MK and Studios hours extended tonight (Jan 19)

[wdwmagic]

MK has been extended to 11pm tonight, and Studios to 8pm with an additional Fant at 8pm

 

[Mori Anne]

It is very busy I am here right now. I am hoping it lightens up some this evening

 

[71jason]

Noticed EPCOT was unusally busy for the season on Friday night, then heard anecdotal evidence of "New Years Eve-like crowds" yesterday (probably an exaggeration, but still means it was very busy). Last Fall's trend continues...

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Why the big crowds? Is it a free dining period?

 

[RonAnnArbor]

Free DIning doesn't bring in huge crowds -- it brings in more people during off-peak times and makes DINING a problem, not crowd level....
WDW has been busy since last summer and pretty much hasn't let up -- people are spending money to vacation again after a few years of not so much...
Incidently, it shouldn't be that big of a surprise -- TouringPlans which tracks all the crowd levels has pretty much predicted crowd levels of 6 and 7 (of 10) for the past two weeks and it has pretty much matched that day to day. This particular weekend is at that level because of Martin Luther King Jr Day on Monday - making it a three-day weekend for most (and a 4-day WDW weekend if you take the day off on Friday)...

 

[wdwmagic]

MK also extended for tonight to 11pm

 

[Bob Saget]

Why the big crowds? Is it a free dining period?

3-day weekend = heavy travels & spontaneous road trips. (Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday) as schools & most government offices closed on Monday, 1/21.

People who do not like heavy crowds are encouraged to avoid popular tourist destinations over 3-day weekends such as MLK, Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc.

 

[smethbet]

I am hoping it lightens up some this evening

 

[scpergj]

My son was at EPCOT on Saturday with his school - foreign language trip (remember, we're just up the road in Jacksonville so it isn't a long trip). He said it was very busy, but also said it wasn't as busy as when we go on a weekend evening during Food and Wine. His group waited about 40 minutes in single rider line for Test Track (2:00 ish)

 

[gonnichi]

Not sure if anyone knows the answer to this but is it busier also because of the new fantasyland opening, or are the Universal Orlando parks experiencing a busy period as well? Has the new fantasyland expansion brought in alot of crowds?

 

[BwanaBob]

All this being said... overall attendance no where near what was anticipated.
MK blackouts were lifted for cast, through Feb.
Quite a few CM's back in the park.

 

[BwanaBob]

Not sure if anyone knows the answer to this but is it busier also because of the new fantasyland opening, or are the Universal Orlando parks experiencing a busy period as well? Has the new fantasyland expansion brought in alot of crowds?

No.
There was so much pre-reveal hype that pretty much everyone saw it before the Grand Reveal.
Mostly Brazil vacations and other functions happening around property.

 

[COProgressFan]

All this being said... overall attendance no where near what was anticipated.
MK blackouts were lifted for cast, through Feb.
Quite a few CM's back in the park.

Not surprised by that at all. When CM friends told me they were blacked out until Feb., we all had a good chuckle knowing full well that they would be lifted after the holidays. I can't imagine the current FL offerings having anything more than a minimal affect on MK attendance.

 

[BwanaBob]

MK staying open till 10 tonight... busy day.

 

[MarkTwain]

All this being said... overall attendance no where near what was anticipated.
MK blackouts were lifted for cast, through Feb.
Quite a few CM's back in the park.

I wonder how this bids for future expansion... would they be less likely to want to expand if they feel it won't bring in attendance gains?

 

[openendedsky]

Free DIning doesn't bring in huge crowds -- it brings in more people during off-peak times and makes DINING a problem, not crowd level....
WDW has been busy since last summer and pretty much hasn't let up -- people are spending money to vacation again after a few years of not so much...
Incidently, it shouldn't be that big of a surprise -- TouringPlans which tracks all the crowd levels has pretty much predicted crowd levels of 6 and 7 (of 10) for the past two weeks and it has pretty much matched that day to day. This particular weekend is at that level because of Martin Luther King Jr Day on Monday - making it a three-day weekend for most (and a 4-day WDW weekend if you take the day off on Friday)...

Also taking into account that a lot of school districts in the central Florida area were closed for "teacher work days", winding up in most kids having 4 day weekends by default.