we were able to experience. We had to be strategic about it - and maximize our FP+ - but we really had a GREAT experience. We've got a trip planned for next month in the middle of Spring Break crowds, and while that wouldn't be my ideal time to take a vacation, I know we'll still be able to have a really fun trip.

 

[Silock]

I disagree with this. Only because I've been during the 1-2 crowd level days and it DEFINITELY feels different and moves MUCH more quickly with far fewer waits than a 5-6 level day. It's not even close.

 

[MelanieRI]

I've said this for years! People always ask me how I can go at busy times like Easter and Christmas. Well, I always say it's b/c Disney increases it's shows, hours, etc. I've gone when the crowds have been low and had a hard time getting in everything I want to do b/c there is less of options for shows or the park closes early, or you're waiting forever for transportation. Especially if you're someone who likes to take a break during the afternoon, you come back and the parks are ready to close! lol