When was the BUSIEST time you ever went? Spin off longest wait time question.

[KevinM]

July 1994.

I had never been to Disney so I went with my future wife and her family (she was one of those lucky kids who went every year when she was growing up). I had just graduated college and thought it would be fun.

I don't like crowds. And it was CROWDED. And HOT. So crowded and hot that I vowed to never return.

9 years later we were married with a 4 year old princess. I reluctantly agreed to return in December 2003. We stayed at POR and I had the best vacation of my life. We are returning in 2 weeks, and again in February.

What made the trip so great was my daughter's absolute joy when we were there. Because of that, I'd return any time of the year, crowded or not.

I didn't really appreciate it until I saw everything through her eyes. I'm a little younger now because of it.

 

[Straughn]

Week between Christmas and New Year's 2001 and 2003. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone if it is their first visit. It is beyond crowed with long, long lines. For first timers, I don't see how you could do everything and still be alive to talk about it. If you go regularily, you can then pick and chose what you do. I go to see the decorations and to go to the parks when they open and are slightly less crowded. Usually by 11 AM everythingis packed. I don't even try to go to a park on New Year's Eve.

 

[belleandthebeast]

Easter week 1997. It was the worst time ever. To be specific, EVERYTHING had an extremely long wait. There was no fast pass. SM had a 4 hours wait. Definitely makes you appreciate the FP system.

Besides the long waits, the parks were way too crowded for me. Way too crowded.

 

[TXMommy]

Thanksgiving 2002

We were in the MK all day on T-giving. I wouldn't say it was unbearable, but it was definitely the most crowded I have ever seen and made me say "never again on a holiday"! I'm hoping our Spring Break 2005 is earlier than most people's SB and we'll be OK with the crowds.....

 

[Muziqal]

Working crowd control new years eve 99/00...it was insane. We had security suits on (rather than lumberjack outfits) and all we could do was stand in somewhat of a line, with our arms stretched out all the way down the WS promenade to ensure there was at least enough of a space for people to walk/wheel chair through the crowd. Imagine WS being 3 feet across all the way from Canada to Mexico!?! Wouldn't be much fun, would it?

It was at 80, 000 people by noon that day (max was 60, 000 then). I have never been in WDW, or anywhere else for that matter, that crowded and for such a prolonged period of time.

 

[Franne]

NYE last year was the absolute worst I have ever seen it. The park was closed by 10...it was so crowded and they wouldn't let you leave or there was a chance of not getting back in for the New Years celebration. I have never seen it that crowded EVER, but....I would do it again in a heartbeat!

 

[Lucky4me]

The busiest was the last week of August 1997. I think we had to wait in 20 minute lines-oh the horror!!

Since then it's always been the first week of Dec. or the last couple of weeks in January. We really like having elbow room.

 

[Cantw8]

Jersey week 2004 was the most crowded time I have ever been.

 

[Niagara2]

Millenium NYE at Epcot. Got in International gateway at 7 am and they closed the gates at 8am for the day! THis was the only time I was scared at WDW. The crowds just didn't move, people on blankets all over the place. We watched Illuminations from the other side of the walkway near the buildings. Rides, never tried any - we go enough other times to enjoy them. It was an experience to remember and we did have a good time. Had a dinner at a special tent buffet that had entertainment.

 

[Bugdozer]

Hi All,
We usually avoid the busy times but last october we went for a week . It turned out that it was the week that they had the big media event gathering for Mission Space. TONS of reporters everywhere and their familes They even closed Epcot at 3:00 one day to the general public as they were having special things going on including having Michael Eisner there. We will never go again during a media event-was awful.
I am a liitle nervous this trip. We are arriving the day after Thanksgiving. I dread that Friday and Saturday-we will try to stay away from the busier parks. I just hope it dies down like evryone says it does after Sunday as we are there the rest of that following week
Cheryl

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Most crowded for us -- early August 1997 - Wait for rides was long and it was SO HOT! I vowed never again to go in the sweltering heat and I have never been back at that time.
(I have never been to WDW for Christmas/New Years and I don't plan on ever doing that either).

Tink

 

[Luigi's Girl]

the most crowded time for us was Easter week 2002. even so my 21 family members and myself still managed to have a magical time!

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Easter week 2002. This was pre-disboards for me and I had no idea of the crowds.

I remember going to the park our the Wednesday after Easter at 2pm our arrival day. We could only manage one ride before our PS at CRT for dinner. Every single FP machine that a small child go ride, Pooh, Buzz, Peter Pan had either no FP's available or had 10pm times.

What will always stick out in my mind was a CM standing on a stool between Peter Pan and Small with a flashlight trying to direct traffice. It was complete gridlock with all of the strollers.

Wait time for Dumbo was an estimated 2 hrs and the line wrapped around the carousel.

What made the evening was around 8pm a family for the UK gave us their FP's for Pooh as they were leaving the park. We never would have ridden it without them.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

DH and I went to MK on a Saturday night in September, 1990 (I think). We had just arrived and were talking at check-in that we were going to go to Epcot. The CMs convinced us to go to MK for the last ever showing of the Electric Light Parade. It was being shipped to EuroDisney. So we went. I have never seen so many people in one place in my life. We waited 45 minutes for a soda at a kiosk. I am not sure that we even rode one ride. Scary, it was so busy. Rumor had it there were in excess of 60,000 people in the park. The only reason we were allowed in is because we were resort guests.

We went the week before Easter this year. Our first experience with Peak times. We did EE, then switched parks. Worked well for us. Kids did fine.

Getting ready to head down for Christmas now. Wish us luck!

 

[palmtreegirl]

Easter week Never again.

It was crazy! There were people everywhere, fast passes were gone within 2 hours of park opening and parks were closing by noon due to capacity. I remember standing in front of the monorail entrances at the TTC and there were just wall to wall people at 1pm.

Thankfully we were there for the next week too so Easter week we basically only went out at night and just lounge by the pool all day. The next week was soooo much better, everyone was complaining about the crowds and we just looked at them and said this is nothing you should've seen last week!

 

[LLagow]

Christmas Day 2003!
Our whole family was there for the week of Christmas. We were totaly unprepared for the crowds on Christmas day. We had Reservations for the candlelight processional and we literally had to fight out way onto the monorail and into Epcot.

 

[catriona930]

the busiest time i remember going was around easter..i was 6 and the magic kingdom had only opened for about a year or two...my mom wouldnt let me ride dumbo..she said it was dangerous < looking back now im thinking she didnt wnat to wait on line> and we waited a long time for poc...i didnt care tho...i fell in love crowds and all even tho i dont rember very much... this year we will be going the last week of april..im a little concerned about crowds as we usually go during value season...in way tho it worked out ok b/c i told my husband that i thought it would be crowded so we need to plan another trip...so we are also going dec 06

cat

 

[Fortuosity]

I've been to Walt Disney World over the 4th of July and Christmas/New Years. Both times were crowded, but I think Christmas/New Years was the busiest of the two. The weather in December was much more tolerable than July of course, so I didn't really mind the lengthy wait times.

 

[Leota]

Our busiest time was Jersey Week 2000. If there had been peak season hours, it would have been easier to deal with... We still had a great time, we had 2 weeks, so plenty of time to do all we wanted to do even with the crowds during Jersey week. I have avoided it ever since tho.

We are braving Spring Break this year, realizing that it will be busier than we are used to & planning accordingly. Luckily, we have been many times & know there are many more trips in the future. We'll do what we can & not sweat it.

 

[disneylovr1]

We went during Easter most years when I was young. It was pretty crowded then, but we didn't have anything to compare it to. We followed the Unofficial Guides recommendations, and usually didn't wait more then 30 min. I remember waiting in fairly long lines for Imagination, Spaceship Earth, Pirates of the Carribean, and others, none of which ever have long lines for us now. I really think that the difference is that there were only 2 parks back then. Now there are 4 parks, 2 water parks, and much more to see and do. The crowds ar emore spread out. We go in summer now, and still usually don't wait in line for much of everyting. We no longer use any touring plans, we just do our favorites and what we stumble on that doesn't have a line. I have great memories from when I was young, but I have never seen the crowds like they used to be. I'm sure on certain days they are, but in general it's much more open now.