Memorial Day crowds?

[Sk8Leigh]

What are the crowds usually like for Memorial Day?

My friends and I are trying to plan a trip around that time, and one of my friends wants to go over that weekend because then she would have to use one less day of vacation from work. I think it's a terrible idea, because, while one less vacation day would be good, the parks will be way more crowded than if we go two or so weeks earlier. We would be waiting in longer lines. Not to mention that the later we go, the hotter it will be getting. I just don't think the holiday will balance out everything else.

Can anyone give me an idea of what it's like to go Memorial Day weekend? We're adults with no kids, so there are no school issues.

Thanks!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Hey Leigh.

I have been to WDW a number of years over the Memorial Day week, including weekend. I have never found it really terrible, but the past couple years did TourGuideMike and went to his suggested parks on his suggested days. It was great. Even on Monday, the holiday itself. Worked well for me.


Hope all is well with you.

 

[TomD]

We went this past Memorial Day weekend and did not find the crowds bad at all.

 

[julsmom]

We have done Memorial Day weekend the past two years and it has been fine. If you are also there after the weekend, this year on Tuesday it was funny because all of a sudden the parks were empty. We were walking through World Showcase after our princess lunch and looked at each other in awe after we realized we were almost the only ones around!

 

[SqueakyMouse]

We skiped MD this past year because it was so awful the previous year. In 2005, we decided to extend our vacation through the holiday weekend. Well, there were NO rooms to be had at any price on or offsite!!! After much calling, we eventually caught a cancellation at CSR but later wished we hadn't. We went from a week of fairly low crowds to absolute CRAZINESS!! I found Memorial Weekend to be worse than the Christmas holiday!!! Right after MD, the parks go back to "normal."

 

[Sk8Leigh]

First off, Hi Dan! I'm fine, hope you and Marie are, too.

I think we're going to go with Memorial Day. We may arrive on the Thurs. the 24th (one of my friend's birthday) and then leave that Monday, but nothing's definite. I have like 6 days left on my hopper (I'm the diehard of the group ), but they only have 2-day passes left, and are only planning to buy one other day, so that would be three park days. So I'm thinking Fri-Sun., and then any extra time we could hang out at the resort or do DTD.

Thanks for your reponses! I'm glad to hear that Mem. Day can be done without too much pain. If anyone has anything else to add, speak now, or forever hold your peace. I'd still like to hear from anyone with an opinion.

Now, on to the resort boards to try to decide between OKW and SSR!

 

[ReallyFunMom]

If you can get past the missing work thing, I think you would have more fun shifting the trip out a couple of days. Fly on Sat as early as can and enjoy whatever resort you are at the rest of the day. Hit the parks Sun, Mon and Tues, crowds should be deminishing as you go with Tues the best day. Fly out Wed.

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

The resort was really busy till Tuesday and then the pool was magically calm the rest of the week. Over the weekend we had to wear bracelets at the pool!!! The Boardwalk was very busy too and then after Monday is was much better.

We did AK on Memorial day and had a wonderful day!!!! While it was busy we still managed to do everything we wanted using Fast pass and getting there at opening. We managed to ride EE 5 times that day and never waited in line!! Of course my cousin ended up giving us their Fastpasses at the end of the day, But we still managed 4 times on our own!!

The parks were busy, but managable if you got there at opening and used Fast pass. We did everything that we wanted that week!!

The heat was not too bad...We had upper 80's all week and only a couple rain showers. The humidity is what was high, but the evenings were nice!!

Epcot was the only park that did not seem overly busy!! We loved the World showcase and Soarin!! One of our favorite days on this trip.

I am used to the off season so I missed taking time to relax!! When it is warm and busy you have to be on the go go go all the time to get everything done. We are going back in December for a couple days so we can have low crowds and cooler weather.

I would do it again though!! It was a great trip!! I could tell that things were only going to get busier as the weeks got further into summer!

Have fun!