News Peak season crowds have arrived

larryz

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
larandtra said:
Regardless of crowds, if you are willing to get up early for EMH on property or at a springs resort, (a) you can accomplish a TON with minimal to no waits and (b) still have a great day left to enjoy.
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(a) As long as you don't mind getting up at 6 am on vacation, and ...
(b) as long as you enjoy walking through a crowd elbow to elbow, dodging strollers, ECVs and sticky hands (or, conversely, slam-dancing with total strangers, ramming ankles and shins, running over people who suddenly stop right in front of you, and spreading the joy from your last gooey Mickey Ice Cream Bar).
 
A

Awakening

Well-Known Member
larandtra said:
There is no "slow" time at WDW any longer. Due to short staffing/ running less rides to increase lines during "slower" times, or just flat out being inundated with huge crowds ( currently spring break), the idea of "slower" no longer exists. Now, I will say this in response to my own observation. Because I just did it so I know its possible. Get your rear end up early if on property and use EMH in the AM. Over 3 days...EPEMH AM 8AM: Went to Frozen, Did Soarin, Test Track, MS, Land all before1030 and without FPs Saved the FPs for evening at AK.
MKEMH 7AM- 7 Dwarves, Pan, POC, JC, BTMRR, HM all done by 930 then did a few other things till 1045 or so, left, went to the pool, saved FPs for Epcot that evening.
AKEMH 7AM- In the parking lot at 610 AM, on FOP at 705, done by 715, line for FOP was now already 60 minutes, went and did Everest, Chester, Safari and got a great vid of the lioness stalking the male lion and pouncing on him, dinosaur...all done by 945. Break time and saved FPs for MK that evening.
Regardless of crowds, if you are willing to get up early for EMH on property or at a springs resort, you can accomplish a TON with minimal to no waits and still have a great day left to enjoy.
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Sounds like a lot of work for a "vacation"
 
EricsBiscuit

EricsBiscuit

Well-Known Member
I went to MK yesterday at 6:00 PM and it was crowded. Parking lot was almost full. BTMRR was at 90 minutes. Splash line looked long etc. But I got to do everything I wanted (ate dinner, saw HoP, HM w/ FP, railroad, Pirates w/ FP, ice cream, PM, SDMT w/ FP). I got a great spot for the fireworks in front of the castle 10 minutes prior because they opened up a spot for viewing that was walking space. After HEA and OUAT finished a lot of people left. I left at 11:00 and waited 5 mins for a monorail.
 
L

larandtra

Well-Known Member
Yep, its a bit of work. But, you can complain about how busy WDW is and stop going if you dislike it that much or face the reality, thats how it is going to be and learn to use the system to your advantage. Being up at 6AM didnt bother me in the least. On a 5 day trip, getting up 3 days and having a huge break from 11-5 to either nap, enjoy a pool, go to springs, do some other activity, then have a nice dinner, use a few FPs and see a night show and never wait in a huge line is well worth it for me. The other two days we slept in, relaxed, went to a park not on EMH and used FPs or did stuff thats not the typical for everyone. Maybe because for some, when you have APs and go a lot, not all trips are ride centric, but, if you want to do them, you understand how to best use the system. Work? Sure, but, outside of going to a beach and just relaxing, when you go to washington DC do you plan stuff? NYC? London? Almost every trip you can take requires planning. WDW just requires a bit more depending on what you want to accomplish. I figure I can swag it and then complain the whole time or figure out how to do what I want to do and not have the hassles.
 
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larandtra

Well-Known Member
ANd FWIW there are certain times of the year, even with planning I still wouldnt go...Spring break is one of them. Went two weeks before it and had a great time. Will be back at the end of May and itll be a little busier than the last trip, but, It wont be spring break or summer.
 
Kman101

Kman101

Well-Known Member
EricsBiscuit said:
I went to MK yesterday at 6:00 PM and it was crowded. Parking lot was almost full. BTMRR was at 90 minutes. Splash line looked long etc. But I got to do everything I wanted (ate dinner, saw HoP, HM w/ FP, railroad, Pirates w/ FP, ice cream, PM, SDMT w/ FP). I got a great spot for the fireworks in front of the castle 10 minutes prior because they opened up a spot for viewing that was walking space. After HEA and OUAT finished a lot of people left. I left at 11:00 and waited 5 mins for a monorail.
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You go often, I'm sure 3/4 hour waits are just the norm, huh ;) (I'm being sarcastic towards those who think these waits are normal). The rest isn't towards you, just jumping off from your post ...

Yes, the parks are generally packed on a normal day. But no, they do not get these kind of wait times on a regular basis. So no, it's actually not this packed on a normal busy day. Yes, congestion happens. Yes, the parks are miserably crowded most of the time. This is not the same daily busy.
 
Kman101

Kman101

Well-Known Member
larandtra said:
ANd FWIW there are certain times of the year, even with planning I still wouldnt go...Spring break is one of them. Went two weeks before it and had a great time. Will be back at the end of May and itll be a little busier than the last trip, but, It wont be spring break or summer.
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But apparently this is normal ;) It's always shocking to see it so crowded so that will get discussed. The parks are busier in general but if you plan well ... but yes if you go during this time you should know to expect madness. 3/4 hour waits for some things are not the norm.
 
tissandtully

tissandtully

Well-Known Member
Kman101 said:
You go often, I'm sure 3/4 hour waits are just the norm, huh ;) (I'm being sarcastic towards those who think these waits are normal). The rest isn't towards you, just jumping off from your post ...

Yes, the parks are generally packed on a normal day. But no, they do not get these kind of wait times on a regular basis. So no, it's actually not this packed on a normal busy day. Yes, congestion happens. Yes, the parks are miserably crowded most of the time. This is not the same daily busy.
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I would love to see @lentesta data on historic wait times for TTA since FP+ implementation. I bet that graph climbs up like Expedition Everest.
 
Kman101

Kman101

Well-Known Member
tissandtully said:
I would love to see @lentesta data on historic wait times for TTA since FP+ implementation. I bet that graph climbs up like Expedition Everest.
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I usually always see at least a small line now, I miss walking right onto PeopleMover, Small World, etc... Even a few years ago that wasn't out of the realm of possibility on a less packed day. Give or take some times here and there. Something like that is always a bit subjective. You can get caught in a choke point and think the park is packed to the gils.
 
tissandtully

tissandtully

Well-Known Member
Kman101 said:
I usually always see at least a small line now, I miss walking right onto PeopleMover, Small World, etc... Even a few years ago that wasn't out of the realm of possibility on a less packed day. Give or take some times here and there. Something like that is always a bit subjective. You can get caught in a choke point and think the park is packed to the gils.
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Every time I've been lately, the line is usually outside the queue with the CM holding the sign. It moves pretty quickly, but, yeah, the walk-on days are gone.
 
Kman101

Kman101

Well-Known Member
tissandtully said:
Every time I've been lately, the line is usually outside the queue with the CM holding the sign. It moves pretty quickly, but, yeah, the walk-on days are gone.
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Yep. Same.

I think no matter what they add this park will always be the busiest.

I also think it's naive to say FP/FP+ hasn't had a hand in the wait times (not you but I've seen people insist it's just the crowding; I don't think it's JUST that). Yes, the parks are MUCH busier now too. But it's a combination of both. Not to mention misleading wait times.
 
jakeman

jakeman

Well-Known Member
Kman101 said:
But apparently this is normal ;) It's always shocking to see it so crowded so that will get discussed. The parks are busier in general but if you plan well ... but yes if you go during this time you should know to expect madness. 3/4 hour waits for some things are not the norm.
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The reaction is also an artifact of the groupthink theory here that the parks are now always at capacity for whatever reason (labor manipulation, Wall St., lunar tides, etc.).

When you've been conditioned to believe the park is always at a 9 or 10, when it does truly reach that level it's hard to process that it is actually busier than normal.

Not to say that the theories don't have merit just that sometimes the concept of normal can get distorted.
 
JediMasterMatt

JediMasterMatt

Well-Known Member
FWIW - these wait times and crowds are not far removed from what used to be considered the slow times in late January and early February that we encountered this past trip, which are up each year over the course of the last 10 plus years.

There is no slow time anymore beyond the small window late August/early September and anytime bad weather plays a part.
 
Kman101

Kman101

Well-Known Member
JediMasterMatt said:
FWIW - these wait times and crowds are not far removed from what used to be considered the slow times in late January and early February that we encountered this past trip, which are up each year over the course of the last 10 plus years.

There is no slow time anymore beyond the small window late August/early September and anytime bad weather plays a part.
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No it’s not normally 3 or 4 hour waits.

No ones denying the parks are overall busier.

This is a good example of what you were talking about @jakeman
 

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