Tips from people who travel during "peak" or really "busy" times

[Terry's Angels]

Hi everyone,

This is a bit of a piggyback from a previous post about May 2007 seeming to be crowded. We're going the 2nd week of May and from the talk here on the board and the list of travelers it seems that it will be busy. So, are there any veterans out there willing to share tips for those of us going in May that aren't really used to big crowds.

TIA

 

[SmallWorld71]

Hi,
We traveled President's week last year and it was very busy.
My big tip: If you want to see Fantasyland get there before 10am. I have never seen such a crowd in my life. I was shocked to see that the Fastpass return time at 11:00 was 4:00 for Winnie the Pooh and 7:00 for Peter Pan. This was worse than Space Mountain!

Watch Magic Kingdom parades from Liberty Square or Frontierland not Main Street.

Just get to the parks early and try to zig when everyone zags. Lunch at Tusker House at 1:00 sound good to you? Did to us. And everyone else too. The lines were 40 people long and all lanes were open! So, grab a snack from the carts to tide you over. Lunch can wait. You get the idea.

Most important thing of all: Bring your happy attitude. Have a great time.

 

[disnemimi]

The best advice I can give you would be to arrive at each park early. Be there when the gates open. You can do rides in two hours that would take you all day if you don't get to the park until 10:30 or 11 am. I know you will need to juggle some of the shows, but don't forget fastpass to help out.
Have a wonderful time and just realize any time at WDW is great!

Disnemimi

 

[DisneyDiva13]

My family pretty much always has to travel during peak times (Easter, summer, etc.). My son just can't miss a week of school (ADHD)...he'd fall way too far behind. We went to WDW last Easter and yeah...it was CROWDED. My first piece of advice is to just EXPECT it to be crowded. Mentally prepare yourself for it. That way you are less likely to get annoyed by it and hey, maybe you'll get lucky and it won't be anywhere near as crowded as you expected it to be.
Second, get to the parks early...do as much as you can until it really starts to get swamped and then maybe go back to your resort to recharge for awhile. Then return to the parks in the evening for more fun. Hopefully some of the die hards who have been there all day will be doing their "zombie walk" out of the parks by then.
Third, I love the "zig when everyone else zags" comment from Small World...that's great advice.
Also, use FP as much as possible.
Above all, have fun!!! The most crowded day in the World is a better day than pretty much anywhere else, IMO. But I'm nuts, just ask my DH.

 

[tinklvr64]

I wholeheartedly second the others from above! Just expect it to be crowded! One other tip~use the EMH when available. We used it in Nov (crowded due to FWF & Soap Weekend) and found every ride a breeze to get on. Also most of the time they will open parks longer at night if it is busy or crowded time. Enjoy!

 

[Kdog]

I agree with the other posts. I went during busy Christmas week, and my DH and I got on every ride we wanted by getting to the parks at opening. Even though lots of people plan to do this, many end up getting late starts, leaving you with less crowds. Another tip, I try to avoid the park having early morning extra hours. If I do go, I stay only for the extra hour or so and then park hop somewhere else. When people plan, they often plan their meals, etc around the parks having extra magic hours. Even if they don't get up in time to enjoy the extra hour, they still go because they have reservations at Liberty Tree, etc. This makes that particular park very crowded. Have fun and don't worry. I fretted about going during the holiday week, and I had the best WDW trip yet.

 

[missypie]

ALWAYS have a fast pass in hand. Before you use one fast pass, get another.

Subscribe to Tour Guide Mike. I've used both TGM and the Unofficial Guide. TGM is a bit more complicated, but if you read all his articles, you really understand why you're doing what you're doing. That way, if you want to vary from his plans, you can predict what will happen.

 

[Terry's Angels]

Thanks everyone for the advice

 

[Heluvsme]

Buy a bottle of bubbles at a dollar store before you arrive at WDW and while you're standing in line you can entertain the kiddos by blowing bubbles (and everyone else in line too! LOL!)

Buy a box of popcorn and people watch while you're standing in line.

My daughter carries a small notepad and a pen in her fanny pack and will write down what we've done while waiting in line so that later on when she's updating her travel journal she won't forget anything.


Balance your checkbook and update your will (Ok, just kidding on this one!)

 

[FreddyBeach]

May 2007 being crowded? This is the first I've heard of this... Even Disney itself drops its hotel rates to moderate levels.

Everything I've read or seen up to this point, leads me to believe that this is a regular crowd time of year. Not packed, not empty... That having been said, "crowded" is a relative term. My "crowded" might be your "empty".

We'll be down there from May 12th to 20th. I'll be the guy with the wife and 2 kids....

Mike in the Maritimes

 

[Terry's Angels]

May 2007 being crowded? This is the first I've heard of this... Even Disney itself drops its hotel rates to moderate levels.

Everything I've read or seen up to this point, leads me to believe that this is a regular crowd time of year. Not packed, not empty... That having been said, "crowded" is a relative term. My "crowded" might be your "empty".

We'll be down there from May 12th to 20th. I'll be the guy with the wife and 2 kids....

Mike in the Maritimes

I hope you're right. We're traveling the week before (with a little overlap) and 'regular' crowd levels would be just great to me.

 

[perdidochas]

Hi everyone,

This is a bit of a piggyback from a previous post about May 2007 seeming to be crowded. We're going the 2nd week of May and from the talk here on the board and the list of travelers it seems that it will be busy. So, are there any veterans out there willing to share tips for those of us going in May that aren't really used to big crowds.

TIA

Arrive at park opening. Use fastpasses whenever possible.

 

[summerlandjeff]

This seems to work for us! We do the Magic Kingdom from back to front!
Most people head straight up Main Street or linger for photos and autographs with the characters. Try this approach;

Arrive at opening. When the gates open, catch the train to Frontierland, which lets you off right at POTC, and tada! no one is in line (last year the CM gave us a trading pin and told us it was for being the first rider of the day! ) High tail it over to either BTMR or Splash Mtn or Haunted Mansion and once again, barely any one in line!(mind you we were NOT running or "commando" touring, just walking at our pace). Check out some of the minor attractions, snap some photos and head to Fantasyland. This is usually where you run into the first crowds of the day (mostly families with little ones). Keep going through the Castle into Tomorrowland and fast pass Space Mtn. Now it's around lunch. Eat, relax and take in the scenery! Most of the rides are done and you beat the crowd! Now check out the lines on the rides you missed or do what we do... head back to the resort for a dip in the pool!

Easter @ CSR ONE WEEK and counting!

 

[Disfan3]

I say do Fantasyland first at opening before anything if you must do Fantasyland

I say skip Dumbo, Carousel, and the Magic Carpets...anything too carnival...that helps....


I personally saved Tomorrowland for last during Spring Break and it worked out great for us.


also GET A FASTPASS for SOARIN' before you do anything at all at EPCOT!! The FP were all gone really early (like 11am) a lot of that week we went...

 

[MousekaMaddi]

plan to eat at weird times, have snacks with u in backpacks so u can snack all morning and then eat lunch at 3pm,lunch between noon and 3 is nuts in wdw...SO PLAN FOR IT

 

[Mrs.Reese]

I would also say to list your attractions in order from most-important to least important and hit those first thing in the morning. This way you are certain to get in what you want to do and in conclusion just relax. Hey you're at Disney and what could be better than that!

 

[kphwus]

Our travel times are are limited to mid July to mid August so we get the heat and the crowds and we always have a great time. The 2 most important things we follow is to get to the parks early, and go back to the hotel for some kind of break in the afternoon.

 

[DisneyJo]

Do long rides/shows later in the day as while you're watching all other lines are getting longer ie Bears Jamboree

 

[BrerMom]

Keep a water bottle with you at all times - and use it. When the lines are longer, it's tempting to not "waste" the time standing in line "just to get a drink." When you are dehydrated, you get tired very quickly. The restroom lines move quickly...

 

[Planning fanatic mom]

Hand held Yahtzee game saved the day. We passed it around as we played. Lots of people said they wished they had thought of that.