Just back from WDW yesterday and crowds seemed low......

[mrmcgiv]

We arrived last Wed 8/11 and started at MK on thurs. Crowds seemed low. We arrived at MK at 8:30 thurs 8/12 and had most every thing done (other than a few things we saved for later that eve) by 2:30. Maybe we just picked the right parks on the right days, or maybe it was a low crowd pocket of time. We arrived right befoire free dining. The crowds picked up a bit after free dining started but the ride lines were still not bad. The headliner rides had long waits, but with wise use of fast pass we literally waited in NO LINES all week except a short line on star tours. We did have to wait 10 mins or so w/ use of some fast passes on rides like soarin' and TSM. We did try to arrive early most days, which helped. Also for illumination, Block party bash, and MK parades and fireworks we walked up 5-15 mins before showtime and had perect front row seats! It was less crowded than our May 2007 trip and at times less crowded than our Dec 2008 trip! I was very pleasantly surprised!

It WAS very hot! But the heat was what it was, you went out and it felt like you were wrapped in a wet blanket - but once you got used to that it was not as bad as I expected. I feared the heat and crowds and found both to be very managable!! I would not hesitate to go back in aug again.

These were our park days
Thurs MK
Fri DHS
Sat epcot
sun - rest
mon - epcot
tues - DHS (this was the most crowded day and fantasmic was crazy-first show full by 9)
wed - AK
Thurs - mk (AGAIN low crowds)

We did a split stay at AKl for 5 nights, then AS sports for 3 nights. The only overwhelming crowd was at the movie at the pool at AS music( we walked over there) on our final night Wed 8/18. It was crazy there, overflowing with kids who were a little wild and seemed unsupervised. We left and went to the main pool at sports and even with no movie that was packed too - kids canon balling into the pool w/o watching. It was sop bad we had to leave and I was annoyed that we rushed back from Ak to have a last pool night and it was a complete bust. I was pleasanty suprised by our stay at Sports other than our visit to the pool that night!

[marlyn]

This is great to know since I am leaving in a week! Thanks for the report!

[everyonesmadhere]

I guess it's because it's back to school, and the ticket prices went uppppp. When I was there in June, I noticed that you could wait 2 hours for one ride, and than a really popular ride like EE was only 5 minutes!

[disneykid99]

Thanks for the great report. It made me get even more excited about our up coming trip in Oct.

[BellesRose]

Going in a couple of weeks...definitely feel like dancing now! Of course, I don't expect it to be that low when I go, but I can always dream...

[LudwigVonDrake]

Good for you! When I was in WDW in early July it was not crowded for the few days and then the Brazilian tour groups showed up

[Melanie]

Every day of our trip the first week of August we commented on the crowds not being bad, and were sure they would pick up the next day. They never did.

[Dsnygirl]

Thanks for the report -- we're going next August, and I've been assuming the crowds will be a bit higher than usual b/c of free dining, but maybe we'll get lucky! And I'm also glad to hear the heat was tolerable as you got used to it... that's what we found last October, when it was unseasonably hot the end of the month. I told my DD's that we're just going to go out and do things outside next summer every day it's really hot out, just so they get used to it before we go....