Crowd Tracker on Touring Plans is bumming me out!

[Mammabruski]

Sigh... I signed up for the touring plans website, and have been receiving updates on my upcoming March trip. I am so glad and excited to be going, and we have a pretty good plan, but all our days have jumped in terms of crowd levels! We're going the last week in March and our days were all 4's through 7's. They are now all 9's and 10's. Parks that were recommended are now the parks not to visit. I know that with fastpass and my knowledge of the parks, along with the lines app, we'll be just fine, but it kind of bums me out that it's gonna be crazy... Well, we're lucky to be going! It's gonna rock no matter what!

[faline]

The busy spring break season is hard to predict. I wouldn't put too much stock in those predictions - you might find it as busy as you fear but it might also be a lot less busy than you expect.

[deedeenmickey]

I agree. I wouldn't worry too much about that. It's Disney World and you'll have a GREAT time. It is always crowded to a certain extent now. If you go in the least crowded times there are less show offerings and they cut back on employees and ride vehicles so it all evens out somewhat.

[retiredfigment]

Being the Pollyanna I am, I never worry about the crowds. Just think, if people didn't go to DW and crowds dip too much, they might close. Heaven forbid!!!

[Ruprect]

I wonder if the late Easter holiday is causing havoc with projections.

I know my kids' school normally has off the week before Easter but this year spring break is the last week of March.

[iloveokw]

You know the drill.....be there when the parks open and leave when it is too crowded. Come back in the evening.....How nice you have a GV at OKW....Have a great trip!

[AndrewJackson]

We vist WDW nearly every year in late March. We will be there March 19-25 this year.

It is usually crowded, but with the routine of arriving for rope drop, using fastpass, eating at "weird" times, we rarely stay in line for 30 minutes, and most rides are 15 minutes or less. It really is not that bad. Plus, the parks are open very late which helps.

[TinaAndGlenn]

Don't worry about what you cannot control-CROWDS! We are going at that same time. I think it will be busy, but not as busy as Easter or Christmas. You will be surprised at how well you can manage the crowds with a little planning & a lot of flexibilty. If you try to adhere to a strict touring schedule, you will miss out on a lot. Remember-you are on vacation!

[eandrsmom]

I'm having the same anxiety about crowds. When I booked six months ago for the first/second week in March, the crowd predictions were low. I checked them today, and they're 8 through 10. I know I shouldn't worry about what I can't control, but I'm hoping they are wrong.

[Melanie]

Crowds have been up all around since October or so. I think it may be a trend we're all going to have to get used to, at least for the near future.

[TinaAndGlenn]

I am hoping they are wrong too. I guess I do not believe the crowds will be that bad. With Spring Breaks all over the place, and Easter in late April the crowds will probably be moderate all month. We went the week after Easter a few years ago & it was VERY busy. But my Crazy hubby & I visited all 4 theme parks in 1 long, exhausting day! This year, we are planning on leisurly touring. Lets hope for LOW crowd levels!

[DreamFinder2]

Yep...just checked and the 14-16th is up to all 10s now, too. Not a big deal, though. My DW and I have been during spring break 'season' many times, and as long as you're smart about things, it's no biggie

[Crow]

I was looking at that too. 9&10s many days we will b there (March 16-23) Im wondering if i should change t park plans and reservations.

[Mousemates]

Crowd Tracker on Touring Plans is bumming me out!

Well I suppose one response would be to suggest not watching the crowd tracker so much ....but I can't make that suggestion since I too watch the crowd tracker before our trips. And (I hate to say it) but most of the time when we've watched it its either been fairly accurate or a little busier than projected. So you could well be dealing with "10s."

However, tens are very doable at Disney world (we have gone during the oober busy Christmas to NEW Year Week for the last four years) if you are disciplined in your approach to the parks and take full advantage of the perks of an on-property stay.

As others have suggested if you are going to get much riding in you really need to get there early (park opening) and go at it pretty hard until mid-morning to late morning at which point you can slow your pace a bit and use the fastpasses you will have hopefully accumulated along the way (trying to get one as soon as you can timewise).

We will usually leave the parks around one or two o'clock and head back to the resort for a swim and long nap. (that nap is important for us in what we tend to do that night)

We then head back to a park around five and pick up a fastpass (if there are any left for attractions we like). And casually pick and choose what we do...often choosing fastloading roads that can move lots of people through quickly...we watch parades and kind of take it easy until the crowds begin to thin out a bit...and then we go at the riding again real hard until park closing. (One thing to remember about "ten" days is that the parks tend to stay open quite late ---and the crowds really start to drop off after 11 or so).

Like I said we have used this approach on multiple occasions and it has worked well for us...we pretty much ride everything we want...but most of our riding is done before ten am and after 11PM...and that afternoon nap is important in order for us to pull this off now that we are in our mid forties.

[Checkers]

Sigh... I signed up for the touring plans website, and have been receiving updates on my upcoming March trip. I am so glad and excited to be going, and we have a pretty good plan, but all our days have jumped in terms of crowd levels! We're going the last week in March and our days were all 4's through 7's. They are now all 9's and 10's. Parks that were recommended are now the parks not to visit. I know that with fastpass and my knowledge of the parks, along with the lines app, we'll be just fine, but it kind of bums me out that it's gonna be crazy... Well, we're lucky to be going! It's gonna rock no matter what!

I have the same concerns as you, however, I really think that with Easter falling so late this year and it seems to be affecting Spring Break in many school districts, the crowds are going to be more spread out. If not, and TP is correct (we will be there 3/11-3/19) we are just going to adjust our plans. We also plan on taking more advantage of what our resort (OKW) has to offer. Have a great time!!

[MarkC]

I also check that site frequently, but its amazing how many times those numbers get changed, both up and down. The one thing they are usually accurate on is which park to avoid, which park is best that day, etc.

If you know how to attack the park and know what you want to do you'll be fine. Just make sure you are at each park before opening.

[KennyandKim]

We started looking at this too. I am hoping it's accurate because on our vacation it's showing 1-3

[Crow]

the trouble is getting to the parks early as we both are more night people. she will have more problems than me i think. ill keep an eye on predictions