Touring plans crowd tracker jump - Nov/Dec 2016

[jpwest]

My company had a private evening party at AK a couple of years back... great food, rode Everest five times back to back (including the first one, in which the interior lights were left on and I got to see the Yeti in all his inert glory). Unforgettable.

 

[FortForever]

True, but they're not the only ones who post crowd calendars.

Yep. But they are the ones being discussed on this thread due to everyone getting emails from them.
Even so, I think the same quote I gave from TP holds true for all crowd calendars. There is no reverse psychology reaction, thankfully.

 

[Googelibear]

yep, I got that mail for November 4 - 13. Oh well. It's still not summer crowd level.

 

[Jrits]

yep, I got that mail for November 4 - 13. Oh well. It's still not summer crowd level.

What are the crowds looking like on these dates?

 

[disneydreamer781]

Because Mondays are always the worst day to go to MK...period (except for the Sunday after a big race...those are pretty bad too). It's normally the first day of a vacation for people, and traditionally, most choose to go to MK first.

We went on a Monday last trip and it wasn't that bad at all. So that is not something I've had experience with.

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

Yeah, but you are talking about the last half of December right? I specifically wrote early December. Last year early December the MK was absolutely not "a madhouse on any day that does not host a party." After about the 18th or so absolutely yes. Before that? No.

Actually we were there last year the 11th through the 18th of December, and every day at MK that was NOT a party day was incredibly busy. Party days, especially going at RD were great. But the opposite days were crushing as well as unseasonably warm!

 

[MichiganScott]

Actually we were there last year the 11th through the 18th of December, and every day at MK that was NOT a party day was incredibly busy. Party days, especially going at RD were great. But the opposite days were crushing as well as unseasonably warm!

I'll grant that people may have different views of busy, but...

1) We were there on the 16th, for example, and it was nowhere near what could be described as "incredibly busy." It was a 6-7 busy, but still totally doable and enjoyable.

2) Like that other person, you missed the word early. I do not consider the 11th-18th to be "early December."

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

2) Like that other person, you missed the word early. I do not consider the 11th-18th to be "early December."

Thanks for the snarky reply. I actually did see "early" and since the 15th is in the "middle", I think of the 11th - 14th to be "early".
Taste your words before you say them... You just may have to spit them out, bless your heart. There's no place for unkindness here, but you brought it to the table anyway...

 

[MichiganScott]

Thanks for the snarky reply. I actually did see "early" and since the 15th is in the "middle", I think of the 11th - 14th to be "early".
Taste your words before you say them... You just may have to spit them out, bless your heart. There's no place for unkindness here, but you brought it to the table anyway...

Fair enough, and I will take your words to heart. Now take mine. Try not to generalize. Try not to state something as fact when it just isn't. Try not to refute someone's argument with misaligned data, then expect that person to not come back and defend their position. Lastly, there's nothing personal here, so please try not to take the ad hominem route next time. It's just a board, and it's just text.

 

[DebbieB]

I did not realize this. I thought most people arrive on a Sat and head to MK on Sunday. We are headed to MK on a Monday but we are going to AK the Sunday before as our first park day. Are Mondays really that bad??

During Halloween/Christmas party season, Sunday is typically a party day, so closing at 7:00, no MSEP, no fireworks for non-partygoers. So crowds are typically lower. Monday will have a later close, with MSEP & Wishes, higher crowds.

 

[notrub98]

I was there the first week of December last year and found it to be a mix of small to moderate crowds at MK and HS (MK - especially on party days). I was very surprised by the heavy crowds at Epcot and AK. Much more crowded than I have ever seen them in 20 trips to DW. I would not hesitate to go this week again as it is all relative, but just throwing in my 2cents that early December is not a ghost town by any stretch of the imagination. It is all about perspective - my DH thought the week was "packed" and "would never go early December again". So, it's all about the perspective of the observer!

 

[vinotinto]

On another forum it was posted that room bookings have shot up from fall onwards and has taken Disney by surprise.

Interesting Insight. It does mirror the availability I am seeing online. Very different from previous years.

Our Columbus Day weekend (Oct 5-11) dates went up as well...the part I can't really figure out is that several months ago, the numbers were high like they are predicted to be now, but dropped significantly (seriously - there were 2s and 4s! On a holiday weekend?!) and are now back up.

My dates are almost the same as yours and I thought the same thing. We always go around this time and always have TP, and every year the predictions increase in crowds closer to the date. Last year I checked after every day and all days were 8-10, based on waits. So, to think we were going to have these super low crowds was not realistic. I just hope they staff appropriately. The cut backs on staff has affected wait times in other periods.

 

[wendow]

During Halloween/Christmas party season, Sunday is typically a party day, so closing at 7:00, no MSEP, no fireworks for non-partygoers. So crowds are typically lower. Monday will have a later close, with MSEP & Wishes, higher crowds.

Even if Sunday is not a party day? For our trip, it is not. Just trying to figure out if we should tweak our plans or not.

 

[notrub98]

Even if Sunday is not a party day? For our trip, it is not. Just trying to figure out if we should tweak our plans or not.

It depends on the schedule. If it is a week with limited EP, fireworks, then the days that have those (and EMH) will be packed. If it is a week where they do EP and fireworks every day, it will be more spread out.

 

[Mouse's Shadow]

Thanks everyone for your postings. A friend and I just sat down Friday to plan a trip for the first week of Dec., but the crowd levels where alarmingly high. There are no deluxe rooms available and very few at the moderates and values. I was wondering what the heck was going on. But it seems that they are expecting larger crowds. We've decided to wait until the first of March. I'm a little bummed, because I have never been there during Christmas.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Thanks everyone for your postings. A friend and I just sat down Friday to plan a trip for the first week of Dec., but the crowd levels where alarmingly high. There are no deluxe rooms available and very few at the moderates and values. I was wondering what the heck was going on. But it seems that they are expecting larger crowds. We've decided to wait until the first of March. I'm a little bummed, because I have never been there during Christmas.

Really? I just put in 2 adults for 12/4-12/10 and there were rooms at AKL, GF, AKV (both Kidani and Jambo), SS, and OKW. There were also rooms available at every moderate resort for the same time. Perhaps you were looking at different dates or perhaps you meant there weren't any deluxe rooms at the specific resorts you were interested in?

 

[Mouse's Shadow]

Really? I just put in 2 adults for 12/4-12/10 and there were rooms at AKL, GF, AKV (both Kidani and Jambo), SS, and OKW. There were also rooms available at every moderate resort for the same time. Perhaps you were looking at different dates or perhaps you meant there weren't any deluxe rooms at the specific resorts you were interested in?

Really, we just tried to book Friday night.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Really, we just tried to book Friday night.

Might be worth another look. There was a brief time last week when the website was really glitchy and showed no availability anywhere or very few places.

 

[Googelibear]

What are the crowds looking like on these dates?

they went up from 4 and 5's to 6 and 7's. Not too bad. There's always a park where the number is low enough to enjoy the day. Also, that is the reason we buy park hoppers. If one park is too busy for our taste, we hop somewhere else or go to the resort. We have been enough times so that we won't get upset if we can't get fp+ or the standby lines are too long. Besides, we are not traveling with kids, so a resort bar will do when it gets too crazy, LOL

 

[dreiwhit]

Thanks everyone for your postings. A friend and I just sat down Friday to plan a trip for the first week of Dec., but the crowd levels where alarmingly high. There are no deluxe rooms available and very few at the moderates and values. I was wondering what the heck was going on. But it seems that they are expecting larger crowds. We've decided to wait until the first of March. I'm a little bummed, because I have never been there during Christmas.

We had been planning a trip for December before Christmas break well before the crowd calendars jumped, and we're still going to go. As I mentioned a couple of times on this post, I can't think of any logical reason why you would see summer time / Christmas break / spring break level crowds in early December. Especially AFTER a holiday week. I could see free dining increasing crowds, but not to the level that the crowd calendars jumped up to. It just doesn't make any sense...