insane crowds today

[TubaGeek]

Honestly, the current crowd is primarily Americans. Three-day weekend PLUS dance teams... OOF.

 

[metman]

England is on halt term as well so you can bet there will be a ton of us brits there 2.

 

[flynnibus]

this weekend is the princess race too.. so no breaks

Disney has certainly figured out how to fill what used to be 'down' times...

 

[PhotoDave219]

this weekend is the princess race too.. so no breaks

Disney has certainly figured out how to fill what used to be 'down' times...

Yes, but this weekend has never been a down time. Its always busy.... just never had to deal with a spring break like crowd before on Presidents Day weekend.

 

[bethymouse]

Just no more 1 crowd levels. Best I've ever seen is like 2 or 3. But, the crowd levels of 8-10 we try to avoid. It's getting more difficult though. Just have to go knowing you may run into the crowds and try to enjoy the magic in different ways.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Wait a secomd, I thought Disney World was a declining product with a declining fanbase with declining attendance?

Yet almost everytime I read something about attendance, its busier than ever?

Why aren't these people going to Universal? I thought Universal was superior?

Jimmy Thick- Guess not.

There is no doubt in my mind that Jimmy Thick is also the guy that says Global Warming is a hoax during every snowstorm.

 

[Genie of the Lamp]

Saw this article in the Daily Disney section of the Orlando Sentinel that pretty much sums up what most guests have been witnessing:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-daily-disney/os-disney-holiday-weekend-20130218,0,3674750.story

Nothing to special but none the less sums up the point of the thread.

 

[RandomPrincess]

Yes, but the problem is not lack of supervision of these rich spoiled brats. No, there is too much supervision.

The problem is that the adults, the tour leaders, encourage the misbehaviour by these imps. The guided tour sellers - large multimillion dollar companies - have websites too. They promote the misbehaviour there. They advertise their product on account of it being misbehaving - 'Come with us and lose control for a week! It's Disney - it's free for all! No rules!'. Sao Paolo's Lagetur (those ****** in yellow) must be one of the most depraved of all in this respect.

How does a tour group of sixty teenagers come to perform chants and dance routines in perfect unison? They train this. They are trained by the Group leaders, then they perfom in the Disney parks, trying to outdo the other groups. It is not the teenagers who decide this, who lose control. No, the tour companies promote singing and chanting and misbehaving conduct, film it, put it on their websites to attract new kids.

I was wondering where the chanting came from.

 

[Goofnut1980]

I just looked at the crowd calendar for when I go in September... uhhh its all 1's for 5 days... that will be fun!... and in December all 2's... CAN'T WAIT!

 

[Figments Friend]

September has always been good crowd-wise for me. The few days after Labor Day through the next two weeks is usually decent. Get into the end of the month and you run into F&W Festival which drives the numbers up again.

The weather is a little steamy but the off-season discounts and thinner crowds make it worth a visit.

The best time is January as far as crowd levels go. Everyone is broke after the holidays, kids are back in school, and the locals stay home because of the colder temps ( for FL ).
If you can take the chilly temps, it is a great time to be in the Parks.

Off-season rules.

Only downside?
Some of the attractions close for refurbs ( Splash Mountain almost always in January ).

 

[71jason]

The best time is January as far as crowd levels go. Everyone is broke after the holidays, kids are back in school, and the locals stay home because of the colder temps ( for FL ).
If you can take the chilly temps, it is a great time to be in the Parks.

Except for the first week, when a lot of international guests (particularly from Latin America) extend their vacations through Three Kings Day.

Or the second weekend, when the various marathons bring in tens of thousands of runners ... with their families. (And by weekend I mean like Thursday to Tuesday; this year I tried to fly out of OIA on the Tuesday after, 40 minutes to get through security, 75% of the people in line were wearing medals.)

Or the third weekend, which is usually MLK Day.

At this point, I'm convinced there is no true slow season. The trick is to follow one of the online plans to avoid the busy days at each park, but barring heavy rain or record cold, you're not going to see an empty park anymore.

 

[George]

I'm just wondering how the OP assessed the mental health of the crowd as a whole.

 

[MaryJaneP]

I'm just wondering how the OP assessed the mental health of the crowd as a whole.

I laughed when I saw the headline at first and read it to my family. I also wondered if the description was one of the size of the crowd or of the mentation of the assembled guests. Maybe a little of both.

 

[Dasnowz]

Maybe a little of both.

Both!!!!

 

[doctornick]

At this point, I'm convinced there is no true slow season. The trick is to follow one of the online plans to avoid the busy days at each park, but barring heavy rain or record cold, you're not going to see an empty park anymore.

Slowest time of year at this point is probably September, no?

But your point is true -- Disney had done a solid job of increasing activity during traditionally "slow" periods by having special events that draw people in. Plus using discounting.

 

[71jason]

Slowest time of year at this point is probably September, no?

Yeah, probably at this point. Unless you're going to a Halloween party. Similarly, early December is pretty dead, if you avoid Osborne Lights/Christmas Party.

Again, at this point it's more about what day you hit which park than what time of year. You have to do the extra research if you want to find light crowds (or, as I said, wait for a rainy or sub-60-degree day/night).

 

[WeekendGM]

Last night after the second MSEP the Magic Kingdom died right down to ten minute waits for BTM with Space Mt only having twenty minute waits it was surprising to say the least being the Friday of Prsidents day week. Although it did lightly rain around ten for a few minutes. I can see why they were only open until eleven last night.

 

[Aurora1]

Last night after the second MSEP the Magic Kingdom died right down to ten minute waits for BTM with Space Mt only having twenty minute waits it was surprising to say the least being the Friday of Prsidents day week. Although it did lightly rain around ten for a few minutes. I can see why they were only open until eleven last night.

We had a similar experience Wednesday. The park was open until 11, but after the second MSEP (9pm i think) it was EMPTY- We walked on BTM and SM with less than 5 minute wait times, and did the Little Mermaid which had a 100 minute wait all day with no line!