Which park on a Saturday?

[DizMagic]

If you are spending a week at Disney, which park do you choose for a Saturday? We usually arrive on a Saturday morning, check into our resort and hit the parks by 11 or so. In the past we have gone to Hollywood Studios that first day, which is a Saturday, because it's a smaller park and also because it seems that when I look at which parks to avoid according to attendance, that Magic Kingdom is usually the one to avoid on a Saturday...and yet, Magic Kingdom is really the park we want to go to that first day. Do you ever ignore predictions and go to Magic Kingdom on Saturdays? What do you do?

[AgentC]

Generally Epcot is my go to park on Saturday. It usually has an extra magic evening on Fridays so it keeps the crowd a little light and it's big so it disperses crowds well.

DHS usually has morning EMH on Saturday so I don't tend to go there unless I am getting up early enough to make the EMH.

Saturdays are not my favorite day for the Magic Kingdom especially for a mid day arrival, but there are times I do it because if just works with our schedule. I find Magic Kingdom is very pleasant if you get there at open but mid day on a Saturday can be crowded.

The other thing that matters is time of year. If you are going at a quieter time of year, Saturday at Magic Kingdom might not be bad.

[MickeysBestPal]

Do you ever ignore predictions and go to Magic Kingdom on Saturdays? What do you do?

I never pay any attention to predictions in the first place.

I just look at the schedules and what I want to do.

Sat. at MK in most parts of the year feature the evening parade and fireworks.

Since the evening parade is not offered every night in the "slower" seasons, and we want to see it, we go to MK on Sat.

[Altair]

If your sole purpose is to avoid crowds, avoid MK on Saturday. If you want to see certain features you may not be able to avoid it.
If you can swing it, avoid all parks on Saturday and Sunday. :mickey:

[andypooh]

Our trips are usually for 8 nights from Saturday-Sunday. We usually arrive mid-day and get to the park around 3pm. We always go to the MK that first Saturday. I always say the same thing to my wife: "it seems really crowded." I then wonder if it will be more busy in the parks this trip and then as the week goes on I realize it was just showing up midday in the MK that made me feel it was so busy. So I would definitely agree it is really busy on Saturday afternoon in the MK. But it is tradition for us and we have DS4 and DS6 who really enjoy it so I expect we will keep doing it. We stay at BLT so it is convenient as well. And we know we have another 7+ days with lesser crowds afterwards

[CaptSmee]

If we arrive on a Saturday we will hit Hollywood studios or epcot. Neither park is usually too bad on a Saturday, but magic kingdom can be super busy

[tjstrike]

We usually go Saturday to Saturday and we always hit MK as our 1st park. It's a ... family tradition. :blush:

[MargaretMessler]

My vote would be for EPCOT or DHS. EPCOT because there's more room to spread out, so unless it's during an event like the F&GF, you're pretty good there. DHS because a lot of people say it's a half day park for them, so again, unless it's an event weekend like for Star Wars, you're ok.

Some parts of the year, you're gonna be crushed in a mob no matter which park you go to on a Saturday unless you're there first thing