Strategies for handling crowds?

[arcadiandj]

My DW and I will be at DL for Thanksgiving the week of the 23rd. This year we will be much more strategic in our approach/much more planned out, but I am looking for ideas on how to handle crowds. I love the pod casters who say manage your expectations-which we will do. We'll also take advantage of our magic mornings and fast passes to help us get in the rides that are our favorites. We'll stake out seating areas early to catch the parades and fireworks. Finally, we will do a FDP to help with Fantasmic viewing. Do any of you DisVets have other strategies/recommendations for how you negotiate/tolerate large crowds? Thank you in advance

 

[chickapin parterre]

Wednesday morning is the best hours of the entire week, use this morning for fantsyland and the off to your favorite, tomorrowland or ROA area gate. For Thanksgiving, it will be less crowded than your expectations, whatever they maybe. Wednesday night will be the worse hours of the entire visit. Monday/Tuesday mornings will be crowded, so best to us FP strategy and then leave park early noonish and head over to DCA. Return in the early evening hydrated, fueled and rested and the crowds will not be so "awful". And that is the way it should work.....but....you have three unknowns, El Nino, 60th crowds and impact of 2016 closures....these three could make the crowds larger as folks plan to avoid the down pouring of torrential rain coming and avoid the heart wrenching closure of events and the train.

 

[Bud Ice]

First off, enjoy the trip first and foremost. Too often hear someone say it was a disappointing trip because they couldn't get on a particular ride, like RSR. Take in the atmosphere, parades that roll along, and know that WOC and Fantasmic are outdoors and don't necessarily need FP availability to enjoy.

The two parks are big enough to fill a day just walking around. You can miss a lot by trying to get on a few rides. Waiting two hours for a ride is generally not the best way to enjoy Disney. If you really have a ride preference, use it sparingly.

 

[StormyCA]

'Tolerating' is just having the right attitude, ime. You just have to make up your mind that it will be crowded and there probably will be some things you won't be able to do and some people you'd rather not deal with.

As far as strategy, We usually stay onsite and use EMH every morning, I recommend that if it's in the budget. It really helps you get in the rides you really want to do. For DL, for regular park openings work the park clockwise. Start on the west side and work eastwards. Avoid FL between 1 - 1 1/2 hrs after opening until about 5 pm-ish to avoid the 'stroller brigade'. For MM/EMH, it's only TL and FL that are available, do FL during MM if the dark rides interest you. Then zip to TL at 'regular' opening to grab FP for ST and jump in line for SM (or vice versa).

For DCA, try to do RSR if you have MM/EMH. Or do TSMM and then rush to grab a FP for RSR at 'regular' opening time. Other than those two rides, DCA is easily managed with FPs.

 

[arcadiandj]

ROA area gate

ROA area gate? Little help por favor

 

[chickapin parterre]

four lands to the west have views of the Rivers Of America, so rather then listing the four lands, I just write ROA area. On Mondays after Peter Pan, I head straight to a very empty ROA area, great place to collect FP and all E's can be finished by 11:00. On Tuesday after MM, I stay in tomorrowland, On Wednesday, I ride mutltiple times in Fantasyland and when the first hour is over, I head over to ROA. I have had a great morning history Thanksgiving 07,08 and early Dec Christmas 12, 13. The last two holiday visit, I hit crowds around 11:30 , so I headed over to DCA. I am a night time RSR only, so I venture into the other areas, leave there wet after Grizzly back to the lodging, return to Crush around 6:00, RSR, then over to Disneyland

 

[arcadiandj]

four lands to the west have views of the Rivers Of America, so rather then listing the four lands, I just write ROA area. On Mondays after Peter Pan, I head straight to a very empty ROA area, great place to collect FP and all E's can be finished by 11:00. On Tuesday after MM, I stay in tomorrowland, On Wednesday, I ride mutltiple times in Fantasyland and when the first hour is over, I head over to ROA. I have had a great morning history Thanksgiving 07,08 and early Dec Christmas 12, 13. The last two holiday visit, I hit crowds around 11:30 , so I headed over to DCA. I am a night time RSR only, so I venture into the other areas, leave there wet after Grizzly back to the lodging, return to Crush around 6:00, RSR, then over to Disneyland

Thanks to chickapin and to all!

 

[FryingPansWhoKnew]

How mobile are you? How frantic are you willing to be? What's important for you to do? If you maximize your fastpasses and show up early, you can manage the large crowd days. You have to have a fastpass runner, and make sure you get a new fastpass before you use the old one. Grab a Buzz Lightyear FP anytime you want. Go on the popular rides early.

 

[arcadiandj]

How mobile are you? How frantic are you willing to be? What's important for you to do? If you maximize your fastpasses and show up early, you can manage the large crowd days. You have to have a fastpass runner, and make sure you get a new fastpass before you use the old one. Grab a Buzz Lightyear FP anytime you want. Go on the popular rides early.

Ah yes, the fast pass runner We are pretty mobile and work the fast passes pretty well It's a good way to burn calories and make room for snacks