Shocked with crowds last week.

[Aimeedyan]

I'm so sorry your trip was disappointing. I know what a downer it is to plan and plan, and invest tons of money and time, and it not live up to your expectations.

I've been fairly shocked at the crowds lately, too. When it's packed like that, just navigating becomes a challenge and it loses it's fun really fast. Long lines don't bother me as much as absolutely packed walkways and bottlenecks.

 

[FirstTimeDisneyVisit]

Sorry crowd levels weren't to your liking. Week after Labor Day is probably going to be the slowest time of the year, as you probably know from your experience. Many say there isn't a truly slow time of year anymore.

Also, Disney can do things with operations (e.g. shorter hours, fewer ride vehicles operating for certain attractions, etc.) that can make it feel "busier" in that wait times are higher than you'd expect. This effect can be compounded if there are technical issues with attractions.

SHHHHHHH That's when i go !

 

[MickeyWaffles]

It makes me sad they just shove more and move people in the parks. Its really not enjoyable anymore.

Can you explain this more? I am not trying to be snarky, I am honestly curious. How are they shoving more people into the parks? You chose to go at a time you normally wouldn’t, correct? These people may have done the same, looking for a lower crowd time.

I think so many people are on the hunt for the elusive slow time that crowds are getting spread throughout the year. Summer is busy but actually slower than it used to be.

It’s too bad the crowds put a damper on your trip.

People have different tolerance levels for crowds. We travel whenever our group of 10-12 can figure out a week we can all go. Sometimes it’s a holiday week. Sometimes it’s a slower time. Either way we enjoy the time with our family and enjoy the parks. When you say it isn’t enjoyable anymore due to crowds, it may not be for you. But if my choice was to go to WDW on the busiest day of the year or not at all, I’d still choose the busiest day of the year because we still have fun when we go on the busiest day of the year. Everyone is different.

 

[wdw4rfam]

I'm so sorry your trip was disappointing. I know what a downer it is to plan and plan, and invest tons of money and time, and it not live up to your expectations.

I've been fairly shocked at the crowds lately, too. When it's packed like that, just navigating becomes a challenge and it loses it's fun really fast. Long lines don't bother me as much as absolutely packed walkways and bottlenecks.

I agree. A lot of our enjoyment of Disney is just strolling around the parks- not really riding as much as enjoying being there and strolling. But when you can’t even walk- I’m out. Back to the resort I go. I just can’t handle the insane heat and humidity of September anymore, so if I can’t find a good time to go, I’m sad to say that may be the breaking point for me. We may need a break and try and find another vacation spot for a while. That makes me sad.

 

[Dug720]

We also had some major storms during hurricane season that caused cancellations, and I suspect a lot of people affected by those could not get vacation later in the year to go and/or have chosen NOT to go during hurricane season again. I'd think that enters into things as well.

 

[Claudia1]

We were also there Feb 1-5 and thought it was way more packed than expected. We noticed more non-English speaking guests than usual. Would there have been a reason for an up-tick in foreign guests?

 

[anniemae]

Unfortunately, this is the new Disney. There is no slow time anymore, just crowded and REALLY crowded. They are doing everything in their power to pack the parks. Promos, discounted dining, parties, cheer competitions, specials etc. They want it at full capacity all the time. We still enjoy going and will continue to go until it starts to feel like it isn't fun anymore. Nobody likes crowds, just look at all the threads on these boards i.e. "how slow is the first week of Dec? Which is slower, Oct or Sept? How is the third week of May for crowds? What is least crowded May or June?" and on and on.

I think the slowest time of the year is the week after Labor Day when all schools are back in session. Early May is also a very slow time.

 

[georgina]

I just arrived today and checked into All Star Sports. The CM said it was the first time in a while that they are not full, as lots of cheer people just left. Got to Epcot around 5 PM and it seemed relatively empty to me. Soarin had a 45 min wait when I used my FP around 6:45.

Going to AK tomorrow morning so I’ll see how that is.

 

[anniemae]

I just arrived today and checked into All Star Sports. The CM said it was the first time in a while that they are not full, as lots of cheer people just left. Got to Epcot around 5 PM and it seemed relatively empty to me. Soarin had a 45 min wait when I used my FP around 6:45.

Going to AK tomorrow morning so I’ll see how that is.

You may have lucked out and found a sweet spot for low crowds. Cheer people gone, and I think school vacations start up next week. Enjoy!

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I think the slowest time of the year is the week after Labor Day when all schools are back in session. Early May is also a very slow time.

Early May is not a ‘very slow time.’ Last year was 5-8s which is the same type crowd levels that everyone is saying has been horribly busy this Jan and Feb. Summer last year, which everyone has been saying was ‘slow’ was 6-9. I think expectations are playing a huge role in this. Summer people are saying ‘wow this is so slow’ because it’s less than what they’re used to. Jan and Feb folks are saying the same CLs are horribly busy. Wait times right for the most part look very normal and moderate to me since I’m used to May which is in the moderate category in my mind but probably super slow to Christmas folks.

I think a lot of it is what you’re used to.

 

[mcurran]

One thing to consider: this time of year water parks are closed which pushes crowds in park higher vs when you have gone after Labor Day.

 

[theone74733]

We were also there Feb 1-5 and thought it was way more packed than expected. We noticed more non-English speaking guests than usual. Would there have been a reason for an up-tick in foreign guests?

Right now it is the southern hemisphere's summer break so we saw a lot of families and groups from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, etc from our trip late January. There was even a few groups from Argentina that were celebrating their quinceanera. Also, the economy is picking up in a lot of South American countries. Remember that Brazil was going through a recession last year, but the economy is improving and the exchange rate is getting better vs the American dollar.

Similar to the US, more people have disposable income to spend on vacations than a few years ago.

I just arrived today and checked into All Star Sports. The CM said it was the first time in a while that they are not full, as lots of cheer people just left. Got to Epcot around 5 PM and it seemed relatively empty to me. Soarin had a 45 min wait when I used my FP around 6:45.

Going to AK tomorrow morning so I’ll see how that is.

When we were there in late January, the All Star Sports were pretty quiet and only got busier as cheer competitions started on Thursday/Friday. Food lines were non existent, but the bus lines were still packed. Unfortunately, just because the resorts are quiet doesn't mean the parks will be. A lot of families stay off site which adds a lot of people in the parks.

 

[anniemae]

Early May is not a ‘very slow time.’ Last year was 5-8s which is the same type crowd levels that everyone is saying has been horribly busy this Jan and Feb. Summer last year, which everyone has been saying was ‘slow’ was 6-9. I think expectations are playing a huge role in this. Summer people are saying ‘wow this is so slow’ because it’s less than what they’re used to. Jan and Feb folks are saying the same CLs are horribly busy. Wait times right for the most part look very normal and moderate to me since I’m used to May which is in the moderate category in my mind but probably super slow to Christmas folks.

I think a lot of it is what you’re used to.

I was absolutely shocked at the low wait times this past May. Things were like 15 to 30 minutes. People who were there were reporting that it was dead. I wish we could go in May.

 

[lovin'fl]

Can you explain this more? I am not trying to be snarky, I am honestly curious. How are they shoving more people into the parks? You chose to go at a time you normally wouldn’t, correct? These people may have done the same, looking for a lower crowd time.

I think so many people are on the hunt for the elusive slow time that crowds are getting spread throughout the year. Summer is busy but actually slower than it used to be.

It’s too bad the crowds put a damper on your trip.

People have different tolerance levels for crowds. We travel whenever our group of 10-12 can figure out a week we can all go. Sometimes it’s a holiday week. Sometimes it’s a slower time. Either way we enjoy the time with our family and enjoy the parks. When you say it isn’t enjoyable anymore due to crowds, it may not be for you. But if my choice was to go to WDW on the busiest day of the year or not at all, I’d still choose the busiest day of the year because we still have fun when we go on the busiest day of the year. Everyone is different.

The way they shove people in is by booking huge tour groups and sporting competitions and add race events and festivals and parties. More more more (money) is the mouse's motto.

Last year we went three times....Memorial weekend, first week October and the New Year's. They were all busy but the Oct trip was least busy, then Memorial weekend and the Dec 30-Jan 6 trip was awful crazy crowded even in the freezing cold and rain.

 

[HydroGuy]

The way they shove people in is by booking huge tour groups and sporting competitions and add race events and festivals and parties. More more more (money) is the mouse's motto.

You sound surprised by that. Disney is a "for profit" public company. That is what such companies are supposed to do. And anyone who has a 401k or current or future pension funds should be very glad about that.

Keeping their hotels and parks full? That is good business. And provides more jobs to folks, by the way.

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

I agree with early may .. we got tired of the parks the past few years so have been doing the DCL .. we do the parks before the cruise the first week of may and it has always been very manageable.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I was absolutely shocked at the low wait times this past May. Things were like 15 to 30 minutes. People who were there were reporting that it was dead. I wish we could go in May.

I’ve been the first week of May the last two years. It depends on which ride and which time. Yes, you can absolutely ride Space at 9:30 in the morning with a 30 min wait. Maybe even at 10. Not for much longer than that though. You can ride Dumbo in the middle of the afternoon for 20-30 mins. But you aren’t going to find Splash or Space or JC for 30 mins. Most will probably be about an hour. Which I think is very reasonable and to someone who saw lines of 5 hrs for Space at Christmas that is going to look absolutely dead. For someone hoping for walk ons, it’s not going to meet expectations. We have seen the CM carrying the end of the line stick at People Mover in May and on the other end of the spectrum we’ve seen TT at 45 mins in the afternoon (probably the lowest time we’ve seen for a headliner in the afternoon but still pretty awesome).

My point is not that May is bad. It absolutely isn’t. It’s a great time to go. Absolutely manageable parks and good weather. But the crowd levels last year, which are quantifiable, based on wait times, and freely available without a subscription at TP, show Mays crowds last year are very comparable to Jan this year. Many people seem very disappointed with the CL this Jan. If people have expectations that May is dead, and they’re not people who normally go at busy times, it may be just as disappointing at this Jan was for people. Like I said in my other posts, expectations play a big role in this.

 

[ArwenMarie]

It's all relative. Example....I still think late August is a great time to go (if you can deal with the weather!), but we have seen crowds tick up over the last year or two.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

I was absolutely shocked at the low wait times this past May. Things were like 15 to 30 minutes. People who were there were reporting that it was dead. I wish we could go in May.

We were there last May and I wouldn't call it "dead", but really more moderate. I agree with @PrincessWithABlaster , it's all a matter of perspective and what you are use to.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

The way they shove people in is by booking huge tour groups and sporting competitions and add race events and festivals and parties. More more more (money) is the mouse's motto.

Oh. The shoving comment seemed to imply to me something else like they are allowing more people in the parks than they should (not true.) I misunderstood.

Driving people into the parks with promotions should not be a surprise. Did anyone see the insane promotions they ran from after 9/11 through the economic downturn? Parks were slow despite those incredible deals. It took years to slowly bounce back. Then people started planning and spending more money on vacations again.

Disney is running deals like any business does, from your local corner boutique to big box store. Of course they want to make money. They’re a business.

I do not mind a full park, but I do expect my
guest experiences with customer service and CMs to be on par with Disney’s standards. Lots of people in the park or not.

Maybe I’m more accepting of their marketing tactics since I’m an “evil” PR/marketing person by trade .

You sound surprised by that. Disney is a "for profit" public company. That is what such companies are supposed to do. And anyone who has a 401k or current or future pension funds should be very glad about that.

Keeping their hotels and parks full? That is good business. And provides more jo to folks, by the way.

Exactly this!