Should I switch my days?

[mastermind307]

Debating on whether to switch a couple of my days around after I got the updated crowd level estimates from TP.
We will be there Oct. 10-17, so over Columbus Day weekend. The day that really changed was Columbus Day, it's now a level 9 day and so is HS. Tuesday (the following day) is a level 5 and HS is also a level 5. The original plan was to go to HS on Monday and go to the beach on Tuesday. Should I switch those days around? Right now I can switch around my ADRs for these days without too much trouble. Part of me wants to change it, but it's still over 4 months away and things can change again so not sure it would be worth it.
With the CL going up and learning that Wilderness Lodge will be under construction when we are there has made my excitement for our trip disappear.

 

[Alesia]

Debating on whether to switch a couple of my days around after I got the updated crowd level estimates from TP.

I wouldn't.

With the CL going up and learning that Wilderness Lodge will be under construction when we are there has made my excitement for our trip disappear.

If the crowd level update are really making you feel that bad about your trip, stop reading them. It's a vacation, it's supposed to be fun.

 

[PoohsFan1]

I completely agree with the PP, if reading the CL crowds is making you stressed out about your trip, then don't read them. Take it from me, I stressed myself out with the CL estimates when I was going in January with my 2 DDs. I checked those things daily and got so stressed that I really wasn't having fun planning my trip... which I normally have the most fun doing. I decided for our upcoming October trip (we will be there part of the time that you will be there) I decided that I wasn't going to worry about reading the CLs and just go with the flow. I know it will be crowded but luckily we will have PHs this time around because if it gets too crowded at the park we are in, then we will hop over to another park. I also decided to avoid all parks that have EMH, both morning and nighttime ones. Have a great trip and don't stress too much .

 

[patrickpiteo]

I never pay attention to those calendars most the times they are wrong and four months away..... Just make your plans the way you want go with the flow its disney it's always crowded..

 

[Lucius Best]

If would lean towards switching your days. Yes, of course crowd calendar estimates can be wrong. But I think it is common sense that a weekend day or holiday is going to be more busy than a weekday. I personally find crowd levels most impactful at HS, because of its size and the small number of rides compared to other parks. After my last few trips experiencing HS on weekdays vs weekends (always on dates where HS is "recommended"), on my next trip I will most likely plan for HS on weekdays only.

 

[itchin2go]

If would lean towards switching your days. Yes, of course crowd calendar estimates can be wrong. But I think it is common sense that a weekend day or holiday is going to be more busy than a weekday.

I agree.

I was going to say stop looking at crowd calendars too. They are trying to predict the future, and while they can be good tools, they're not foolproof.

However, the fact that Columbus Day is going to be busier than the day after is a given. If you were switching 2 park days around, I wouldn't be as adamant, but I feel like the beach day is going to be much better placed on Columbus Day.

What beach are you going to?

 

[mastermind307]

If the crowd level update are really making you feel that bad about your trip, stop reading them. It's a vacation, it's supposed to be fun.

It's not just the crowd level updates that are making me feel bad, it's other things too. DH doesn't enjoy Disney vacations the way I do so trying to make it as enjoyable as possible for him. I mentioned to him the CL going up and me responds with how miserable he'll be. While I'm trying to make it fun for all, it won't be fun if he's grumpy and complaining the whole time. He would stay home but he doesn't want to miss another family vacation (DD and I went to Disney without him in 2013). He did like the resort I picked, Wilderness Lodge, but now it looks as though there will be construction going on while we're there. I rented points for a studio so we're stuck so hopefully the construction won't be too back and won't affect us too much.

If would lean towards switching your days. Yes, of course crowd calendar estimates can be wrong. But I think it is common sense that a weekend day or holiday is going to be more busy than a weekday. I personally find crowd levels most impactful at HS, because of its size and the small number of rides compared to other parks. After my last few trips experiencing HS on weekdays vs weekends (always on dates where HS is "recommended"), on my next trip I will most likely plan for HS on weekdays only.

There isn't a whole lot we want to do at HS as we've seen the shows and don't really care about seeing them again. How bad will it be if we want to do the following?

TSM (using FP)
Star Tours (using FP) - if line is short might ride more than once
Muppet Vison -never seen it, but not a must do
Great Movie Ride - in-laws want to do, but we could skip
Animation Academy - never have done it and DD wants to, she enjoys drawing and pretty good at it
VOTLM - in-laws want to see this and maybe could see it while we do the animation academy
Indiana Jones - We've seen it, but of all the shows it would be the one we'd choose if the timing works out, if not we're ok to skip it

We have a 7:30 adr breakfast at Whispering Canyon so might or might not arrive at rope drop, but I figure we should be there by 9:30. We also have and adr at Sci-Fi at 11:30 to get a snack (share a meal or get a desert) because in-laws want to eat here for the atmosphere.

I agree.

I was going to say stop looking at crowd calendars too. They are trying to predict the future, and while they can be good tools, they're not foolproof.

However, the fact that Columbus Day is going to be busier than the day after is a given. If you were switching 2 park days around, I wouldn't be as adamant, but I feel like the beach day is going to be much better placed on Columbus Day.

What beach are you going to?

The plan is to head over to Clearwater Aquarium, DD is excited to see where Winter and Hope live from Dolphin Tale. Then driving down to John's Pass for the rest of the day.

 

[Lucius Best]

I mentioned to him the CL going up and me responds with how miserable he'll be.

Make sure he has his bottle and favorite toy (my 4yo nephew won't go anywhere without "Bunny"), and has some snacks he can nibble on in his stroller. If he's really melting down, get him a soft serve. Nobody can cry and eat ice cream at the same time.

There isn't a whole lot we want to do at HS as we've seen the shows and don't really care about seeing them again. How bad will it be if we want to do the following?

Given your plan for the day: if don't want to ride RnRC or ToT, and you have your FP for TSMM and ST, and WCC breakfast is a priority, then you can go any day you want. You'll have no problem getting that list of attractions done. It doesn't matter if the crowd level is 5 or 9. My suggestion was based on the goal to do as many rides as possible.

The only reason to worry about the crowd level is if you're trying to hit all the headliners and/or ride them multiple times. Even on a super busy HS day, as long as you got to HS before rope drop, you can still get a bunch of rides done standby the first hour before using your FP.

Star Tours is the fourth busiest ride at HS. If you wanted to ride multiple times, I'd go there first when you arrive and ride standby. The only way to ride TSMM multiple times without waiting a long time would be rope drop. Muppets are funny, and hardly any wait. GMR can sometimes get 20-30 minute waits, but should be fine in the morning, or you could FP that too.

 

[lauradis]

Debating on whether to switch a couple of my days around after I got the updated crowd level estimates from TP.
We will be there Oct. 10-17, so over Columbus Day weekend. The day that really changed was Columbus Day, it's now a level 9 day and so is HS. Tuesday (the following day) is a level 5 and HS is also a level 5. The original plan was to go to HS on Monday and go to the beach on Tuesday. Should I switch those days around? Right now I can switch around my ADRs for these days without too much trouble. Part of me wants to change it, but it's still over 4 months away and things can change again so not sure it would be worth it.
With the CL going up and learning that Wilderness Lodge will be under construction when we are there has made my excitement for our trip disappear.

See if you can get what ever dinning for the tuesday that you had for monday. Go to the beach monday, instead.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

With the CL going up and learning that Wilderness Lodge will be under construction when we are there has made my excitement for our trip disappear.

Really! You're not going to the gallows, it's a vacation! Cheer up! Overthinking and over planning it, relax!

 

[Puffy2]

If it's not a big deal, switch the days. I'm basing that on it being a holiday weekend...not the calendar. Switch the days.

 

[sharonabe]

I also have a DH that doesn't enjoy Disney as much as the rest of us, BUT he always has as much fun as the rest of us once we get there. The reason he does is I plan it to minimize crowds as much as possible. His biggest complaint is the crowds, so I know doing what is best for him is best for all of us. I would definitely switch those days even though you only want to do a few things at HS. Animation Academy is very popular. Last time we were there, we would have had to wait through at least one show and maybe two. A lower crowd day means you'll definitely get to do multiple Star Tours and maybe multiple TSM. Since it's not hard to switch your ADRs, SWITCH those days.

 

[MatzoBelle]

TP should stop posting crowd levels that they don't have a high degree of confidence in. People make expensive decisions based on what they publish. It's one thing to revise estimates when Disney revises a schedule; it's another to publish estimates before you've weighed all the variables and then to change those estimates dramatically once you've weighed everything. Stick with EasyWDW's estimates.

Also, because I'm still cranky even after that little outburst, please consider that it is your husband's job to make himself happy, not yours. You can do nice things to enhance his enjoyment of things and not exclusively fill the schedule with things he hates, but he needs to step up and do any of several things: not go; go but be a good sport and stop burdening you with his negativity; or go and constructively plan how he'd like to spend his time, some of which may be spent apart from you. He sounds much less querulous than some, though, from what you've posted, so I don't mean to assail his character.