September Crowds

[kimberlymautz]

So today a friend of mine posted onto Facebook that she, her husband, and their son will be in Disney the same week I'll be down. Within ten minutes four other people commented on her post that they'd also be down that week (September 24-Oct 1). I knew the end of September would be busier then the beginning, but how bad are crowd levels the end of the month? I didn't think they'd be too horrible, but now I'm getting nervous....

 

[matt9112]

So today a friend of mine posted onto Facebook that she, her husband, and their son will be in Disney the same week I'll be down. Within ten minutes four other people commented on her post that they'd also be down that week (September 24-Oct 1). I knew the end of September would be busier then the beginning, but how bad are crowd levels the end of the month? I didn't think they'd be too horrible, but now I'm getting nervous....

not horrible but yes busier. we did both of our vacations in September one on the front end and the other on the back end. still not peak crowds or anything and if you use a crowd calendar to plan your park each day should be relaxing enough.

 

[mouse_luv]

End of Sept is significantly busier due to fall breaks, food and wine and the MNSSHP.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

We are also going 9/23-10/1

 

[Clamman73]

No wonder why I couldn't get a Frozen Fastpass.....

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

If it helps at all, my travel agent said she had 5 families going the 1st week/Labor Day, her family & my family going the last week, and 3 families the 1st week in October

 

[kimberlymautz]

No wonder why I couldn't get a Frozen Fastpass.....

The only Frozen fast pass I could get was for 7:30-8:30 on the day we're doing Epcot! And I booked them within an hour of being able to. I just assumed that they didn't have many available.

 

[Clamman73]

The only Frozen fast pass I could get was for 7:30-8:30 on the day we're doing Epcot! And I booked them within an hour of being able to. I just assumed that they didn't have many available.

Yeah...I saw a few slots in the 4-8pm range right when I checked at 7:00am, but it wasn't meshing with some of the days I'm there with family and the others I'm there on my own and park hopping. But will rope drop it one morning I have family with me.
The other thing I'm gonna try is the first day I fly in, I'm going straight to Epcot, so I'll use my fastpasses by 1:00pm and see if a Frozen one happens to become available at the time...that particular day had none when I first checked.

 

[kimberlymautz]

Yeah...I saw a few slots in the 4-8pm range right when I checked at 7:00am, but it wasn't meshing with some of the days I'm there with family and the others I'm there on my own and park hopping. But will rope drop it one morning I have family with me.
The other thing I'm gonna try is the first day I fly in, I'm going straight to Epcot, so I'll use my fastpasses by 1:00pm and see if a Frozen one happens to become available at the time...that particular day had none when I first checked.

I hope that works out for you! My assumption at this point is that I'm going to be standing in a lot of lines all week, I'm just hoping I can get on Test Track or Soarin without waiting two hours. Haha.

 

[tmitch]

My family and I went two years ago the week after Labor Day. 2 of the days we were there, the crowd estimate websites(the day after) ranked them 8 out of 10. Come to find out that there was a Jewish holiday. The last three days parks were a ghost town

 

[Clamman73]

My family and I went two years ago the week after Labor Day. 2 of the days we were there, the crowd estimate websites(the day after) ranked them 8 out of 10. Come to find out that there was a Jewish holiday. The last three days parks were a ghost town

This year a lot of the schools on Long Island are out monday/tuesday Oct 3rd and 4th for Rosh Hashanah, and I was just checking Southwest flights out of Islip for 9/30, 10/1, they are either sold out or $300+ whereas my flight down on 9/26 is $89.
And then the following week is Columbus/Yom Kippur and it's the same thing with flights. Combine that with other schools around the country that have fall breaks in October......

 

[kimberlymautz]

This year a lot of the schools on Long Island are out monday/tuesday Oct 3rd and 4th for Rosh Hashanah, and I was just checking Southwest flights out of Islip for 9/30, 10/1, they are either sold out or $300+ whereas my flight down on 9/26 is $89.
And then the following week is Columbus/Yom Kippur and it's the same thing with flights. Combine that with other schools around the country that have fall breaks in October......

See, those are the exact reasons why I chose the end of September, I figured I'd beat the crowds (or some of them anyways) because I've heard how crazy it can get in October. I keep checking the Disney Experience App and so far in the last two weeks the longest wait I've seen for any rides is 75 minutes for Frozen/Seven Dwarfs, followed by 60 minutes for Soarin/Test Track. And of course those are the rides that I'd assume that I'd be waiting in long lines for, and those wait times didn't last very long. I doubt I'll be so lucky in a couple weeks though.

 

[littleroo]

We will be there, sept 22 to oct 2.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

I honestly don't think it will be overly crowded. It is a free dining week and yesterday I checked the dining section on the app just for the heck of it. There were tons of ADRs available at top restaurants at peak times. So I'm not super worried.

 

[JustInTime]

I am also going at the same time. But crowds don't bother me. Got fastpasses for everything I wanted.

 

[kimberlymautz]

I am also going at the same time. But crowds don't bother me. Got fastpasses for everything I wanted.

See, for some reason it wouldn't let me get fast passes for Soarin or Test Track because I got a Frozen one. But I have a five year old and it's her trip, had to get Frozen. I'm hoping the lines won't be too horrible for the others if we get there early in the morning.

 

[belledream]

See, for some reason it wouldn't let me get fast passes for Soarin or Test Track because I got a Frozen one. But I have a five year old and it's her trip, had to get Frozen. I'm hoping the lines won't be too horrible for the others if we get there early in the morning.

Soarin, Test Track, and Frozen are all tier one, so you can only pick one. It's stressful for sure, but you seem to have a good plan. Rope drop is your friend! We just got back, and walked onto Soarin' twice in a row in the morning. Granted it's usually conventional that crowds pick up when F&W begins and it gets closer to Halloween, but the 3rd theater really seems to be helping with capacity. As for Test Track, we were able to find openings for FP later in the afternoon, so be sure to check while you are there!

 

[kimberlymautz]

Soarin, Test Track, and Frozen are all tier one, so you can only pick one. It's stressful for sure, but you seem to have a good plan. Rope drop is your friend! We just got back, and walked onto Soarin' twice in a row in the morning. Granted it's usually conventional that crowds pick up when F&W begins and it gets closer to Halloween, but the 3rd theater really seems to be helping with capacity. As for Test Track, we were able to find openings for FP later in the afternoon, so be sure to check while you are there!

Thanks so much! I'll definitely have to do that! I'm looking forward to Food and Wine, I'm hoping most other people will too and will then avoid the rides.

 

[Second Star to the Right]

We are going down Sept 26th-Oct 3rd, and I know of two friends going with their family at the same time as well. I was thinking it wouldn't be too terrible either as that's what I've experienced the past few years at Universal. It will be interesting to see.

 

[kimberlymautz]

We are going down Sept 26th-Oct 3rd, and I know of two friends going with their family at the same time as well. I was thinking it wouldn't be too terrible either as that's what I've experienced the past few years at Universal. It will be interesting to see.

Without a doubt! When I booked I knew it'd be a little busier then if we'd gone at the beginning of the month, but now it seems as though it's going to be packed!