What the heck is going on at WDW this week?

[GoldieSaysMeep]

I don't get the problem. I would have WALKED to CR and either hailed a cab or gotten on the monorail to TTC there (if I needed my car). Or I could get on any bus to DTD and transfered.

I have never experienced any of this. Granted, you couldn't pay me to go during peak times. That sounds like the opposite of fun to me. The Christmas decorations were starting to go up in November when I was just there… If you choose to go during peak season, honestly, you have to expect that it is going to be long lines and big crowds and all kinds of uncomfortable.

I also stay places where I can use busses as little as possible. Epcot area resorts = walk from Epcot & Studios. Walk through Epcot and monorail to MK. Or if I'm stuck at MK and need to take a bus and the wait is crazy, I just walk to CR and take a cab from there. I budget cab money into every trip, it's a necessity to me. The cabs max out at around $15 last time I was there. It's not like they're wicked expensive. I've never had to do this due to a 2 hour wait, but I've taken cabs plenty of times because I was just plain in a hurry to get somewhere or didn't feel like waiting for a bus.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I have never experienced any of this. Granted, you couldn't pay me to go during peak times. That sounds like the opposite of fun to me. The Christmas decorations were starting to go up in November when I was just there… If you choose to go during peak season, honestly, you have to expect that it is going to be long lines and big crowds and all kinds of uncomfortable.

I also stay places where I can use busses as little as possible. Epcot area resorts = walk from Epcot & Studios. Walk through Epcot and monorail to MK. Or if I'm stuck at MK and need to take a bus and the wait is crazy, I just walk to CR and take a cab from there. I budget cab money into every trip, it's a necessity to me. The cabs max out at around $15 last time I was there. It's not like they're wicked expensive. I've never had to do this due to a 2 hour wait, but I've taken cabs plenty of times because I was just plain in a hurry to get somewhere or didn't feel like waiting for a bus.

We haven't experienced it before either. The week we went is a "value season" with a historically big dip in crowds. The same time frame in 2007 had lighter crowds to us. So it was a surprise.

 

[kaytieeldr]

We haven't experienced it before either. The week we went is a "value season" with a historically big dip in crowds. The same time frame in 2007 had lighter crowds to us. So it was a surprise.

Sometimes history doesn't repeat itself. It's apparent more and more (and more and more and more) people are catching on to the supposedly "slow" times at Walt Disney World, and vacationing then instead. Look out. WDW will catch on, too, in a year or two - and pricing will change.

 

[Planogirl]

This problem is one of many reasons why we drive now. MK is still a problem but otherwise we have an easier time than we used to. With MK, we usually just slip out between parades and fireworks and we always take the ferry. We have way more problems with the monorail than the ferry.

 

[GeorgeG]

I think we can chalk it all up to corporate greed. As the previous poster mentioned, my first visit was in 1989 at Easter as was my next two visits which was very busy times then as they actually use to televise the Easter Parade live from the MK. There were only 2 theme parks in '89 until MGM(DHS)opened in May of that year but it was very packed even though the onsite guest levels were less than now with so many new hotel accomidations.

I can only remember one time the transportion system was a nightmare while I was there Memorial Day weekend at MK, in the early 90's for the most part even during the 90's when so many new resorts were being built, transportaion issues seemed not to be a problem.

Maybe Disney needs to change their limits on how many guests equal a "full park", add more buses, lets face it there is no simple solution, use disney transportion and patiently wait, drive your own vehicle which only helps clog the roadways, slowing down the buses on their routes or maybe visit the parks during slower times of the year.

Disney has grown too large, too fast and everyone is now paying the price, in loss of the fun filled family vacation they expect to have.

That sums things up very well. Disney used to set the standard for moving people, but they seem to have misplaced that guide book.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Sometimes history doesn't repeat itself. It's apparent more and more (and more and more and more) people are catching on to the supposedly "slow" times at Walt Disney World, and vacationing then instead. Look out. WDW will catch on, too, in a year or two - and pricing will change.

Yes. We have gone other slow periods (as well as this time frame in '07) and have had good luck. This time was a roll of the dice as are all times. We made a decision based on the resources available. Nothing is guaranteed.

We have already gotten the new discount codes for next year. The discounts for the "slow" times are tiered and lower than in the past.

The times, they are a-changing.

 

[focusondisney]

We have already gotten the new discount codes for next year. The discounts for the "slow" times are tiered and lower than in the past.

Ohhh, do tell. Did you get the new all year PIN that others have reported getting? Or are you a travel agent with some public discount info?


I'm looking for a good discount for Sept. I'd appreciate any info!

 

[OceanAnnie]

Ohhh, do tell. Did you get the new all year PIN that others have reported getting? Or are you a travel agent with some public discount info?


I'm looking for a good discount for Sept. I'd appreciate any info!

I got the pin code some time ago.

Here is the information: (but it only goes through the first week of June)

Save 40% at select Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts
(30% at Disney's Beach Club Villas)

Save 35% at Select Disney Deluxe Resorts
(25% at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa)

Save 30% at select Disney Moderate Resorts
(15% at DIsney's Port Orleans Resort- French Quarter

Save 25% at select Disney Value Resorts
(15% at Disney's All-Star Movies Resort)

For stays most nights 1/2-4/16/11 & 5/1-6/5/11

 

[focusondisney]

Thanks OceanAnnie! There are some reports on the resorts board of a new PIN this week. Dates going all thru 2011. I'd love that one!

 

[OceanAnnie]

You're welcome Focusondisney!

We still love Disney. One vacation that isn't the greatest isn't going to change that forever. There were some factors that got our attention, FWIW.

Were the other discounts similar to those I posted, or were some better? Just curious.

 

[focusondisney]

You're welcome Focusondisney!

We still love Disney. One vacation that isn't the greatest isn't going to change that forever. There were some factors that got our attention, FWIW.

Were the other discounts similar to those I posted, or were some better? Just curious.

Yep, we're still fans, too!

As for the other discounts, a few people have reported calling & having PINs for 40% off deluxe resorts. I think the posters said they were going next Nov. They didn't list all the dates the PIN was for, but said they were told it was good for most of 2011. Sounds like the PIN we had gotten for 2010. I'm so hoping to get another one! Not greedy or anything, am I?

 

[OceanAnnie]

Yep, we're still fans, too!

As for the other discounts, a few people have reported calling & having PINs for 40% off deluxe resorts. I think the posters said they were going next Nov. They didn't list all the dates the PIN was for, but said they were told it was good for most of 2011. Sounds like the PIN we had gotten for 2010. I'm so hoping to get another one! Not greedy or anything, am I?

No. You aren't greedy. Even at 40% off, you're still spending quite a bit on the whole vacation. Maybe we'll receive better discounts as time goes by.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I have to say no matter how you slice this, for me Disney is just plain irresponsible in this circumstance. Their guests pay a ton of$$$ to be there and free transport is promised, so it must be provided efficiently. The people who run the place have thermometers and should be able to recognize the potential for trouble as it's steaming towards them and react accordingly. Give more seasonal workers jobs and put them on the job, if WDW is busting to capacity there is no excuse for penny pinching. So right there, to me they should never have allowed a situation to arise where guests felt it's a better idea to risk walking than waiting. After that I'm having a hard time understanding how someone could have the presence of mind to call the police BUT NOT simply divert more busses to the walkers to get them and their families to their destinations SAFELY. Instead these people were told to walk back, presumably into more dangerous roadways. What knucklehead made this poor decision?

Of course, the walkers didn't make good decisions but, to me, the main responsibility falls on the facility to manage itself appropriately. If the post office, UPS and Walmart can figure out seasonal crowds demand more workers during particular times of year WDW should be able to figure it out too.

None of this mess should ever have been allowed to happen.

 

[petrymom]

havent finished reading all the posts on this thread here yet, but thought I would post anyway - I was part of the mob of people waiting for buses at MK on Christmas Night - my theory to the mess was that the Bus system wasn't prepared. MK was shut down mid-afternoon for peak crowds. We rode the monorail over about 3pm as we had dining ressies @ Liberty Tree Tavern - watched the electric light parade @ 930 and then rode BTMR during the fireworks. It was still VERY crowded and we had planned to stay until the wee hours of the morning but it started to rain pretty hard and we were travelling home the next day and decided to exit the park. ALONG WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE at the same time.
The crowd of people on the higher end buses - 13 and up side was so thick you could not move. They were literally stuck in one place. We stayed at the CSR and there was 1 bus there when we left the park @ 1055pm and another one did not arrive until midnight..... The value resorts seemed to be waiting even longer for buses.... You could see where people were getting very frustrated and security did not act fast enough IMO to keep things under control. Even though I understand the crowds issue and have been @ MK on Christmas night before - this was UNREAL! What was very frustrating for me was as we sat and waiting for our bus to come - 5 or 6 buses at one time would be parked across the drive with NO ONE in them and they wouldn't move. At one point one of the guys directing the buses tried to get one of the buses to come over to the CSR spot and pick people up and he refused.
I think they were just not prepared for that volume of people to exit the park at one time. Was not really a pleasant experience even for someone who is prepared for crowds......

 

[SandrA9810]

During peak times, parks open and close at different times. There's generally not one park that closes with another.

So Epcot (always 9... 9:30 with the candlelight processional), DAK is usually 8pm, Studios is 10 or 11pm, MK usually the last closer at Midnight or 1am.

With the description from Petrymom, you're talking about a mass exodus from ALL the parks. That generally does not happen, and I can't think in any recent history having a storm at night time during a peak time. So you have 3 parks all trying to exit at one time. I don't think the issued lied with just MK and the buses there. But the day guests were having just as many issues with the monorails and ferries, and then add in all the resort guests and the buses. At least at the other parks, the day guests have easier access to the parking lot, they can wait for the tram or walk.

Disney probably should've been up on the weather more, and predicted the resources needed to help the guests along.

There does seem to be a lot less common sense and courtesy going around. Which doesn't help with things much.

 

[OceanAnnie]

havent finished reading all the posts on this thread here yet, but thought I would post anyway - I was part of the mob of people waiting for buses at MK on Christmas Night - my theory to the mess was that the Bus system wasn't prepared. MK was shut down mid-afternoon for peak crowds. We rode the monorail over about 3pm as we had dining ressies @ Liberty Tree Tavern - watched the electric light parade @ 930 and then rode BTMR during the fireworks. It was still VERY crowded and we had planned to stay until the wee hours of the morning but it started to rain pretty hard and we were travelling home the next day and decided to exit the park. ALONG WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE at the same time.
The crowd of people on the higher end buses - 13 and up side was so thick you could not move. They were literally stuck in one place. We stayed at the CSR and there was 1 bus there when we left the park @ 1055pm and another one did not arrive until midnight..... The value resorts seemed to be waiting even longer for buses.... You could see where people were getting very frustrated and security did not act fast enough IMO to keep things under control. Even though I understand the crowds issue and have been @ MK on Christmas night before - this was UNREAL! What was very frustrating for me was as we sat and waiting for our bus to come - 5 or 6 buses at one time would be parked across the drive with NO ONE in them and they wouldn't move. At one point one of the guys directing the buses tried to get one of the buses to come over to the CSR spot and pick people up and he refused.
I think they were just not prepared for that volume of people to exit the park at one time. Was not really a pleasant experience even for someone who is prepared for crowds......

Oh, Christmas night!

We saw something similar the night we were leaving MK. The crowds weren't from ALL of the parks. It was just the crowds trying to leave MK. They were packed very tightly in long, wide lines for the monorail and the ferry. I haven't seen it like that before. I can only imagine what the lines for the buses were that night. Christmas night had to be much worse.

 

[petrymom]

Oh, Christmas night!

We saw something similar the night we were leaving MK. The crowds weren't from ALL of the parks. It was just the crowds trying to leave MK. They were packed very tightly in long, wide lines for the monorail and the ferry. I haven't seen it like that before. I can only imagine what the lines for the buses were that night. Christmas night had to be much worse.

You are very correct. This was JUST from MK... I was in AWE of all the people. I have pictures that I took in queue for the buses but I don't know how to load them here otherwise I would. I am not sure what other parks would have even been open @ 10:55pm as most of the other parks are closed already by then.

 

[OceanAnnie]

You are very correct. This was JUST from MK... I was in AWE of all the people. I have pictures that I took in queue for the buses but I don't know how to load them here otherwise I would. I am not sure what other parks would have even been open @ 10:55pm as most of the other parks are closed already by then.

I felt the same way! I wish I had thought to take some pictures. I couldn't get over it. All I could think of was how long is this going to take?? And people were steadily streaming into the overflowing lines. This wasn't a wait and let the crowd die down situation. The crowds kept coming, and coming, and coming.

 

[vettechick99]

I would like to see pictures!

I was at Disney in '97, a couple days after Christmas Day, and the crowds were OMG awful. It was cold and rainy, so add that in and you are just miserable. Because of that experience, I refuse to go at peak times like Christmas. I'd rather shoot myself than be there.