Those there around May 21-28 -- what did you think of the crowds?

[joellyn23]

We found that we could literally walk on rides for the first 1-2 hours each day, but after that, wait times were at least 45 minutes -- sometimes longer. We usually go the first week of May when wait times are less than 30 minutes even at peak times so this was a bit of a disappointment to us. Also, in the past, we would go to a park until around 2 pm, go back for a rest and then hit MK around 5 pm for a few hours each night. We tried this several times but always found the wait times too long when we returned.

On Tuesday afternoon, the stand by wait for Soarin' was 150 minutes. YES, 2.5 hours! The fast pass time was 3 hours away.

We noticed that they were not allowing everyone to walk into the Space Mountain building while waiting in line. Meaning, the line outside was 50+ people long...they would only allow about 15-20 people enter the building and then rope it off for several minutes and then they'd open it up again to let some more in, etc. Once you were inside, you basically walked right up to the loading area. Does anyone know why they would do that?

So I was just wondering what everyone else thought of the crowds. I know 45-60 minute waits isn't horrible -- I guess we've just been spoiled in the past!

Joellyn

 

[Disneyglobegirl]

We were there about that same time period in May. Before we've only gone in June and I thought the crowds were lighter then the June crowds but still busier than I expected. We did seem to get a tons of things done just by getting to the parks early and we ended up going to the hotel to swim in the afternoon when it was busy then just hopped back to a park in the evening. The kids really wanted to do the Evening EMH at MK - they loved the enights we did the year before . However the eveing EMH at MK were horrible! Way to busy and not nearly as enjoyable as past e nights we have done.

 

[crazywig]

we were there the 22-26th and i thought the crowds were big. but we were expecting it. although on tuesday we hit mk after dinner and it was quite dead! i was surprised. we walked on the haunted mansion.

 

[risy]

Florida schools are usually done a full week before Memorial Day. Highschool seniors graduate a week before that. However, many schools did not get out until middle of that week because of "hurricane make-up days." That might explain a little of the extra mobs.

EMH nights are always very crowded. It's becoming more of a punishment than a perk!

 

[wrwrwrwreee1971]

I thought may 22-25 was as light as I had ever seen it for a warm weather period. We did the parks early in the morning. Blizzard Beach also had a light crowd. That is prob. due to the new ride at Typhoon Lagoon. The crowds picked up for May 26-28.

 

[wendy1974]

I thought the crowds were pretty light from the 22nd to the 25th. It wasn't until mid-day on the 26th when we hopped back to MK that I noticed the increase in crowds. Waits at Splash Mountain and BTMRR were 70 minutes from about 2 p.m.-7:00 p.m. and even HM and POC had 25 to 45 minute waits posted. On Sunday the 22nd we pretty much walked on everything and used Fast Pass alot
I also noticed them only using one queue for quite a few rides: BTMRR, POC, SPace Mtn etc. and holding people back???

 

[dawgsgirl]

We were there this week last year and the crowds were bigger than we had planned. Still, I'm sure its not as bad as summer. Never tried that! Be grateful that it was not as hot this year. Last year it was 95+ everyday!

 

[jarestel]

EMH nights are always very crowded. It's becoming more of a punishment than a perk!

ROTFL! That's funny!

 

[jojo5]

We were there from 22nd to 28th. I think we were just lucky in our pick of which parks to go to. The wait at MGM never got over 15 minutes on Thur. the 26th for the Tower of Terror. The Rock n Roller coaster didnt even need a baby swap it was so light. That was the best time we have had at MGM. Epcot was the same. Soarin did get to 60 minutes, but we did a baby swap and FP and never stood in line. We also walked onto Missions and test track both times and then did Baby swap. There was never any bumping shoulders or stroller wars at all. The only time I noticed the crowd was when we left Epcot and went to MK for dinner at about 8:00 on Wed. the 25th. We were able to get a plaza ressie at the last minute, but noticed the crowds were picking up for the parade at 9:00. All together this was our best trip ever out of the years we have been and it was probably due to the fact that the weather was perfect.

 

[astraltravel]

We were there May 20 to 29 and the crowds started to seem really noticable on Thursday the 26th. We went to MK early on Friday and did everything we wanted to, all walk on, before 11:00. Left MK around 1:00 and by then it was getting bad. I knew going in that as we got closer to the Memorial Day weekend it would get really crowded so we tailored our schedule to that fact and spent the last three days sunning and swimming and hanging out at the resort. We did spend Saturday at Tyhpoon Lagoon, went in at 9:30 and left at 3:00, when it seemed really crowded.
I never go during popular times and this is the most crowded I have ever seen WDW, tho, as I said before, the first part of our stay was less so than the last part.
The best way to do it during high season is to do everything (parkwise) early, early, early. Get in, go on your favorite rides and either have lunch and people watch or leave.

 

[PratersloveDW]

I do agree with the statement that in the mornings, the wait times were next to nothing. However, just before lunch time, the crowds seemed to appear. No biggie, for us though, we just went back to the pool!

Throughout the weekdays, the crowds were definitely manageable. But come Friday afternoon and on through the weekend, the crowds were a little unbearable for us. Even at downtown Disney at the movies it was ridiculous. In an early afternoon movie, the movie theater was almost at capacity!!!

We try to pick times during the year, when the parks a little less crowded. I think we went a little too late in May this year. However, whether there are crowds or not, Praters still LOVE WDW!!!

 

[Disney Fool]

Crowds seemed slightly less than average to me---until the weekend. Thursday and Friday got very, very busy. I was at MK on Friday, and at 11:30 a.m. they were issuing fastpasses for Space Mountain return for 5:00 to 6:00p.m. Earlier in the week (I was there Sunday, the 22nd) MK was not overly crowded. In fact, we went directly to Fantasyland and got on everything including the race cars (!) except Dumbo and were done by 12:30p.m. The afternoon crowd was just beginning to arrive, so we left the park, and came back in the evening.

 

[marriedmarylander]

I went to MK on 5/21 and it was crowded. Although the wait for Space Mt and Splash Mt were 30 minutes (supposed the headliners) the posted wait for Peter Pan was 75 minutes. We didn't wait for Peter Pan so I don' t know if it was really that long but it definately looked long. Although they posted Pooh at 55 minutes but it looked like a 10 minute line. At least with some of the MK rides the lines are outside so you can clearly see how long it will be. I was only there on 21-22 as that was the end of my trip. On the 22nd we went to DQ mid-day and it wasn't crowded.

 

[SleepingUgly]

It was lovely early on in the week. Mornings -- walked on all rides and Adventureland and Frontierland were practically deserted on the morning of the 24th. Started seeing the crowds on EMH on Wed night at MK. Thursday morning at AK was still nice and quiet, and even that afternoon and early evening at Epcot was nice. Friday night at DTD was utter chaos -- we left after just one hour there b/c the crowds were unbearable. Sat at MK was much more crowded -- we noticed the wait times were longer, but since we had done pretty much everything earlier in the week, our pace was more relaxed. But I did hear more people complaining about the crowds!

Linda

 

[WillCAD]

The crowds seemed normal for this time of year - heavier than the off-season crowds I'm used to, but not at summer peak levels yet.

I expect that the crowds got busier during the holiday weekend and will probably be at summer peak levels starting this week.

Except for Soarin', I didn't see waits longer than 40 minutes all week, and ran into a lot of walk-ons or 10 minute waits.

 

[SqueakyMouse]

We were there from May 21st until yesterday morning. The parks were far more crowded than we expected. (They were at the end of last October, too.) We also found that early mornings and late evenings in parks without EMH at that time were the least crowded. On Saturday the 21st, we were able to watch the late parade from a very comfortable spot in Frontierland. There was no one within 6 feet of either side of us. At closing, there were very, very few people on Main Street and no wait for buses. Afternoons were very crowded with long waits everywhere. Surprisingly, the mornings of Memorial Weekend were not bad at all. However the remainder of the day and into the nighttime were horrible!! We just spent this time swimming in our resort pools.

 

[Quasi123]

We went at the same time last year. This time it was much more crowded. EMH at MK was awful.

 

[GoingtoDisney]

We were there May 25-31 and didn't find the crowds too bad. They definitely increased over the weekend, with Sunday being the worse. However, using Fast Pass and touring guide plans/tips our waits were always less than 20 minutes. The longest wait we had was to meet Ariel at Ariel's Grotto on the 26th--almost 40 minutes.

 

[kcbean]

We were there from 5-14 to 5-21 and I could not believe how heavy the crowds were. We usually go the week or two before and had never seen crowds like this time. I can't imagine what summer crowds must look like. It seems lots of people have are going on the "least crowded" days and now it is crowded. Our crowd size was supposedly a 3 but I can't not believe it. That was a pre-estimate. Do they ever post what the crowd size was afterwards. I would be curious.

 

[dizagain]

Hi! We were there from the 25th to June 2nd. We also found morning crowds to be manageable (especially in the rain!), but by 11:30 or so it got crazy. We found MGM to be the easiest to get around in, but we also had to skip some of the shows due to timing because we spent two late afternoons/evenings there. We definitely felt the crowds were high compared to our trip in early May two years ago, but as long as we got the "major" attractions done early, the waits for other things were never awful. The crowds seemed to be lifting on Tuesday and Wednesday following Mem. Day..