Should I change my plans? I'd be going against the easywdw suggestions!

[lilmape]

I had originally planned to follow easywdw the week of Sept 28-October 3, but I'm having a rough time getting the ADRs I want. We will be taking mid day breaks each day(have a toddler). I was planning:

28 - ak/EP
8:30 (or 10:30) Tusker House/6:00 Via Napoli

29 - MK
Want 8:20 CP (have 10:30)/1:30 BOG

The rest of the week is fine. We were able to get what we wanted. I am subscribed to disneydiningbuddy and I'm waiting but I made the ressies as follows:

28 - MK
8:20 - CP

29 - AK/EP
10:20 - Tusker House/7:00 Via Napoli

Epcot is NOT recommended the 29 and MK is NOT the 28... How bad would it be if I do have to switch? If I get the times we want I won't have to...

 

[dprincessmom]

Actually if you can hold your little one over with dry cereal or something until the later breakfasts, you will be able to hit the parks at rope drop and get a lot done. We love those later breakfast seatings on park days.

It might not be horrible, but if you are going against the recommendations then know that it will probably be more crowded. That doesn't mean that it's not doable, just that statistics show it should be more crowded. Is the 28th one of the few days that week that MK doesn't have the MNSSHP and one of the few chances for those not attending the party to see Wishes? That could add to it not being recommended that day.

 

[minushka72]

We are going the same week. Crowd levels are being predicted as 3-5 so I would not worry too much. There are 3 MNSSHPs that week and F&W so MK and EP are affected. F&W is probably affecting your ADR options. Also free dining is available which fills up ADRs too.

 

[2Gma]

We've went during that same time period in 2011 & 2013 and crowds were manageable especially if you get to the park early, even if it is a non-recommended day. (just got back from trip this Wed and did DHS on non-recommended day and did everything we wanted with little wait due to good planning) Since you have a toddler I assume you are doing more rides geared towards the little one whereas the masses will flock to the headliners which the little ones are usually too short for and you can do single rider or rider switch fairly quickly.

As far as breakfasts, I would definitely consider mid-morning times 10:30ish as you can get a few attractions in before sitting down for break otherwise do them pre-park opening. Definitely don't want to miss out on light crowds first thing after park open.

 

[Kathryn777]

We went close to that time period (October 10 ish) last fall. I ended up doing not recommended parks because of the FP I could get. It was much busier, but from rope drop - 11 ish it was good. I do think at that time of year there is a large difference in recommended / not recommended. But it isn't horrible. It seems like the difference between a 20 min wait and a 30 min one at lunch time rides. We're planning to stick closer to the recommended parks this year

 

[notfrostyjosh]

I had originally planned to follow easywdw the week of Sept 28-October 3, but I'm having a rough time getting the ADRs I want. We will be taking mid day breaks each day(have a toddler). I was planning:

28 - ak/EP
8:30 (or 10:30) Tusker House/6:00 Via Napoli

29 - MK
Want 8:20 CP (have 10:30)/1:30 BOG

The rest of the week is fine. We were able to get what we wanted. I am subscribed to dining buddy and I'm waiting but I made the ressies as follows:

28 - MK
8:20 - CP

29 - AK/EP
10:20 - Tusker House/7:00 Via Napoli

Epcot is NOT recommended the 29 and MK is NOT the 28... How bad would it be if I do have to switch? If I get the times we want I won't have to...

People that don't follow the easywdw recommendations have been known to spontaneously combust. You have to ask yourself, "Am I truly willing to risk death? On vacation?"

But to answer your question, you can make what you have work. Epcot with evening Extra Magic Hours means a similar morning as any other day. Move up to World Showcase as close to 11am as possible (which you will want to do any day with Food and Wine filling the area) and you can very easily stay ahead of the pack like you would any other day. Wait times will be higher in Future World from 10:30am-7pm, but if you're not there, it doesn't really matter.

Magic Kingdom on Monday would be considerably rougher than Tuesday, but you can still make it work by touring efficiently in the morning. You would run into a lot more people and considerably higher wait times after 11am, but if the dining reservation is that important then you might be willing to cope with that.

 

[lilmape]

People that don't follow the easywdw recommendations have been known to spontaneously combust. You have to ask yourself, "Am I truly willing to risk death? On vacation?"

I know right!? lol
Thank you! I'm keeping my fingers crossed the ADR we want will open on Tuesday so I don't have to risk spontaneous combustion ... I know we will be happy regardless but the lower the crowds the better!

 

[bumbershoot]

People that don't follow the easywdw recommendations have been known to spontaneously combust. You have to ask yourself, "Am I truly willing to risk death? On vacation?"

So true.

Everytime I hop to a not-recommended park so I can see msep or something like that I do burst into flames.

 

[elaine amj]

I do think at that time of year there is a large difference in recommended / not recommended. But it isn't horrible. It seems like the difference between a 20 min wait and a 30 min one at lunch time rides. We're planning to stick closer to the recommended parks this year

Very true. Last time i was there in low crowd season (end of August), there was a huge difference in crowds between a recommended vs non-recommended day. I especially noticed it at Wishes (we went a few times). On the non-recommended day, we were packed shoulder to shoulder and moving out of the Hub post-Wishes was insane. We literally stood still for a few minutes (and we're very good at squirming through crowds). On the recommended day, we had plenty of room at the Hub and could even sit with room to stretch to enjoy the fireworks.

All that said, even Josh will tell you that a good touring plan is far more important than following the crowd calendar.

 

[Lucius Best]

Monday at MK might be busier than Tuesday, but you're comparing a crowd level of 4 to a 3 so it's not the end of the world. The Epcot difference is because of evening EMH, it will be certainly be more crowded later in the day, but it depends on when you are getting to Epcot from AK and what you want to do. I personally would pick park first based on expected crowd levels, then see what ADR dining options are.

 

[marthachick]

When we are going (Nov 14-20) a few of the recommended days work for us but some don't. For instance, I want to see Wishes and the only days we can do that without MVMCP tickets, are non-recommended days. And for some of the others I can't because DHS closes early (no Fantasmic) and F&W will have Epcot crowded. So we'll just do rope drop to kiss goodnight (3 adults) and make the best of it! And if we burst in to flames, we'll be okay. DS is a firefighter!

 

[MataHari22]

When we are going (Nov 14-20) a few of the recommended days work for us but some don't. For instance, I want to see Wishes and the only days we can do that without MVMCP tickets, are non-recommended days. And for some of the others I can't because DHS closes early (no Fantasmic) and F&W will have Epcot crowded. So we'll just do rope drop to kiss goodnight (3 adults) and make the best of it! And if we burst in to flames, we'll be okay. DS is a firefighter!

I am in the same boat as you are. Going 11/12-11/20 and I will not have park hoppers. For 5 days, I will be going on most recommended park days, but to see Wishes, I have to go on a non-recommended day. So one of my MK days, and one Epcot day, will be that way. Easy WDW has the crowd levels at 2 on those days, or maybe a 3, I forget, so I'm thinking it'll be ok. I'm used to 5-7 crowds. We'll see.

 

[phillymummer]

I have never followed Josh's recommendations and still have good time. The last time I was at DHS was on a non-recommended day BUT TSMM broke down for HOURS and the new fantasyland was in Soft opening, so many people left the park. We stayed bc we didn't have PH and didn't want to add it on, plus we had an ADR at Sci-fi at 5:30. By late afternoon the ride wait times weren't that bad (ToT was at 20 minutes at one point). We walked up to Fantasmic at 7:30 and got an awesome seat. This was on a Saturday in Oct. So you never know how a day is going to pan out.

 

[Davis2902]

Watch out going against Josh's advice he doesn't take rejection well. He might even ban you from using his site.....

 

[Dismama2boys]

Watch out going against Josh's advice he doesn't take rejection well. He might even ban you from using his site.....

I was thinking how great it was of him to come offer someone personalized touring advice, especially in light of what happened the other day.

 

[Davis2902]

I was thinking how great it was of him to come offer someone personalized touring advice, especially in light of what happened the other day.

Maybe he is seeking counselling and this is the first step!

 

[disney world dreamer]

as you can see from my signature i've been quite a few times and i NEVER follow the crowd calendar suggestions.

i've never spontaneously combusted lol.

if it works better to switch the park days then do it and don't worry about what easywdw says.

 

[Traveliz]

I too am one that has never followed (well I don't know as I don't look) at crowd recommendations. I go to the parks I want to based on a number of different factors. We have been during the busiest of times (many times) and the slowest of times (many times) and I have always made it work. That last week of September is an awesome time to go and I can't imagine needing to worry about crowds that week (to the point that it would affect your going or not).

Liz

 

[avic77]

October is tough for Epcot and Mk with F&W and MNSSHP effecting where crowds will go. I too have to hit MK on a non recommended day to see wishes and my morning will be taken up with a Keys tour. The fact that my daughter's 16th birthday is on tuesday so we cant do the tour till Tues or later played a huge part in what day we could hit Mk. We will fast pass some rides for after the tour, hit those then take a break till 7ish when we will come back for evening shows and close the park down.
Epcot will be a non recommended EMH day but it will be our F&W afternoon. we plan to be there at World showcase right at rope drop and stay well ahead of the crowds.

 

[Flamingeaux]

When we are going (Nov 14-20) a few of the recommended days work for us but some don't. For instance, I want to see Wishes and the only days we can do that without MVMCP tickets, are non-recommended days. And for some of the others I can't because DHS closes early (no Fantasmic) and F&W will have Epcot crowded. So we'll just do rope drop to kiss goodnight (3 adults) and make the best of it! And if we burst in to flames, we'll be okay. DS is a firefighter!

This is when we are thinking of going. I have looked at that week and it is hard to come up with a good rotation. What are your park days?