What are the parks like on July 3rd/4th

[wareagle57]

So all the replies in here are what I would have expected going into our trip and it's what I'm prepared for.

But why does TP have those days as a 6 and a 7?

 

[patrickpiteo]

Bigger than the Christmas tag ending? This is making me wish our trip was one day longer. The Christmas ending was insane enough. We call them the "end of the world fireworks" because we literally thought there was a malfunction and they were all going off at once and we were about to be consumed in a fireball. It was amazing.

You kind of described the 4th finale at EPCOT..

It was sounded like the end of the world just ear deafening and shook the ground.

 

[kj2mom]

MK Will be packed on the 4th. They will hit capacity early. If you want to go to MK that day, be there an hour before opening, go back to the hotel mid day when the park is shoulder to shoulder and then either go to another park or back to MK later. They will probably be open late and might even change their hours to stay open later. Good Luck. It should be hot & humid, so relax and have fun.

Have you been on the 4th recently? The only reason I ask is we have been the last two years and I don't believe there were capacity issues. I also didn't feel shoulder to shoulder in MK during the day. The only time I felt that was when staking out a spot for the fireworks. We went in expecting it to be pretty bad (it is our friends' bdays so we were going no matter what) and we were pleasantly surprised by the entire experience, thus the desire to go back the same time the next year. Also, if I remember correctly they never extended the hours in 2016 like they did in 2015. We were there the same time both years and 2016 never extended the MK closing hours to be as late as they were in 2015 that week.

I hope this post didn't come off as sassy, I just find it interesting how two people in the same park at the same time can have completely different experiences. That's why I asked if you were there!

 

[mickey1968]

I feel like I remember people reporting that the crowds last year were no where near as insane as they used to be on the 4th. I am really hoping that TP is correct and it will only be 7, but am planning as those will be a 9 or 10 days.

 

[Robertfam08]

Bigger than the Christmas tag ending? This is making me wish our trip was one day longer. The Christmas ending was insane enough. We call them the "end of the world fireworks" because we literally thought there was a malfunction and they were all going off at once and we were about to be consumed in a fireball. It was amazing.

I have laughed far too hard and far too long at this.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

Bigger than the Christmas tag ending? This is making me wish our trip was one day longer. The Christmas ending was insane enough. We call them the "end of the world fireworks" because we literally thought there was a malfunction and they were all going off at once and we were about to be consumed in a fireball. It was amazing.

100% YES! If you don't believe me, then look up a video. The 4th of July "end of the world" finale lasts about 18 seconds based on my video. The NYE "end of the world" finale lasts about the same amount of time. I only counted the Holiday tag to last about 6 seconds based on my video. There are also A LOT more fireworks in the special holiday finales than the Christmas tag. I always stand in the FP area for Illuminations on NYE and the 4th of July. It is not uncommon for me to be showered with pieces of the fireworks after those finales. That might put the finales into perspective for you.

 

[Accident]

I can't speak for july 4th but july third looks something like this...

rope drop until about 3pm it's actually a lovely crowd. starting about 3, that quickly changes to shoulder to shoulder one of the most crowded days of the year where oyu will just give up on trying to ride anything else. at 4 the music you know changes and the djs come out and the place turns into a party atmosphere, especially the hub and frontierland... By 6, the hub will be almost full and they will open up the backstage parking lot between tomorrowland and tony's as well as the bypass next to the plaza to make more room for more people to see the fireworks... by 7ish they will be telling people you can't go into the hub and you must walk around to the other side the long way if your trying to leave and people will have to use the bypass and parking lot to get into MK and go around towards tomorrowland..

Then the fireworks happen and 90% of those people leave to a dream crowd and the nightmare of anyone trying to leave happened.. I stayed and we finished up the night with a bunch of attractions and left just as transportation started to have smaller lines..

Now if your driving, the parking lot will most likely be full at some point so don't wait to long or you'll be parking elsewhere and transportation to mk.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

I feel like I remember people reporting that the crowds last year were no where near as insane as they used to be on the 4th. I am really hoping that TP is correct and it will only be 7, but am planning as those will be a 9 or 10 days.

4th of July has never really felt crowded to me. That is probably because I always go to MK on the 3rd and I go to EPCOT on the 4th. I always rope drop rides, and then I watch the Voices of Liberty outdoor and indoor shows the rest of the day. After that, I have a dinner reservation. Then i go find a spot for the fireworks (usually a FP for Illuminations that I got at 60 days out). It is a very relaxing day in EPCOT if you plan out exactly what you want to do. Same thing goes for NYE. I like to go for the experience more than riding rides.

So all the replies in here are what I would have expected going into our trip and it's what I'm prepared for.

But why does TP have those days as a 6 and a 7?

If you are going NYE, I still highly recommend to get the rides done at rope drop and stay there the whole day. When i got to Test Track to use my FP around 5, the FP line was a 45 minute wait and stand-by was 3 hours. Soarin was close to a 4 hour wait this past NYE. Even if it says a 6 or a 7, it will still be crowded. I never found it to be as crowded during the day as people were expecting. As it got closer to midnight, the more crowded it got.

 

[kelliejason]

Have you been on the 4th recently? The only reason I ask is we have been the last two years and I don't believe there were capacity issues. I also didn't feel shoulder to shoulder in MK during the day. The only time I felt that was when staking out a spot for the fireworks. We went in expecting it to be pretty bad (it is our friends' bdays so we were going no matter what) and we were pleasantly surprised by the entire experience, thus the desire to go back the same time the next year. Also, if I remember correctly they never extended the hours in 2016 like they did in 2015. We were there the same time both years and 2016 never extended the MK closing hours to be as late as they were in 2015 that week.

I hope this post didn't come off as sassy, I just find it interesting how two people in the same park at the same time can have completely different experiences. That's why I asked if you were there!

Looks like we weren't there on the same years. I've been there at various times and the only ones that have had closures were the 4th of July and Thanksgiving Day. Last time on the 4th was 2014 which was a Phase 2 Closing I believe. If memory serves, the original posted hours were until 11:00pm and on or the week of the 4th, they decided to change it to 1:00am. We expected busy, so we stayed away and saw the 4th of July fireworks on the 3rd. We were also there on on the forth in 2013. That one was even worse. It was a Phase 3. We were there at Rope Drop and rolled out after the mobs of people came in. Needless to say, it will be busy on the 4th of July along with any other US National Holiday. Either you go prepared for crowds or you don't, but it's going to be long waits and HOT HOT HOT in July.

 

[TheBigErn]

I suggest anyone planning on the MK for the 3rd and EP for the 4th just stay away. The heat and the crowds will be unbearable. There, now I hope I've scared enough people away so the we have less people in those parks on those days.

 

[Accident]

4th of July has never really felt crowded to me. That is probably because I always go to MK on the 3rd and I go to EPCOT on the 4th. I always rope drop rides, and then I watch the Voices of Liberty outdoor and indoor shows the rest of the day. After that, I have a dinner reservation. Then i go find a spot for the fireworks (usually a FP for Illuminations that I got at 60 days out). It is a very relaxing day in EPCOT if you plan out exactly what you want to do. Same thing goes for NYE. I like to go for the experience more than riding rides.

this is excellent advice, I go in on very crowded days but I go in expecting to do nothing but be there.. The atmosphere is different and you don't get it outside of holidays.

 

[Klayfish]

So all the replies in here are what I would have expected going into our trip and it's what I'm prepared for.

But why does TP have those days as a 6 and a 7?

Because crowd calendars are....uh...not very accurate (trying to be polite).

 

[wareagle57]

I can't speak for july 4th but july third looks something like this...

rope drop until about 3pm it's actually a lovely crowd. starting about 3, that quickly changes to shoulder to shoulder one of the most crowded days of the year where oyu will just give up on trying to ride anything else. at 4 the music you know changes and the djs come out and the place turns into a party atmosphere, especially the hub and frontierland... By 6, the hub will be almost full and they will open up the backstage parking lot between tomorrowland and tony's as well as the bypass next to the plaza to make more room for more people to see the fireworks... by 7ish they will be telling people you can't go into the hub and you must walk around to the other side the long way if your trying to leave and people will have to use the bypass and parking lot to get into MK and go around towards tomorrowland..

Then the fireworks happen and 90% of those people leave to a dream crowd and the nightmare of anyone trying to leave happened.. I stayed and we finished up the night with a bunch of attractions and left just as transportation started to have smaller lines..

Now if your driving, the parking lot will most likely be full at some point so don't wait to long or you'll be parking elsewhere and transportation to mk.

I'm assuming you don't really need to have a castle view for these fireworks like you do for HEA. Is there a better place to see the 360 degree pyro than the area around Gastons?

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

I'm assuming you don't really need to have a castle view for these fireworks like you do for HEA. Is there a better place to see the 360 degree pyro than the area around Gastons?

Uh...Still watch in the hub of the castle. I usually watch on Main Street in front of Casey's, but not up to the circle yet where the Partner Statue is. You will have some of the 360 pyro blocked wherever you are in MK. You get a 180 in the hub. If you want the best place to watch the 360 pyro, then that would be Poly beach or California Grill/TOTWL. You need to be a DVC member staying at BLT to see it from TOTWL on the 3rd and 4th, and the California Grill is usually really expensive that night.

 

[wareagle57]

Uh...Still watch in the hub of the castle. I usually watch on Main Street in front of Casey's, but not up to the circle yet where the Partner Statue is. You will have some of the 360 pyro blocked wherever you are in MK. You get a 180 in the hub. If you want the best place to watch the 360 pyro, then that would be Poly beach or California Grill/TOTWL. You need to be a DVC member staying at BLT to see it from TOTWL on the 3rd and 4th, and the California Grill is usually really expensive that night.

I think I'd rather sacrifice a bit of it being blocked than wait for 2-3 hours in the hub. The skyline is pretty open from Gastons from what I remember.

 

[mickey1968]

I suggest anyone planning on the MK for the 3rd and EP for the 4th just stay away. The heat and the crowds will be unbearable. There, now I hope I've scared enough people away so the we have less people in those parks on those days.

NICE TRY!! lol!!

this is excellent advice, I go in on very crowded days but I go in expecting to do nothing but be there..The atmosphere is different and you don't get it outside of holidays.

This is my main plan too. I do this on Black Friday too, where I go to the mall and just watch all the crazy!!!

Because crowd calendars are....uh...not very accurate (trying to be polite).

Some of the crowd calendars used to be fairly reliable, especially easyWDW, but he has quit making them altogether now. There are still TP and KennythePirate calendars. We will see which of those is most accurate.

 

[mickey1968]

Here are my plans for July 3rd - MK

Try to drag my lazy butt there by rope drop or shortly there after and do a few rides.

FP Space Mountain at 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

Watch the FoF Parade from Frontierland at Noon. I will be alone so it is easier to get nestled in sometimes. If too crowded to enjoy I will do something else.

I have a 12:50p lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern. Then I will leave the park for a few hours and go back to the room and re-enter around 6 pm and then do:

FP Seven Dwarfs Mine Train 6:40 PM - 7:40 PM

Get positioned for fireworks.

FP Big Thunder Mountain Railroad 9:40 PM - 10:40 PM

Ride whatever I can after crowds leave or wait a bit and go ahead and leave.

 

[mickey1968]

Here are my plans for July 4th-6th at Epcot

July 4 - I plan to hang around the resort most of the day then I may try to go in late afternoon to see one of the Voices of Liberty showcases and the American Adventure before dinner. Then I have FP for Illuminations.

July 5 - Animal Kingdom for Pandora and RoL. Probably be a split day.

July 6 - Magic Kingdom in the evening to see the new Happily Ever After fireworks and Once Upon a Time projection show.

 

[ktate82]

We are going to MK on the 3rd and Epcot on the 4th as well. We have a FP for Illuminations, but what time should we get a spot in MK in the Hub? I had been hoping they would have a dessert party, but still nothing, so going to Plan B. There will be 6 of us and MIL uses an ECV.

 

[Jfine]

Uh...Still watch in the hub of the castle. I usually watch on Main Street in front of Casey's, but not up to the circle yet where the Partner Statue is. You will have some of the 360 pyro blocked wherever you are in MK. You get a 180 in the hub. If you want the best place to watch the 360 pyro, then that would be Poly beach or California Grill/TOTWL. You need to be a DVC member staying at BLT to see it from TOTWL on the 3rd and 4th, and the California Grill is usually really expensive that night.

We're planning on watching from CG, but I'm not sure if that's best. Why do you recommend the hub? I keep going back and forth on a location