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View Full Version : How have the crowds been lately?



Gregandmel
07-15-2010, 11:10 AM
Just curious to anyone who is there now, or has recently been on what the crowd levels are. We've not been in the summer before (well....our first trip in 1997 was in June - before Fast Pass and it was NOT fun!) My husband switched jobs and is now teaching, which means our 2 "off season" trips will be a thing of the past. Any insight? Thanks! :thumbsup:

slegrant
07-15-2010, 11:35 AM
:mickey:I just got back from WDW and was there from June 27th through July 13th and the crowds were the lowest I have seen in all my years of going. Add that to extra magic hours and my Family and I did every ride we wanted numerous times. We had a blast, trip report will follow shortly:mickey:

DizneyRox
07-15-2010, 11:44 AM
I concur, crowds were light (relatively speaking)... Seeing Soarin' with only a 50 minute wait andTest Track fast passes available after 3pm was something I've never seen before in the summer.

This is a result fot he economy however, unfortuantely, don't get used to it. I have teacher vacation, but have gotten used to them over the years.

If you've never been in the summer though, you're in for a surprise! It's HOT HOT HOT! 86 in the AM with temps hitting mid 90's is not uncommon. Humidity approaching 100% is the norm. I reemmber sitting at the bus stop waiting around 8:00am looking at my iPhone seeing 86 degrees with like 86% humidity. Feels like 94! No wonder I was sweating so early!

11290
07-15-2010, 12:02 PM
Crowd levels for the last 4 weeks that I have been here at the MK have been "moderate" from late morning thru mid to late afternoon and then been "crowded" from around 6:30 until after Nightastic fireworks.

Don't know what parks the other posters were going to with light crowds, as I can only speak for MK. Early parade and fireworks has been packed, very crowded. Much more than Spectro and Wishes.

DizneyRox
07-15-2010, 12:25 PM
Relatively speaking...

Compared to years past at this time of year, crowds are WAY DOWN. Soarin can have wait times in the 240 minute range, Test Track is sold out of the fast passes by 11am.

I was able to view Nightastic by walking into the hub around 8:50pm (yes standing room only) however in years past, I've seen MK AND Epcot hit phase 4 in years past. Phase 2 on July 4th is a light day...

Never waited more than 5-10 minutes for Pirates and Haunted Mansion the whole trip... Trust me, it's light...

Relatively speaking...

11290
07-15-2010, 04:27 PM
[QUOTE=DizneyRox;2077469]Compared to years past at this time of year, crowds are WAY DOWN.[QUOTE]

Don't really agree with that statement, but I only work (MK)there so what do I know.

Evening and night crowds have been so heavy this year that we have had to open the East by-pass almost every night and put additional parade control people in other area positions that we don't normally, this year and seldom have done so in years past.

DizneyRox
07-15-2010, 04:49 PM
MSEP is a HUGE fan favorite and has been gone for a number of years, threatening to leave again in a month. Compared to a stale Illuminations (circa 1999) and limited showings of Fantasmic, it makes sense that the only park with a new nighttime show(s) would be packed. This explains the parade situation.

A few hours at night in one park really isn't a telling experience for crowd levels at the resort in general.

Disney Yankee
07-15-2010, 10:31 PM
We just got here, and the MK crowds were crazy today!!! Haven't seen a line like we saw for Buzz today. There was even a line for STITCH!!! I think the crowds followed us...keep you posted!!!

Gregandmel
07-15-2010, 10:59 PM
Yikes! We can probably bear the heat & humidity - we are from the midwest & see heat indexes of over 100 degrees for part of the summer. HOwever - Heat, humidity AND super crowds?? Hmm.....maybe we should re-think our plans! LOL. We went in October one year and late April this past year and the weather & crowds were great. We'd be in for shell-shock for mid-July crowds. Well....maybe early June won't be quite so bad!!

11290
07-16-2010, 01:00 AM
A few hours at night in one park really isn't a telling experience for crowd levels at the resort in general.

I'll be sure and let our managers know that before they give us the park load information at the 1:45 and 7:00 pm meetings that they need to check this forum first to see if their Blackberry information from Park Operations is correct or not.

OBTW: My "few hours" at night totalled 113.25 over the last 14 days.

DizneyRox
07-16-2010, 06:56 AM
I'll be sure and let our managers know that before they give us the park load information at the 1:45 and 7:00 pm meetings that they need to check this forum first to see if their Blackberry information from Park Operations is correct or not.

OBTW: My "few hours" at night totalled 113.25 over the last 14 days.
You're not understanding what I'm saying, and now I know why. I've got a bus to catch to find out about a 5th gate, gotta go!

Have a magical day...


We went in October one year and late April this past year and the weather & crowds were great. We'd be in for shell-shock for mid-July crowds. Well....maybe early June won't be quite so bad!!
October/April != July... The only other times that rival July are Easter week and XMas/NYE weeks, however those are mostly just that week, not a few months running.

MK is always the busier park... Not really an indication of what you may run into at other parks.

happy day
07-16-2010, 08:27 AM
After reading many posts about crowds, it appears that the crowds are worse later in July then it was during the holiday. Is that true, and anyone have any idea why that would be?

Darbylew
07-16-2010, 08:58 AM
We were there in May and the crowds were not
bad at all. I have been in the summer months
but it is just to hot and humid for me at that
time. I think more people go in the summer
since school is out. We live in Florida and know
how hot and humid it can be in the summer. I
know you will have fun no matter what just
being in the Magic will help.

NJDad
07-17-2010, 06:47 AM
There is a story on the Orlando Sentinel site wondering if crowds are smaller, including anecdotes of parking lots being closed that are normally full this time of year.

DizneyRox
07-17-2010, 06:50 AM
There is a story on the Orlando Sentinel site wondering if crowds are smaller, including anecdotes of parking lots being closed that are normally full this time of year.
Say it ain't so!?

1DisneyNut
07-17-2010, 08:55 AM
A gauge for crowd levels is the park hours. If you look at the closing times for the parks this summer and compare them to the past several years you will note that all parks are closing earlier. We are going July 24 -31 and I was surprised by how early the parks close most of the days we will be there.