dmallan
01-15-2008, 04:27 PM
Oops, I just realized I posted this in the wrong thread. Sorry!
Please feel free to move it.
We just returned from a week at the world and were very surprised at the crowds.
In the past we've scheduled our trips during the value season to avoid the large crowds, and have been very spoiled being able to walk on to most rides/attractions without a wait. In fact the last time we went, there was no need to use fastpass because there were no lines!
So, hearing that January is traditionally a low atendance month, we scheduled for the second week (actually, Tuesday the 8th to Monday the 13th). I knew that the marathon was that weekend, but most people here had said that the marathon doesn't really affect the crowds too much.
Well, I'm not sure what it was - probably a combination of things, but we weren't able to walk onto anything.
Now, don't get me wrong, the waits were not over an hour, and in most cases we were able to take advantage of fastpasses to make efficient use of our time, but it was not what I was expecting.
I spent the first three days of our trip saying "What is going on? Why is it so crowded?"
Eventually, I found out that 34,000 people ran the marathon and 1/2 marathon. Add to that family members that came along and that could account for quite a few additional people on property.
We also noticed that there were a great number of people from other countries. I was amazed at the number of people we passed who were not speaking English. I would guess about half of the people that we encountered, either on the walkways, on the bus, or waiting in line were from a foreign country. It was like the United Nations! It probably has alot to do with the favorable exchange rate.
There were also many large tour groups in the parks. One in particular was very obnoxious. We were in line behind them for BTMR and for 45 minutes they poked and slapped each other every time they passed in the queue - Adults as well as children. They were loud and obnoxious. We were glad to finally get on the ride.
Other than being overwhelmed by the number of people at the parks, it was a great trip. We got to see most of the attractions on our list, bus waits weren't too long (although buses were very crowded), magical express was fantastic, All Star Music was a great resort, and the dining all week long was outstanding!
One thing I was very disappointed in was the condition of the bathrooms. Some of them were disgusting. With constant use, they should be taken care of more often. Of course after my two cups of tea in the morning, I know where every bathroom is in every park! Many of them were acceptable, but others were :ack:
But all in all, a great trip.
Please feel free to move it.
We just returned from a week at the world and were very surprised at the crowds.
In the past we've scheduled our trips during the value season to avoid the large crowds, and have been very spoiled being able to walk on to most rides/attractions without a wait. In fact the last time we went, there was no need to use fastpass because there were no lines!
So, hearing that January is traditionally a low atendance month, we scheduled for the second week (actually, Tuesday the 8th to Monday the 13th). I knew that the marathon was that weekend, but most people here had said that the marathon doesn't really affect the crowds too much.
Well, I'm not sure what it was - probably a combination of things, but we weren't able to walk onto anything.
Now, don't get me wrong, the waits were not over an hour, and in most cases we were able to take advantage of fastpasses to make efficient use of our time, but it was not what I was expecting.
I spent the first three days of our trip saying "What is going on? Why is it so crowded?"
Eventually, I found out that 34,000 people ran the marathon and 1/2 marathon. Add to that family members that came along and that could account for quite a few additional people on property.
We also noticed that there were a great number of people from other countries. I was amazed at the number of people we passed who were not speaking English. I would guess about half of the people that we encountered, either on the walkways, on the bus, or waiting in line were from a foreign country. It was like the United Nations! It probably has alot to do with the favorable exchange rate.
There were also many large tour groups in the parks. One in particular was very obnoxious. We were in line behind them for BTMR and for 45 minutes they poked and slapped each other every time they passed in the queue - Adults as well as children. They were loud and obnoxious. We were glad to finally get on the ride.
Other than being overwhelmed by the number of people at the parks, it was a great trip. We got to see most of the attractions on our list, bus waits weren't too long (although buses were very crowded), magical express was fantastic, All Star Music was a great resort, and the dining all week long was outstanding!
One thing I was very disappointed in was the condition of the bathrooms. Some of them were disgusting. With constant use, they should be taken care of more often. Of course after my two cups of tea in the morning, I know where every bathroom is in every park! Many of them were acceptable, but others were :ack:
But all in all, a great trip.