Updated May Hours

[BillSears]

I just finished planning out my final trip plans/ADRs based off the old hours!!!

Oh well, it'll be nice to redo them with more options for nighttime shows. Thanks for the links guys!

 

[GovieMom]

This is scary to me. We are going the weekend of Mother's Day and there were no crowds last year. This year it looks to be swamped. Why is it so different?

Because we'll be there! lol Seriously, every time we plan to go when the crowds are supposed to be low, it turns out to be the opposite. Last year during the second week of May, TP had crowd levels of 3 ... this year they're showing 6's. Soooo frustrating!!

 

[sharona]

This is scary to me. We are going the weekend of Mother's Day and there were no crowds last year. This year it looks to be swamped. Why is it so different?

Just curious - what makes you think Mother's Day weekend will be swamped? I didn't see any major changes to the hours that weekend or on the adjoining days. Did I miss something? I was actually hoping they would open MK earlier than 9 since we're early risers and it would be to our advantage but no such luck.

I think they added F! due to grad nights so no Wishes or MSEP. Just guessing but I think they're trying to spread the crowd out so Epcot doesn't end up packed for Illuminations on Fri and Sat night. Also I was able to juggle some dining reservations around as late as last week (not character meals of course but HDDR and R&C) for 5/8 and 5/9...

A certain planning website predicted the add'l F! shows many months ago...

 

[Quin]

Thank you SO MUCH for posting this; I knew in the back of my head I would need to check a calendar again when our trip got close but of course I hadn't gotten around to it yet.

I'm a little breathtaken - are the hours always extended this much in May? We will be there in the middle of the month and had figured on the crowds being a smidge lighter as most kids are still in school and older ones, at least, can't be pulled out right before or during final exams. But one or more parks have had their hours increased nearly every day we will be there, and F! has flat out been doubled. I'm feeling scared - should I be?

OTOH, I don't see a need to mess with any of our ADRs at this point. Wishes did not change times the night we have the Dessert Party or the night we are going to Ohana, when I have hopes of watching either from the restaurant or from the beach at the Poly.

I do feel kind of bad for DH, though. I'd promised a slower, more relaxed trip. But the later closings and earlier openings will strongly tempt me to push him to skimp on sleep and grab for more park time.

 

[anne0866]

WOW! Thanks for the update.
We just booked a very last minute, unexpected, surprise trip yesterday. We are going May 16-24. After alot of reaserach I thought that that the May20th weekend would be less crowded than Memorial Day weekend. looks like I may have been wrong. Oh well - it will still be magical. Out son (who is a huge Star Wars fan) has no idea that we are going. We'll be picking him after school on Mon the 16th and just drive to the airport - he'll have no clue as to where we are going. Can't wait!!

 

[lindsroc]

We're going the 10th-17th and right now i dont see any reason to change any ADR's. Maybe Im missing something??? Did the hours change that much? We just go to the parks we feel like going to, and dont really hold much concern for the projected best and worst parks. I feel like there will be crowds and lines no matter what. I did find this sight though when I was looking for info on parade times etc. Had some good detailed info on which parks to avoid etc. The 1st 4 days, we are planning on going to the parks to avoid- go figure! lol. I hope its ok to post this...
http://www.easywdw.com/calendar/dis...wded-parks-hours-fantasmic-schedule-and-more/

 

[nfavero]

No I just got updates from touringplans.com and that is why I am freaking out. They changed their crowd levels and which parks to avoid...its too late for me to change our ADRs. Oh well. GUess we will just go with it. They still don't have the 8am opening for 5/9 though. I hate that change because it means I will have to wait 1 hour for Rapunzel instead of just going straight there.

 

[jking6]

OHHHH!!!! My 19 yr old DD will freak. She has been planning our May trip since Christmas. Wait till she comes home and I show her the changes. Oh well I will just go with the flow and still enjoy my self

 

[aheaviside]

I didn't see any updates to my May dates yet on touringplans. Have they updated the entire month of May yet?

 

[sammielynn]

We are going May 15 - 22. Was really excited about the low crowd numbers, nothing above a 5! Hope things don't change. I really didn't notice a big difference in the time for the park days I selected. Hoping for the best.

 

[branv]

I didn't see any updates to my May dates yet on touringplans. Have they updated the entire month of May yet?

I'm going to say no, b/c when I click on my tour dates (11-15th) individually it still shows the old hours and DHS doesn't show the doubled Fantasmics for the 12th and 13th.

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

Each year we go around Mothers day, and every yr it has gotten busier. The crowd calendar always seemed a litle off to me while other times of the yr it is more accurate.
It syas 5,6's and I will expect 6 to 8 and I bet I will be correct. The times being added are great, this gives people more time so hopefully a little less rushed. We also like to do some nights at th parks, so this is ok by me.

 

[GovieMom]

Each year we go around Mothers day, and every yr it has gotten busier. It syas 5,6's and I will expect 6 to 8 and I bet I will be correct.

I bet you will be, too. It's been our experience so far that TP usually underestimates the crowd levels, at least when we go. This time should be no different.

 

[lllGurulll]

I'll be interested to see what changes TGM and TP make due to these changes.

 

[jjj444]

We were there last year the first full week of May and even though it said 5 and 6's we felt like 8 and 9's. I have been on July 4th and Thanksgiving before and they felt almost as busy. I am going this year expecting it to be crowded. they have the dining plan going all month and you know this bring the crowds. Disney is getting smart and making it busy all year now. low days are a thing of the past

 

[helenk]

The hours from the TA information are really different that the hours posted on the Disney website. So I am not sure what to do. We arrive on 5/21 then go on a DCL cruise on 5/22, then we come back to WDW from 5/26-5/28
The hours for the parks are really extended according to the TA page and there are added Electric Parade times.
Is the TA info accurate?

 

[Belle599]

I knew this was going to happen! Almost every other trip I've made all my day by day plans and then have gotten hit with park hour and crowd calendar changes at the last minute.

This time, for our May vacay I've made some ADRs but only at hotel restaurants since we think they are better restaurants anyhow. I have not finalized our day to day park plan yet since I didn't want to have to redo it lol.

I guess I will be busy next week finalizing all our plans (May 8-19) since now I have the (apparent) final hours.

 

[KigerKat]

The hours from the TA information are really different that the hours posted on the Disney website. So I am not sure what to do. We arrive on 5/21 then go on a DCL cruise on 5/22, then we come back to WDW from 5/26-5/28
The hours for the parks are really extended according to the TA page and there are added Electric Parade times.
Is the TA info accurate?

I always trust what the Disney website says. I've been misled too many times by other websites.

Okay....I'm going to say it.... We don't really have a plan for our trip next month. It's just DH and I, we're on the QSDP (but we do have 2 ADRs for T-Rex and Garden Grove), so I'm thinking we can wing it for the most part.

Yes, we want to go see all the characters at Pixar weekend and everything at the F&G Fest and even hit HS for the first SWW. But no real plan with exact times or schedules to keep. We did that on our last 2 vacations, and I somehow think that this one will be more relaxing. We are very laid back, patient people, so I think we'll be alright.

We'll see!

 

[GovieMom]

The hours from the TA information are really different that the hours posted on the Disney website. Is the TA info accurate?

The Disney website is notoriously slow in posting updated park info. You can definitely rely on the latest TA info; it's not like they pull those numbers out of thin air. Most of the Disney planning websites have already changed their hours in accordance as well.

 

[Robo]

I always trust what the Disney website says.

DANGER, WILL ROBINSON!

Use the WDW calendar only at your own risk.