Thanksgiving Crowd Levels

[wisblue]

Here is some data from Touring Plans about posted wait times for attractions at the MK on the last 3 Thanksgiving Days.

As I understand it, TP determines their average posted wait times for attractions by measuring them from 10 AM-5 PM. With that in mind, here are the average wait times for these attractions on Thanksgiving Day in 2012/2013/2014

BTMR 70/60/58
Buzz 57/51/50
Jungle 61/54/58
Peter Pan 77/65/90
Pirates 41/26/57
Space 98/75/76
Splash 30/21/40
Haunted 43/33/43
Pooh 47/47/41

The most notable part of this to me is that the average wait times for these attractions were very similar in 2012 and 2014 and, as a group, were slightly lower in 2013.

 

[heybravo626]

I was in MK yesterday from 7am until around 2:00. The crowd was lighter than we expected. We have done the last few Christmas weeks. It wasn't anywhere near that or even Easter levels. I thought it was more like a summer peak level.
To me while we were there it felt more like a 8 level day than a 10-- but sonds like there was a later day crowd. We also went to EPCOT in the evening, and thought it was lighter than a normal summer crowd.

 

[mrsp1030]

We were at HS yesterday and it didn't feel crowded at all. Even went back about 6:00pm for the lights and could easily walk around and enjoy the sights and sounds. Now MK today (Friday) felt crowded to me, especially Main Street!

 

[puffkin]

We have been here all week. Crowds haven't been too bad. We were in MK on Thanksgiving and it was busy but nowhere near closure stages. We were back this AM (rope drop) and did so much it was crazy. Crowds were building when we left (1:30) but it was manageable. I put the crowds about what our June/mid August trips are....nowhere near our Easter week trip!

 

[Gr8t Fan]

We were at HS yesterday and it didn't feel crowded at all. Even went back about 6:00pm for the lights and could easily walk around and enjoy the sights and sounds. Now MK today (Friday) felt crowded to me, especially Main Street!

MK was mobbed today. We were there from 11 am to about 4 pm and have never seen it as crowded as it was today (we've been in January, February, April (Spring Break), May, August, October, November and December). We came to our villa to recharge and hope to go back to MK tonight when the crowds die down a bit.

 

[Laketravis]

I'll let the armchair analysts debate crowded versus crowded. And nobody is disputing wait times.

My own observation is that attraction wait times don't seem to correspond with crowd levels. I have not waited more than 5 minutes for a bus, and I haven't had to stand except one time. In fact, many times there were less than 10 people on the bus coming or going from the park or resort.

I haven't had to wait more than a few minutes after checking in for ADR's and never beyond our reservation time. We've never been more than two deep at park entry for band scan.

I don't believe there are twice as many people here as last year but there are certainly attractions that have twice or more wait times than they did in previous years.

I've got pictures from Epcot today that show just how light the crowds were - yet wait times were higher than I've seen for such crowd levels. And by 11am the only FP's available were for Living, Captain EO, Ellen, Figment, and Nemo - attractions you don't need FP's for to begin with.

I'm not saying people aren't in the parks. They are. But it seems like more people are in a line than ever before, and that is why the parks for the most part have not felt congested. I've heard from others that MK got crazy later today and I saw Epcot get noticeably busier after sunset but I believe that is because many people ran out of lines to be in and were moving around.

I'll have a better basis for comparison next week.

 

[puffkin]

I thought Epcot World Showcase was very empty tonight! We didn't do any attractions except the Canada Movie though.

MK was full this morning, but this is what we accomplished. We weren't rushing at all, and I have a DS2 that doesn't need a ticket. We got to bag check right when the opening show ended, no wait there or turnstiles.
-Headed to Adventureland. Rode carpets twice without getting off.
-Walked to BTMR. Were the only people we saw in Frontierland. Walk on. Rode twice. Could have ridden more without getting off but we switched out with DS2 so had to walk back through the standby line.
-Headed back to Adventureland, rode Jingle Jungle Cruise, walk on.
-Rode POTC. Walk on.
-Headed to Fantasyland. Skipped Peter Pan since 40 minute wait and Pooh 30 minutes. Headed to Storybook Circus, rode Barnstormer (5 minute wait).
-Rode Dumbo, waited for 1 flight.
-Spent some time in shop there. Decided to visit with Goofy and Donald. 2 families in front of us. Saw Minnie and Daisy were also walk ons, so did them as well.
-Headed over to SDMT and used a FP. 5 minute wait (right at end of FP window).
-Used 2 of our FP to take DS2 to see Rapunzel and Cinderella. 5 minute wait. Changed the other 2 FP to Buzz later...DS8 didn't want to see them.
-Rode the Carousel. Waited 1 cycle.
-Stopped for a bathroom break and cinnamon buns and LaFues Brew at Gastons. This was the longest line we waited in! We were here about 30 minutes in all.
-Headed to Tomorrowland. The speedway was down so did the Peoplemover. Walk on.
-Speedway was back up, so DS8, DS2 and DH did this with FP. Wait of 10 minutes.
-Myself and DS8 did Space Mountain with FP. We didn't do rider switch because DH and my mom didn't want to ride. About 15 minute wait.
-Headed to Casey's for lunch.
-Came back to Tomorrowland and DH and DS8 did Buzz with FP. They had a 15 minute wait. My mom and I walked on Carousel of Progress while they did Buzz.
-It was about 1:15 at that point and we left. Back on room (Saratoga Springs) by 2.

 

[Bellanota]

This was taken around 2pm in the park.... Inside doesn't match outside at all. We spent a good part of the day doing pirate treasure hunts... No wait for those lol

Ok the pic isn't showing up when I get on my laptop I will play with it

 

[disneyholic family]

This was taken around 2pm in the park.... Inside doesn't match outside at all. We spent a good part of the day doing pirate treasure hunts... No wait for those lol

Ok the pic isn't showing up when I get on my laptop I will play with it

my daughter sent me very similar looking pictures from inside MK on monday...
she said the park was bursting at the seams with people...
she said you didn't even need to walk, the crowd would just carry you along...

but she's been shocked her whole stay as to how crowded MK has been...they arrived on nov 10th (and left on nov. 25th), expecting the crowds we've experienced there for the past many years (medium) and instead MK has been jam packed her entire stay....

 

[savvy?71]

Been here since 11/25. Crowds surprisingly manageable up to and including Thanksgiving. The cold & rain may explain our 1st 2 days but T-day (during our 7am-3pm MK day) was just oddly light on crowds. lots of open space & 10-30 min wait times for everything but Minetrain & Elsa/Anna ( but neither hit 100 min mark until after 11 or 12). went on all other headliner some multiple times (BTMR & Space for example, 3-4x w/o FP). Crowds grew but it was toward later afternoon as we left @ 3 so not sure how dense it got in MK but prior to then was great

The day *after* Thanksgiving? Friday? WOW what a difference- went back to MK (after a regular morning TT & Soarin at epcot , which by the way, hit 90 & 120 min respectively, by 930am people were freaking out)· MK (at 11am for us) was barely walkable, shoulder to shoulder, people mover line was spilling out toward Space & Buzz was 85 minutes… we had 5 fp (2 bonus due to a hotel glitch they made up for) & I knew how to work our hrs there up to snagging front row for FoF parade in Frontier land & castle lighting (paid heavily for castle when trying to exit way over to Minetrain , lovely to ride at night though)

apologies for any odd typing; using kindle which is glitchy