May Attendance

[dragongirl]

This won't change my plans since my trip is booked and crowds or not, it's Disney World. I just want to have a realistic expectation for the crowd level, how much I'll actually be able to do and how much I may need to plan to do them. I'm arriving on May 5th.

I thought I'd skipped the Spring Break crowds, but I forgot about the Food & Wine Festival. Does this affect overall attendance or just make Epcot/World Showcase a madhouse?

 

[ShookieJones]

We go the first week of May every year. Everywhere I look the experts call it "moderate attendance" and I'd say they're exactly right.
It's not too bad. Not too busy and by no means dead either. If you play your cards right and hit the parks in the morning and catch the EMH you'll be able to see everything you want and more (and have a great time <<<DUH)!!!

 

[k.hunter30]

Ditto the above poster. I think it's a great time to go when you take into account the wonderful weather, the moderate crowds, and that most rides will be open. It did get very busy during the EMH, but other than that, it wasn't too bad. There were average wait times to most all rides. Don't expect to walk on many rides, but don't expect 2 hour waits either.

 

[rlaeromech]

agreed to above, we went last year at the end of April and beginning of May and it wasn't bad at all. It was actually busier when we went in October during the fall breaks in FL.
Touring Plans show 5-7 in crowd levels for the first two weeks in May, after that it picks up to 8's and 9's.
Get to the parks early, use FP wisely and you'll see most if not all you want to see.

 

[MIDisneyFamily]

I don't know if it will make a difference in attendance, but the IRS did announce today that the first Tax Rebate checks will be sent out starting May 2nd.

 

[dragongirl]

Yep, just in time for everyone to book *summer* trips. Not May ones. Not May. Please Not May.:animwink:

 

[rimousefan84]

this may not accurately reflect the attendance level at the parks in May, but if you look at the trip countdowns in May on WDWmagic, May is the second highest month for vacationers...just a thought. I happen to be going at the end of May so I share your worries.

 

[DISMOM]

Just two notes... it's not the Food and Wine festival, that's in the Fall. It's the Flower and Garden festival.
Also, called our wonderful AAA lady today to book a trip May 4-10th with the discount up-graded ticket code that is good until May 21st. Nothing at Port Orleans, [either resort] is open. Do you really think it's that full and the parks will be that crowded? Or, do you think that people are avoiding Caribbean Beach due to the pool refunbishment? Or, lots of tourists from Europe taking advantage of the weak dollar? I think that I'm a little worried about the crowds.

 

[janni518]

We are going in May also but the 21-28 which means dealing with Memorial Day weekend crowds of locals. Hopefully midweek won' be so bad. I'd rather have gone when you are going but that wasn't an option this year.

My sister lives down there and said your week should be less crowded, all the local kids have finals and such.

 

[coruscant]

I've been there in may 06 and the crowds were ok. nothing too big. did see the mk all in 1 day. going this year too, from 6 till 10. hope the weather is great also

 

[swimmom]

We went the first week in May a few years ago, actually more like 5 or 6 years ago. Crowds were o.k. The parks were not dead, but not nearly as crowded as spring break. Weather was good also. Very little rain and low humidity. It's my favorite time of the year to go and now that my daughter's in college we can start going again in May after her finals week. Missing a week of high school at the end of the school year was not an option for us and could be the case for many other families therefore keeping the crowds down. I do remember seeing lots of field trip goups, mostly in Epcot, but they weren't a huge problem.

 

[rlaeromech]

Just two notes... it's not the Food and Wine festival, that's in the Fall. It's the Flower and Garden festival.
Also, called our wonderful AAA lady today to book a trip May 4-10th with the discount up-graded ticket code that is good until May 21st. Nothing at Port Orleans, [either resort] is open. Do you really think it's that full and the parks will be that crowded? Or, do you think that people are avoiding Caribbean Beach due to the pool refunbishment? Or, lots of tourists from Europe taking advantage of the weak dollar? I think that I'm a little worried about the crowds.

Just get to the parks early and use FP and you'll be fine. It won't be dead, but it won't feel like spring break either.

 

[Tiggerish]

We, too, go the first week of May (for our wedding anniversary) and I have found it to be perfect--weather is just right, crowds are just right.

In my experience, pretty much right after May 15 is when it starts to get very hot and very crowded.

Dragongirl, you arrive the day after I leave!!

 

[dragongirl]

Dragongirl, you arrive the day after I leave!!

:wave: The only times I am ever green with envy in life is when I'm leaving my Disney resort and I see the people who are arriving. It's the Evil Circle of Life that Disney doesn't tell you about...

DISMOM: We booked POR just last Saturday. There were still lots of rooms available for both AB and MB areas. However, they were all waterview rooms. When it comes to moderates I think everyone tries for CBR last and the others fill up more quickly. Or at least that's how I first ended up at CBR!

And thanks. The Food and Wine Festival really being the Flower and Garden Festival explains why I wasn't thinking of F&WF being in May! So I'm only partially crazy. Oooh, things should be pretty! In the worst case I can just sit back and look at the pretty!

 

[King Panda 77]

My dw and i have been 5 times in may first weekend for two weeks and never found the parks overly crowded.Never had to wait more than twenty minutes for any ride.the only time it did start getting busy was for our honeymoon:sohappy: when we added a third week ,it became noticeably busier then.hopefully it will be just as good when we make trip no.8 this may

 

[swimmom]

:wave: The only times I am ever green with envy in life is when I'm leaving my Disney resort and I see the people who are arriving. It's the Evil Circle of Life that Disney doesn't tell you about...

Ditto!!! And that is exactly why we keep going back. Our planning for our next trip usually starts before we even leave!!!

 

[TIGERBEAR1]

We made our 1st Trip to WDW May 9th, 2005- the Kickoff week of the 50th.
Everything was perfect! Crowds, Weather, Flower & Garden Festival- we had an awsome time.
We are getting ready for our 4th May trip in a row on May 12th----


Hey wait! That's only 48 Days away!!!!!:animwink:

See some of you there.:wave:

 

[Tinkerbella16]

:wave: The only times I am ever green with envy in life is when I'm leaving my Disney resort and I see the people who are arriving. It's the Evil Circle of Life that Disney doesn't tell you about...

Man are you right about that one! I just wanna cry everytime...no lie, I hold back my tears when we are waiting for DME to pick us up and watching others just arrive...

 

[VT GAL]

Last year we were there from May 2-5 and it was AWESOME! Great weather, the crowds were okay, and Cinco de May in the Mexico Pavilion is fun! They had a couple of tables outside where you could make paper flowers and talk to them about the celebration. It was pretty cool, because if you get to Mexico early they sing and dance. It is fun!!!

Plus I got some pretty sweet Cinco de Mayo ears! Which I don't have a picture of...

 

[RedGear]

you will be fine. we went the first week of may three years ago and the longest we had to wait for anything was 30 minutes and that was on the extra hours of magic nights (or whatever it's called).

The only thing we did notice was that this is the time they do grad nites for seniors in the area so magic kingdom might close early a one of the nights. Of course it was the night that I had made reservations for the California grill to see the fireworks and there weren't any, which made me a little mad but the food was great so I got over real quick. But just giving you the heads up on that.

Have fun and enjoy! :wave: