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K8screen
10-21-2013, 10:40 AM
I am currently in line for RnRC on what will be my last EVER trip to WDW. For those of us who cannot afford to stay on property the lines in all the parks without FP+ are horrendous. I have visited many times including July 4th last year and never experienced wait times like this. Today we got into DHS at 8.55 and ran to TSM. The FP return was already 2.45 and standby wait 65 mins. So far we have been in this line for 45 mins and are still not in the building. Epcot and MK were the same.If you are lucky enough to be able to afford on property stays FP + is great. If you can't afford it, then stay at home. I will.

AgentC
10-21-2013, 11:22 AM
I'm sorry you are having a bad time. I'm not sure how much is Fast Pass+ and how much is the above average crowds that WDW seem to be generating this week.

If you are able too, you might want to try to go to a different park. Right now (11:30) wait times seem to be much better at MK and AK than DHS and Epcot.

MississippiDisneyFreak
10-21-2013, 11:23 AM
I'm afraid that's going to be the trend

PopPhan
10-21-2013, 12:09 PM
I am currently in line for RnRC on what will be my last EVER trip to WDW. For those of us who cannot afford to stay on property the lines in all the parks without FP+ are horrendous. I have visited many times including July 4th last year and never experienced wait times like this. Today we got into DHS at 8.55 and ran to TSM. The FP return was already 2.45 and standby wait 65 mins. So far we have been in this line for 45 mins and are still not in the building. Epcot and MK were the same.If you are lucky enough to be able to afford on property stays FP + is great. If you can't afford it, then stay at home. I will.

FP+ WILL be available to anyone visiting WDW. It is only in this, the test phase, that FP+ is only available to select few by invitation.

I understand your frustration with this phase, but when the full roll-out comes, I think you will find that the lines will actually get smaller. My reasoning is that if you only have 3 FP+ selections available per day and only in one park, people will need to be more diligent on what attractions they select.

disney obsessed
10-21-2013, 12:25 PM
I was there the 6th-11th and it was far more crowded than I expected.

Christine
10-21-2013, 12:54 PM
It is extremely crowded right now. Like New Year's Eve crowded. I'm very sorry your trip is causing you such stress. I really feel badly for folks there on vacation right now. Especially those not in the FP+ test group.
I hope you are able to find some magic in the remainder of your trip.

Aurora
10-21-2013, 01:02 PM
I looked online this morning and saw the wait times for rides. Also saw that MK has extra magic hours until 2 a.m. tonight. For them to have regular hours until midnight means that there are A LOT of people there today.

ibelieveindisneymagic
10-21-2013, 01:52 PM
I'm sorry it is so crazy!

Wait times at DHS seem to get out of whack so quickly ... I think 'cause the "big ones" draw such crowds.

disneymom15
10-21-2013, 02:05 PM
What's the reason for the extremely busy parks.

#1donaldfan
10-21-2013, 02:15 PM
Been there and done those wait times !! Not fun, but I go in knowing we may have to wait long times if our FP's have run out !!:mickey:

Reedy Creek Buccaneer
10-21-2013, 02:27 PM
I am currently in line for RnRC on what will be my last EVER trip to WDW. For those of us who cannot afford to stay on property the lines in all the parks without FP+ are horrendous. I have visited many times including July 4th last year and never experienced wait times like this. Today we got into DHS at 8.55 and ran to TSM. The FP return was already 2.45 and standby wait 65 mins. So far we have been in this line for 45 mins and are still not in the building. Epcot and MK were the same.If you are lucky enough to be able to afford on property stays FP + is great. If you can't afford it, then stay at home. I will.

Always Fastpass TSM, then ride RNRC and ToT.

Hammer
10-21-2013, 02:37 PM
I was there the 6th-11th and it was far more crowded than I expected.

I was there during the same time frame and noticed it was much more crowded than we expected. It wasn't just because of the Gartner conference either. I've been there during that conference and crowds were never that heavy because of it.


What's the reason for the extremely busy parks.

Wish I knew! I go to Food and Wine at about the same time every year, only go to Food and Wine kiosks during the week, and this was the most crowded I've ever seen it!

AgentC
10-21-2013, 03:08 PM
I was there during the same time frame and noticed it was much more crowded than we expected. It wasn't just because of the Gartner conference either. I've been there during that conference and crowds were never that heavy because of it.

Wish I knew! I go to Food and Wine at about the same time every year, only go to Food and Wine kiosks during the week, and this was the most crowded I've ever seen it!

I agree with Christine. I was there from the 11th-13th. I knew it would be busy since it was Food & Wine and Columbus Day weekend but it was way busier than I expected. We went to Magic Kingdom on the 13th and left at noon because it was so crowded. I thought it would calm down a bit after the Monday holiday but I have seen pictures of really big crowds for the last week.

I think maybe some of it is the Halloween activities at all the parks (not just Disney) have gotten huge.

I have no idea if it is a factor but Disney has been doing a ton of TV advertising in FL highlighting you can buy a seasonal pass for $19 a month.

K8screen- I hope your day has gotten better!

Gator
10-21-2013, 03:34 PM
It's the Halloween stuff, I'm sure. For some reason, it's becoming as popular as Christmastime. And with all the parties going on, plus the F&WF, it's going to be busier than usual. Probably doesn't help that it feels like summer there, too.

Melanie
10-21-2013, 03:35 PM
I know some Tampa area schools are out today. Could be reason for the spike today only. So sorry it's miserably crowded. I'm not liking what I've been hearing lately. :(

MNNHFLTX
10-21-2013, 03:59 PM
A lot more schools are having "Fall Break" now, usually in October. This is also true of schools overseas in the UK and other parts of Europe. That could account for part of it. That and the Food and Wine festival, of course.

Middle of the Map
10-21-2013, 05:06 PM
Crowds and long waits are the reasons why I don't go in the summer or around holidays and special events.

Try booking in the off-season if you can. I hope you'll give Disney another chance.

mickclub1955
10-21-2013, 05:26 PM
Isn't Jersey week sometime in October as well because of fall break?

faline
10-21-2013, 05:39 PM
Try booking in the off-season if you can. I hope you'll give Disney another chance.

I'm not sure there is an off-season any more. January used to be very quiet. Between the marathons and the tour groups, that does not appear to be the case any longer. October - particularly around this time - used to be a dream time to visit with low crowds and pleasant weather. With the food & wine festival plus the Halloween parties, that no longer appears to be true. Late August, though hot, used to be a good time to visit as schools were going back into session. We were there in late August this year and the crowds were much higher than expected. Sooooooo.....when is off-season??

faline
10-21-2013, 05:40 PM
Isn't Jersey week sometime in October as well because of fall break?

Jersey week is in November - right around Veterans Day.

K8screen
10-21-2013, 06:41 PM
Sorry about my rant to start this thread. We are now sitting waiting for Fantasmic having done pretty much everything, though repeat rides were just not possible except single rider for RnRC. We are having a good time, but I agree there is no such thing as off season anymore. Thanks for listening.

AndrewJackson
10-21-2013, 06:50 PM
A lot more schools are having "Fall Break" now, usually in October. This is also true of schools overseas in the UK and other parts of Europe. That could account for part of it. That and the Food and Wine festival, of course.

A lot of schools in my area are doing a "balanced calendar". This means they start in early August, the get a 2 week break in October, December, and March.

d_m_n_n
10-21-2013, 07:57 PM
A lot of schools in my area are doing a "balanced calendar". This means they start in early August, the get a 2 week break in October, December, and March.

Our schools just started this last year. Fall break was last week and it seemed like everybody went to Disney this year.

clarkee
10-21-2013, 08:03 PM
As a regular Disney vacationer, (we usually go in the summer) we were so pleasantly surprised with the low volume crowds when we went this year during the first week of October. I anticipated high crowds for Halloween activities and Food and Wine. This was not the case. We went to all of the parks and other than on our last day, none of them were busy at all. We found that for the most part, our fast passes were a waste. We were part of the Fast Pass + test but did not use them most of the time because it was walk on to most rides.

I don't know if a week or two really makes that much of a difference but we loved it. The waterparks had no line either and the weather was fabulous. I am sorry to hear you are having a hard time with lines but for us I would go again in October any year.

wiltsan
10-22-2013, 08:50 AM
Will arrive at WDW on 10/25 after a three year break from fall trips (attending instead for Flowerfest in Spring). We went last March and crowds were ridiculous -- though, it was not good planning on our part because of spring break. Never again in March.

Was hoping to return to fall trip with lower crowds but looking like that will not be the case. Wait times at MK yesterday were really high (why?) and of course for Soarin and TSM.

I agree that there doesn't seem to be an off season anymore. We used to find late October and early November to be great even with MNSSHP and F&W - at times could even walk around WS without passing another person for two countries.

With park and resort prices being so high we are always amazed at how people can afford the trips. Someone once commented that it is the free dining that has drawn more folks/crowded ?

It is correct that Jersey week is in November.

VWL Mom
10-22-2013, 09:20 AM
It is correct that Jersey week is in November.

Folks will start arriving Nov 2nd with a second batch arriving Nov 6th. The NJEA dates this year are Nov 7 & 8, some schools are also closed on Nov 5.

waymickey
10-22-2013, 09:58 AM
Folks will start arriving Nov 2nd with a second batch arriving Nov 6th. The NJEA dates this year are Nov 7 & 8, some schools are also closed on Nov 5.

And some schools are not getting off at all for the NJEA conference in jersey and instead getting a week at Thanksgiving as a fall break. I am a teacher and my district planned the calendar very different this year after last years storm.

I agree there is no off season at Disney anymore and have looked into doing a cruise instead. I love Disney and will look to do a Disney cruise. No lines, no Fastpass+, great shows, great food and Mickey too!

K8screen
10-22-2013, 06:36 PM
Today we were at Universal. The lines were almost nonexistent. Most rides were walk on. Rip ride rocket was 15 min maximum. This makes no sense.

DisneyDawgette
10-22-2013, 07:58 PM
As a teacher in Georgia, I can vouch that a great deal of counties here are out for break! Wish mine was!

But I was there about two weeks ago (and returning in 9 days), and crowds seemed rough in certain parks but not others. MK was basically deserted, but EPCOT got rough around dinner time because of F&W. Having an app that tells wait times helps to plan your day a little better and alleviate stress. We got to the parks later and just grabbed FPs for the evening while riding more trivial stuff during he day. :)

Aurora
10-22-2013, 10:16 PM
Today we were at Universal. The lines were almost nonexistent. Most rides were walk on. Rip ride rocket was 15 min maximum. This makes no sense.

I have three kids in three different schools this year. Only two were off of school for the actual Columbus Day holiday; the third was off yesterday. Besides the major holidays and breaks (Labor Day, Christmas, Easter, etc.), the only common day off all three of them have this year is Martin Luther King Day.

My point is that schools nowadays make their own rules regarding their days off, so there could have been a whole lot of families going to Disney if their kids had a day off Monday. We used to do long-weekend trips if we knew the kids had one of the days off of school. Willy-nilly school schedules and days off throughout the year make predicting crowd levels a lot harder.

Faver
10-23-2013, 02:31 PM
Crowds and long waits are the reasons why I don't go in the summer or around holidays and special events.

Try booking in the off-season if you can. I hope you'll give Disney another chance.

I remember when THIS time of year WAS the office season.... oh well. I guess they'll always be January! :confused:

GoBlueLacheta
10-23-2013, 02:48 PM
We are cycling through Fall Breaks right now in Tennessee. Some districts are off an entire week. Kinda crazy. Many went to DW last minute.

Bass T-bone
10-24-2013, 07:31 AM
Could it be the fault of the new fast pass system, and not what "seems" to be a "crowded" park?

Lindsey
10-25-2013, 04:03 PM
Could it be the fault of the new fast pass system, and not what "seems" to be a "crowded" park?

No, it really is crowded. I was there last week, my husband and I were trying to do the Pirate Treasure Hunt in Adventure land, but it was so crowded we decided to leave. We didn't care about the wait time for rides, we didn't plan on going on any, but it was difficult just to walk around the park. We gave up on the Treasure Hunt, (whenever we got to a Treasure location there was at least 3 or 4 people ahead of us in line), we decided to just go back to AKL and have dinner.

I don't think we will be going back in October anymore, which is too bad because we really enjoy the Food & Wine Festival.

angua85
10-25-2013, 06:43 PM
Agreed. We just came back (Oct 18 - 24) and it was packed. Normally we go at slower times, but picked this week to accommodate my daughter's work schedule. It was hard to move around. Lines for everything were long- even Haunted Mansion, which we've always just walked onto.

Wristbands were a major pain- they were not scanning and took people extra time to go through as they had to scan and re-scan and then call over help to reset the wristband.

Long lines at the resort - I do online check-in but the actual check-in process took 45 min to accommodate the fool magic bands. Long lines at the concierge desk and guest services in the parks. Just a mess overall.

Mrs Bus Driver
10-27-2013, 06:45 AM
These days many school districts have a fall break, so I can see many people opting for a vacation with their kids when it is cooler. I recently moved from Arizona where the schools were off for 2 weeks every October. Used to go to DL every Oct until it got to crowded. Now if you want low crowds you need to pay attention to school breaks.

brownie
10-27-2013, 07:35 AM
That's sort of normal for Toy Story Mania. If I remember correctly, the posted wait time only reflects the wait from inside the building. The wait time is an estimate based on the cards they hand out to guests, and it may not reflect the current waiting time you'll experience. For Hollywood Studios and Toy Story Mania, you really want to get to the park at least 30 minutes before it opens so you can get in; those Fastpasses go fast.

I think Fastpass+ is still in testing and not available to everyone. So even if you're staying on property, you won't necessarily have that option.

Sorry you're having a hard time with the waits. That seems to be the way things are going these days at Walt Disney World.

Daisy'sMom
10-27-2013, 11:12 AM
The past few times we have been there ( sept& Oct),we were disappointed with the fast passes. We would have had to wait five and six hours in order to use them. The regular lines were terrible. DH and I are rethinking renewals on our APs if this is to be the norm. Disney is better than this and we feel APs are being treated like stepchildren. WDW has really dropped the ball in this and several other areas in the past year.

WiltonJohn
10-27-2013, 10:12 PM
Amazing how preceptions are reality.

I was just there Monday October 21 thru Friday Octrober 25th and though the parks were NOT that crowded in general...... other than World Showcase at Epcot.

But all past Disney experiences have been in August.

best,

..................john

Middle of the Map
10-28-2013, 11:52 PM
I'm not sure there is an off-season any more. January used to be very quiet. Between the marathons and the tour groups, that does not appear to be the case any longer. October - particularly around this time - used to be a dream time to visit with low crowds and pleasant weather. With the food & wine festival plus the Halloween parties, that no longer appears to be true. Late August, though hot, used to be a good time to visit as schools were going back into session. We were there in late August this year and the crowds were much higher than expected. Sooooooo.....when is off-season??

Hmmm....apparently the off-season is never.
And that stinks.

azcavalier
10-29-2013, 09:14 AM
We were there for nine days at the end of August, leaving on Labor Day. It was great. Not crowded at all, including the water parks. We had a great time (though it was unseasonably cool...bonus!). We've always gone in October/November/December, and even during the Food & Wine Festival it was not too crowded, except on Weekends. During the week it was awesome.

We've also been in April, and never had bad crowds or lines. The next time we go, we're thinking about trying January out. We hear that is the true offseason.

Melanie
10-29-2013, 10:29 AM
The next time we go, we're thinking about trying January out. We hear that is the true offseason.

Not anymore. :/

arm00leg
10-29-2013, 01:29 PM
I would not recommend January. We went once, never again. While the weather was great - the parks are taken over by the tour groups from Brazil. We too are trying figure out a better time to attend when the crowds are less (if possible). We have done end of Oct. beginning of Nov. and the weather was amazing then. It was crowded but we expected that for Food & Wine (which was great fun). Don't know what time of year to try next, we don't like the super hot times of the year so it narrows it down. Hmm, boils down to luck maybe?

DisneyFan1979
10-30-2013, 11:46 AM
I was in WDW Sept 19-25th this year--right up to the day before Epcot Food & Wine started. I found the crowd levels to be fairly low. Although there were still school-age children--regardless of school vacations, some parents seem to not think twice about taking their children out of school at any time.

To some extent whether each visitor considers it "crowded" depends on the individual person--what times they tour the parks, what they expect to get accomplished in one day, etc. Since I go regularly, when I'm visiting at a busy time I dial down my expectations as to how many rides I'll go on and instead focus on the experience and the special goings-on. For example, on a Christmas visit we skipped the parks entirely on Christmas Day and enjoyed a leisurely visit to the MK resorts to see the holiday decor and have a quiet Christmas lunch at Kona Cafe. It was the best Christmas ever! On the other hand, I've braved Epcot for NYE twice and the experience has been amazing--I didn't expect to do a lot of rides but instead just enjoyed the experience: the dancing, the music, peoplewatching, and of course the amazing fireworks.

azcavalier
10-30-2013, 04:03 PM
Although there were still school-age children--regardless of school vacations, some parents seem to not think twice about taking their children out of school at any time.

We take our kids out. I just don't see how missing one week of school in the 4th grade (or 8th grade, or, quite frankly, high school) is going to affect their life or learning in the long run. But the memories made with family...the fun, the relationship building...will last forever.

tink'72
10-30-2013, 04:26 PM
We take our kids out. I just don't see how missing one week of school in the 4th grade (or 8th grade, or, quite frankly, high school) is going to affect their life or learning in the long run. But the memories made with family...the fun, the relationship building...will last forever.


:ditto::ditto:

DisneyFan1979
10-31-2013, 03:02 PM
:ditto::ditto:

I am the daughter of an elementary school teacher and growing up I saw first hand what a burden it was on the teacher to have to catch up students who miss a whole week of school--hours spent with the child after school, missed tests, and the like. What if a key concept was taught that week?

A day or two tacked on to the beginning or end of a school vacation week or holiday weekend is one thing but I respectfully disagree with those parents who believe it's OK to take their children out of school for a whole week. I had perfectly happy vacations at Disney growing up during the months of July and August with the rest of the crowds. My parents put a priority on school and I'm thankful to them for it.

baldburke
10-31-2013, 03:14 PM
Why are people complaing about a lack of a slow season? Disney is a comapny just like anyone else. They don't want their assets sitting idle and not earning a return. They key for Disney is to be able to keep people moving so they feel they are getting their moeny's worth and to keep that Disney experience in tact. Maybe FastPass+ will be the key to that? They've said it is just in trail phase, but maybe it would get to a point where you could have up a dozen FastPasses in a day or perhaps be usable at multiple parks. Yes, it's not the Disney that it was 20, 30 or 40 years ago, but they're still the best!

Susan A
11-02-2013, 10:51 AM
We were there from the 18th to 25th and it was the busiest October I had ever seen.

Also, the free dining offer that we took advantage of began on the 18th.

We're not sure is well do October again...

By the way, AVOID the Magic Kingdom during extra evening hours!!!! Monday was packed! It was very difficult to leave the park after the electric parade. :crowd

Simba's Mom
11-02-2013, 01:25 PM
We were there from the 18th to 25th and it was the busiest October I had ever seen.

Also, the free dining offer that we took advantage of began on the 18th.

We're not sure is well do October again...

By the way, AVOID the Magic Kingdom during extra evening hours!!!! Monday was packed! It was very difficult to leave the park after the electric parade. :crowd

I'm another one about to give up on October. We were there 10/15-10/25, for the 6th mid-October in a row. Every year has gotten busier and busier, until this year was virtually impossible. We did all the touring plans, avoiding the "busiest" park and avoiding weekends at the F&W. But it was still unbelievably crowded!

Lindsey310
11-02-2013, 03:55 PM
I am currently in line for RnRC on what will be my last EVER trip to WDW. For those of us who cannot afford to stay on property the lines in all the parks without FP+ are horrendous. I have visited many times including July 4th last year and never experienced wait times like this. Today we got into DHS at 8.55 and ran to TSM. The FP return was already 2.45 and standby wait 65 mins. So far we have been in this line for 45 mins and are still not in the building. Epcot and MK were the same.If you are lucky enough to be able to afford on property stays FP + is great. If you can't afford it, then stay at home. I will.

This is precisely the reason that I'm not loving FPP. My husband, parents and myself went into epcot and at 9:20 the FP for SOARIN were GONE!!!! The test track FP was for 6:55-7:55 that night and it was 9:35! Insane!!!!

98 days!!!!! :mickey:

epceddie
11-05-2013, 01:08 PM
I have no idea if it is a factor but Disney has been doing a ton of TV advertising in FL highlighting you can buy a seasonal pass for $19 a month.

We were told by a lot of people that these seasonal passes referenced to above, were running out and everybody was flocking to the parks to use them before they expired.
We love going in October and we were just there from the 15th through the 23rd. It was a LOT more crowded than past trips. We went to a MNSSHP on Thursday, Oct. 17 and it was sold out! That had never happened in the past and I think it's a sign that Disney is just getting bigger and bigger and bigger. Just read that the first Christmas party on Nov. 8 is already sold out. I think crowds are only going to get bigger from here on out, because Disney does a great job marketing and advertising and they've been concentrating on reaching out to Florida residents and filling the parks in what have been somewhat slower months in the past.

Aurora
11-05-2013, 01:43 PM
We were told by a lot of people that these seasonal passes referenced to above, were running out and everybody was flocking to the parks to use them before they expired.
We love going in October and we were just there from the 15th through the 23rd. It was a LOT more crowded than past trips. We went to a MNSSHP on Thursday, Oct. 17 and it was sold out! That had never happened in the past and I think it's a sign that Disney is just getting bigger and bigger and bigger. Just read that the first Christmas party on Nov. 8 is already sold out. I think crowds are only going to get bigger from here on out, because Disney does a great job marketing and advertising and they've been concentrating on reaching out to Florida residents and filling the parks in what have been somewhat slower months in the past.

As far as I know, Florida resident seasonal passes don't have any fall blockout dates, so there's no looming expiration date. The next blockout date period for seasonal passes doesn't start until Dec. 19, so that wouldn't explain the sudden uptick in crowd levels.

More likely is that their marketing is working to draw more Florida residents during the Food and Wine Festival and Halloween parties. And, of course, the economy is slowly getting better, so maybe all those people who postponed Disney trips have enough money to take them now.

AgentC
11-05-2013, 01:51 PM
As far as I know, Florida resident seasonal passes don't have any fall blockout dates, so there's no looming expiration date. The next blockout date period for seasonal passes doesn't start until Dec. 19, so that wouldn't explain the sudden uptick in crowd levels.

More likely is that their marketing is working to draw more Florida residents during the Food and Wine Festival and Halloween parties. And, of course, the economy is slowly getting better, so maybe all those people who postponed Disney trips have enough money to take them now.

You are correct. The seasonal does not have fall block out dates. There are occasionally special FL resident 3-4 day passes that do have an end date but I'm not sure if there have been any recently.

The seasonal FL pass ads have highly the low costs (19/month) and emphasize if you have been to Disney in awhile come see what's new.

Susan A
11-05-2013, 03:55 PM
The Christmas party starts on Nov 8th? No wonder the parks are so busy. I think more people than ever know about the special events. I remember when the food and wine festival was shorter in length and less crowded.

I was going to suggest the week or two between the end of the food festival and thanksgiving, but now I don't know. :confused:

SandmanGStefani24
11-05-2013, 11:58 PM
you have my sympathies to a point.

I love WDW so will deal with some minor headaches but also understand many more people besides myself want to see and experience it too.

That being said, I STILL have not been able to ride TSM. Something has to be done to fix this ride, either the queue area, making the ride longer to allow for more riders, something. There is no good reason why one ride has to wipe out its fastpass by noon or never have shorter than a 65 minute standby all day. I know there isn't a lot to do in the Studios, but the other rides and attractions seem to cope.

MNNHFLTX
11-06-2013, 06:51 AM
That being said, I STILL have not been able to ride TSM. Something has to be done to fix this ride, either the queue area, making the ride longer to allow for more riders, something. There is no good reason why one ride has to wipe out its fastpass by noon or never have shorter than a 65 minute standby all day. I know there isn't a lot to do in the Studios, but the other rides and attractions seem to cope.
Toy Story Mania is very doable with a little planning. Be at the park at opening (earlier, if you want to beat the long lines at the turnstiles) and head straight to TSM. Pick up a Fastpass first, then get in the standby line (which should be only 5-15 minutes at this point). That way you'll be able to ride it twice.

I understand your frustration, but TSM is just a very popular ride, especially given the fact that there is no height restriction as there is with many of the other rides at DHS. If you've never been on it, it's well-worth the effort of getting there early.

Kerry823
11-06-2013, 11:36 PM
Another issue I think that is impacting crowding at the parks during off season are the special parties at MK like MNSSHP. It was closed early 3 nights during the week we were there which forced other guests to the only park open which was generally EPCOT. Sadly, the park hours may say the park is open until midnight or 1 am but it was also a special event night. One a week is tolerable but when on a one week vacation, it is annoying to be excluded unless you pay extra for an already expensive vacation.

Hammer
11-07-2013, 12:57 AM
Toy Story Mania is very doable with a little planning. Be at the park at opening (earlier, if you want to beat the long lines at the turnstiles) and head straight to TSM. Pick up a Fastpass first, then get in the standby line (which should be only 5-15 minutes at this point). That way you'll be able to ride it twice.

I understand your frustration, but TSM is just a very popular ride, especially given the fact that there is no height restriction as there is with many of the other rides at DHS. If you've never been on it, it's well-worth the effort of getting there early.

I think the fact that you have to set an alarm on vacation just to be able to experience a ride is a bit crazy. For me and the rest of my family, one of the joys of any vacation is NOT having to set an alarm like we have to do every day for work. We are not morning people! That isn't any better to me than having to schedule a Fastpass using FP+. At least with FP+, I can choose to get the fastpass for later in the day. The few times I've ridden TSMM has been in the last hour of Evening EMH.

SandmanGStefani24
11-07-2013, 01:36 AM
agreed!

I think that the fact that one has to do any legwork to ride/experience something shows a very big flaw. only Everest and soarin come close to this, and even then pretty much anyone can see these without much effort. Everyone should get the chance to experience TSM, not just the ones who show up hours early and race straight to it once the gates open...

MNNHFLTX
11-07-2013, 09:43 AM
I think the fact that you have to set an alarm on vacation just to be able to experience a ride is a bit crazy. For me and the rest of my family, one of the joys of any vacation is NOT having to set an alarm like we have to do every day for work. We are not morning people! That isn't any better to me than having to schedule a Fastpass using FP+. At least with FP+, I can choose to get the fastpass for later in the day.

See, getting up early doesn't bother me one bit, Christine; I don't set alarms though (hate them!) I just naturally wake up and get going, as I'm a morning person. Disney, like many other vacation spots, is definitely one of those places where getting there early is an advantage. Much the same way as on our trip to France this past summer. If we wanted to avoid long lines to get into Notre Dame or Versailles we had to get going pretty early in the morning--just a fact of life. Did we get up early every single day? No, we did try to have some days that were more laid back. But if something was a must-see (and we wanted to make the most of our time), we got up early. It's the same at WDW. If a person can't get a later Fastpass+ time and they really want to experience a popular attraction, the choices are to either get up early or wait in a really long line, unfortunately.:unsure:

azcavalier
11-07-2013, 11:49 AM
I am the daughter of an elementary school teacher and growing up I saw first hand what a burden it was on the teacher to have to catch up students who miss a whole week of school--hours spent with the child after school, missed tests, and the like. What if a key concept was taught that week?

A day or two tacked on to the beginning or end of a school vacation week or holiday weekend is one thing but I respectfully disagree with those parents who believe it's OK to take their children out of school for a whole week. I had perfectly happy vacations at Disney growing up during the months of July and August with the rest of the crowds. My parents put a priority on school and I'm thankful to them for it.

And I was a High School teacher with a degree in education, and my mother-in-law was a teacher in an elementary school, and we both saw no problem with it. So we can respectfully disagree. I agree that it is much harder to take a high schooler out for a week, but not a young child in elementary school. I also believe that there is no problem in letting the teacher know well in advance, and have them let us know what they'll be covering while we're gone so that the child can do the work on vacation. After all, for us it's an 11 hour drive each way. You can get a lot of school work done in that time.

azcavalier
11-07-2013, 11:51 AM
I think the fact that you have to set an alarm on vacation just to be able to experience a ride is a bit crazy. For me and the rest of my family, one of the joys of any vacation is NOT having to set an alarm like we have to do every day for work. We are not morning people! That isn't any better to me than having to schedule a Fastpass using FP+. At least with FP+, I can choose to get the fastpass for later in the day. The few times I've ridden TSMM has been in the last hour of Evening EMH.

We'll have to respectfully disagree on this. You spend so much on a Disney vacation that it seems crazy to me to NOT set an alarm, so that you can get as much out of it as possible. I mean, if you want to sleep in, then stay home and sleep in. Why pay $$$ to sleep long hours in a hotel when you have the most amazing theme parks just outside the door, and for just a short period of time?

azcavalier
11-07-2013, 01:53 PM
We'll have to respectfully disagree on this. You spend so much on a Disney vacation that it seems crazy to me to NOT set an alarm, so that you can get as much out of it as possible. I mean, if you want to sleep in, then stay home and sleep in. Why pay $$$ to sleep long hours in a hotel when you have the most amazing theme parks just outside the door, and for just a short period of time?

Of course, this is just my (and my DW's) opinion, so it's worth exactly what you've paid for it. No offense intended.

Hammer
11-07-2013, 04:30 PM
See, getting up early doesn't bother me one bit, Christine; I don't set alarms though (hate them!) I just naturally wake up and get going, as I'm a morning person. Disney, like many other vacation spots, is definitely one of those places where getting there early is an advantage. Much the same way as on our trip to France this past summer. If we wanted to avoid long lines to get into Notre Dame or Versailles we had to get going pretty early in the morning--just a fact of life. Did we get up early every single day? No, we did try to have some days that were more laid back. But if something was a must-see (and we wanted to make the most of our time), we got up early. It's the same at WDW. If a person can't get a later Fastpass+ time and they really want to experience a popular attraction, the choices are to either get up early or wait in a really long line, unfortunately.:unsure:


We'll have to respectfully disagree on this. You spend so much on a Disney vacation that it seems crazy to me to NOT set an alarm, so that you can get as much out of it as possible. I mean, if you want to sleep in, then stay home and sleep in. Why pay $$$ to sleep long hours in a hotel when you have the most amazing theme parks just outside the door, and for just a short period of time?


Of course, this is just my (and my DW's) opinion, so it's worth exactly what you've paid for it. No offense intended.

No worries, I'm definitely not offended :). I am a firm believer that there is more than one way to look at things and I respect that people have differing opinions. The fact that this ideal is part of the fabric of America is what makes this such a great country! I have friends with many varied opinions and that's how I like it :thumbsup: .

I'm of the thought that there really isn't any great solution for dealing with WDW crowds. The best solution I've found that works for me and our family is using single rider lines when available.

Tekneek
11-09-2013, 01:56 PM
We just returned from a 9 day stay at WDW. Early on the crowd management was good, but it went downhill quickly. Disney seemed very slow to react to the increased crowds. Not to mention how the FP queue was longer than the standby queue for some attractions, which made those folks in standby wait a very long time while watching the FP line empty over and over.