Change itinerary due to this Crowd Forecast?

[JChoma]

http://www.easywdw.com/easy/calendars/april-2016-walt-disney-world-crowd-calendar/

Our first day at WDW is Monday, 4/18. Was planning to hit MK the first day
and DS day 2, but the above crowd calendar estimates MK on Monday to be fairly crowded.

I LOVE the idea of MK on our first day just since it's the most exciting/ most anticipated (and this is the kids' first Disney trip!!), but am debating switching day one to DS and day 2 to MK based on crowds. What are your thoughts? Do you think this crowd level warrants changing up our plan?

 

[Andy Stocker]

I look at park-specific crowd calendars solely so I can have a rough idea of what to expect. I don't set or adjust my itineraries based on them.

As all the good touring plan/wait time websites will tell you, having a good touring plan, making intelligent use of Fastpasses, and being willing to either arrive early at a park or stay late at one, will make exponentially more difference in your touring efficiency than any crowd calendar.

So to the OP, I'd say, go ahead and structure your itinerary based on your own preferences (we, too, always begin with MK, regardless of crowd levels), and don't worry overmuch about day-to-day fluctuations at the different parks, unless you find that there are days that you really don't care which park you visit, in which case considering park-specific crowd level estimates might save you a few minutes here and there...

The only times there's a huge difference in park crowds -- one large enough that you might consider taking it into account in your planning -- is on days when there is a hard-ticket event (Halloween or Christmas party) that closes the MK early, in which case crowds in that park take a substantial dive because guests who don't have parkhoppers don't want to waste a full-day ticket on a park that's closing early (and, by virtue of that, the non-party days in between see larger-than-usual crowds at the MK). If you are visiting during a hard-ticket event at the MK (and especially if you have parkhopper tickets), you might consider visiting the MK at rope drop on a party day, to take advantage of the dramatically-lower crowds. But even if you don't, you'll still be fine...

Let me ask you this. Lets say you had 2 choices. Either go last week of January 2017, Monday thru Friday or go last full Monday-Friday week of March 2017...based on saving maybe a little money in January versus not having to take kids out of school in 5 days in March. If you were ok with a few rides being closed and taking kids out of school, would going that week of March be a deterrent for you? I like what you are saying, planning means a LOT. If I start planning 180 days out of March, read the forums, guide to Disney, make ADR 180 days out.......I think you get my drift....for not being there in 23 years, maybe I have this misconception that late January will be a ghost town and last week of March will elbows and kneecaps packed in tight...(if you replied to my thread i made last week i apologize!)

 

[Weather_Lady]

Let me ask you this. Lets say you had 2 choices. Either go last week of January 2017, Monday thru Friday or go last full Monday-Friday week of March 2017...based on saving maybe a little money in January versus not having to take kids out of school in 5 days in March. If you were ok with a few rides being closed and taking kids out of school, would going that week of March be a deterrent for you? I like what you are saying, planning means a LOT. If I start planning 180 days out of March, read the forums, guide to Disney, make ADR 180 days out.......I think you get my drift....for not being there in 23 years, maybe I have this misconception that late January will be a ghost town and last week of March will elbows and kneecaps packed in tight...(if you replied to my thread i made last week i apologize!)

mmmm... given those choices, I'd pick that week in January (touringplans crowd estimates from 4-7) over the one in March (estimates 7-9). January won't exactly be a ghost town, but it won't be as crowded as March, and if you're going to save money as well by going in January, that's what I'd do. But only you know how much each of those factors matters to you -- and I stand by my statement that good planning goes a long way toward mitigating the effects of high crowds, so March is "do-able," even if it might require a little more forethought.

 

[Andy Stocker]

mmmm... given those choices, I'd pick that week in January (touringplans crowd estimates from 4-7) over the one in March (estimates 7-9). January won't exactly be a ghost town, but it won't be as crowded as March, and if you're going to save money as well by going in January, that's what I'd do. But only you know how much each of those factors matters to you -- and I stand by my statement that good planning goes a long way toward mitigating the effects of high crowds, so March is "do-able," even if it might require a little more forethought.

Well, as far saving money goes, I'm going by what "you" guys have said in here and hopefully I will have a clearer picture as I study more. In your experience, what rides can you remember being closed in late January? Doesn't sound like that would be enough to deter you, either?

 

[Weather_Lady]

Well, as far saving money goes, I'm going by what "you" guys have said in here and hopefully I will have a clearer picture as I study more. In your experience, what rides can you remember being closed in late January? Doesn't sound like that would be enough to deter you, either?

There are always one or two "biggies" closed... but candidly, that's been my experience other times of the year, as well, and there's so much to do that we've never left feeling like we missed out on a lot, by something being closed.