Do you use crowd calendars to choose when to go to WDW?

[winstongator]

I have been spending way too much time looking at crowd calendars. Then it hit me: I don't even use the calendars to determine when to go! I am a pass holder and lucky enough to get to the parks what I consider a lot.

Looking forward, our next trips are for a business trip my wife has there in April, and then a week in June when she has vacation and the kids are out of school

Looking back our visits were for our kids spring break coinciding with my wife having business in Orlando, another business trip of my wife's, random days in January when I could get down to WDW on my own, Thanksgiving when we were meeting family in Orlando, other days in November when my kids were off school, and then other days in October I could get there on my own.

Lots of busy times, and when it's that busy we tend to do less time at the parks. Looking at when we've gone the 4 years we've been pass holders is almost all very crowded days as that was when we could get to the parks.

 

[Schneewittchen]

Before the kids were in school, we'd go in January when it was dead, or in mid March.

Now that we have school to worry about, we do long weekends around federal holidays (Veteran's Day, President's Day) and Easter week. Crowds be d@#$ed.

 

[winstongator]

Before the kids were in school, we'd go in January when it was dead, or in mid March.

Now that we have school to worry about, we do long weekends around federal holidays (Veteran's Day, President's Day) and Easter week. Crowds be d@#$ed.

We didn't base off the crowd calendar, but last year picked the weekend before President's day to go. It wasn't a whole lot less crowded than when we had gone President's weekend in the past, and was downright packed at AK that Sunday. I try to work around crowds by getting there early and having a decent plan.

Where are you staying for your upcoming solo WDW trip?

 

[aliceismad]

I look at crowd calendars for a baseline, but I realize they may always be wrong. I like that TP tells you how they did the previous day.

 

[JIMINYCR]

We go when we can arrange time off AND try avoiding the most crowd crushing weeks. After we book our trip thats when I gaze over the various crowd calendars to assist in planning my park days. I dont find them as accurate as the once were but they are at least a tool that can help somewhat in determining a better direction to go.

 

[Schneewittchen]

We didn't base off the crowd calendar, but last year picked the weekend before President's day to go. It wasn't a whole lot less crowded than when we had gone President's weekend in the past, and was downright packed at AK that Sunday. I try to work around crowds by getting there early and having a decent plan.

Where are you staying for your upcoming solo WDW trip?

I'm going to Orlando for work, so I'll be at the Rosen Shingle Creek.

I'll speak evil - some of these enormous off-site conference hotels are wonderful. I've had some really nice stays at both Rosen Shingle Creek and Gaylord Palms.....

For all of my other upcoming visits, I'll be on property. Caribbean Beach in April, BoardWalk Inn in July, Wilderness Lodge (DVC) in November, Contemporary (DVC) in February. Haven't figured out next April yet.

 

[networkpro]

Nope. I see which festivals we want to hit in Orlando and then plan

 

[DisneyJoe]

My answer is not on the list - no, I do not use a crowd calendar to dictate when I go as I often don't get a choice BUT I do use them to guide my planning for those trips (ie which parks to go on which days etc).

 

[KG6802]

I don't use them to choose when to go to WDW, but I do use them to help decided which parks to go to each day.

 

[winstongator]

I'm going to Orlando for work, so I'll be at the Rosen Shingle Creek.

I'll speak evil - some of these enormous off-site conference hotels are wonderful. I've had some really nice stays at both Rosen Shingle Creek and Gaylord Palms.....

For all of my other upcoming visits, I'll be on property. Caribbean Beach in April, BoardWalk Inn in July, Wilderness Lodge (DVC) in November, Contemporary (DVC) in February. Haven't figured out next April yet.

The resort we were at most recently was OK. Others are awesome. Traffic was worse than I expected. I really like the Gaylord Palms. We've stayed there one year for the ICE when it was Peanuts, and went again last year. My dad's favorite movie is A Christmas Story so I couldn't miss taking him.

My wife really liked Portofino & Hard Rock when we stayed there. Her favorite is the WDW Four Seasons. We've done that only once for a work trip.

 

[winstongator]

My answer is not on the list - no, I do not use a crowd calendar to dictate when I go as I often don't get a choice BUT I do use them to guide my planning for those trips (ie which parks to go on which days etc).

I don't use them to choose when to go to WDW, but I do use them to help decided which parks to go to each day.

Great points. I'll see if I can add that as an option.

 

[Paper straw fan]

I half jokingly picked the “what’s a crowd calendar” but which ones do you find most trustworthy?

 

[DisneyJoe]

I half jokingly picked the “what’s a crowd calendar” but which ones do you find most trustworthy?

TouringPlans - because of their transparency:

• over 10 years worth of data, that they will share with you if you wish
• they give explanations as to how they calculate predictions
• they let you know how accurate they are on an almost daily basis
• I believe they release adjustments monthly or close to it
• at least some of those doing the predictions are trained statisticians

IMO, you should not plan solely using a crowd calendar, a good touring plan can beat a crowd calendar if done properly

 

[KG6802]

I'll second TouringPlans!

 

[aliceismad]

There's an incredible wealth of information on TouringPlans, even if you don't use a crowd calendar.
(Also their algorithms for their predictions are kind of fascinating.)

 

[Paper straw fan]

Gracias. I’m basically an hour from WDW, so while there’s times we visit that aren’t too flexible (birthday, marathons) these can be nice for an impromptu visit. Thanks!

 

[winstongator]

I half jokingly picked the “what’s a crowd calendar” but which ones do you find most trustworthy?

I’ll echo the rest on touringplans. However I’ve been there days when their predictions were way off: at AK weekend before Presidents’ Day weekend predicted 7 got 10. Wednesday the week before thanksgiving, predicted 4 got 8 (other parks were 2, 1 & 1). Those should have been pretty slow days but were packed. As @aliceismad and @DisneyJoe say, there is a lot of data there and they are open to their methods. I would say they over analyze some things and don’t allow enough room for random variation and ‘things’ happening.

I wouldn’t plan a day trip based solely on the projection. Look back to what that day was last year - don’t go by date, but the day of the week and week of the year (week before thanksgiving). Also on weekends, weather can have a huge influence on whether locals head to wdw. For what I spend at wdw, the $15 to touringplans is worth it for me.

 

[Paper straw fan]

So are you all paying subscribers to touring plans? Noticed there’s a paywall it seems.

I did find one to assist on my next Universal trip though. Apparently early May is slooow

 

[Phil12]

So are you all paying subscribers to touring plans? Noticed there’s a paywall it seems.

Misery loves company.

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

I've never used them and most likely never will. I've been doing itinerary planning for longer than I've had my agency. I had an itinerary planning service that I used to advertise on ALL Ears with YEARS ago.

Pam