Ok..How bad was crowds this past Memorial day weekend?

[BABYJOSIE98]

I was there for a few days the week before and on Friday when we left I could tell things were picking up around AKL. I am planning a 7 night trip with my Neice and Nephew for the week before next May and it will work out unless we get lots of snow days..... This year we had none!

Anyway snow days would possibly delay the trip a few days and push us into the Mem day weekend????

Is it that bad??? I am planning 7 nights so we have plenty of down time in between park time.

I would definetly stay away from MK that Saturday.

So for those of you there this year....How was it?

 

[SuzEm]

I was there the week before and after MemDay. I actually thought the crowds weren't that bad over the weekend, but picked up signifcantly by Thursday/Friday after MemDay. We've gone during this time for two trips now and I wouldn't hesitate to go back at the same time.

 

[Marc A.]

We were there from 5-26 to 5-31. Thursday and Friday weren't that bad but sat, sunday and monday were pretty busy. The rides in the afternoon were very busy and the fireworks in the evening were packed. Buses were also packed. If you have a week to visit it most likely wouldn't be that bad.
Have fun. Do you have room for more????

 

[Autumngirl]

I was there from 5-26 to 6-04 and did notice extreme crowds at all. Walked on most attractions with little wait.

 

[LibGirl]

I was in MK the Friday afternoon of Memorial Day weekend, and it was significantly more crowded than earlier that week. The wait time for Pooh at 11:00 am was posted 25 minutes - actual wait was 50. At noon, PP was well over an hour wait, and FP return time was 3:30. The wait for the Princess line in ToonTown was an hour at 1:00 pm.

We were able to use fast passes and rode everything we wanted to later in the day, but had a hard time finding something to do that didn't involve an hour wait while waiting for our FP time on PP that afternoon. Hope this helps.

 

[elf]

We were there from 5/28-6/6. On Sunday Mem. day weekend we went to MK. We arrived at opening which was very crowded wouldn't let us in until 8:55 not even to get strollers.
BUT--once the crowd dispersed it wasn't horrible. First thing went on Pooh two times and walked onto Dumbo and Carosal. DH was very fast getting FP for Splash Mountain.
While the crowds were thick we seemed to have luck with us. We alternately used fast passes and stood on lines. Peter Pan we walked on twice by the third time the line was 40 minutes, within an hour Peter Pan was 90 minutes. We walked onto Splash Mountain and there was a standby of 60 minutes. By the time we got to splash we were able to get FP for Thunder Mountain, did Pirates and came right back for Thunder. We did stuff like that the whole day left after parade (which allowed us to walk on rides like Haunted mansion. Never stood on a line more than 20-30 minutes.
While it was very crowded the whole trip, we somehow were able to work through them. It wasn't that bad that I wouldn't go back that week. It wound up to be a good week to take dd out of school. I would do it again.

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

My plan is too head to WDW the Sat before and go home Sunday of Mem day weekend. Hopefully St.Louis weather will be good again this Winter. We hardly had any snow last year. Wish I could have took them this past May.

If they only have a couple days left of school I will just pull them out. They don't do much the last 2 days anyway.

We will just hit the parks hard at the beginning of the week and then rest at the end. On Sat I want to rent a car and drive to Port Canaveral and let them see the Magic set sail! They have never see a cruise ship and that is always fun.

I know it is a year away,but it is never too early to start planning!

I feel like I know my way around well enough to work around the crowds.

Thanks....

 

[missypie]

We were there. Friday AK. Saturday MK, then Epcot WS. Sunday Epcot. Monday MGM. I studied these boards, subscribed to Tour Guide Mike, and had a plan, and we just flat out didn't wait in long lines. Yes, there were lots of people, but we arrived at park opening, used Fast Pass, ate early or had PS, and we just sailed through each park. The park that felt the most crowded was Epcot on Sunday. The lines for TT and Soarin got very long very quickly. Fast Pass return times were later than I'd expected, and when you went into the pavilions (esp. the Land) they were packed.

 

[cruzin2paradise]

My plan is too head to WDW the Sat before and go home Sunday of Mem day weekend. Hopefully St.Louis weather will be good again this Winter. We hardly had any snow last year. Wish I could have took them this past May.

If they only have a couple days left of school I will just pull them out. They don't do much the last 2 days anyway.

We will just hit the parks hard at the beginning of the week and then rest at the end. On Sat I want to rent a car and drive to Port Canaveral and let them see the Magic set sail! They have never see a cruise ship and that is always fun.

I know it is a year away,but it is never too early to start planning!

I feel like I know my way around well enough to work around the crowds.

Thanks....

We are planning our trip for May 27-June 4 next year. We have our room booked at CSR. We too are from Missouri (Kansas City) and I hope as well that we do not have any snow issues . . . I spoke with the Disney people a few days ago and they said that the 2006 packages should be available by the end of this month to the middle of next! It's never too early to plan a vacation - especially a Disney one!

Thanks for posting this, I was a bit anxious about the crowds (having been there just after Christmas, one time, I can't imagine that it would be worse . . .)

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

I don't think crowds will be near as bad as mid Summer time. I have always went in the off season too and so I expect it too be busier than the other times I have went.

I think I am booking things seperatly. I am buying the 5 day passes for my Neice and Nephew for Christmas so they know it is real and they are going.
I have even found some countdown timers that say "MAGIC HAPPENS" and am giving them each one of those with our countdown.
I then will be on the look out for discount codes for room rates.
The dates will be up in the air till I see how bad our Winter is. I am banking on Sat May 20th,but don't know if it will work. School will technically be out,but those dang snow days could mess me up!

So you are booking a package soon? Exciting!

I still have to pay my cruise off next month. We sail on the Magic in October.

Happy planning!

 

[cruzin2paradise]

I don't think crowds will be near as bad as mid Summer time. I have always went in the off season too and so I expect it too be busier than the other times I have went.

I think I am booking things seperatly. I am buying the 5 day passes for my Neice and Nephew for Christmas so they know it is real and they are going.
I have even found some countdown timers that say "MAGIC HAPPENS" and am giving them each one of those with our countdown.
I then will be on the look out for discount codes for room rates.
The dates will be up in the air till I see how bad our Winter is. I am banking on Sat May 20th,but don't know if it will work. School will technically be out,but those dang snow days could mess me up!

So you are booking a package soon? Exciting!

I still have to pay my cruise off next month. We sail on the Magic in October.

Happy planning!

Where do you find these countdown clocks? That would be a fun gift. I would love to have the discount codes as well, but I don't know where to begin to find them.

Have fun on your October cruise . . . this is the 1st year in 3 years we aren't cruising . . . never done the Disney cruise, but we love cruising (hence my screen name . . .)

I intend to enjoy the planning process! Already am

If you have any other hints, tips, tricks, etc., feel free to e-mail me (I think my e-mail is accessible).