Planning a Solo trip end of year

[Squeaksqueakums]

I know there are tons of crowd calculators to refer to but I just was wondering if people have found them fairly accurate this year so far in their experience? I am an avid amusement park goer (thrill parks) and the parks I normally go to have been so wildly unpredictable crowd wise this year for some reason compared to recent years. I know it's the usual post covid reasons (low staffing, management, recent poor park maintenance ...etc) these things are and aren't unique to these types of thrill parks. Some of these issues (not all) may also effect Disney I'm not sure.

Long winded way to ask if those of you that have been this year (and happened to look at the crowd calendars before going) have you found that they are very accurate? Thank you for letting me ramble!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Don’t bother. The downside to when the parks are really quiet is Disney cuts operations staff- just had someone complaining about that at AK over their recent trip. It was quiet so they only ran some rides at half capacity so they still got stuck with a long line at like the river rapids I think it was.

Are you talking Dec? I went around second week last year and crowds were fine in the parks, resorts were really quiet (their prices were crazy and they pulled the public discount early- so if you’re eyeing a Disney resort on discount book it Now). Saw a report recently from someone who loves the week after Thanksgiving for quiet crowds so there is another option. Personally I’d do anytime after Thanksgiving weekend up to 12/19 this year to get out before the holiday crowd hits. Xmas to NYE crowds are no joke, they’re insane.

 

[BrianL]

Don’t bother. The downside to when the parks are really quiet is Disney cuts operations staff- just had someone complaining about that at AK over their recent trip. It was quiet so they only ran some rides at half capacity so they still got stuck with a long line at like the river rapids I think it was.

Are you talking Dec? I went around second week last year and crowds were fine in the parks, resorts were really quiet (their prices were crazy and they pulled the public discount early- so if you’re eyeing a Disney resort on discount book it Now). Saw a report recently from someone who loves the week after Thanksgiving for quiet crowds so there is another option. Personally I’d do anytime after Thanksgiving weekend up to 12/19 this year to get out before the holiday crowd hits. Xmas to NYE crowds are no joke, they’re insane.

This is true, though I am having a hard time picturing how they run Kali River Rapids at half-capacity. The rafts just come through loading regardless - it's like an omnimover. They definitely do this for other rides that load two sides.

Yeah, the week after Thanksgiving is typically good. Crowd Calendars are a crapshoot anyway and I don't worry about them too much. I might use them to figure out which park on which day, but overall crowds are hard to predict and don't much matter except over the busiest times.

 

[Squeaksqueakums]

Don’t bother. The downside to when the parks are really quiet is Disney cuts operations staff- just had someone complaining about that at AK over their recent trip. It was quiet so they only ran some rides at half capacity so they still got stuck with a long line at like the river rapids I think it was.

Are you talking Dec? I went around second week last year and crowds were fine in the parks, resorts were really quiet (their prices were crazy and they pulled the public discount early- so if you’re eyeing a Disney resort on discount book it Now). Saw a report recently from someone who loves the week after Thanksgiving for quiet crowds so there is another option. Personally I’d do anytime after Thanksgiving weekend up to 12/19 this year to get out before the holiday crowd hits. Xmas to NYE crowds are no joke, they’re insane.

Thank you! This is very helpful I was thinking around December 11-15 but wasn't sure if that was a terrible idea or not haha!

 

[Squeaksqueakums]

This is true, though I am having a hard time picturing how they run Kali River Rapids at half-capacity. The rafts just come through loading regardless - it's like an omnimover. They definitely do this for other rides that load two sides.

Yeah, the week after Thanksgiving is typically good. Crowd Calendars are a crapshoot anyway and I don't worry about them too much. I might use them to figure out which park on which day, but overall crowds are hard to predict and don't much matter except over the busiest times.

Thank you as well all of this is very helpful regarding the crowds. I better get my reservation in soon!

 

[BrianL]

Thank you as well all of this is very helpful regarding the crowds. I better get my reservation in soon!

I mentioned using crowd calendars to determine park days, but honestly you can use the same logic that they use based on known factors. Basically, if there is an evening event where a park closes early (think Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party/Jollywood Nights at that time of year), then the crowds will be lighter in that park (possibly heavier in others). If you have Park Hopper tickets then it doesn't matter as much, but those parks are a great place to start your day. I think it is still safe to say that MK is busiest on Mondays as people commonly start their vacations there. Parks with the longest/latest hours are usually busiest. Honestly, if you have Hoppers then a lot of that is moot.

 

[cmbr]

I think it's always a bit of a shot in the dark on what crowds are going to look like on any one day. I've been planning a trip for my friend and I, and I've moreso been trying to think "Okay, what days can I fairly confidently say won't be UNUSUALLY crowded?" I've been considering the crowd calendars more like suggestions than rules, at the very least using them to determine times I definitely DON'T want to go.

 

[rangerxenos]

Thank you! This is very helpful I was thinking around December 11-15 but wasn't sure if that was a terrible idea or not haha!

My favorite time to go is the first two weeks after Thanksgiving week. Weather is usually beautiful, crowds are quite manageable, and everything is decorated to the hilt.

 

[ahhhshmatthew]

I like to think of this question (when are parks busy) in terms of an average - on average, during this timeframe, how likely am I to encounter overwhelming crowd issues or issues stemming from crowds? First half of December, overall, I think your average would be pretty good! How good depends on the comparison - compared to the 2nd half of December, VERY good....compared to a less crowded time, maybe equal or not as good. There will always be "pockets" of business or situational things, but it's all relative

I second what others have said too - some of this is more nuance. Certain parks, at certain times, are less or more crowded depending on what is happening (same with hotels). FWIW - I am going to WDW December 5th-15th for my 40th birthday, and in part picked that time to get a good holiday vibe mix with typically higher batting average on not hitting insane crowds