Why are Mondays so busy?

[Tasscrapper]

I keep reading that Mondays are really busy and not the best day to go on. Is this a newer trend? I haven't been to Disneyland for 2 years but I don't really remember Mondays being lots busier. My adult dd and I are going for a belated graduation present for her over spring break and Monday was one of our planned days. We would probably have max pass that day and would be able to park hop.

We are so excited! I got to go to WDW last summer with dh but it was just not as good for us. Can't wait to get back to my home parks.

 

[MATTERHORN]

It's still do-able especially with Maxpass. I think it's been really just about the last year where Mondays seem to have exploded!

 

[Cal-Pie]

On my recent trip, I was very surprised to find that Monday was busier than Saturday or Sunday. With good planning, maxpass, and maybe a nice afternoon break, you really should be fine though.

 

[midnight star]

I think it's a mix of things. People do 3/4 day weekends. People often travel over the weekends, then start their week-long visits on a Monday, etc. Also people still think weekdays are better than weekends, so everyone rushes to the park on Monday.
I went on a Monday in December 2017. This was before having a pass, so my friends and I picked a Monday because it was cheaper for day tickets. I'm sure that can be a reason for others too. But I don't remember that day being awful, we did rope drop, and used maxpass. We got through 7 rides by 11 am. By the time the crowds picked up, we were basically done doing rides, and were just relaxing around the park. It didn't seem awful at all.

Then I went on a Monday in July 2018..that day was awful! Granted I didn't start at rope drop, but still. I knew the park would be crowded since it was mid summer, but that was just not normal. Even the lines at the gates seemed to never die down. Maxpass and mobile ordering saved me that day. The only time the crowds let up was after fireworks.

 

[Tasscrapper]

That is really interesting midnight star. We will make sure to use maxpass and mobile ordering. I am planning on having a break since we will do rope drop each day. I want to be able to come back and enjoy the evening hours without being exhausted. Hopefully we'll be able to stack up some fastpasses while on break at the hotel.

 

[miksicnarf]

I went yesterday, Monday 4/1, and I believe I've never seen the parks so packed. MaxPass wasn't much help, as the return times were too late. I wasn't aware that Mondays had become such a thing, will def avoid in the future!

 

[Keyframer30]

So are both parks busy on Mondays or is it just DL? We're not going until 1st week of November but if Monday's are bad I'd like to put together a strategy to manage it...

 

[midnight star]

So are both parks busy on Mondays or is it just DL? We're not going until 1st week of November but if Monday's are bad I'd like to put together a strategy to manage it...

Both. And crowds can be concentrated depending on what is happening.

 

[miksicnarf]

So are both parks busy on Mondays or is it just DL? We're not going until 1st week of November but if Monday's are bad I'd like to put together a strategy to manage it...

Yesterday both parks were packed. As an example, when I was there mid-week in Jan. I was able to walk on Incredicoaster through the single rider line repeatedly; yesterday, the single rider line was backed up to the ice cream stand.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Not all Mondays are bad, to be honest, and the actual crowd patterns are a little more complicated than people sometimes suggest... often the days surrounding the Monday (either Sunday or Tuesday, more often Tuesday) are also pretty crowded. We were there 4 days in about the last week (Saturday, Monday, Wednesday, Sunday), and Monday was the least crowded of those four.

BUT yeah, Mondays can be and are often crowded, especially when you factor in that Mondays often have shorter hours, less staffing, etc. Also, people expect Mondays to be less crowded than the weekends, so there’s an “expectation vs reality” component, too. As for the crowds themselves, they seem to be due to a combo of AP blackouts, the value pricing levels, 3-day weekenders, and people who avoided the weekends expecting them to be crowded.

What does this really mean for the average park guest? For people contemplating a “day off” on a Monday vs a different day, I’d usually suggest using the Monday as the day off. For people contemplating a one-day trip, I’d tell them to avoid Monday. But using a Monday as part of a multi-day trip is fine. Even if Monday is your most crowded day, it’s not like you’re going to have an empty Sunday, empty Tuesday, and CRAZY HORRIBLE Monday, you know?

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Yesterday both parks were packed. As an example, when I was there mid-week in Jan. I was able to walk on Incredicoaster through the single rider line repeatedly; yesterday, the single rider line was backed up to the ice cream stand.

But that was also true on Sunday...

 

[LaurieRL]

I'm just learning of the Monday thing. We're going on a Monday and we can't change out plans now - they're pretty locked down. We're not planning on doing any mountains and will be there early so I'm sure that will help.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I went yesterday, Monday 4/1, and I believe I've never seen the parks so packed...

Yesterday, 4/01, was the observed holiday for Caesar Chavez Day, so that added to already busy Monday crowds.
For the OP, Mondays are busier now for a variety of reasons. But as others have said, with MP and good planning, the parks are doable and enjoyable. Just expect the parks to be busy and plan accordingly. Have a great trip!

 

[midnight star]

Yesterday both parks were packed. As an example, when I was there mid-week in Jan. I was able to walk on Incredicoaster through the single rider line repeatedly; yesterday, the single rider line was backed up to the ice cream stand.

But that was also true on Sunday...

That's actually pretty common for the weekend too in my experience. I rarely do the single rider for that ride because I always feel like it's backed up. It's easier to just grab a fastpass imo.

 

[LizzyS]

So maybe my experience on Monday (February 25th of this year) isn't typical because of the time of year of our visit, but I didn't find it to be busier than a Saturday, which is usually when we are in the parks. I had heard about the Monday phenomenon here and was prepared for it to be bad, but I found it less congested than what we're used to on the weekend days.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

So maybe my experience on Monday (February 25th of this year) isn't typical ... I had heard about the Monday phenomenon here and was prepared for it to be bad, but I found it less congested than what we're used to on the weekend days.

I think what helped you was your being prepared for the crowds. Being used to busy weekends helped a lot, too. For the people who choose Mondays because they think everyone else will be at work or at school, the crowds can seem that much more overwhelming, especially since these are the guests who probably don't do much/any planning because they don't think they have to -- why plan for a ghost town, right?

 

[LizzyS]

I think what helped you was your being prepared for the crowds. Being used to busy weekends helped a lot, too. For the people who choose Mondays because they think everyone else will be at work or at school, the crowds can seem that much more overwhelming, especially since these are the guests who probably don't do much/any planning because they don't think they have to -- why plan for a ghost town, right?

Good point!

I did find the crowd density to be *less* and that's probably what we noticed more than anything, but definitely still busy.

 

[Tasscrapper]

Well, we are going the one week that the special discount passes aren't good so I was expecting large crowds anyhow. We are pretty locked into our schedule at this point too so we will just make the best of it. Thanks for sharing all the experiences you guys have had.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I think being mentally prepared and having a plan are the most important things -- that way, if the parks are busy, you're already on top of things. And if the parks aren't as busy as you expected, great!

 

[IAmDis]

Best bet is to ALWAYS expect it to be crowded on a Monday from March-September.

The good ol' days of nobody in the park during the week in the offseason are long gone, so even in Jan/Feb and other "offseason" periods, Mon-Thurs can be crowded, and nowadays, I ALWAYS expect them to be packed. Especially with SWGE coming, expect insane crowds every single day till the year infinity. It's just the way it is now.