Was MK at capacity last week?

[safetymom]

MK never closed. It was very busy and will be until after Easter. Right now it is the spring break crowd.

 

[Muffy]

Was last week a vacation week for FL schools? Does anyone know why it was so crowded?

 

[sodaseller]

Originally posted by Muffy
Was last week a vacation week for FL schools? Does anyone know why it was so crowded?

Spring Break began Friday 3/19 for many area schools

 

[cruisnfamily]

Originally posted by sodaseller
Spring Break began Friday 3/19 for many area schools

Spring break begins this coming Friday(3/26) for all the Fl schools I'm familiar with.

 

[TeamMMouse]

We just got back from a week there too. We have been in March several times and found it to be much busier this year than in the past. The crowds were very heavy, but they were still operating as if crowds were less (e.g., shorter hours typical of March, no e-nights, rides not all at full capacity, etc.) We did have one light day at AK after the rain had let up a bit. But, MK was packed for this time of year. We had several cast members tell us that the park attendance is up higher than at the millenium and, as a result, it's just busier. It's difficult to use the 'afternoon off' strategy with younger kids and with the park hours. We won't go back in March, unless maybe if it's the first week.

 

[Augustheather97]

we just got back last night and we were there 3/13-3/21 and noticed it to be a lot more crowded than usual....like pre 9/11 Days which is a good sign for the economy but not good if you are used to lighter crowds.....next year I will go earlier in teh spring.....but then you risk cold weather....the weather last week was nice esp wed on.....sun and mid 80's....all in all a great week just lots of planning with the fast passes.....but that worked out well except for a few things which were out by 1:00 .....which stunk.....
does anyone know how to change my counter ??? I need to change it spring 2005???

 

[gottaluvPluto]

The schools in NW Florida had spring break. I knew a lot of people going to Disney because of the Florida resident deal. You can't beat $109 + tax for 4 day hopper passes!

 

[taylor1293]

Originally posted by Muffy
Was last week a vacation week for FL schools? Does anyone know why it was so crowded?

My DD was on spring break. She just returned to school today. All the public schools in this area were off last week.

 

[Cmpolivka]

It was crowded, but manageable. We expected the worst, but were pleasantly surprised at how much we enjoyed the week. The key to the parks is SMART strategy...get there early,hit the big attractions, use the evening during the parades and fireworks for other big attractions, etc...The parks were very heavy from about 11:00-4:00 pm. For some reason the first part of the week, the FP were gone for most rides by midday. Later in the week, the FP were still available later in the day. We usually go in the offseason when the parks close early, so having the parks open later meant we we able to go to the parks early and hit the BIG attractions until about 11 am---head back to BC and swim, rest,etc and head back to the parks in the evening for a few hours.
Ex. Sat 3/20
AM Princess Breakfast @ Epcot
Swim & Sun at BC pool,naps & rest.
3PM MK-Train to Toontown,pictures with Minnie, Cinderella,etc. Space Mtn Fast passes, dinner at Crystal Palace, Castle Forecourt Show,Character Greetings afterward, Pictures on Main Street, Swiss Family Treehouse, Aladdin's Magic Carpet ride, Pictures with Genie & Jasmine, FP for Splash, Rode Space MTN, Ariel's Grotto, Mickeys Philharmagic, Haunted Mansion, Fireworks at Castle(Funnelcakes & Churros), Thunder Mtn, Splash MTN.
Left park at 10 pm to beat the crowds home!

Sun 3/21
8:45 am Left BC for MGM
TOT(3xs), RNR(2xs), characters at Sorcerers Hat, Honey I Shrunk the audience playset, Millionaire, Facepainting, More Characters, Drew Carey, Lunch at Primetime,
3 Union workers street show, left park at 3 PM

These were the last 2 days at the parks and we were just doing some of the things that we either hadn't done yet or we favorites to do again.

 

[Poohbear123]

This is why I go in Feb. every year.

 

[mugglemom]

We were there on the Monday night and it was a bit scarey.

We were in line for Thunder Mountain a bit after 9 PM when the storm really hit and a bolt of lightening came down and hit somewhere close. Slash Mountain and Thunder Mountain both closed but there was just no where safe to seek shelter and way too many people to put them in the gift shops. We briefly took shelter under the roof to fast pass and then ran across the street to a gift shop but it was a very dangerous situation.

Does Disney have a plan to move people to shelter?

After the storm cleared the park was nice and empty for the last hour!

 

[krissy3483]

mugglemom...just wanted to let you know that I was there monday 3/15 as well, and I was actually staying with a CM friend who works in Adventureland. Apparently, lightning hit the lightning rod on top of the Treehouse. Talk about loud! We were on line for Buzz Lightyear at the time (under the roof thank goodness) so we were pretty far from it, and it was still incredibly loud.

 

[lstokes]

We were standing in line for the Monorail when the lightning struck that SFR tree on Monday 3-15. Very loud and nearby!!
Being from the Midwest and having witnessed many close lightning strikes-I actually saw lightning strike my neighbor's chimney and watched it topple over, we were quite nervous as were standing under the METAL awnings in mob of people. Some people with Brit/Australian accents were VERY upset as I guess had never experienced a thunderstorm before!
WOW- what a night! But it did blow over quickly.

 

[ZachnElli]

lstokes, we were standing in line for the monorail on 3/15 when the lightning hit too!

We were there 3-12 til 3/19. 3/15 was the worst day! MK was so packed. We usually go in July and it was MUCH more crowded on 3/15 than I've ever seen in July. But really, that was the only day we had trouble. And we didn't get to the park until 12 (the kids did the pirate cruise that morning). We went back to MK on 3/18 for EMH and it was much more doable. Dh couldn't believe how many things we rode before lunch that day. Next year, I will avoid the days they are open until so late, because that is the day they are predicting to be most crowded and they were right!

 

[Honeychild]

We just returned and it was crowded!

Not all the schools in NW Florida have had Spring Break, ours isn't until the week after Easter.

 

[mecook]

We went to EMH and left at 12:30 feeling like we hadn't accomplished anything. First thing, we pulled a Buzz FP and it was 10:18-11:18, so then we had to stand in lines. Went back to resort for lunch/swim, and then to AK at 3:30 for the 4:00 parade (first time for it...very cute).
Saw 4:30 showing of FOLK and then over to Dinoland for the Triceratop Spin and letting DD run off some energy (where DID she get it???) in the climbing/sliding apparatus. Closed AK down at 6:00. Back to resort for supper, long pants and sweatshirt, with plans for Illuminations, but I just couldn't muster the strength to go back out. My feet were killing me already. Friday 3/19 we went to EPCOT at opening and immediately to TT for a FP which was already out to 10:18-11:18. Stayed in Living Seas for about 1.5 hours in order to see fish feeding @ 10 and dolphin presentation @ 10:45. Took DD on Figment for the first time. She loved it and we repeated. It was a walk-on. Played in the "lab" outside there. Went back, late, for our TT ride. It was now almost 12 and we had to wait 10 minutes or so. Rode TT and then ate at Electric Umbrella before boating across the lake on a Friendship boat. We were trying to save footsteps to the International Gateway, but we didn't. Rode another boat to MGM, making many stops along the way. It was a scenic ride for us to see Boardwalk, etc., but I'd hate to know I had to ride those boats instead of busses. It's got to be too slow. Finally got to MGM where our only "to do" was at Animation Academy. We drew Stitch and then went to 50's Primetime for our 4:00 early dinner PS. DD wanted to return to the resort to get her hair wrapped (they don't start until 4 p.m.), so we did that and the bus ride from MGM to Sports was the worst we experienced. Took bus back for "the sit" to wait on Fantasmic. After Fantasmic, we did the "baby step shuffle" out of the amphi-theater and park, and right onto seats on the bus. Yay!!! It was only 8:15 when we pulled off. Friday was a good day, crowdwise. I can't comment on Saturday, because we were only in MK up to the corner where Casey's is located, then DD got sick and we returned to the resort and eventually checked out early and headed for home. Those passes sure did us a lot of good for what...5-10 minutes from opening! Made ME sick to lose that day!
I won't go back at spring break. If our school loses the October week, I'll go the first part of Thanksgiving week and leave there on Wed. or Thur. when it gets busy. Melanie