What to Expect Memorial Day Week?

[RocketCityMama]

How is it "not crowded at all" when TP tell us it will be 8's, 9's and 10's? I've never been during 9's and 10's but the 7's and 8's I've been to were extremely crowded. You aren't the first person to say this but I just cannot understand.

I have been on a 10 day after Christmas in 2008 and it was miserable! MK was at capacity and closed to letting anymore people in. It was so busy you could not walk in between Small World and Pan, I mean it was literally shoulder to shoulder and moving at a snails pace. To me Memorial Day is no where near that at all. Besides TP and all other crowd calendars are just estimates, you can't take what they say as a given IMHO.

I think too that what we feel is busy or not busy depends on our touring style, everyone is so different. We rope drop 90% of the time, take midday breaks when all the people who want to sleep in on vacation start rolling into the parks and head back in the evening when people are leaving because they are done and it's hot. LOL We find that works best for us, we can manage the parks well using rope drop and fast passes along with planning our breaks. That does not work for everyone, because some are never leave the park because they paid too much money for the tickets etc. That's fine, but I find a lot of times they are the most miserable because they are there when it's the busiest and hottest, which makes a lot of things unbearable.

 

[AngiTN]

How is it "not crowded at all" when TP tell us it will be 8's, 9's and 10's? I've never been during 9's and 10's but the 7's and 8's I've been to were extremely crowded. You aren't the first person to say this but I just cannot understand.

I can't explain why Touring Plans rates the way they do. I can only say that I have been on NYE and I have been at Memorial Day. There is no comparison to the crowds.
If they try to say Memorial Day is a 10 then NYE is a 30.

Then again, if you say what you experienced as a 7 or 8 were "extremely crowded" then you probably will find any day at Disney extremely crowded. 7 or 8 is the norm these days. Rare is a day less.

 

[nwiddy]

We go every year during Memorial week and have a blast! What everyone else has said so far is true - I'm not sure how TP truly decides between a 7-10, because every year we've gone they've estimated Memorial week super high and it's always felt perfectly fine. I've been at other times in the year, and Memorial week always feels like a 6-7 for me. Plus the weather is great!

We've done Disneyland over the same time period and find it equally fine (little busy with grad nights, but not bad for a holiday week). Memorial Day is the last date of the Epcot festival, so that one might genuinely be a 10, but I'd be shocked if the rest of the park isn't far more relaxed.

 

[VeeHam]

Thanks to all who responded. Hopefully it will be just as you say.

 

[Airb330]

We always go Memorial Day weekend/week. This year is our 4th year in a row, it's our end of school trip.
It's not very crowded at all, as holiday's go that is. A common misconception actually.
Realize, only a portion of the country has gotten out of school by Memorial Day. The portion still in school are too close to the end of the year to take time off for a trip to Disney. Maybe some close by come for a long weekend but most of those are the ones out of school by Memorial Day anyway.
Memorial Day Holiday is really very similar to Labor Day, which is commonly thought to be a good time to go, for the same reason.
Only a portion of the country is out of school for Labor Day. A portion has already gone back to school and it's too close to the start of the school for them to take off for a trip to Disney.

Lines are very reasonable and we even find that we have many days without any rain. It's become our favorite time and why we pick going that week for our summer trip over going just before school starts back. A week in early August is much more crowded, hotter and rainier.

Last year we even went to BB on the Friday before Memorial Day and it was almost dead. It was a clear, blue sky day too, not a cloud in the sky, not too hot, not even too humid. We had a great day and very short lines all over. It was even the first day of their Frozen Summer Fun event, we met Olaf and Kristoff, no waits at all.

I know a few people jumped on this post by AngiTN, but I really have to echo her here. We also have went on a few memorial day trips (2014, 2017) and I never thought the crowds were too bad. Including Pandora Opening weekend! Yes, the crowds were crazy at AK/Pandora for a few days, but overall we thought they were fine in 2017.

Again, I also agree about the weather. It's starting to steam up but we have really enjoyed April (2016, 2018) and May the past few years. We're going again in a few weeks.

To the OP--IMO, while things could be different this year, don't let some touring sites scare you aware from Memorial Day for a trip.

 

[mwmom]

I just noticed that Touring Plans updated our Epcot day (Memorial Day) to a crowd level 10!

It was most likely upgraded to a 10 due to the last day of Flower and Garden Festival. We are going that weekend, but not sure if we will hit Epcot on Monday due to that being the last day.

 

[UncleMike101]

We are considering going to the parks and water parks Memorial Day week (Monday-Friday). What kind of crowd levels should we expect? We are AP holders but have never been this time of year before- always January, February, late August, September, or late November.

Thanks for the input!

We've been there for the week of Memorial Day twice.
The crowds weren't too bad except for the Holiday itself.
Just make sure that you have ADR's if you want to dine at a popular place.
We were treated to an outburst by indignant lady on a Memorial Day at the Brown Derby when she was told that they didn't hold back any tables for drop in guests, even for "Important people" which she stated that she was.

 

[CAQDaddy]

My DD and I were there that week last year celebrating her college graduation. I thought the crowds were quite manageable. It was pretty hot, but it's Florida. We had a great time and I would definitely go again during that week.

 

[OFF2NVRLAND]

We were there Memorial Day 2016 and the crowds didnt seem that bad. We were able to everything we planned and then some. Over all the crowds were very manageable. Most days we were at rope drop then back to the hotel for a late lunch and break. Then we returned in the afternoon and stayed until close. The only time it felt really "crowded" was during and after Wishes but that is to be expected. The only complaints for that trip would be that the monorail was down and it was hot. I felt like I was melting in Adventureland one afternoon, and that is coming from someone who lives in Southeast Alabama and is use to the heat and humidity. We wouldnt hestiate to go back on Memorial Day though. That was our first choice for our trip this year but because of my son's sports it didn't work out. I wouldn't let a crowd prediction worry you too much.