Where did I go wrong?

[jenga1030]

Ok, this has been bugging me a little since I've started reading other people's trip reports and especially seeing their pictures. We went to Disney World from 9/7 to 9/15. I followed the advice here and went to a park the day after it's EMH night. I wouldn't say we had crowds, we walked on most rides and at most had a 10 or 15 minute wait. We never had to wait for our ADR's, we even changed a few the day before with no problems.

But I come back here and start reading and I feel like we were going to the parks on the wrong days. We went to MK on 9/11 (after 9/10 EMH) and we had little to no waits, but there were lots of people there. Then I read about people being at MK on 9/12 or 9/13 and getting to stay on rides because no one was waiting or seeing their pictures of Fantasyland being empty. The same thing with MGM, we went the day after night EMH and found the same thing.

So what's wrong with me? Have I been going during non crowded times too long and I'm getting spoiled? Should I take a trip during Christmas week to appreciate September again?

Maybe I set my expectations too high and expect true emptiness at the parks.

Or is there a more important formula than just going the morning after EMH?

Was anyone else at MK on 9/11? What did you think of the crowds?

Now, don't get me wrong, we had a wonderful time and didn't hardly wait for anything. But when I come back on here and start reading that the day after the park was completely empty, I'll admit it, I get a little jealous.

How do you choose what days to go to what parks? Because I'm already overanalyzing next year.

Oh, and one more thing, it could just be that I attract crowds at whatever park I go to. I'll leave you with this evidence. Our first full day, DS 5 got sick, so I stayed in the room with him for a few hours while he slept. DD 7 was devastated, so H took her to MK (unplanned, throwing my schedule off ) and called me from the park saying how unbelievable it was, he was standing in Frontierland near Splash Mountain and he only had 12 people in his entire view. By the time DS and I got there, it was normal crowds that actually grew as the day went on. (I'm guessing they let NOJ in pretty early. What's wrong with me?

 

[eliza61]

Please remember that when we say the park is "empty" that is a pretty relative description. If you can get on major attractions with a 5-10 minute wait, that's pretty empty. We went to Epcot the Wednesday Hurricane Ernesto was supposed to hit and the park was a ghost town, I think that's about as good as it gets. The days were the park is completely, truly empty in late August/early september I think are gone.

Stop over analyzing your trips. If you went,had a great and all you had to wait was 10-15 minutes, I think you pretty much hit the jackpot.

 

[Stacerita]

I agree, stop over analyzing it. Empty is relative. 10 - 15 minutes wait is nothing compared to 75 minutes wait for the same thing. And those who got to stay on rides because no one was waiting were just lucky. Its the right place at the right time. The sweetpea was able to do that on the cars on one EMH morning at MK. I think she rode 3 times before I was bored sitting there. That probably wont happen again. It sounds like you had a good trip. If the kids had fun, then you were doing the right thing the right days.

 

[twinspluscade]

We were also in the MK on 9/11!!

I'm probably not the best person to answer your crowd question, since this was my first trip since 1986!! Also, I think crowd size is SO relative.

For me personally, I thought both MK and MGM had crowds at times during our trip (9/10-9/14). BUT from what I've read on here, it really was a very low crowd time. We had little to no waits on all the rides: Splash at 1:00 pm on 9/12 was 5 minutes; we were one of the first familes on Dumbo on 9/11 (and this was after stopping to rent a stroller, take pictures of the castle, etc.). We rode Peter Pan literally 5-6 times the two days we were in MK, and at the most had a 10 minute wait. So, I think it was really low crowds; but to this first-timer it still seemed "crowded" at times. Dh and I both said we will never, ever go during the summer or over a holiday after seeing what it's like "off" season!

Kelly

 

[taxmom04]

Hi! 9/11 was on a Monday and Monday is always, always a busy or at least busier day than say a Tue. or Wed. at MK! I love the first couple of hours at the parks!! Get there at opening and enjoy!!!

 

[disneypharm]

Please remember that when we say the park is "empty" that is a pretty relative description. If you can get on major attractions with a 5-10 minute wait, that's pretty empty. We went to Epcot the Wednesday Hurricane Ernesto was supposed to hit and the park was a ghost town, I think that's about as good as it gets. The days were the park is completely, truly empty in late August/early september I think are gone.

Stop over analyzing your trips. If you went,had a great and all you had to wait was 10-15 minutes, I think you pretty much hit the jackpot.

I totally agree with this post. We were there 2 weeks ago and although the waits were 5 to 10 minutes for most rides, all parks felt more crowded that during our previous visits (once in Sept 2004 and once in Dec 2005). I think this last Sept was more crowded because of free DDP. So you really not going to get empty parks. Empty for people who are used to summer crowds means 5 to 10 minutes wait.

 

[jenga1030]

Thanks everyone for making me feel better!

It's true that even though we had no waits anywhere, the parks just felt more crowded. It's weird. The only day it didn't feel this way was Friday 9/15 at EPCOT. We practically had WS to ourselves. We met Snow White and there were no other kids in line and Snow White talked with my kids and autographed their books with their names and everything. I could take pictures of whatever I wanted with practically no one in them. The street shows in the lands you could just walk right up to and be in the front row.

I turned to DH and said this is what I was picturing it to be like everywhere this week!

But we really had a great time and feel so fortunate to be able to go during the least crowded times of the year. We really have gotten spoiled.

 

[checkwriter]

We went at Easter this year. It was, by all accounts, an impressively crowded time to be at WDW. There were 8 of us, five kids and three adults. We were up with the chickens, out the door, to the parks with TGM-inspired touring plans in hand, and back to our roosts at the Poly in the afternoons, then back to the parks in the p.m. Some mornings we were at the MK at 7 a.m. -- when the gates opened. We had a great time, and spent a minimal amount of time waiting on line

I have three points:

1. WDW expands its capacity during peak seasons (by expandint its operating hours).

2. Most people don't arrive when the parks open, so go then.

3. Proper planning can protect against going at a bad time of year.

 

[Camilo]

We went to MK as well on Sep 11th and I really thought the park was empty. We arrived right at 9:00 AM and (just as an example) my wife has a picture of her alone in front of the castle.

As other people have said, when we say EMPTY, this takes in consideration other times of the year.

We went to all Fantasyland attractions in less than an hour. There was nodody in our boat at "It's s small world". We didn't use Fastpass once (as a matter of fact, didn't use it one single time during our trip).

When we went back to MK, on the 16th (Saturday) and it was a different story. Still "empty", compared to July, but "crowded" compared to the Monday before.

It all depends on what you're using as a reference.

 

[Quinn222]

The time of day you get to the parks has a lot to do with as well as the order in which you visit the attractions. If you didn't wait in lones though I'd say you did it correctly and the parks probably fit most disers definition of 'empty.'

 

[Cee]

One time when I was at MGM with my oldest DD, we went on the Tower of
Terror a record 12 times! We just kept getting off and getting back on and
the CM was so amused he just waved us through and a few times we were the
only ones on the ride which made an eerie attraction even eerier(sp?). It's
happened to us on Space Mountain before too. Ya gotta love those times
and the......emptiness...........ooooooooooooooooooooo.............................

 

[KCMiller]

Would you like to feel better about your trip, the crowd levels, and the wait times you encountered? Come with me next month on my weekend trip for SSW/F&W - or wait, and come with me on my 'my children's marching band is at MK' trip the week between Christmas and New Years. Be by my side as you see ride times of over TWO HOURS ! Thrill at the lines, stretching as far as the eye can see, to buy a burger! Enjoy the seas of humanity everywhere you go !

OK, this is a little tongue in cheek, but the only times I've even been to WDW, it's been crazy crowded (I've only ever been during those two times of year). I'm getting an AP this year JUST to make sure I plan one trip when the crowd levels are low, just to see how the other half lives !


KC

 

[Leanne1977]

Thanks everyone for making me feel better!

It's true that even though we had no waits anywhere, the parks just felt more crowded. It's weird. The only day it didn't feel this way was Friday 9/15 at EPCOT. We practically had WS to ourselves. We met Snow White and there were no other kids in line and Snow White talked with my kids and autographed their books with their names and everything. I could take pictures of whatever I wanted with practically no one in them. The street shows in the lands you could just walk right up to and be in the front row.

I turned to DH and said this is what I was picturing it to be like everywhere this week!

But we really had a great time and feel so fortunate to be able to go during the least crowded times of the year. We really have gotten spoiled.

I felt exactly the same as you. We went 19th Sept-3rd Oct. I think i was expecting it to be too quiet. Although the queues were relatively short apart from a few 50 minute waits we saw during EMH, there were people everywhere.

On one night we were watching Wishes and trying to get out of the park after was no different to when we went in early August last year!!

One evening we went to the F & W Festival and it was heaving. Big queues for the food and 50 minute queues for Soarin' and Test Track!!

So you are not alone in thinking it was busy. I will lower my expectations on crowds in the future.

 

[laceemouse]

If WDW was empty most of the time and we could truly "have the park to ourselves" the place would go out of business. I know it seems weird, we have been a couple of times when it seemed crowded walking around but then the wait times were pretty good. I call those times "low crowds" but then I have been at Christmas, in mid-summer, Spring Break, ect. Your trip sounds ideal! And yes, the crowds always grow during the day, no matter what time of year you go!

 

[jenga1030]

Thanks again everyone for your thoughts on my post. I know "emptiness" is a relative thing. And I guess my meaning of "empty" might be getting emptier and emptier the longer it's been since I've seen crowds.

I guess my main question and thing that stuck out to me the most, was when someone reports a fact that the day after I was in the park (and I felt like it was low crowds and little to no waits) that they rode Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain 4 times in a row with no one waiting, were the only ones on IASW, have a picture of themself alone in Fantasyland, that I start thinking I planned something wrong.

Does that make any sense? But I am glad that there are always people at Disney World, so it will always be there.

Again, thanks for your replies!

 

[welovedis]

I guess my main question and thing that stuck out to me the most, was when someone reports a fact that the day after I was in the park (and I felt like it was low crowds and little to no waits) that they rode Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain 4 times in a row with no one waiting, were the only ones on IASW, have a picture of themself alone in Fantasyland, that I start thinking I planned something wrong.

ITA, we felt the same way the last couple of times we've been there (Jan, June, Sept) and this time I really am trying to plan more parks on days after EMHs, etc... Now I wonder if that is really necessary as it sometimes seems to be the luck of the draw.

We picked the time specifically for our Dec trip because we heard about low crowds and now we are hearing that most WDW hotel are booked until the 10th or so (we arrive on the 9th). Because of that, and the fact that we've been so many times this year I am now going adding more "pool or relaxation" time to my plan so that we can just chill!

 

[Frantasmic]

One Diser's crowd is another Diser's emptiness.

 

[Camilo]

I guess my main question and thing that stuck out to me the most, was when someone reports a fact that the day after I was in the park (and I felt like it was low crowds and little to no waits) that they rode Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain 4 times in a row with no one waiting, were the only ones on IASW, have a picture of themself alone in Fantasyland, that I start thinking I planned something wrong.

I guess it does make sense. The most important tip I learned from people here was to be at the main entrance of the park when the ropes drop. Everything we experienced (the picture in front of the castle, having no one in IASW, having also nobody riding with us at the Adventures of Pooh, seeing Ariel even before 10:00 AM, riding Dumbo with a 3 minutes wait, etc) was possible because we were there at 9:00 AM exactly. Were you there when the park opened?

 

[sugarpie]

There is no humanly possible way to know which park will have the smallest crowds on any given day. We've gotten lucky a few times & had the park to ourselves (relatively) & we've also picked the park that everyone (seemingly) was crammed into.

It's pure luck. And timing. One Monday morning MK was empty. We walked onto everything without a wait, but by the afternoon it was packed.

Just go where you want, when you want. And relax. Have a good time.

 

[fakereadhed]

There is no humanly possible way to know which park will have the smallest crowds on any given day.

Oh, yeah? Tell that to TGM... Seriously, maybe some of the posts you read were subscribers.