Crowd expectations

[brresler]

Hey,
I've booked a trip for the weekend after the 4th of July (7th-10th). I would assume the 4th is pretty busy, but what about the weekend after? Its also the weekend that Pirates is supposed to reopen. I'm asking because I'm going with a friend from Australia. This is his first visit to the states, and this weekend is his only opportunity to go to WDW, possibly ever. I want to plan the trip so that he can experience everything without feeling overwhelmed. Any advice will help. Thanks
Brian

 

[Nemo14]

Be there when the parks open in the morning (actually be there earlier than opening time), use Fastpasses, and drink lots of water. The parks will be quite crowded and very hot. Take a break in the afternoon to swim or nap, then go back out at night.
Have a magical trip!

 

[SpenceMan01]

According to the Unofficial Guide's crowd calendar, it's looking like that weekend will be busy, though not as busy as the previous weekend. You're still looking at 75-90 minute waits at the MK mountains.

I think the first thing you should do is make sure that your friend knows that he isn't going to be able to experience everything, and that you and he shouldn't get your hopes up.

I would highly recommend following a touring plan at http://www.touringplans.com. They can help minimize time spent in line and maximize the number of things you can see.

Enjoy your trip! :wave:

 

[brresler]

What about Pirates? What kind of waits do you think the reopening of Pirates will have, and are they putting FastPass in with the new additions? Should that be one of the first things we do in the MK?