The Park Is Too Empty???

[NeNe1298]

Yes, PhotoDave! That was a very erie feeling. Not only because there was just a few people, but the prep for the hurricane was going on. So there were "props" missing too and things being tied down. The CM's that I had contact with at POR were very clam and reassuring. We had to get on the road to prepare our home for the storm. I told my hubby that I would love to always evacuate to Disney for a hurricane. It was a wonderful experience and Disney handled it all very well.

PS I'm a Florida girl so hurricanes are nothing nw to me.

 

[poohbear6103]

Right after Hurricane Frances MK was so empty. I liked getting on the rides quickly but it was almost eerie in the morning. It almost felt like we were trespassing. We were just so tired of being cooped up at the hotel for close to 2 days that we took MK however we could get it!

This also happened on a random day in October a few years ago when it was really dead in MK. Since there were few lines, we did the whole park (well except for Toontown and a few rides we don't like) by lunch. It was cool to do so, but then we were like "now what?". When the park is super crowded now, I think back to that day.

 

[Chux]

I love that late empty park feeling. Sort of makes you feel like you 'own' the park. Plus its a great time to take photos w/o a million tushes as your background.

I got some great photos from last year at AK. It was an Extra Magic evening and we were the last ones out of the park. Walking from Everest to Africa we didn't run into a single person.

That park gets DARK.

 

[SarahBella82]

We pretty much walked onto every ride in MK last October, but it was nice. The park wasn't empty, though, just very, very quiet.

I think it would be neat to be in the park alone (or pseudo alone). I'd spend the time getting people-free pictures of every landmark and leaf in the place.

 

[mgraef]

I think there is a balance, if you want to go commando then the empty park is great but it does lack some atmosphere. I was there in fantasy land on an empty day, our group of 10 and about 4 other guests. It was kind of weird.

Additionally we never got to use our magical fast passes that we received that day since the fast pass lines never opened.

Made for a nice souvenir though.

mg

 

[figment1985]

In the early 90's I remember going and one day there was like no one in tomorrowland at all. It was so weird.

 

[raven]

The few days after 9/11 the parks were very empty. I have video walking through Frontierland with only a few people walking around in the far background and buzards flying overhead. It was quite spooky and just didn't feel like such a happy place. Everything was walk-on. I stayed at the Grosvenor in the DTD area and I was the only one with a room on my whole floor!

 

[Robfasto]

Many times...

Back in the late 70's and Early 80's when the Magic Kingdom was open until 1AM on a regular basis the parks would really empty out after the last parade which ended in Frontierland about 11:45. For that last hour you could walk on any ride.

Also before the Extra Magic Hours, when the sold the arm bands to resort guest for 10.00 and only sold 3000-4000 per night we ended up in the park on a night they only sold 450 or so. So needless to say it was very empty....

 

[Since1976]

If you go with first-timers on a "dead" day, they are likely to get suspicious and think that Disney "isn't all that," as indicated by the lack of crowds. It's sad but true.

Repeat visitors are more likely to be thrilled by smaller crowds.

 

[RedBaron]

I have never seen the parks as dead as some of you, but for the most part we always go right after Labor Day. Since it is the first week of school for most kids and for the most part parents dont take their kids out of school the parks are really slow. It is always so nice to walk around the parks with still plenty of people around to make it alive, but not to have long waits or even just walking on some rides.

 

[Scooter]

I wish that when the parks are empty, and an attraction is a "Walk on" that people would actually Walk on. Some people think that when a queue line is empty, they need to do a "Run on".
I enjoy all the sights and sounds in attraction queue areas so I tend to walk though. I hate feeling the pressure of those who need to race to get on the attraction. I always tell them to go around me but they still give me dirty looks. Relax people...you'll get there eventually..honest!:brick:

 

[WWallaceII]

Certain weeks in September last year we walked on Splash and had a log to ourselves.
We rode Kali River Rapids 5 times in a row without getting off.
I rode ToT nonstop besides having to wait in the Library each time.

After that experience, I am always trying to convince others to come in September.

I was there last September also, and had the same thing happen on Kali River rapids, when we got on the group on the boat said they had been on 3 times in a row so far. (we were there 1st 2 weeks of Sept). We went round twice, spooky :lookaroun

And as someone had mentioned about TT - we too were asked if we would like to go round again

 

[Richie248]

Nothing beats an empty World Showcase during Evening Magic Hours, just strolling around the lagoon with a beverage and pastry of choice!

 

[Champion]

So, have you ever been to one of the parks and it's just plain old empty. Very few people and you can walk right onto every ride?

Was it cool... or was there something not right about it? I just have the feeling that if I was at the park on a regular day and it was empty for the most part, I would be disappointed. Does this make sense? It makes no sense when I read it... but I just feel this way. Almost like if the park was empty, I would get bored or something.

I'll probably never have to deal with an empty park....

Anyone else feel this way? Know what I mean?

Good luck getting that feeling any time in the near future.

 

[Philo]

When I went to DLP it was practically empty all 4 days (it was below freezing the whole time though) and I loved it. It lacked a little atmosphere but you really felt like the park was yours. On an busy day in MK (busy for january i mean) it gets a little too busy for me. I don't mind queuing but I hate having to get from A to B via huge, slow-moving crowds.

 

[Nicole220]

I love the parks empty. The best time that I can find it this way is in the early morning when the park first opens. One cool thing that happened to my friend and I was when we were on Splash Mountian. We were one of the first people on, and since there was no one waiting in line when we got back, the CM let us stay on for another ride!

I really don't like crowded parks. It's hard to enjoy them with all the people around you and lines a mile long.

 

[wdwmomof3]

For me, I would love to go to the parks when it was almost empty. We were there in Oct and it was pretty busy especially at night. We didn't have to wait too long for anything, and we did use fast pass but it would be nice, for one day, to go to the Magic Kingdom and walk on to any ride with little wait.

 

[Rototom]

I'be been there when it is very empty, even E ticket nights and for me it can never be empty enough. It is a very relaxing experience.

 

[Tigerdaly]

On the weekend when Hurricane Frances went over the Orlando / Kissimmee area causing havock, which was overhead about 2:30 on the Sunday morning.
The parks stayed closed for the rest of the Sunday and then Epcot opened on the Monday at 11:00 in the morning. We got there about 12 and there must have been 60 cars in the carpark...................:ROFLOL:
At its peak there cannot have been more than 300 people in the park it was fantastic for the rides but as someone else posted it was a bit empty in the restaurants.
The best bit was we flew in from the UK on the Friday of the storm hitting and were one of the last planes to land before MCO was closed for 3 days, and as we stayed for 3 weeks the plane on the home journey was empty. Nobody had been able to fly out for there normal 2 week vacation.
We were on a Virgin Atlantic 747 and there were 22 of us on board.
Happy Days are here again...............................:wave:

 

[isitingood]

I love that late empty park feeling. Sort of makes you feel like you 'own' the park. Plus its a great time to take photos w/o a million tushes as your background.

Agreed, I like a empty park at night