Will 50th celebration affect May crowds?

[molenda]

I can't seem to find much information about the 50th celebration, but the Disney reservations guy acted like it is a big deal and very exciting. May 5 is the kickoff of an 18 month celebration.

I actually would like to avoid anything that might cause additional crowds and I was planning a trip for the first week of May. Could I just avoid MK that particular day or is it likely to affect the whole week? Would you experts suggest that I pick another time to go?

Thank you!

 

[WDWguru]

The press event dates are May 4-6, so you can expect at least one park to close early on at least one of those days. Generally the press events add a lot of people to the hotels, but not necessarily crowds to the parks, since the official events are held in the evenings and during the day we're all busy doing interviews or writing stories. There are some folks who bring families and those people may be at the parks during the day, but in the past others have said they haven't noticed a terrible upsurge in crowds during these events.

 

[molenda]

Thanks for the information, but isn't the celebration more than a press event? I thought maybe they had a big party planned. They talked about unveiling new rides and also, on another note, they said I could get free transportation from my hotel to the airport after 5/5.

 

[n2mm]

I can't seem to find much information about the 50th celebration, but the Disney reservations guy acted like it is a big deal and very exciting. May 5 is the kickoff of an 18 month celebration.

I actually would like to avoid anything that might cause additional crowds and I was planning a trip for the first week of May. Could I just avoid MK that particular day or is it likely to affect the whole week? Would you experts suggest that I pick another time to go?

Thank you!

The kick off of the celebration will absolutely have an impact on the crowds. I made my ressies in July 2004, and there was hardly any CM discounted rooms available then. I have heard since that my other CM friends cannot get a discount during the first week. I think general public discounted rooms will be very limited. But I'll be there!!

 

[Luv4Disney]

Although it starts it May, it can't be THAT crowded because school is still in, and of course, kids will want to go.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I just made some Priority Seatings... ( Tomorrow will be 90 days out for May 5th !)

I asked the young lady on the phone, since she seemed very nice, if she had any inside info on how crowded it might be on May 5th. She said that she had not heard anything official, but that this week was traditionally NOT a crowded week. ( schools are still in session ) She said that she very often plans her own visits to the Parks on this week. While she did think that there would be an increase in attendance she did not think that it would be bad. I hope she is right!

I am wondering if the reason the WDW resorts are heavily booked is because the rooms were offered for the Press at special rates? Hhhhmmm?????

 

[DebbieB]

I'm sure the press is taking up alot of rooms the first week. Disney wines and dines them so that they will come out with good publicity. I wouldn't be surprised if they were given free rooms, Disney invites them to come.

 

[molenda]

I finally found a description of the 50th Anniversary-- it's called the Happiest Celebration on Earth. Looks like they are doing some cool stuff.


http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/happiestCelebration?id=HappiestCelebrationPage

 

[brooke1]

I think it will be come more crowded by the end of May because then school will have just let out, and there will be a mad dash to Disney.

What do you guy's think???
Brooke

 

[brooke1]

bump bump

 

[tjkraz]

I think it's logical to assume that crowds will increase in late-May and into June--simply because that happens every year.

I don't see people rushing to WDW in early-May just to be there as this celebration begins. As stated, it is a 16-18 month event and children will still be in school. If we were talking about a 1-2 week event, perhaps people would change their vacation plans to coincide with the festivities. But I don't envision there being a large contingent that falls into the "gotta be there on the first day" category.

 

[Wishing on a star]

yes, tjkraz, I agree!

On the long thread listing who is going in May, there is not a big showing of DISers who are planning on being there for the 5th... There are more people planning to go later in May, for their very own reasons.

I think there will be more people than usual, but not a stampede!

At least, that is what I am hoping!