With preschoolers...avoid MK on Sundays and Mondays?

[Surgie2]

We'll arrive on a Saturday late morning. I've read advice to avoid MK on the weekends and on Mondays. But I don't see how we can keep 4 preschoolers (ages 1, 4, 5, 5) out of MK for two days (not planning to go to the parks on day of arrival).

What have others with small children done? I think the other parks will provide some fun, but they will be really excited to go to MK and it seems kind of crazy to keep them away. We'll have 5-day hopper passes. Are Sundays and Mondays really that bad in early May?

 

[wilkeliza]

Bad is relative. They are usually the highest crowd days since that is the end/beginning of 99% of trips but it isn't undoable by any means. Just have a plan of attack and go with the flow beyond that.

 

[Accident]

The crowds are bad every day. The weekends the locals are off to join you though so it's usually a little more crowded.

The best way I can explain how crowds at disney are...

1: 5-10 days per year, peter pan will be a 30 minute wait. This is considered low crowds. (crowd calendars call this 1-3)
2: uncrowed it's a 40-45 minute wait. (crowd calendars call this 4-6)
3: crowded its 60 minutes and teacups has a long wait too. (crowd calendars call this 9)
4: holiday weekend it's higher. (crowd calendars calendars call this 9)
5: major holiday weekend or holiday itself, it might take you an hour to get to the ride to try to get into the over an hour long line.. (crowd calendars call this 9).

I never really understood crowd calendars cause a 9 to me means there is no more room for anyone and the gates would be clsoed but that never happens. (well very rare)

at mk: Weekend falls somewhere between 2 and 3. weekdays is usually 2. mondays is usually 3. however this year in april and may (most of it, not all weeks) it was closer to 2 and then first week of june and all summer it was 3 with mondays closer to 4.

If my 1 happens you hit the lottery and go nuts that day because tommorrow it'll be between 3 and 4 when everyone hears it was empty. it'll start that evening cause locals like empty parks and have the ability to jump over after work.

Preschoolers are going to have a ball any type of crowd.. it's disney, they love disney.. enjoy whatever day fits your schedule...

 

[AngiTN]

DGD is no longer a preschooler but when she was she'd have had no opinion on what park we went to when. She doesn't now for that matter (she's 8)
It's Disney. To her (and me) it's all good and no park ranks higher or more important. We'll get to them all

 

[crazylady]

If you are planning more than one MK day or hopping, I would do Sunday at the MK. I don't think Sunday mornings are too bad there.

 

[sqpcsqpc]

We frequently do Sundays at MK. We find it very manageable. Like most days rope drop arrival makes a huge difference.

 

[wishing4PA]

I've only ever had one preschooler (my then 4 y.o. DD) with me. She and I went into MK on arrival day just long enough to see the castle and ride a couple of rides (IASW & PP?) while her Dad unpacked.
She knew we'd be returning back to MK later that week and so willingly went along to EPCOT for her first full day. It didn't hurt that she knew we'd be dining with princesses in Norway. We didn't have park hoppers so we only went to one park each day. I let her pick the park for our last full park day, having spent a full day in each park by then, and not having made any ADRs for that day. She chose EPCOT.
Maybe it's different with 4 little ones, but that was my experience. I think the kids will love any Disney park!

 

[Hope Soda]

I have been to MK only once, and it was on a Sunday. We had a great time and just went wherever we got fastpasses, not worrying about doing everything.

 

[Nancyg56]

DGD is no longer a preschooler but when she was she'd have had no opinion on what park we went to when. She doesn't now for that matter (she's 8)
It's Disney. To her (and me) it's all good and no park ranks higher or more important. We'll get to them all

WHen my DGD was young she went where we took her. SHe was 4 on her first trip. We did not go to a park on our arrival day, which was a Sunday. We went to DHS Day two and MK on Tuesday. There is DIsney in every park, and plenty for youngsters to do and to see. Unless you tell the kids that they are missing something, they have no idea that is the case.

Now at fifteen, DGD still goes to whatever parks work best for our schedule, and is not invested in any one being first or last. She likes them all, even though she has developed favorites. At 4 her favorite was not MK, it was DHS. It was a character junkie's paradise, and she was all about characters and autographs.

I understand tradition, my family is all about that in just about every aspect of our lives, but I think that the adults are the ones who set expectations for the children, not the other way around. The adults believe that children need to see the MK first or they will be devastated, but I think it is the other way around., The adults are the ones who determine that the MK needs to be first, and the kids follow suit.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I don't put a lot of stock in crowd calendars or the theories on which day is best to visit certain parks. While they may be correct, I would rather plan my trip according to the schedule that works best for my family and then navigate around what is actually happening in that park when we arrive and tour. We've been during low crowd times and high crowd times and, while the crowds affect how long we stay or what we ride, we still have fun. That being said, I just checked touring plans crowd calendar and it has all early May Sundays and Mondays at 3's and 4's for crowds, so, based on their predictions, crowds will be low. When my DS was younger, we always did MK first! We would go at rope drop to make sure we saw the opening show so he could wave to Mickey first thing and then go straight to Fantasyland. It really set a happy, magical tone for the trip. If you would like to go to MK as your first park, go for it!!

 

[Klayfish]

I don't put a lot of stock in crowd calendars or the theories on which day is best to visit certain parks. While they may be correct, I would rather plan my trip according to the schedule that works best for my family and then navigate around what is actually happening in that park when we arrive and tour. We've been during low crowd times and high crowd times and, while the crowds affect how long we stay or what we ride, we still have fun. That being said, I just checked touring plans crowd calendar and it has all early May Sundays and Mondays at 3's and 4's for crowds, so, based on their predictions, crowds will be low. When my DS was younger, we always did MK first! We would go at rope drop to make sure we saw the opening show so he could wave to Mickey first thing and then go straight to Fantasyland. It really set a happy, magical tone for the trip. If you would like to go to MK as your first park, go for it!!

Amen!! I don't understand the theories of having to avoid park x or y on Thursdays and only go to park z on Friday when the moon is half full. Like most others, MK is where we like to start our trips too, so I suppose there is some logic behind the thought that weekends will be busier because that's when many vacations start/end. If you dropped me into MK, I couldn't tell you by the size of the crowd what day of the week it is. I either don't pay enough attention or am totally naïve. Truthfully, I often momentarily forget what day of the week it is when I'm in WDW and have to check my phone. I don't notice a real difference in crowds in any park in relation to day of the week.

My personal opinion is don't worry whatsoever about the fact that your first day is Saturday. Go to MK, you'll have a great time!

 

[Surgie2]

Thanks for all the reassurances. I know the kids will be most excited for MK so we will plan that for early Sunday morning, do what we can do and go back again on another day.

 

[AngiTN]

WHen my DGD was young she went where we took her. SHe was 4 on her first trip. We did not go to a park on our arrival day, which was a Sunday. We went to DHS Day two and MK on Tuesday. There is DIsney in every park, and plenty for youngsters to do and to see. Unless you tell the kids that they are missing something, they have no idea that is the case.

Now at fifteen, DGD still goes to whatever parks work best for our schedule, and is not invested in any one being first or last. She likes them all, even though she has developed favorites. At 4 her favorite was not MK, it was DHS. It was a character junkie's paradise, and she was all about characters and autographs.

I understand tradition, my family is all about that in just about every aspect of our lives, but I think that the adults are the ones who set expectations for the children, not the other way around. The adults believe that children need to see the MK first or they will be devastated, but I think it is the other way around., The adults are the ones who determine that the MK needs to be first, and the kids follow suit.

Bingo! Kids have no expectations, not at preschool age for sure. Parents do. So go where you want. If you want MK first, go. If you want to go against the flow, do. All methods work. It's all Disney

Now, we have been in a not recommended park on a not recommended day. With the same crowd levels we've also been in a recommended park on a recommended day. There is a significant difference. How much that difference bothers you only you know. But there is a difference. It's undeniable.

 

[Klayfish]

Bingo! Kids have no expectations, not at preschool age for sure. Parents do. So go where you want. If you want MK first, go. If you want to go against the flow, do. All methods work. It's all Disney

Now, we have been in a not recommended park on a not recommended day. With the same crowd levels we've also been in a recommended park on a recommended day. There is a significant difference. How much that difference bothers you only you know. But there is a difference. It's undeniable.

Kids have no expectations? Can I introduce you to my children? I'm joking of course, I totally agree with you that "It's all Disney". They do "want" to do MK first, but if we decided to do something else first, they'd still be happy to be there.

I also think you hit the nail on the head about how much a difference would bother you, which is partly based on your expectations too. Before I found this forum in May, I didn't even know such thing as a "crowd calendar" existed. And even since finding it, I don't use them...I've only looked at it as a curiosity while we were in WDW just to see what all the fuss was. So I would argue your point that it's undeniable that there is a difference in recommended parks vs. non. The basis for my argument would be if you don't even know or care which ones were recommended, you wouldn't know any different and therefore wouldn't be bothered by it. That's how we are. When we're in WDW, we expect it to be busy, always. It's a fact of life. I can see where it might bother someone who is looking at the crowd calendar and set an expectation based on what it says, and to them it would be a huge difference. For me, sometimes ignorance is bliss.

 

[Scalemaster34]

For a weekend, Sunday is pretty manageable day to do MK. If you only have five days I wouldn't exclude it. Especially if you arrive on Sat... that would mean waiting three days to go to MK.
Monday on the other had I would avoid going to MK at all possible.

 

[AngiTN]

Kids have no expectations? Can I introduce you to my children? I'm joking of course, I totally agree with you that "It's all Disney". They do "want" to do MK first, but if we decided to do something else first, they'd still be happy to be there.

I also think you hit the nail on the head about how much a difference would bother you, which is partly based on your expectations too. Before I found this forum in May, I didn't even know such thing as a "crowd calendar" existed. And even since finding it, I don't use them...I've only looked at it as a curiosity while we were in WDW just to see what all the fuss was. So I would argue your point that it's undeniable that there is a difference in recommended parks vs. non. The basis for my argument would be if you don't even know or care which ones were recommended, you wouldn't know any different and therefore wouldn't be bothered by it. That's how we are. When we're in WDW, we expect it to be busy, always. It's a fact of life. I can see where it might bother someone who is looking at the crowd calendar and set an expectation based on what it says, and to them it would be a huge difference. For me, sometimes ignorance is bliss.

You may not know the difference, or be bothered by it, but it doesn't change the fact that it is different. And once you do experience the difference it makes it more glaring when you go "against the flow" sometime. Which we do, for various reasons. I try to keep it to a minimum

As for kids and expectations, the older ones, sure, but a 2, 3, 4 yo. Nope. Only what someone has told them

 

[Disney Khi]

We did Sunday at MK in August, and it was fine. I would not be afraid to do MK on a Sunday, and plan on doing it again in the future. However, last early December we did MK on a Monday, and it was horrible. There were long waits for everything. We went back on Wednesday, and I couldn't believe the difference. We waited 20 minutes for Jingle Cruise with a fp on Monday, but Wednesday the stand-by was not more than 40 and we walked on with fp's. So, I became a believer in avoiding Mondays at the MK.

 

[Nancyg56]

You may not know the difference, or be bothered by it, but it doesn't change the fact that it is different. And once you do experience the difference it makes it more glaring when you go "against the flow" sometime. Which we do, for various reasons. I try to keep it to a minimum

As for kids and expectations, the older ones, sure, but a 2, 3, 4 yo. Nope. Only what someone has told them

It does make a difference, I agree. We do it at times, but we really don't have a glaring need to get a lot done any longer, and we also know what we should expect.

Personally, I think that little kids follow their parents lead, so if they are told they are missing out on the "best" park they will believe it. My dgd was as happy as a clam going with us to whatever park we went to, found plenty to be happy with. We liked the reduced lines and crowds.

If I was determined to go to the MK on a day that was not recommended, I would hit that park before rd and hope for the best.

We did Sunday at MK in August, and it was fine. I would not be afraid to do MK on a Sunday, and plan on doing it again in the future. However, last early December we did MK on a Monday, and it was horrible. There were long waits for everything. We went back on Wednesday, and I couldn't believe the difference. We waited 20 minutes for Jingle Cruise with a fp on Monday, but Wednesday the stand-by was not more than 40 and we walked on with fp's. So, I became a believer in avoiding Mondays at the MK.

Yes. The time of year is crucial as are the events that take place during that time of year. No Monday in the MK for us.

 

[moesy4]

Sunday shouldn't be bad, Saturday and mo day will be. I don't know how the PPer could say it doesn't make a difference...there was such a huge difference in the way the park felt on a Friday morning when it was busy, but we could stroll easily and stay together and move freely, to a Wednesday night during party season where it was like hitting a wall of people. It makes a big difference in the way a park feels.

 

[Klayfish]

Sunday shouldn't be bad, Saturday and mo day will be. I don't know how the PPer could say it doesn't make a difference...there was such a huge difference in the way the park felt on a Friday morning when it was busy, but we could stroll easily and stay together and move freely, to a Wednesday night during party season where it was like hitting a wall of people. It makes a big difference in the way a park feels.

I'll tell you how...we don't notice, don't care, don't pay any attention frankly. As you said, it makes a difference to you in how the park "felt". That's perception, and everyone can perceive things differently. I'm sure there are numbers somewhere (though I know WDW doesn't publish attendance) that would support what days are busiest by strict head count, and I wouldn't doubt whatever the results are. But we pay no attention to it whatsoever, so our perception is quite different I suppose than someone who religiously looks at crowd calendars. As I said before, until a few months ago, I didn't even know such thing as a crowd calendar existed. We just went...and still do...to whatever park we wanted to on a given day. We're there to have fun and do our own thing. In all my trips to WDW, I've never seen it where I would call it a "slow" day, so I guess we just don't really pay any notice to what degree of busy it is, it's all "busy" to us. Major holidays are different...4th of July weekend, Thanksgiving, Xmas, then we have clearly noticed a difference. But the other times of year...nope, truly can't say I've looked around and said to myself "Wow, look how busy it is, it must be Monday".

Personally, and it's just my opinion, I think it's a shame that people spend all kinds of money, take time off work, do all this planning, drive/fly long distances, etc...to come down to WDW only to stay away from certain parks on certain days. To me, that really limits your trip. WDW is an extraordinarily popular tourist attraction, it's gonna be crowded. I'm paying hard earned money to go there, I'm not going to restrict myself where I go simply because of a crowd. It feels so weird for me to say that, because I truly am one who normally hates crowds. But at WDW, it's very different for me. I just don't even think about it. I couldn't even tell you how many times I've been to MK on a Monday, or HS on a Thursday, or Epcot on Sunday. Don't know. As I've said before, our "planning" for a trip is incredibly crude and simple by the standards of many here. Day of the week vs. expected crowds don't even come into the conversation. We just rotate parks daily, ensuring we hit all of them and spend more time in our favorites. We usually split it up am vs. pm, and again it's got nothing to do with day of the week and crowds. It's just for variety, and to make sure we don't do a late night in one park followed by early morning the next (kids get cranky). So yeah, it's easy for me to say it doesn't make a difference, because for us, it really doesn't.