Somewhat disenchanted after trip

[excitedtraveler]

We just got back from DisneyWorld yesterday. Overall we had a good time, there were definitely good parts and fun parts but it was just soooo crowded. I guess what my main problem was was the lines for all the rides/attractions. I have 2 small children and we really didn't go on that much because often the wait was 50+ minutes .....and that was for rides like Pooh's Honeypots and Peter Pan! Our last afternoon/evening there we didn't go on anything, just ate dinner, walked around and left b/c the waits were so long and I just can't see waiting that long with little kids. Yes we did use fastpass when we could.

I know this won't be a popular post here, but I am a disney fan too....we were actually considering DVC until this trip. It's just hard to feel the magic when everything is crowds and waiting and knowing there are things you won't get to see and do b/c of the wait. Is it just me? Is it significantly less busy at other times a year? Maybe I am expecting too much?

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

Yes, it is lots less busy at other times of year. When you combine the crowds with the heat it has put a damper on many trips...especially with families that haven't experienced the magic before. If at all possible when you plan your next trip plan for a lower time of year (September, except Labor Day weekend, Early November, Early December, January except MLK weekend, early February before Presidents Day) When kids are in school the parks have far fewer people and it is much more enjoyable. I'm sorry your trip wasn't fantastic. One year we took our family the first week of June and decided that would never happen again. To us it is worth taking kids out of school for a couple of days to avoid the crazy busy times. Others may not agree with it, but it works well for us. We did go at Spring Break one year and it was pretty good. It has gotten more crowded at that time of year since our trip however, but the weather is much more comfortable and that helps when it is busy.

 

[rlduvall]

Truly, you went to Disney at one of the most crowded times possible. I would honestly not even consider going in the summer - too busy = no fun. There are definitely much slower and more enjoyable times, i.e. September, first 2 weeks in December and many other times. I wouldn't give up on Disney yet, but maybe spend some time researching the best time to go crowd and weatherwise. Besides getting great information here, I highly recommend the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World.

Good luck.

 

[banjobears]

Yes, there are less bussier times to visit. I went to Disney this past April and it wasn't that bad. Plus it wasn't quite as hot as it is now. You might also want to consider going in January or early Feb., temp. a lot cooler. Summer is the worst time to visit. It is to hot and to many people. So maybe the next time you go, consider going during value or regular season.

November 29- December 5, Christmas with Mickey and the Gang.​

 

[MissSha]

We've been in June and seen all the frustrated parents dragging overtired little ones behind...didn't look like a "Magical Moment" to us, either.

However, two variables about how you just vacationed can definitely change...waiting till your little ones get older, and going at a less crowded time of year.

Our first trip with our DS's was when they were 9 and 11!!!! Old enough to handle the crowds and heat of our first trip. We went in June, too, but we didn't mind the negatives...it our first time after all!

Try again...you'll end up buying DVC like we did

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

With two small children you should try to take advantage of traveling during off season. One of our favorite times of year is October as the crowds are lighter, the temperature is still warm enough to swim but very comfortable during the day, and the rates are a bit lower. We are headed to WDW is just a little over a week because our DD is starting HS so I feel like we can't plan vacations during the school year anymore -- I am trying to prepare myself for the crowds and the heat/humidity and can only hope it will still be enjoyable.

 

[LISAMWDW]

Anytime school is out, WDW will be crowded! The best thing to do when you go during that time is to expect large crowds and prepare yourself.

Go early in the morning. Take advantage of early park entrances for resort guests. Get some assistance from tour guide Mike, etc. for non veteran visitors. Plan, plan, read, read and plan some more.

If you don't want to deal with all that, your only option is to take the kids out of school and go during a non peak time. Such as, early November, early December, for example. Stay away from holidays and school breaks. Even Presidents day in February is busy.

Good luck!

 

[dpuck1998]

Our first "real" trip to the world was in August and we felt the same way. Our next trip was in Jan and the rest is history I don't have any plans to go in the summer ever again!! But we are DVC owners now!!

 

[dizzy203]

I'm sorry you didn't get to feel the magic this time. Like the previous posts have said, if at all possibly, next time try to go in the off season. It's so much better and not as crowded. I can't stand the heat or the crowds so I could never go in the summer or during school vacations. The first time I took my DS he was 3. We went at the beginning of Nov and stayed for 10 days. I did that for a few years but when he started school I changed the plans. I booked the flight so the time would be right around the end of the school day and the return flight is later in the afternoon so we get almost a full day but we're still home before 8:30 pm. Also, I cut down the number of days we go to about 5 so he ends up missing 3 days of school. I'd rather keep him out of school the 3 days than go in the summer or during school vacation. I think you should still look into DVC and then maybe you could enjoy it during the off season.

Good Luck!

 

[Guzzi]

We spent 7 and 8 days in Disney each of the last two summers and had a really good time. My kids are older, but taking them out of school is a no go for us as my wife is a teacher and could not take the time off. We had plenty of water, used our disney rewards dollars to make sure we had lots and brought a refillable water bottle with a charcol filter to eliminate the bad taste from the local water. We also used Tour Guide Mike for planning our trip and his advise really worked.

We just got back from DisneyWorld yesterday. Overall we had a good time, there were definitely good parts and fun parts but it was just soooo crowded. I guess what my main problem was was the lines for all the rides/attractions. I have 2 small children and we really didn't go on that much because often the wait was 50+ minutes .....and that was for rides like Pooh's Honeypots and Peter Pan! Our last afternoon/evening there we didn't go on anything, just ate dinner, walked around and left b/c the waits were so long and I just can't see waiting that long with little kids. Yes we did use fastpass when we could.

I know this won't be a popular post here, but I am a disney fan too....we were actually considering DVC until this trip. It's just hard to feel the magic when everything is crowds and waiting and knowing there are things you won't get to see and do b/c of the wait. Is it just me? Is it significantly less busy at other times a year? Maybe I am expecting too much?

 

[Jrabbit910]

Im so sorry that you felt like this but I can understand about the crowds and heat and I know sometimes waiting for your fastpass to kick in isnt always that much fun when you cant get anything else done but walk around!
Im sending you pixie dust in hopes that you plan another trip that isnt so crowded. If you have two little ones and you still want to go, you should look into Sept during the magical beginnings!

 

[Jaymie]

We just went in July, for our first summer trip. We usually go in Jan-Feb. I found that it was crazy busy and I found it hard to wait in line in the heat too. But we just decided to take it easy because we knew the crowds would be huge.

Jan-Feb we rarely wait more than 15 minutes for a ride and with the cooler temp, it's much more enjoyable. 15 minuts in the Humid Florida heat seems like an eternity, let alone waiting 50 miuntes.

Don't give up, just try a different time of year.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

We just got back from Disneyland and it was also extremely crowded. Being Disneyland veterans, we used a few tricks we've learned over the years and on the boards to manage crowded times. We managed to never wait more than 30 minutes for anything (and that was just for the new Nemo Subs - the normal wait for us was 20 minutes or less). I think it's possible to do it, you just have to make a plan and stick to it (this applies to the WDW parks as well). We entered the park at opening each morning and went to a different land first each time. You can hit almost any ride with very minimial waits if you go early enough. The park opened at 8:00 a.m. each day. We were surprised to find absolutely no line at Mr. Toad just after 9:00 a.m. In fact, we thought the ride was closed because no one but the operators were there. We jumped right on.

Also in the mornings, we visited the big rides that have Fastpass. If the lines were 20 minutes or less, we rode. If they were already long, we would get a Fastpass and look at the next time we could get another one (for example, your Fastpass return time might be in 3 hours but the ticket might say you can get another Fastpass in 2 hours). Whenever we were able, we would get a Fastpass for a big ride but not use it during the window. What some people don't know is that the ending time on the Fastpass doesn't matter. You can use it anytime during the day as long as it's after the initial time (for example, if your Fastpass says return between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m., you can use it from 2:00 p.m. until the park closes - it doesn't expire after 3:00 p.m.). We saved all of our Fastpasses for later when the lines really got long. We returned to our hotel around 4:00 for a break and went back to the park at 7:00 p.m. All of the lines for the major rides were over an hour but we had a whole stack of Fastpasses that we'd gathered in the morning. We rode Indiana Jones, Space Mountain, Autopia and Buzz Lightyear and Splash Mountain using our Fastpasses. I read about this stragegy over on the Disneyland board and it was excellent advice!

The other thing you can do is wait until just before the park closes. We were able to jump on almost anything during the last hour. I know this is very difficult if your kids are young (ours are 12 and 8 and able to do it). The Matterhorn had a wait of over an hour most of the day and we waited 15minutes after 11:00 p.m. We also used Early Entry one morning and got in at 7:00 a.m. By the time we made it to the Nemo Subs, the line was only 30 minutes (I say only because it averaged 2-3 hours most other times).

I would still rather go at a less crowded time. Summer at DL or WDW is bound to be crowded. But, with a few strategies, it's possible to shorten your wait times considerably.

 

[Sammie]

There are slower times but right now at Disney there are no slow times. They are doing a remarkable job of promotion, especially with Dreams and they are experiencing record crowds at the parks and record occupany at the resorts.

But I will agree that crowds are easier to manage in the cooler months. I think what bothered us most this trip and I don't see any forseeable change is how rude so many people have become.

I know this has been discussed in great detail here and there is no solution, it is just a sad statement that when visiting the Happiest Place On Earth, you have to listen to some idiot with a foul mouth belittling his kids. It ruins it for everyone

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I know this has been discussed in great detail here and there is no solution, it is just a sad statement that when visiting the Happiest Place On Earth, you have to listen to some idiot with a foul mouth belittling his kids. It ruins it for everyone

So sad -- but true!

 

[excitedtraveler]

What some people don't know is that the ending time on the Fastpass doesn't matter. You can use it anytime during the day as long as it's after the initial time (for example, if your Fastpass says return between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m., you can use it from 2:00 p.m. until the park closes - it doesn't expire after 3:00 p.m.).

I had no idea! We were actually a little late for one of our fastpasses and were all worried that they wouldn't let us in! They did, of course.

 

[Mammu]

We took our family the week leading up to Christmas. It was FANTASTIC! There were no crowds. We ran from ride to ride and rode our favorites multiple times! The whole atmosphere was soooooo holiday! I have never felt more Christmassy! Christmas day was a complete zoo with way too many people. But by that time we had done it all - many times! We enjoyed the parade, watched the fireworks from Ohana and then went to the airport. Totally satisfied. I recommend trying that time of year. Do your shopping early and make that the family present!

 

[Cinderaven]

Summer is an okay time to go. We went in June, July and Aug late. |This year we are going for the Free dining again. Aug 26 - Sept. 3rd.

School starts Aug. 20th for Orlando, Kissimmee kids. That usually slows things down alot.

Next year we plan on going either in mid Sept., or after Thanksgiving.

 

[eventsdj]

It blows me away that DW is slower in the cold months, school months, etc.
Our first trip was late May, and it was HOT, but we got on absolutely everyting, some 2-3x in a row.

Our next trip is Feb 5-11, and I am "wishing on a star" for a smallish crowd. I would rather pull kids out of school!

Disney word in August to me sounds like Chinese water tourture!

 

[weldon1]

We were at Disney World last week. This was our 1st trip. I found that the "Unofficial Guide to Disney World" was a huge help.

The first day we went to Epcot, my husband made out our touring plan based on the book. We had done all of the popular, hard to get into rides by noon. The longest wait was soarin (even with a fastpass) but worth it. We then ate lunch and relaxed while walking through the countries.

The 2nd & 3rd days were a whole different story. We started Sat. with touring plan but my husband's parents, sister, brother inlaw, & kids joined us. They weren 't interested in the touring plan so it went out the window. We only saw maybe a third of MK and AK. I feel like we spent most our time walking in circles. (We still enjoyed the parts we saw and even got dream passes at AK.)

Getting there at opening and the touring plan made things much easier for us and I feel like we saw so much more of the park. Bythe way, I did notice that many times when we waited in line on Sat. & Sun. that the waits weren't really as long as posted.