Ever Felt Crowds Too Large ...

[HeadFairyInCharge]

Well maybe the die hard Disney fans will disagree with me, but after a recent trip to Disney prior to Thanksgiving I have really been left with a bad feeling. It's just not fun anymore when lines take hours not minutes and fast pass does not really help much. When the kids say I can't wait that long again mom for a 2 minute attraction or 45 second ride, Can we go back to the hotel and swim? We had bought 2 days with Hoppers and left MK after half a day... never went back. I felt awful, but really nothing prepares you for disappointed kids, and no child has that much patience. After many trips I guess this was our last. The kids even said its just boring to fight crowds walking around when you feel you can't take your hands off them for fear they'll be swallowed up in a pack of people walking through the park. Lost money this trip, but had even heard similar stories of other families
upon leaving with frowns and having to explain to a 3 yr old why he can't ride anything today, I felt bad for them. When is the crowd too large, when do they tell you before you spend the money and get through the gates to find horrific lines and extreme waits for everything. When people run through gates at opening to get to a ride, Really ? THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ENJOYABLE FAMILY TIME !!:ack:

[I LoveJack]

I know how you feel, my mother will never go back with us during New Yrs. But my 2 DDs are teenagers, so we have to work around school. If they were younger would go doing one of the slower times instead of the main holidays. But as it is, we are going back Dec 30th thru Jan 8th, so we know just to plan on taking it slow the first half of trip until it thins out some. Hopefully next trip will be better for you.

[SandmanGStefani24]

that's pretty much the reason why I will never be at WDW on my birthday again. (im a summer baby) Way too hot, way too big crowds, long waits, crowded restaurants, just not fun at all. I wouldn't turn a free trip down, but if I'm paying for it, I'll be going another time...

[chriscwest45]

Its weird for me because we go at least once a year and have for years. My parents are DVC members and own a house in Celebration they want my kids at all the time. So for me if we go and the crowds are too bad, and the lines are crazy we just move on and do something else less popular, hidden mickey hunt, see a show, etc. We've been 4 times since Toy Story Mania went in and have only done it once because of the wait, but haven't really cared because theres this feeling we can do it in the future.
I imagine if I am going once for the only time for 5 years or whatever and I want to do everything including the big rides I would not be happy and leave disappointed.

[MargaretMessler]

I try to go during the lesser busy times (not an option for everyone, obviously) for this very reason. I would wait up to an hour for something I really REALLY love, but that's my threshold. FP system helps, because you can get one and then move on so you're not waiting in line for the hour.

That feeling that you can't breathe or scratch your arm without bumping into someone, not for me.

[Aurora]

So sorry your trip didn't go as planned. Thanksgiving week can be very crowded, and reports are that the New Fantasyland seems to be bringing in even more people than the normal crowded.

There are also lots of reports of higher crowds throughout the year now. Our trip during the first week of June 2011 was considerably more crowded than our trip in June 2008 during the exact same week. Even getting to the parks right at opening, our usual touring strategy, didn't help much last year. Many people say there doesn't seem to be a "slow" time of year anymore. But there certainly are "slower" times, although I know it's hard to do when your kids are school-age.

Your girls also seem to be at that age when the hotel pool gets just as high marks as the best attraction. :D

Did you try to go to other parks besides just the Magic Kingdom? Sometimes when the MK gets to be too much, we'll go to one of the other parks for a breather.

Hopefully you'll give it another try. Also, if you can, a trip report would be really helpful to others who might be thinking about planning a trip during the same time frame.

[Cheshire_Girl]

Many people say there doesn't seem to be a "slow" time of year anymore. But there certainly are "slower" times, although I know it's hard to do when your kids are school-age.


Usually once the weather gets good there is a break in the crowds from October up till the week before Thanksgiving and then it starts to clear out again the week after until about second week in Decemeber...not how it has been going! October up thru beginning of this week has been packed! Seems like it is starting to clear out a bit now. Hope so!!

OP-Sad to hear about your experience. I must admit I am a bit spoiled in the fact that my Disney time belongs to me...no kids in tow. Keep in mind that as a few others have said, they are getting up to that age where the pool is going to beat out anything else, especially anything you might think is cool!!!!
Maybe next year instead of focusing on the regular parks you and your family can focus on the water parks :)

[Pirate Granny]

Sorry...we are here now and the crowds are low...that doesn't mean there aren't lines and waits...still 60 minutes for Peter Pan and space mountain.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

I have felt this way before too, but we always had to go around my son's school schedule so Christmas break was when we had to go. However, we learned to go with a plan-certain rides we ride first and grab fast passes for others and always arrive at park opening. You may not get to ride every ride in the park but you can ride plenty of the popular attractions that way.

[epceddie]

My wife and I don't have children, so we're free to go whenever we want to and we realized how fortunate that is. October is our favorite month to visit. The crowds are manageable and we like to get in and get out after going on the rides that we enjoy.
We don't go to the parks as much as we used to. We like MK and Epcot the best, but we're just as happy spending a day at a quiet pool somewhere. We're DVC members and we like to take advantage of the pool hopping perk to visit different resorts. The trips that we make these days are more about relaxation. Not the non-stop chaos that was characteristic of past visits.
So, there's no way we would go when it's super busy. The OP is right, it's just not worth the hassle and you feel like your money hasn't been well spent.

[lawgirl]

So sorry for the OP. I can imagine how frustrating it can be! And expensive too. I have to admit, the past few years, we've only gone to MK for the parties...it just gets a little too crazy for us during the day. We LOVE Epcot and AK, and usually avoid HS. I can't even imagine MK around Thanksgiving. It must have been crazy! We love hanging out at our resort and enjoying the pools and animals (AKL). I wouldn't really say the parks are the focus of our trip anymore. We still love going, but I guess we like our downtime!

[DisneyDawgette]

that's pretty much the reason why I will never be at WDW on my birthday again. (im a summer baby) Way too hot, way too big crowds, long waits, crowded restaurants, just not fun at all. I wouldn't turn a free trip down, but if I'm paying for it, I'll be going another time...


Hey, I'm a summer baby too! But I agree- that is NOT the time to go! We went in June this year, and it wasn't terrible... but after going in October and having perfect weather and no lines, June is out of the question forever.

I think a lot of it really has to go with the time you go! Thanksgiving is pretty busy from what I understand, and it can even vary during the week based on EMH. If you go at better times of year, it's much more manageable! Just avoid Easter, summer- if you're opposed to heat, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve! Most of the other times, it's not bad at all. :)

Sorry to hear about your experience! Don't give up hope! :thumbsup:

[greengeen]

It's really simple... if you don't like crowds then don't go during a time that is widely documented as one of the busiest times of the year. And certainly don't go knowing it's a busy time, and then complain that it was busy!

[mechanic]

I know how you feel, my mother will never go back with us during New Yrs. But my 2 DDs are teenagers, so we have to work around school. If they were younger would go doing one of the slower times instead of the main holidays. But as it is, we are going back Dec 30th thru Jan 8th, so we know just to plan on taking it slow the first half of trip until it thins out some. Hopefully next trip will be better for you.

Going to be there same time as you. Thinking crowds should drop dramatically after 1st or 2nd.
We usually do early july, love the summer weather. But haven't seen the Christmas decorations since 2001!

[I LoveJack]

The touring guide suggests the crowds should start clearing out some by the 3rd. But even jammed packed I would take a day there over work.:secret:

[BrerGnat]

I agree with you, OP. I can't handle crowds too well and neither can the rest of my family.

We are ALL about doing whatever is enjoyable on any vacation we are on, though, and never feel pressured to do "x, y, or z." We sort of let the kids dictate what we do, and if that means bailing out on a crowded park in favor of the hotel pool, so be it. In fact, our resort choice centers mainly around what the pool and other recreational offerings are like. We spend a LOT of time at the resorts. Fortunately, we are of the "we'll be back" mentality, so we don't feel like we are ever missing out.

It saddens me to see families so bent on hitting up every ride that they miss the fun of just BEING on vacation.

[Aurora]

It's really simple... if you don't like crowds then don't go during a time that is widely documented as one of the busiest times of the year. And certainly don't go knowing it's a busy time, and then complain that it was busy!

Not quite so simple for the OP and for many other families who have children that age -- they are bound to the school schedule and if they want to go at all, have to go during busier times.

And for years the conventional wisdom was that the days leading up to Thanksgiving were increasingly busy but not as bad as Thanksgiving day and the weekend after. Even doing a search on these forums you will see people saying the days before Thanksgiving are "not that bad," "not too busy" and "doable." That doesn't seem to be so true anymore.

[SBETigg]

Some people, like me, don't work well in large crowds. I don't like crowds. If my only chance to go to WDW is during high crowd times, I can manage if I have a solid plan in place and don't plan to do as much in the parks. But I still feel the effects of the crowd.

Because I can choose when I go, for the most part, I opt to avoid the obvious high crowd times- Christmas-NYE, Easter, Thanksgiving, July 4th week. Some people don't have that luxury and sometimes crowds come unexpectedly. I guess if the only time you can go is when large crowds are expected, and you really can't cope with crowds, your option is to stop visiting WDW. I hope a better option would be available, to go at a different time of year.

[BigRedDad]

I cannot stand waiting in lines. It is the worst thing to have to do on "vacation". I will not wait more than a couple of minutes for an attraction. The longest would be 30 minutes with a queue to keep my DD entertained. Our solution to this is to go at the quieter times of the year, hit everything we want early, and then see what doesn't have long lines after that. Then, we go back to the resort for the pool and pool games. If we are up to it, back to the park for more fun, night time parades, and fireworks.

[buzznwoodysmom]

Sorry you had such a bad time OP.

We have been to WDW at almost every time of the year. We've been in late Jan., we've been in Feb. around Mardi Gras a few times, March also during Mardi Gras (MG is not the same date each year), we've been in May during Memorial Day weekend, in June several times, just this summer we were there the last week of July/first week of Aug., we've been for Halloween (on actual holiday), we've been for Thanksgiving week twice, and just last year we were there for Christmas (on the actual holiday). We have NEVER felt we couldn't do what we wanted, or that we couldn't have an enjoyable vacation, because of crowds.

Sure some vacations were more crowded than others. However, we go into the vacation with expectations on what the crowds will likely be like depending on which holiday/time of year it is. I've warned my kids that it may be busier than we've ever seen and we may not get to do everything. I've never been caught off guard. When we expect larger crowds we get to the parks early, utilize fastpass, then break for the resort when the crowds get too thick, return in the evenings for a few more hours. It's always worked for us, no matter what holiday or time of year. There may have been trips where we couldn't ride each and every ride in each park, but we expected as much and no one was disappointed. And we've always made it a point to ride any "must do" rides first and skip rides that weren't as important if we couldn't do it all.

As someone else mentioned we always know we will be back, and perhaps that's what makes it work for us. My family just enjoys being there. There is never any reason to "get it all done". We also stay at a resort we know we'll enjoy since my family actually enjoys time outside the parks and at our resort as much as our time inside the parks.

Hope OP's future trips are better!

[buzznwoodysmom]

I also wanted to add that if your going for a holiday week it really pays to do some research on which park is best for which day. There are several sites out there that offer this kind of info. The vast majority of people visiting WDW don't research such info. Most people tend to go with which ever park is offering EMH in hopes of getting a few more hours of park time in.

For example, last year during Christmas week we ran into a friend of DH's at a resort. They had been to MK that day (or the day before), and he was telling us that it was WALL to WALL people. He said he couldn't even take pictures of his kids because he couldn't back up enough to get a good shot. They bailed on the park because it was impossible to get anything done.

We went to MK the very next day and it was such a quiet day. Crowds were not bad at all. DH's buddy had been to MK on an evening EMH day, and so did lots of other people, hoping to get in a few extra hours of park time. We went to MK on a day no EMH was offered, and a lot of the crowds went to parks that were offering some sort of EMH.

Not only does time of year matter. Which park you choose on which day of your trip can make a huge difference in the crowds you encounter.

[DisneyDawgette]

... we've been in May during Memorial Day weekend...



Hey, buzznwoodysmom, if you don't mind me asking- how were crowds for you on Memorial Day? I know it's pretty busy, but compared to the other busy times you've been, how was it?

I ask because we have to go on Memorial Day because of my college schedule! Your input would be greatly appreciated! :)

[buzznwoodysmom]

Hey, buzznwoodysmom, if you don't mind me asking- how were crowds for you on Memorial Day? I know it's pretty busy, but compared to the other busy times you've been, how was it?

I ask because we have to go on Memorial Day because of my college schedule! Your input would be greatly appreciated! :)

It was pretty busy, and it was HOT.

Keep in mind that we visited during Memorial Day way back in 2006. So it's been a while....

It was unseasonably hot that year. I've been in June, July and August that weren't as hot as that particular May. We had friends who were there the same week the year before, and were there again with us. They said the previous year was no where near as hot. I think the heat was so intense it made touring a bit difficult, and probably made crowds seem bigger than they were. Over the course of the week, we still managed to do and see everything we wanted, so it wasn't unmanagable. I'd go back during that week again without hesitation. I'd just hope for better, cooler weather, LOL.

[MouseHouser]

We rarely wait more than 20 minutes for an attraction. Not worth it. However, if you know how to play it, you don't have to.

First, you have to avoid the really high season. This month my brother and his family are taking the kids out of school 3 days early so that they can visit the week of Dec 15. This is a only notch down from high season, but that's good enough.

Next, you absolutely have to arrive for rope drop. If that doesn't work for your family, then even this type of week is no good.

Enter the park by 9am, and get 2 1/2 hours of minimal lines, after which you start to use fast pass. This carries you to lunch time. Eat, then stroll some shops, go on a few less-popular rides, and by 3:00 you're done, and you've packed in a good day.

If you're kids are stalwarts, you quit earlier,take a 4 hour break back at the hotel, and return to Disney for the evening scene and fireworks.

The key here is to accept the fact that at 11:20 it's as though someone flips a switch and the park suddenly goes from quiet to packed. You have to work around this.

[JPL]

I try to plan trips when it's going to be less crowded so I don't have the long waits. Timing is everything even depends on which days you go to certain parks. I know since I am there quite often and will skip attractions that I feel the lines are too long knowing I'll be back soon and can catch it next time. So the crowds don't really bother me as much.

[bruin1344]

I refuse to go to Disney during holiday weeks because crowds would ruin my experience. If I had children or a spouse that was a school teacher, I would rather go in the heat of late August when most US school are back in sessions.

[CU Tiger]

We have been spoiled by only going into the parks during off times with low attendance, that we would never go into a park during a high time. Busy times is when people do not like DW and they wonder what I am thinking going back to DW so much. :mickey:

[phillydan]

We can only go in the summer and we know going in that it is going to be hot and crowded. I try to plan out the days so we have a nice mix of park craziness and then other, less intense activities like swimming at hotel or a trip to DTD. I also try to get everyone there for park opening, so we have a few hours before the main crush shows up. That has worked out pretty well, as does careful use of fastpass.

Not sure if another poster mentioned this, but the smartphone apps that show wait times were a Godsend for me on the last trip. I found them to be very helpful and it allowed us to make changes "on the fly" if our next attraction was going to be a long wait.

Just a final thought: Yes, it is vacation and it should be relaxing. However, if you have a little structure for the first few days, you can probabaly do the main things on your list and then you can slack off / be flexible for the remaining days.

[mom2morgan]

It's really simple... if you don't like crowds then don't go during a time that is widely documented as one of the busiest times of the year. And certainly don't go knowing it's a busy time, and then complain that it was busy!

Not all of us have that luxury. I'm a teacher which means that I pretty much can ONLY go when crowds are high. Your answer seems a little insensitive - arrogant even.

[iheartdisney]

Hey, buzznwoodysmom, if you don't mind me asking- how were crowds for you on Memorial Day? I know it's pretty busy, but compared to the other busy times you've been, how was it?

I ask because we have to go on Memorial Day because of my college schedule! Your input would be greatly appreciated! :)

We have been 3 times around Memorial day since 2008 and we love going at that time of year. Our kids are out of school (we get out pretty early here in Georgia) and the summer crowds at WDW aren't too thick yet. Sure, it can be quite sticky and hot but that's why we always choose a resort with an amazing pool when we go this time of year. Memorial Day week is one of our favorite "busy" times to go.

[MrPeetrie]

I share the OP's opinion on this one.

We usually visit WDW in October for several reasons: for one, my sealing season is almost over and I can take time off from work without it osting me much I come; second, we're huge Halloween fans and Walt Disney World is great that time of year; and, of course, the crowds are lighter. But that wasn't the case last year. We were there for 10 days and all four parks were crowded (to unenjoyable levels) everyday. Epcot on Food & Wine Festival weekends, was simply undoable with small children. The Magic Kingdom was packed every day except those with a party. But it closed those days at 7:00 pm. (As it turns out, we did more in a shortened day than we did when it was open until midnight.)

It's tough for a 2-year-old to consistently have 30-, and 40-, and even 60-minute waits for each attraction. We did our best to optimize FastPass usage, but at some point you just have to abandon the popular rides for less popular attractions. DD8 and I rode Carousel of Progress about five or six times because lines were short.

This year, we went back in September. (It's costlier for me to miss work then, but my crew handled things fine.) Crowds were VERY manageable. We all had a more enjoyable time. We rarely used FastPasses as rides were easy to navigate. At one point in Animal Kingdom, DD and I rode Expedition: Everest, got off, got back in standby, and rode again without any wait. The line never stopped until we were at the loading station. That's fun.

If WDW wasn't a great place to visit, it wouldn't be popular. If it wasn't popular, it wouldn't be crowded. And being crowded is healthy for its bottom line so it can be around for a while and I'm glad about that. When my children get older, they'll understand better and we can go back when it's crowded. But for now, win a 2-year-old and a 9-year-old, we'll go on slow times.

[MrPeetrie]

Wow! I did that previous response from my iPhone and I just saw all my typos! I'm embarrassed! I hope you can understand what i was trying to state.

[villavic]

It's not only in WDW that issue. Every (famous) touristic place suffers of heavy crowds now.

I went to Europe in 1984, and also 1992 and 2004. Crowds have grown astronomically. The lines for the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame bell tower, the Vatican museum, the Louvre (and the Mona Lisa), etc.. were easy to visit in 1984. Now it's a nightmare.

Too much people in the planet?? :confused:

[AmandaChan]

It's not only in WDW that issue. Every (famous) touristic place suffers of heavy crowds now.

I went to Europe in 1984, and also 1992 and 2004. Crowds have grown astronomically. The lines for the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame bell tower, the Vatican museum, the Louvre (and the Mona Lisa), etc.. were easy to visit in 1984. Now it's a nightmare.

Too much people in the planet?? :confused:

Traveling is just more accessible. Internet, more airfare options, etc. I would imagine.

[iheartdisney]

It's not only in WDW that issue. Every (famous) touristic place suffers of heavy crowds now.

I went to Europe in 1984, and also 1992 and 2004. Crowds have grown astronomically. The lines for the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame bell tower, the Vatican museum, the Louvre (and the Mona Lisa), etc.. were easy to visit in 1984. Now it's a nightmare.

Too much people in the planet?? :confused:

Recession? What recession?

[villavic]

Traveling is just more accessible. Internet, more airfare options, etc. I would imagine.

That's true. Recession or not, I read travels are more accesible.

However I just realize the issue in Eiffel Tower and places like that are the security checks (bags check, etc.). That makes the entrance slower, and lines are longer. But that shouldn't happen in Disney rides, cause the check is just at the park entrance (where I've not found long lines :confused: )

[DisneyDawgette]

We have been 3 times around Memorial day since 2008 and we love going at that time of year. Our kids are out of school (we get out pretty early here in Georgia) and the summer crowds at WDW aren't too thick yet. Sure, it can be quite sticky and hot but that's why we always choose a resort with an amazing pool when we go this time of year. Memorial Day week is one of our favorite "busy" times to go.

Hey iheartdisney! Glad to see someone from so close on here! :thumbsup:

And thanks! This makes me less apprehensive about going for Memorial Day! Thanks to you too, buzzandwoodysmom! The weather has been progressively hotter, I think- so there's no telling! I'm not opposed to hot, it's the cold I can't handle! :drama:

[princessgirls]

We just returned from our trip over Thanksgiving week. Crowds were large, and wait times were big, but I still found we could do stuff. Getting in the parks early helps! Hit the ground running, and you can cover a lot of ground.

I might also add...the hours were in line with the crowds. The Magic Kingdom was open until midnight and 3am on EM nights, the studios was open until 10 most nights, Animal Kingdom until 8 and Epcot had hours until 11.

We did OK with the crowds, for me the weather was such a plus, that without the heat wearing me out, I could handle the crowds.
Julie:mickey:

[wdwfansince75]

We usually go during the summer, to accomodate the teachers and students in the family. We have done 4th of July at least 4 times. We did Christmas once...and most of the family would love to do so again. Last two trips were in July.

So...we have never had a bad trip. Usually hop. Some of family...including me, love to hit the parks at opening...Others meet us for a late breakfast/early lunch... While I usually pre-plan each day, the first thing to go is the plan..Fast Passes, under the old rules, made sure we did all the "Must Do's" Family favorites, with short lines most of the time...CoP, POTC, People Mover (TTA), Philharmagic...fill the gaps while waiting for FP times...

Always something to look at, something to do...

We do FP rides together, and use child swap frequently....seems as if we have always had one or more infants or toddlers with us...

And with few exceptions, we do not insist on perfect attendance...so long as we have rendezvous plans, while in the park, we usually seperated into smaller groups, for the majority of the time...We have usually gone with groups as large as 14-16 (DW and I, 4 DK's, and DKiL's or DSO's, 8 DGK's, and 1 DGKiL...so if I win the lottery, there will be 19!). DW has few "Must Do's", while I have a secret goal of doing every ride with every DGK....will takes years to reach my goal! Since the youngest (so far) is just 1 year old, will have to wait until she is tall enough for everything.

Most people who know me do not realize how shy I really am...and coupling that with my less than average height, I usually feel uncomfortable in crowds....but since most of WDW crowds have a majority of people shorter than I am, I don't have that uncomfortable feeling there....

[floogen6]

I think if you plan ahead and realize (if going when it is busy) that you may need to pick and choose then it becomes much less frustrating. We chose to pull the kids out of school this year to go down for a long weekend (they are 15, 12 and 6) but we talked with teachers and got homework for the kids to do while on the plane and during the evenings at the hotel (the beauty of earlier closing times for the parks they like the most). I know not everyone can , or would choose to do that, it is just one way to reduce the time spent in line and what not