May weekends - how crowded?

[MrsMud]

I am considering a quick trip down to Orlando or Tampa, either April 30 - May 3 or May 7 - 10th. We would be traveling on Fri and Mon., so our park days would be Sat and Sun. This is still way up in the air, in fact I still don't know where we would go, either WDW, Busch Gardens or Universal. How crowded are the weekends at this time of year? TIA

 

[all4fun]

Hi,
I am going for the first time in May this year. according to http://allearsnet.com/pl/attend.htm, May historically has "More Moderate Attendance":
"Late April through early June (except Memorial Day weekend)"

And it also says:
A recent inquiry of Disney regarding which days to visit which parks had the following response:

"During regular attendance periods, our parks tend to be the busiest on the following days:

Magic Kingdom: Monday, Thursday, and Saturday
Epcot: Tuesday and Friday
Disney-MGM Studios: Sunday and Wednesday
Disney's Animal Kingdom: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday"


Have a magical trip!

 

[marmar]

We've always gone in May .... Beginning or end of the month.

May weekends get more Floridians, who are trying to get in before all the yankee tourists come down for the summer.

The Water parks tend to be more crowded.

End of the month just gets busier every day. It peaks at Memorial day weekend. We make Sat before Mem day our last day or Mem day monday our first. It is not unusual for them to shut off entrance to MK on Mem day weekend cause the park reaches capacity.

Last year early May was unseasonably HOT.... 95+


You need to check but I think April 30 is one of the Grad Nights at the MK. SHuts down early so it can be open all night for the HS grads. Everyone else hads for Epcot or MGM.

 

[McCall]

That Saturday is a Grad night and MK closes early that night.

 

[MrsMud]

Thanks for the heads-up about grad night. It won't affect us, as we would be traveling on April 30th if we go that weekend.
I normally wouldn't plan to be in the parks on the weekend but this would just be a short trip and I don't want to take my kids out of school for more than 1 day (they missed 4 days for our WDW trip in Oct). Just don't want to be standing in lines all day long.