Wow - parks have indeed been more crowded!

[Ayeegit]

Just got back from a week-long trip to Anaheim, and my fears about the parks feeling more crowded than our past trips at this same time of year were confirmed.

Didn't seem to matter if it was Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday - the crowd levels were *much* higher than what I remember from the first week of June the 3 other times we've gone around that time in the last ~10 years.

Thankfully the crowds were still very manageable first thing in the morning at rope drop - but we were disappointed that they didn't lighten up between 10pm and midnight, as we were expecting. Now granted, one of our days was a Grad Night - but even during the other three, there were still ~30 min waits for BTMRR and Splash, and 15+ min waits for Pirates and Mansion - stuff we've almost walked on during those hours on past trips.

Still had a great time, and I wish I was back there today instead of back in the office - but figured I'd throw my $.02 in on this topic since I've seen it brought up in a lot of other threads...

 

[love2go2disney2]

I totally agree with you. We just came back as well from a week at Disney and Friday afternoon was just packed. We left the park around 6 and ate at Storytellers. When we came back around 840 pm for our fast passes for BTMMR, it was so packed. The busiest we had ever seen. We still had a great time, but crowds are heavier than previous years.

 

[superlarz]

I havent had issues in the last few months after 10, except on Saturdays. They did have a SoCal ticket deal where any of the tickets expired last week, that probably bumped the numbers up a bit

 

[LisaT91403]

We were there Sunday and Monday, and it was so strange...Sunday seemed empty to us, but yesterday (Monday) was PACKED. We kept waiting for the crowds to hit on Sunday, but we never ran into them. So odd.

 

[Nicolette11785]

I was there from May 31- June 6 and the only very crowded days to me were the grad nights (3 of them).

 

[Blue32]

We were there Sunday and Monday, and it was so strange...Sunday seemed empty to us, but yesterday (Monday) was PACKED. We kept waiting for the crowds to hit on Sunday, but we never ran into them. So odd.

I agree, Monday was much busier than Sunday. Sunday was pretty nice I thought. Even the wait times for us on Monday were not bad at all though...early morning and using FP.

 

[FryingPansWhoKnew]

We were there Sunday and Monday, and it was so strange...Sunday seemed empty to us, but yesterday (Monday) was PACKED. We kept waiting for the crowds to hit on Sunday, but we never ran into them. So odd.

I was there Sunday also. That day was probably one of the least crowded I've seen it in awhile.

 

[luisov]

Both MK and DL are super crowded at this point. We kind of need a new vacational destination

 

[MychaelP]

To me, the parks don't seem more crowded than back in the early 2000's. Near 2008 or so the recession hit and crowds were smaller.
I recall waiting in 2 hour lines for Space Mountain in the 80's and 90's.
Now it seems to be about 60 minutes or so in the evenings.
I look back at my old photos and the number of people appear to be the same. But there do seem to be more areas of stroller parking that I don't recall seeing 20 or even 30 years ago. Maybe more people use strollers rather than carry or let the kids walk for themselves anymore?

 

[Delilah1310]

We were there Friday, June 6; Saturday, June 7; and Sunday, June 8.
All three days had about the same the crowd level as we experienced this past Thanksgiving week.
Super busy, but it was manageable ... we didn't have to skip anything we wanted to.
Sunday was the least crowded of our stay.

several of us in line were talking about the crowd size and what to attribute it to. any ideas why the crowds are bigger this year?

 

[HydroGuy]

We were there Friday, June 6; Saturday, June 7; and Sunday, June 8.
All three days had about the same the crowd level as we experienced this past Thanksgiving week.
Super busy, but it was manageable ... we didn't have to skip anything we wanted to.
Sunday was the least crowded of our stay.

several of us in line were talking about the crowd size and what to attribute it to. any ideas why the crowds are bigger this year?

Folks define crowds in different ways. Some define it based on wait times for rides. Some define it based on congestion in the walk ways.

Rides and shows are people eaters. When they are closed then it puts more people into other lines for rides, show, dining, or just in walk ways and shops.

DLR has had an unusually high number of rides closed lately. Typically in June it is zero. But GRR and Space Mtn are down now, as is Nemo and Alice which are secondary rides but still popular to a degree.

With those rides closed it will make the parks feel more crowded than when they are open. It also impacts Fastpasses (GRR and Space Mtn).

Data thru 2013 shows attendance is not really up in a significant way. I suspect the crowded feelng has more to do with refurbs and grad nights.

 

[dismomofbn]

I do think people respond to the crowds very differently. I was in town this week for two days of business and went to the parks Monday afternoon and evening. I walked up to the DL gates where there was a small line to enter. After 30 seconds, the family behind me started complaining about how the wait is ridiculous. There was a change of cashiers as we were walking up and I think their heads were about to pop off. I looked at the time and it took us a grand total of 3 minutes to enter the park but they were steaming. I heard so much more complaining on this short trip which I found very sad. I totally acknowledge that I was there on a bonus visit where I could leisurely walk around the park so I had a different perspective. But we typically go during the holidays including New Years Eve and have a blast regardless of the largest crowds of the year. (Plus a trip last month when there were many more ride closures) We just make sure to pack a good strategy and a good attitude.

 

[Carolynleanne]

It felt fairly busy on our trip in the beginning of May, but I'm almost positive it was due to all the ride closures at the time (pirates, indie, alice, nemo, GRR, Ariel)