Recent Crowds

[Desnik]

I am here right now! The crowds are huge, but the we have been lucky to get on all of the rides we wanted to. (Monday) It was definetly wall to wall people. The main problem was the heat. I was drenced from the heat all day. All in all we had a great time, but I won't be back in the summer again. The tourist groups are here, but we had NO problems with them at all. Very little chanting and no line cutting by them. They are only there to have a good time as well.

I hope this helps all and don't forget your mister. You WILL need it.

Wall to wall people but are they also in line? I have been many times where the parks were crowded with wall to wall people, but then the line attractions were like 10-15 minute waits. So, I guess my question is, are the lines long? How is it eating at counter service places? Huge lines?
Thanks! Just a few more days!!!

 

[marvali]

These are GREAT questions! Crowds in one park (let say EMH MK)may not necessarily mean crowds in another (perhaps non-EMH Epcot). I would expect MK to have much higher crowds all around. It would be interesting to know the details.....

Inquiring minds want to know............

 

[mv1175]

Just got back from WDW. The wait times were great. Not more than 25 mins on most things. Keep in mind we opened the parks, went back to the room for a afternoon nap, and then closed the parks. We also took full advantage of the fastpass system and worked against normal patterns(ie in epcot we did the world showcase and then turned our attention to the rides up front). I got to ride the space mountain and soaring twice in the same day. The rain halped clear out a bunch of people too. Good luck

 

[polynor]

mv1175 -- i'm guessing from your sig you have a 2 yo? Did you do the EMH for MK - or for that matter any of the EMH - or did you avoid the EMH park strategy?
And were your wait times longer in any particular parks?

 

[jaw737373]

Which parks have you been in and which days did you do them? Were those parks having Extra Magic Hours on those days? Would the parks still feel wall to wall if all the tour groups weren't there, or are they a majority of the patrons?

We were in Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom on Monday. We took yesterday off just to swim in our private pool at the house I rented. The kids are going back late this afternoon. Yes there were early hours in the morning. We were there at the opening. The majority were patrons.There were several tour groups, but they were fairly small and well behaved. No problems there.

 

[TheresaNY]

Just got back after 15 days. We found all parks very very crowded. It does NOT seem to be limited to only parks with EMH that day. There are a BAZILLION tour groups there. I am pretty sure that the other day my family was the only ones in the park NOT wearing matching clothes . It seemed that as always stated on the DIS that hitting the parks at opening is best. Well, we hate getting up early but it really truly payed off !! We were able to get a fastpass for ToyStory then ride it within 15 minutes at opening. When we got there around 11 am the fastpass was for 8pm !! We got them, then gave them away to people at our bus stop when we got back to the resort. In fact, everytime before we leave a park, we try to get FPs for the best rides (or whatever we are near) then we give them away ! It makes the kids feel great too! They love seeing the happy surprised faces !
Anyway, back to the crowds...Holy Cow ! There seemed to be a lot of people walking around but rides were doable with planning and FP. We got to see Sig and his brothers in Norway, which was great ! The heat was not as bad as other summers, but still rather "warm". MK was totally hit of miss. One night it was a mob scene...50 minute wait for BTM at 12 am yet walk on to almost everything else. All the hints and suggestions that I have read here really seem to be the best plan of attack. Any specific questions??

 

[Chellymouse]

I'm heading down Aug. 9th and sooooo cannot wait! I hope the crowds remain "moderate".

 

[M2DD's]

I'm more concerned about weather than crowds
What the weather been like?

 

[jezebella]

Well...for the past two days..it's rained ALL DAY LONG. I'm looking out the window now and it's been raining since about noon. Makes the turnpike dreadful!

 

[Nancy for Disney]

For those that have been there recently, do you have any photos you can post to give an idea of what "really crowded is"?

 

[harleyquinn]

Thanks for all of the recent reports!

It really helps when you tell us whether you went to EMHs and how long ride waits were.

I can't even imagine going in August and it not be absurdly hot.

 

[TheresaNY]

Thanks for all of the recent reports!

It really helps when you tell us whether you went to EMHs and how long ride waits were.

I can't even imagine going in August and it not be absurdly hot.

We went to night EMH at EPCOT..at 11pm TT and Soarin' were still at 20 - 30 minute waits. MS supposedly was 20 minutes but we went on (green) and it was more like 5 minutes. Soarin we waited the "20 mins" and it was more like 30 minutes - with both sides open. Spaceship Earth was hit or miss - it bounced from 10 mins. to 30 minutes then back again. Sometimes it looked crowded and sometimes not.

MK night EMH were not too bad. Fantasyland during Wishes and Spectro was doable. Once they were done it got crowded...but that is always the case anyway. The later it got the less crowded it became. BTMR and SM were always most crowded but we made it on easily at the very end of the night.

 

[harleyquinn]

We went to night EMH at EPCOT..at 11pm TT and Soarin' were still at 20 - 30 minute waits. MS supposedly was 20 minutes but we went on (green) and it was more like 5 minutes. Soarin we waited the "20 mins" and it was more like 30 minutes - with both sides open. Spaceship Earth was hit or miss - it bounced from 10 mins. to 30 minutes then back again. Sometimes it looked crowded and sometimes not.

MK night EMH were not too bad. Fantasyland during Wishes and Spectro was doable. Once they were done it got crowded...but that is always the case anyway. The later it got the less crowded it became. BTMR and SM were always most crowded but we made it on easily at the very end of the night.

Thanks!!

 

[Desnik]

Thanks for the reports!! We leave tomorrow and it's really helpful to hear about the crowds and weather. It will just be DH and I so we plan to get to the parks early, take an afternoon break, and then go to the EMH park at night. I just hope it's not raining all day!

 

[TheresaNY]

If you want to do TSMM at Studios I STRONGLY encourage you to be there at opening and hot foot it there with the other 45,000 people that will be doing the same thing. We got there one more at 10am and our FP time was 8:30pm!!! We never made it on because we didn't last that long (But we made sure to give the FPs away to a bunch of unsuspecting fellow AKLodgers waiting at the bus stop at AKL to go to DHS.....boy were they happy!) Anyway, the EMH in the morning turned out great for TSMM. We got FP and rode with a 15 min wait (even though the sign said 30 mins and not one person had not even entered the queue yet!) The FP were for about an hour and a half later. The FPs are usually gone early in the day...so don't delay ! Enjoy your trips everyone that is on their way...safe travels !

 

[goofygreb]

subscribing

 

[jaw737373]

Last evening about 7 the sign for soarin said 120 min. but, she waited for 3 hrs. I would never do that but she sure did. The wait for MS was only about 45 min.

 

[Minniemom97]

Last evening about 7 the sign for soarin said 120 min. but, she waited for 3 hrs. I would never do that but she sure did. The wait for MS was only about 45 min.

and

Holy Moses - that's unreal!!!!

 

[AladdinsPrincess]

I walked through Epcot this afternoon and it was pretty crowded. I swear it's more crowded during the week than it is on the weekends!

 

[TinkerCarol]

On July 4th I was told that in general, the crowds are down about 60% this year. Not on the 4th of July week-end. Just in general.