This is not the low season anymore...

Atomicmickey

Well-Known Member
I'm going to take my own advice, grab a cookie from DMC-12's generous offering, and leave this thread well enough alone.

Nothing personal, anyone, I'll see you in other threads discussing Spaceship Earth's paint scheme or the new FL or prefurbs or what have you.

:wave:
 

WishIwasThere

Active Member
I disagree with the "not low season" comment. We just got back on Monday from a long weekend at WDW. Hotel parking lots were less than 1/2 full, from what I saw at GF, Poly, and WL. Had to get a run in while I was there.

The wait time at most rides, (granted we only did the MK on 9/25 for the MNSSHP and is usually the more popular parks), was relatively short. Soaring had a 45 - 60 min wait on the two days we were there. TestTrack had 45 - 60 min waits as well. ToT only had 10-20 min waits. R&RC had 20 -30 min waits. It seemed that most people used their Fastpasses on TSMM since they were usually out by midday on the two days we went to DHS. AK had only a 20 min wait for EE. Everything else was 5-10 min waits at best. And we were there on the weekend when there were probably more locals there than anything.
 

wdwwdeagle

Member
Not sure if anyone will see this after the mess on pages 4 and 5 of this thread, but just wanted to add that over labor day weekend, crowds were very low. I expected high attendance, and it was quite a bit lower that the previous two times we had been there (mid october, and 3rd week of april - when easter was end of march, so no easter crowds).

I even overheard two cast members talking in a gift shop at EPCOT saying that last year was crazy crowded over labor day, while this year was "dead" (to quote the employee).

The only day that was relatively crowded was labor day (monday), and I'm wondering if that included a fair number of locals.

Anyhow, it's been a month ago now, but it was still september, and rumored to usually be the "busier" part of sept., but I was pleasantly surprised by the crowd levels.

Not trying to dispute the OP; it sounds like it was quite crowded when you were there, but just to say that maybe not the whole month of september is crowded every year.
 

Mickey_777

Well-Known Member
Last year I went in late October and this year I went in late April...ghost-town Disney...loved it...no waits for anything...our only complaint was how long it took to walk through the empty que at the Seas with Nemo and Friends...that has to be one of the longer ques I've seen...nicely done btw...
 

Studios Fan

Active Member
Last year I went in late October and this year I went in late April...ghost-town Disney...loved it...no waits for anything...our only complaint was how long it took to walk through the empty que at the Seas with Nemo and Friends...that has to be one of the longer ques I've seen...nicely done btw...

Agreed, Buzz Lightyear was another long queue.
 

kittybubbles

Active Member
We where in WDW for Labor Day Weekend and then again 9/26 to 9/28.

Labor Day weekend was very slow at the Poly while this past weekend was Sold out at CR. (we have been just going for some quick weekends and trying different resorts when we can get ok rates).

I have certainly seen the parks more crowded but IMHO the 9/26 weekend was nearly twice as crowded as Labor Day weekend.

Each trip, I did find the wait times to be less than what the signs stated and the waits were not all that bad, the real difference seemed to be that the MK was far more crowded an hour after opening where Labor Day weekend it was 2 to 2.5 hours into the day before the crowds picked up.

This past weekend we also got caught in a heavy down poor on SUN for extra magic hours (and were surprised to see how many people were still coming to the park for the last hour or two).
 

harveyt0206

Well-Known Member
We just got back from Disney yesterday and had a wonderful time. What I found interesting was that the crowds seemed heavier than in past years yet our wait times were not unreasonable at all.

Our day at Animal Kingdom on 09/28 was very crowded but our longest wait was only 40 minutes for Safari.

Our day at Studios was great. Other than Toy Story, the waits were very reasonable.

Overall, as is typical, MK was the worst for crowds (got caught in complete gridlock at the hub one night) but not bad for wait times. Not sure how that happens but we were pleased.
 

JimboJones123

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I disagree with the "not low season" comment. We just got back on Monday from a long weekend at WDW. Hotel parking lots were less than 1/2 full, from what I saw at GF, Poly, and WL. Had to get a run in while I was there.

The wait time at most rides, (granted we only did the MK on 9/25 for the MNSSHP and is usually the more popular parks), was relatively short. Soaring had a 45 - 60 min wait on the two days we were there. TestTrack had 45 - 60 min waits as well. ToT only had 10-20 min waits. R&RC had 20 -30 min waits. It seemed that most people used their Fastpasses on TSMM since they were usually out by midday on the two days we went to DHS. AK had only a 20 min wait for EE. Everything else was 5-10 min waits at best. And we were there on the weekend when there were probably more locals there than anything.
If the resorts are packed, and judging by wait times for breakfast at the food court, they are more so than I have seen mid-week in all my offseason visits, than parking capacity at parks does not matter.

We are noticing TONS more bus traffic compared to normal.

Parks are around the levels of early June when not all schools are out yet and mid March when the first schools take spring break. 2 weeks ago was bliss, but it has gotten worse every day.

BATB was so packed all day they added an unscheduled show. In the slow season this show gets about 1/4 - 1/3 capacity.

Magical Beginnings seems to have caught on just a little too late after the program ended.

70 Dumbo in EMH this morning -- with a broken monorail.

90 for Pixies in Toontown.

70 Peter Pan at 11 am.

The hours are being extended regularly.

You cannot move in WS at night since F&W started.

Street atmosphere is more beefed up than I have ever seen.

Good Show.
 

juan

Well-Known Member
I was there last week and didn't notice the crowds being that bad, especially Epcot at night for F&W opening. :shrug:
 

JimboJones123

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We just got back from Disney yesterday and had a wonderful time. What I found interesting was that the crowds seemed heavier than in past years yet our wait times were not unreasonable at all.

Our day at Animal Kingdom on 09/28 was very crowded but our longest wait was only 40 minutes for Safari.

Our day at Studios was great. Other than Toy Story, the waits were very reasonable.

Overall, as is typical, MK was the worst for crowds (got caught in complete gridlock at the hub one night) but not bad for wait times. Not sure how that happens but we were pleased.

It does feel much more like Disneyland. More people "hanging out". Don't know if people are taking longer trips and are less rushed or the pool of regulars is getting bigger.

Courtesy has been FANTASTIC though.

We were trampled with lighter crowds all January, but have had no problems this time. I blame the Brits. They are a treat to have and meet around the parks. Thumbs way up UKers.

But, yeah, it feels Disneyland busy, but very friendly.

Maybe the economy has led people to enjoy their vacations more???
 

juan

Well-Known Member
It does feel much more like Disneyland. More people "hanging out". Don't know if people are taking longer trips and are less rushed or the pool of regulars is getting bigger.

Courtesy has been FANTASTIC though.

We were trampled with lighter crowds all January, but have had no problems this time. I blame the Brits. They are a treat to have and meet around the parks. Thumbs way up UKers.

But, yeah, it feels Disneyland busy, but very friendly.

Maybe the economy has led people to enjoy their vacations more???

Yea, but some south of the border guests weren't so nice last week. I had to nearly break up a fight on the bus returning to AKL.
 
Busy? What Walt Disney World Were You In?

I was just there yesterday and the Magic Kingdom was anything but busy. The longest wait was for Peter Pan and that's just plain dumb. I walked right on just about everything else INCLUDING Buzz Lightyear, Small World, Haunted Mansion etc. Even w/the monorails down on Lagoon/Express the wait for the ferry was 2 minutes. Epcot wasn't even half full when I left there at 7...folks I don't know what Kool-Aid you're drinking but it must be mighty powerful because it is D.E.A.D. during the week. Even last weekend at EPCOT it was dead, if I'm able to get a fastpass time for Soarin 20 minutes after I get the thing AND the stand by wait time is 20 minutes at 2pm on a SATURDAY...that's the very definition of sloooooow.
 

The Mom

Moderator
Premium Member
Excuse me, but I don't understand how a thread about how busy (to some) WDW is in the "off season' got off topic enough to slam teachers and corporations, but it did.

Please stay on topic, people!
 

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