Mothers Day Crowd levels / Am I crazy? What would you do?

[Travis B]

I was originally planning to avoid Disney the weekend of our arrival, as it is a Marathon weekend I believe, and is also Mothers Day on Sunday, We were going to do our 5 day tickets Monday through Friday. However, I've learned that POTC will be down the whole week we're there,and I REALLY want to ride it. It's bad enough that I can't find Blue Bayou PTN dining packages, but at least there's a chance I could actually ride the attraction. If we start our tickets a day early we could head over To Disneyland on Sunday (Mothers Day)so I could get my ride on Pirates.

I'm guessing that Mothers Day will be VERY BUSY. I wouldn't mind having a day just walking around and getting used to the parks, riding whatever we can, But I'm also a little big paranoid about DLR crowds and don't want to feel to overwhelmed.

Would you wait and start your tickets on the slower weekdays, or go on Mothers Day so you could experience Pirates?

 

[Cal-Pie]

I think it has more to do with the marathon than it does with Mother's Day. I was in the parks on Mother's Day 2014, before the marathon started happening. I felt like it was not any busier than any other Sunday and possibly even a bit lighter. (It was also my birthday, I think that's why I remember it so well.)

I think you need to just compare it to any other marathon Sunday, crowd wise.

 

[figment_jii]

I agree with Cal-Pie that I don't think Mother's Day is going to make a huge difference in terms of park crowds. I think you might see an uptick in guests at the various dining locations (i.e., going out for Mother's Day meals), so I would make a reservation beforehand if you know you want to eat at a TS location.

In terms of marathon crowds...it seems like the parks are always crowded these days, especially on the weekends. I do think the parks will be more crowded because it is a marathon weekend, but if you get to the parks early, I think you stand a good chance of riding PotC without a huge line. Still, it depends on level of crowds will make you feel overwhelmed. I was there on the Sunday of the Avenger's Marathon a few years ago and the parks were busy, but not capacity crowd levels. Even with the general increases in crowds over time, I still don't think you'll find capacity level crowds, but you will probably find areas where the crowds are very high (e.g., Adventureland, Main Street during/after the shows, etc.). The one other place where the marathon really did impact crowds was at the parking structure. It took us nearly 45 minutes to get into the Mickey & Friends parking structure, so if you do go at park opening, I would plan a lot of extra time if you have to drive.

 

[Travis B]

I agree with Cal-Pie that I don't think Mother's Day is going to make a huge difference in terms of park crowds. I think you might see an uptick in guests at the various dining locations (i.e., going out for Mother's Day meals), so I would make a reservation beforehand if you know you want to eat at a TS location.

In terms of marathon crowds...it seems like the parks are always crowded these days, especially on the weekends. I do think the parks will be more crowded because it is a marathon weekend, but if you get to the parks early, I think you stand a good chance of riding PotC without a huge line. Still, it depends on level of crowds will make you feel overwhelmed. I was there on the Sunday of the Avenger's Marathon a few years ago and the parks were busy, but not capacity crowd levels. Even with the general increases in crowds over time, I still don't think you'll find capacity level crowds, but you will probably find areas where the crowds are very high (e.g., Adventureland, Main Street during/after the shows, etc.). The one other place where the marathon really did impact crowds was at the parking structure. It took us nearly 45 minutes to get into the Mickey & Friends parking structure, so if you do go at park opening, I would plan a lot of extra time if you have to drive.

Good to know. We will not be driving, so luckily we won't have to worry about parking. I think I'm just a little more concerned because I'm a DLR first-timer, and I don't even visit WDW during 'busy' times. I do think we'll enter early, ride POTC and whatever else we can get done, and then devote the rest of the day to relaxed exploration. Even if it's busy, I think it will be less stressful if I'm not holding a mental list of things I need to get done and can just go with the flow. I think I just wanted to make sure I wasn't 'wasting' one of our ticket days by going on a super busy day rather than a slower weekday. Thanks for your reply.

 

[livbeatles]

Also, the reason for not finding Blue Bayou PtN packages that week is because the restaurant is also closing for refurbishment starting on Monday the 9th.

I usually avoided anything approaching crowds, but just take a relaxed approach to it and use the day to get oriented and it'll be great

 

[mad hatter fan]

I would start on Sunday so you can enjoy Pirates. It is one of the rides I like so much better at DL than WDW. Then I would take a rest day in the middle. Maybe rent a car and visit the beach/see the ocean, do a character meal in one of the hotels, explore DTD. I've seen some threads recently about suggestions to do on an extra day.

 

[Travis B]

I would start on Sunday so you can enjoy Pirates. It is one of the rides I like so much better at DL than WDW. Then I would take a rest day in the middle. Maybe rent a car and visit the beach/see the ocean, do a character meal in one of the hotels, explore DTD. I've seen some threads recently about suggestions to do on an extra day.

Your opinion on POTC at DLR is what is making this so hard for me! For many other attractions, I wouldn't be bothered, but I love POTC so much and want to see all the differences. What I may do is go Sunday - Thursday, and then get a car on Friday and go down to San Diego for the weekend, retiurning early Monday to fly home. I suppose we could take a mid-week break day trip, then head to San Diego Saturday and Sunday nights. I'm having such a hard time deciding on the So Cal things I want to do.

 

[tzeitel]

I would definitely go on Sunday if it is your only chance at potc. We are WDW vets and the DLR version is much better.

 

[Kender]

From the perspective of a runner that weekend: it's not that bad. Security right around 10am is when it'll be at its worst when runners not parked in the M&F garage or staying on site make their way through the esplanade to get to a shuttle or direct onto Harbor.

The half marathon (the longest distance that weekend) will be the one held on mother's day and since it's not a 3 day weekend like some of the other race weekends are (and like the Tink used to be before it was moved to May), many are heading home that day as they likely took at least Friday off if not also Thursday. I found it fairly pleasant last year and I didn't show back up to the parks until afternoon (I went back to my hotel room to nap after the half). And I'm someone who has high anxiety in crowds.

 

[Travis B]

From the perspective of a runner that weekend: it's not that bad. Security right around 10am is when it'll be at its worst when runners not parked in the M&F garage or staying on site make their way through the esplanade to get to a shuttle or direct onto Harbor.

The half marathon (the longest distance that weekend) will be the one held on mother's day and since it's not a 3 day weekend like some of the other race weekends are (and like the Tink used to be before it was moved to May), many are heading home that day as they likely took are least Friday off if not also Thursday. I found it fairly pleasant last year and I didn't show back up to the parks until afternoon (I went back to my hotel room to nap after the half). And I'm someone who has high anxiety in crowds.

Awesome. I appreciate the reply - makes me feel better. Thanks.