We're here and it's crazy!!!

[Toby]

I'm sitting in my unit at Saratoga Springs, and I cannot believe how crazy the parks have been this week. Fast passes for Soaring and Test Track were gone around noon time. Felt bad for the attendant at Soaring - people were really upset at the lack of fastpasses, and the wait time for the standby line was 110 minutes!! Yikes...

I'll probably get flamed here - putting suit on now - but Disney should limit fast passes to guests who stay on property only!! This would alleviate some of the frustration. Yesterday at Animal Kingdom, it took over 15 minutes to get through the gate, used a fast pass for Everest, and when we got off at 11:00am, passes were gone for the day

So, I'm starting to believe there is
NO slow time in the parks anymore. We've come end of August, October, April, January,May, December, and now MArch, and it's still lines, lines, lines....it's just exhausting spending 5-6 hours in a park and do very little for rides/attractions...

 

[valeriekc]

So, I'm starting to believe there is
NO slow time in the parks anymore. We've come end of August, October, April, January,May, December, and now MArch, and it's still lines, lines, lines....it's just exhausting spending 5-6 hours in a park and do very little for rides/attractions...

Not sure if you are aware of this but you are at WDW during SPRING BREAK.
You should have expected major crowds.....
Good luck

 

[Lucky'sMom]

I have rarely been to WDW when it was crowded. Our last few trips have been 1st week of Feb., last week of Jan., first week of Nov, first week of May, and this past Jan. 3rd week. Crowds were very light each time. Very minimal wait times, if any. This is peak time for Disney. It's not always like this...maybe try one of these times next trip.

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

that does suck about the crowds, but as a pp said, it is spring break time. Last year we went at the very beginning of March and there were like no lines or waiting. We avoided spring break like the plague!! LOL

 

[Toby]

Stupid me - Spring break!! I have seen lots of college-age kids here..........the crowds here are as bad as they were the one and only time my family came here two days after Christmas!!! Every time my husband and I come, I just want to enjoy the resort, the pool, etc. He always agrees with me in principal, but as soon as we're here......................he's off!!!

Oh well, we'll just have to try another month..........

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

I'm starting to believe there is
NO slow time in the parks anymore. We've come end of August, October, April, January,May, December, and now MArch, and it's still lines, lines, lines....it's just exhausting spending 5-6 hours in a park and do very little for rides/attractions...

Thanks for the update. We went last Easter/Spring Break, so we know what you're feeling. Sorry that you seemed surprised that the crowds would be heavy, but it is peak season and many places are enjoying Spring Break. Plus, Disney's really advertising the whole 50th Anniversary thing and Everest's opening.

Some of the other times you listed will definitely have lighter crowds -- like January -- but, hey, isn't the weather so nice now? Have a wonderful vacation!

 

[Karnak]

Your comment regarding fastpasses being issued only to those staying on site prompts me to repeat a suggestion I made on another thread a couple of weeks ago.

I think Disney should consider giving one fastpass for each person registered at any of the on site resorts, for each night reserved.

For example, a family with Dad, Mom, and Two Kids, staying for five nights, would be issued 20 fastpasses good at any attraction, at any time of the day, at any of the four parks, during the time of their stay at WDW.

This would have the effect of combating the policies at Universal, encourage folks to stay on site, and ease some of the disapointment for those who do spend the cash to stay on site.

The current method of giving out fastpasses with the ticket machines would, of course, be continued; and I don't think the "wild fastpasses" issued at the resorts would increase the total fastpasses used on any one day in any significant way.

Wonder if the powers that be at Disney ever read these posts?

Enjoy.

 

[shafke]

Your comment regarding fastpasses being issued only to those staying on site prompts me to repeat a suggestion I made on another thread a couple of weeks ago.

I think Disney should consider giving one fastpass for each person registered at any of the on site resorts, for each night reserved.

For example, a family with Dad, Mom, and Two Kids, staying for five nights, would be issued 20 fastpasses good at any attraction, at any time of the day, at any of the four parks, during the time of their stay at WDW.

This would have the effect of combating the policies at Universal, encourage folks to stay on site, and ease some of the disapointment for those who do spend the cash to stay on site.

The current method of giving out fastpasses with the ticket machines would, of course, be continued; and I don't think the "wild fastpasses" issued at the resorts would increase the total fastpasses used on any one day in any significant way.

Wonder if the powers that be at Disney ever read these posts?

Enjoy.

If this ever came to be they would have to expire as a black market on ebay for left over passes would popup over night.

 

[grimley1968]

I, for one, hope FP allocation is never in any way tied to people's onsite or offsite resort choice. FP's have been a great way for people of all income levels who are able to visit MK to a) disperse crowds a bit and b) allow for timely boarding of rides. Tying FP's to resort status would also make the system more complicated than it already is. One way to better alleviate the FP system's problems would be to simply allow a few more FP's for the hugely popular rides like Soarin' than they're getting now until they lose some of their novelty, then revert them back to the number of FP's they would normally get.

I find the whole concept of "front of the line" or whatever Universal does for its onsite guests to be manipulative and classist. I hope WDW doesn't do this. It would be a shame, IMHO.

To the OP: I'm sorry it's so crowded, but as others have mentioned, you had to expect that during the height of high school and college spring break season.

 

[vicb]

To the OP, next time try the week after Pres. Week. We have done this twice and crowds were very managable and that is even with Mardi Gras week and ESPN the weekend!

Good luck!

 

[DisneyWisher]

So, I'm starting to believe there is
NO slow time in the parks anymore. We've come end of August, October, April, January,May, December, and now MArch, and it's still lines, lines, lines....it's just exhausting spending 5-6 hours in a park and do very little for rides/attractions...

The best time and the slowest is following Labor Day. Thats when we go for a week. Even last Sept with free dining it was still slower than anytime of the year.

This is Disney's way of telling us when its going to be busy.

2006 Seasons
Value Season: 1/1 - 2/15, 7/5 - 10/4, 11/26 - 12/19
Regular Season: 4/23 - 7/4, 10/5 - 11/25
Peak Season: 2/16 - 4/22
Holiday Season: 12/20 - 12/31

The cheaper the rooms, the more they need people to visit.

According to Touringplans.com this week is rated 7's and 8's. Labor Day is a 4 and continues like that til Sept 15 (a 5). Continues with 4's and 5's til Oct. With one 6 on Sept 22 (probably when the F & W starts in Epcot).

I don't think you can really compare 1 fastpass per person to Universal's FOTL pass. Disney has too many rooms (almost 25,000 not including DVC). Even if they were booked at 75% during the busiest time, an average of 3 to a room. Thats over 56,000 fastpasses. Which is why Disney can't offer anything close to what Universal does.

Universal has 2,300 rooms.

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

I'm sitting in my unit at Saratoga Springs ..

How are the busses to saratoga Springs. It will be our first time staying there in October and I hate the busses going back to the hotel at night, especially after Fantasmic and Illuminations. The buses for the All Star resorts were horrible, Port Orleans was pretty bad too, just wondering how saratoga Springs compared.

 

[DisneyWisher]

I find the whole concept of "front of the line" or whatever Universal does for its onsite guests to be manipulative and classist. I hope WDW doesn't do this. It would be a shame, IMHO.

Sorry you feel that way but I disagree. Truthfully its cheaper to go to USO (they're not as big as Disney) You can get a power pass for $120 a yearly pass with some blackout days but mostly around the busiest times of the year. With a regular AP you can get great discounts on the room for $60 more a pass. I got Royal Pacific for $129 a night(sleeps up to 5) cheaper than a moderate at Disney. Don't get me wrong I love Disney. We go about 5-6 times a year. My opinion Universal offers FOTL to attract people to their resorts and theme parks. Went for the first time in July never waited more than 10 mins for any ride.

 

[daisyduck123]

We spent 8 nights at Disney ....the third week in January....I ask, "What lines?" We had no lines then.. it was fantastic!!

Actually...we had about a 10 minute wait for the Winnie the Pooh ride...that's it.

Perhaps try then.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

My only complaint with FP is that they get rid of them during the lower attendance days. I see where they're useful during peak times but when we go during the "value" season it takes 20-30 minutes to ride a ride because they keep letting the FP people go through and just hold us there waiting for more to come. Before FP going during the value season there was hardly a line for anything. Just an observation. And I would rather get EMH than have FP given out. I love an extra 3 hours at night at the park.

 

[dizenthusiast]

Wasn't yesterday also the morning EMH at AK?

No wonder it was CROWDED -- Spring Break and an EMH on top of it!

 

[aspcamhreditor2]

OP ... Wow! I can imagine your frustration. With the varying spring breaks and the fact that soooo many schools all the way down to elementary do a week-long spring sometime in March or April, we have purposely avoided going this time of year.

We've been November 2-5, February 5-12 and December 5-11. All of them were WONDERFULLY light. There were days on each trip that we literally walked off of a ride and then immediately got back on. Even when the parks were "busy" on our trips, we never waited for more than 20 minutes. The ONLY time we waited a ridiculous amount of time was when we waited 50 minutes for Soarin' and that was completely the choice of my three & 1/2 year old. We went back to Epcot to ride Soarin' one more time and the FP times available confliected with a carriage ride we had reserved. Even then I was surprised ... the wait time was 70 minutes but it was excactly 60 minutes when we exited.

A member of my husband's family went at the last minute at Christmas with no planning. He thought the part would be empty.

Bottom line ... I wouldn't go in the dead of summer, I wouldn't go during spring break times and I wouldn't go over Christmas!

 

[WeLoveThePoly]

One of my co-workers is taking his family on their first trip to WDW next week - smack dab in the middle of Spring Break season. I told him to be ready for large crowds!

But I'd rather be in a crowded WDW than at the office!

Debbie

 

[Toby]

Thanks everyone for your responses. Live and learn - no more Spring Break time for me. We're here though because we met friends who just came off of a cruise, and we all thought it would be FUN to meet at Sarasota and stay for 4 days and do the parks. Well, we all know how that went............totally poor planning on my part.

We had a car rental so I'm not sure how the bus situation is here. There does seem to be plenty of bus stops, and busses are constantly running.


My college son, who decided four years ago, he was "disneyed" out, and would never come again - can you imagine? decided he'd like to come back here in May when he gets out of school. My husband and I decided "no way". We, too,are done for awhile. Maybe next January, after New Year's day is over

 

[ticktock]

One way to better alleviate the FP system's problems would be to simply allow a few more FP's for the hugely popular rides like Soarin' than they're getting now until they lose some of their novelty, then revert them back to the number of FP's they would normally get.

This is like having the goverment print more money during a recession.