The Anticlockwise Theory?

[CP_alum08]

This is interesting! We used to MK counterclockwise, but in the last few years have started doing Adventureland first and then just keep walking around that way. I can actually remember the day it changed, we were walking towards the hub and I turned to my GF and said "you know, we always go right first, lets try going left and see what happens!" :lol:

DHS is always a coin toss. Usually just depends on what we want to do first.

EPCOT is usually counterclockwise, but that may have something to do with Canadian beer! Unless we have an ADR at one of the 'left' countries.

AK...I don't know. I guess we usually go counter as well. AK is both of our least favorite so if we are going it's usually to do something specific so we normally just head straight to that first.

 

[DizneyPryncess]

I own a little clothing boutique & was told (and have found to be true) that most customers will come in & go to their right. This theory is based on what has been said here - most people are right handed & just head that way first. So in retail, a lot of times you'll see the most popular or newest items to the right when you first walk in.

So I think this theory would hold up in the park as well. I used to always head into Tomorrowland. Now we head left, and find crowds to the left to be smaller. I haven't tried it in any other parks before, I feel like going in a circle is easiest in the MK. In the other parks I'm heading directly for certain attractions.

 

[wolf359]

In the Magic Kingdom we always go to the left into Adventureland, since our first attractions are always Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion. Every other park (and subsequent visits to the Magic Kingdom) are a little more random, usually driven by what we want to see first.

 

[Texas84]

We used to start in Adventureland and go clockwise but now we head straight for Big Thunder and Splash and ride them 10 times before the crowds show up.

No pattern at the other parks except for beeline to Toy Story in the morning.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I don't travel in a circle in either direction around the hub. I have a system for Magic Kingdom, that's about it.

I usually go straight for Haunted Mansion. I take that walk by the Crystal Palace and the bridge between Adventureland entrance and Liberty Square. After that, it's whatever. Usually big guns like Splash, Thunder, Pirates, Space and the dark rides in Fantasyland. I blast around the park on a whim, mostly. Once the major stuff is out of the way in the first couple of hours, I grab the Lighthouse sandwich at Columbia Harbour House, do minor attractions, grab Fastpasses if need be and repeat the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean again and again.

 

[ParentsOf4]

I recall this being discussed in "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World". In summary, there is no pattern of crowd distribution at WDW. People head to the things they want to do first. Thus, a fair number of people head directly to Fantasyland even though this is in the back of MK. Similarly, a large group heads to TSMM even though this is towards the back of DHS.

The same is true at Universal. Most people head directly to WWOHP even though this is towards the back of IOA.

After completing the attractions at their primary choices, most people tend to head towards their secondary choices.

What can be less crowded are the less popular attractions near the back of the parks. I've seen short lines (no lines really) most mornings at BTM and Splash Mountain at MK because it is necessary to walk past several other attractions to get to these. Thus, even though BTM and SM are popular, they tend not to get crowded until later since they don't have the same "draw" as Fantasyland.

 

[Princess7]

When entering the park we go to the headliners, wherever they may be but I'm left handed so in lines I tend to go left if the option is available.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I'm righthanded, so I go in whichever direction is JIMMY THICK.

 

[jasonfresta]

we usually go directly to the rides that we know will have long lines later in the day... at Magic Kingdom we head straight for Space Mountain and then run to Thunder Mountain... and then usually to Pirates.. after those 3 it's pretty much fair game.. not uncommon for us to go back and forth through the park all day long. it's me and my girlfriend.. no kids. i can't imagine bringing kids to this park and still having fun...hahah!!

at Epcot.. same strategy.. straight to Test Track.. and then Mission Space. for some reason we've only done World Showcase in a counterclockwise direction... which doesn't make much sense because we tend to rush through it to get to Mexico for the 3 Caballeros ride. I think when we go back in May i'll make sure we head in the opposite direction.

Never been to Animal Kingdom yet...

Hollywood Studios is pretty much all over the place.

 

[Goofygirl07]

I was told in traditions class that most people go counterclockwise around the park. Since our society drives on the right hand side of the road we tend to walk and veer to the right. Therefore as you enter the Magic Kingdom, the first shop on your right is the camera shop followed by all the consumable goods. As you leave the shops on the right are the merchandise. The sidewalk into Tomorrowland is wider to accommodate more people; they also decline slightly as you walk counterclockwise to make it easier for wheelchairs and strollers.

I've heard this also.

 

[Emyli Mouse]

Tips

I've heard about going to the right many times before and have heard some interesting tips about staying ahead of the lines at the MK.

Always arrive at rope drop or do morning EH when posssible.

Most people really will head to the right, so if you're looking for short lines, head left.

If Fantasyland is your cup of tea, head there in the am no matter what. The lines are long there ALL DAY LONG, it is cooler in the morning (and until they open the expansion, there is really no shade there at all), and little kids tend to do better before nap time!

With the new Fast Pass system, people will probably be making some changes in how they navigate the parks.

I don't really know if there is any method to our madness. But it is sure fun to talk about!

 

[mickey2008.1]

Never thought about it til now, but in MK we go counter clockwise, as we do in AK. Mk is because that's my favorite land, Ak because I have no idea. EPCOT is a different beast, FW we zig zag back and forth, WS is normaly clockwise. DHS is just a free for all depending on show times and TSMM

 

[EvilQueen-T]

i head to whatever ride i most want to ride but least like standing in line when it gets to hot out so for mk that usually means going straight back to thunder first. riding and getting a fast pass. once we've ridden a few times we head to space, do the same then wander the park to whatever grabs us.

 

[bethram]

I've only been to WDW once as an adult and don't remember much about going as a kid. When we were there we aimed for what we wanted to see first and went from there. DHS was all over the place, AK was clockwise, MK we went to the right once and to the left once, Epcot was counterclock wise.

We will have more time next trip so we'll see what happens with patterns.

 

[kshark]

Neither. Over the Liberty Square bridge to HM!

 

[unkadug]

Neither. Over the Liberty Square bridge to HM!

Unless you stay at HM the rest of the day you must move to another attraction either CW or CCW.


Personally I'm a CCW type of tourer.

 

[acishere]

I go counterclockwise to Space Mountain,
then clockwise to Splash Mountain and BTMR,
then counterclockwise to Adventureland,
then clockwise to the rest of the park.

What does that say about me?

 

[Florida_is_hot]

I believe it is cultural.

Went to the UK and everything was opposite, people there are brainwashed to walk on the left.

Me I never follow crowds, try to be an individual walk on the left when it suits me or the right it does not matter.

For example going from the UK to France I usually like walking the left side of the bridge.... better view, and you should see the dirty looks I get sometimes breaking the tradition the flow. Too bad there is no law you have to walk on the right and I go where I want.

At the Magic Kingdom I usually head to the left like the attractions and I know the sheep will be lined up a Space Mountain.

But there are morning when the park opens early for onsite guests then I go to Tomorrow land first.

 

[SyracuseOrange]

My strategy is to always start with the one attraction in that park that I must ride, and that I know will have a longer line later in the day (TSMM, Space Mountain, etc.) Then, I usually go to the furthest point in the park from the entrance, and do everything there. In the middle of the day, I do the attractions at the front of the park (since most people will be somewhere towards the back by this point.) And from that point, it's a free-for-all based on what I feel like doing

 

[real mad hatter]

Your Having A Laugh!

I believe it is cultural.

Went to the UK and everything was opposite, people there are brainwashed to walk on the left.

Me I never follow crowds, try to be an individual walk on the left when it suits me or the right it does not matter.

For example going from the UK to France I usually like walking the left side of the bridge.... better view, and you should see the dirty looks I get sometimes breaking the tradition the flow. Too bad there is no law you have to walk on the right and I go where I want.

At the Magic Kingdom I usually head to the left like the attractions and I know the sheep will be lined up a Space Mountain.

But there are morning when the park opens early for onsite guests then I go to Tomorrow land first.

Whit.!people drive on the left hand side of the road,not walk,in UK.While in Scotland people walk in the middle of the road:ROFLOL: