Anyone know why it's so busy right now?

[Luckysix]

We were there the 15th thru the 21st. It was a madhouse from beginning to end. Foreigners everywhere clogging up the paths and fastpass lines. The bathrooms were absolutely disgusting (epcot especially). It is flu season and it is Inexcusable. There was more trash on the ground and thrown around than I have ever seen there. Cast members were lacking and lines for everything were long. We were there the January before and it was nothing like this. I still can’t figure it out. We had a terrible experience in our treehouse villa (Long story) and were given free fastpasses from the management there. If we wouldn’t have had those it would have been a miserable trip. Disney has some problems right now.

Ugh, I’m sorry this happened to you. We’re headed over in a couple of days. I’m excited and scared at the same time. The last time we went was exactly 3 years ago - the CL were so low.

 

[sdomino11]

LEaving Saturday and am starting to have anxiety about this trip that I've been planning for a year. I'm so disappointed to see the CL so off from predictions. I don't do well with crowds so if it gets anywhere close to looking the photos posted here I'll be back the resort. This is out 1st vacation and I've had to fight my husband for this trip so if we see crowd level of 8 it will probably be our last Good news is we great ADRs and FP for our must dos so at least we will be able to do all of that! Now if only I can get everyone up and moving in time for RD

I just wanted to reassure you. Yesterday’s actual crowd levels, according to Touring Plans, were 5-7s. Although higher than predicted for January, these levels are moderate in my opinion. They line up with the crowds we usually see during our trips in April and May. And I have never felt those trips to be over-crowded. And we never even rope drop. I think you’ll have a great trip with those crowd levels. I’ll be there soon and I’ll report back about how crowded it felt. Hope you enjoy your first vacation!

 

[Elle23]

The bathrooms were absolutely disgusting (epcot especially).

I was shocked by how bad the bathrooms were on our trip. It was so crazy, having just been 11 months earlier and everything was pristine. I can’t figure it out either. It’s like I was at Bizarro Disney or something.

 

[Tramp&TheLady]

Ugh, I’m sorry this happened to you. We’re headed over in a couple of days. I’m excited and scared at the same time. The last time we went was exactly 3 years ago - the CL were so low.

Hoping you have better luck than we did. I am excited for you. You will have fun no matter what. We still did even though we felt like sardines most of the time. I just hope disney can fix their issues. They know how to do it right. But like someone else said it feels like bizarro Disney world right now.

 

[LSUmiss]

Yeah, I was totally thrown by the Mardi Gras thing too. We didn't have flexibility in our dates this year, because we're meeting up with my dad who is in FL for another trip anyway and shoehorning us into his schedule. But when we first talked about it, I tossed out that "February before Presidents Day is usually pretty low crowds, let's do it!" And then later I checked TP and was floored by the predictions for that week.

I was under the impression that it's just schools in Louisiana that have an actual break for Mardi Gras, plus perhaps international tourists from some predominantly Catholic countries? But based on the crowd predictions it must be more widespread than that? Oh well, we're going anyway.

The reassuring thing to me from this thread is that our next chance to go is going to be mid-March next year, which I was not thrilled about because spring break (the entire province of Ontario will have that week off). But if this year is anything to go by it doesn't sound like crowds that week will be significantly worse than Mardi Gras. And we will have more park days on that trip to spread things out, and probably get to stay at a monorail resort, and be planned further ahead, etc. So I'm more optimistic about that one now! (Also that takes the pressure off for this trip, so win-win)

I think you might be underestimating how busy “just schools in Louisiana” being off can make it. Last yr, almost everyone we saw had on some kind of Louisiana shirt. I think it would normally be low to moderate but that influx pushes it to moderate to crowded. It’s also some parts of MS & Alabama that have off too. Plus this yr there is also a cheerleading competition the weekend before Mardi Gras. But, with FP+ & other strategies, we never find it to be that bad.

 

[LSUmiss]

We’ve always loved going during Mardis Gras. All the folks from Louisiana that come come to Disney to Escape it are generally awesome and fun!

I have to agree! Of course, I’m biased. But, we have always said, even though it’s crowded, the crowd tends to be a good one. I’ve been other crowded times where that didn’t seem to be the case.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I have to agree! Of course, I’m biased. But, we have always said, even though it’s crowded, the crowd tends to be a good one. I’ve been other crowded times where that didn’t seem to be the case.

I always love getting some "Who Dats" and "Geaux Tigers" while we are there. We won't ever go during Mardi Gras, just because we won't miss it. I'm sure it's a blast, though. I know a ton of people going this year.

 

[LSUmiss]

I always love getting some "Who Dats" and "Geaux Tigers" while we are there. We won't ever go during Mardi Gras, just because we won't miss it. I'm sure it's a blast, though. I know a ton of people going this year.

Lol! Me too! We usually do Mardi Gras big too, but last yr & this yr it was the only time we could go with family. So, we will go the first weekend of parades but miss the big weekend. But, we’ll still get some parade time. I actually prefer the first weekend b/c it gets so packed the 2nd weekend especially Bacchus Sunday. But, DH already told me “no WDW next Mardi Gras”. But I might squeeze in a quick trip & just leave on Ash Wed .

 

[mab2012]

Foreigners everywhere clogging up the paths and fastpass lines.

I'm going to assume you somehow didn't mean that the way it sounds. And if you did mean it the way it sounds, well... . Either way, sorry you had a bad trip.

 

[Magpie]

I'm going to assume you somehow didn't mean that the way it sounds. And if you did mean it the way it sounds, well... . Either way, sorry you had a bad trip.

Canadians! Canadians, everywhere!

 

[SaintsManiac]

Lol! Me too! We usually do Mardi Gras big too, but last yr & this yr it was the only time we could go with family. So, we will go the first weekend of parades but miss the big weekend. But, we’ll still get some parade time. I actually prefer the first weekend b/c it gets so packed the 2nd weekend especially Bacchus Sunday. But, DH already told me “no WDW next Mardi Gras”. But I might squeeze in a quick trip & just leave on Ash Wed .

I love first weekend, too. We go out all day long. Luckily we have a friend down on Magazine for MG weekend, so we skip Bacchus. Too freaking crowded. Crowd level 100

 

[LSUmiss]

I love first weekend, too. We go out all day long. Luckily we have a friend down on Magazine for MG weekend, so we skip Bacchus. Too freaking crowded. Crowd level 100

Lol! Us too. We go all weekend. My sister rides the first Fri night. We have a set up on St. Charles between 6&7th with family friends who rent an area so we have bathrooms & food etc. We never make it through all of Bacchus though, if we go, b/c we are exhausted. If you don’t get out there early, you end up parking on Magazine for St. Charles! So we are usually there at like 10am!

 

[mab2012]

The reassuring thing to me from this thread is that our next chance to go is going to be mid-March next year, which I was not thrilled about because spring break (the entire province of Ontario will have that week off). But if this year is anything to go by it doesn't sound like crowds that week will be significantly worse than Mardi Gras. And we will have more park days on that trip to spread things out, and probably get to stay at a monorail resort, and be planned further ahead, etc. So I'm more optimistic about that one now! (Also that takes the pressure off for this trip, so win-win)

Don't forget Nova Scotia (yes, they're tiny, but they like to leave for the same reason as Ontarians), Texas, and sometimes Florida. Still, it's usually not too bad that time of year. Busy, but not crazy. Last year was a notable exception, but that was probably at least partly weather related. It was quite cool, so I think people who otherwise might have been at the pool headed to the parks instead.

 

[WillowRain]

I was shocked by how bad the bathrooms were on our trip. It was so crazy, having just been 11 months earlier and everything was pristine. I can’t figure it out either. It’s like I was at Bizarro Disney or something.

Something that bothered me in most bathrooms was that the paper towel dispensers were so HIGH!!! Like I am 5 ft 1, I can barely reach it, how are my kids supposed to? So lets take our drippy hands, and walk over to this insanely tall paper dispenser, so now there is water all over the floor and dripping down my freezing cold arms. Really??? There were a few that had them on the counter, but then there was so much water everywhere you had to hold the towels out and pull while pumping so they didn't end up in the drink. The floors were disgusting, and pretty much 75% of the toilets I went into had pee on the seats....And the flush on those toilets, my daughter and I have issues with getting the protector down and sitting before they flush on us, so I kept getting some lovely cold bursts on my bum. It was not happy.

 

[Tramp&TheLady]

Something that bothered me in most bathrooms was that the paper towel dispensers were so HIGH!!! Like I am 5 ft 1, I can barely reach it, how are my kids supposed to? So lets take our drippy hands, and walk over to this insanely tall paper dispenser, so now there is water all over the floor and dripping down my freezing cold arms. Really??? There were a few that had them on the counter, but then there was so much water everywhere you had to hold the towels out and pull while pumping so they didn't end up in the drink. The floors were disgusting, and pretty much 75% of the toilets I went into had pee on the seats....And the flush on those toilets, my daughter and I have issues with getting the protector down and sitting before they flush on us, so I kept getting some lovely cold bursts on my bum. It was not happy.

yes the bathrooms were the worst I have ever seen. i had to do diaper changes on several occasions where the changing tables were disgusting. i always wipe them before i lay my daughter down. but, several times i removed unbelievable amounts of filth from the table using my wipe. i saw the same with the toilet seats. they were covered in urine and whatever else. i only saw one person cleaning the restrooms while i was there and i almost thanked that person since it was such a shock. what the heck is going on?

 

[anniemae]

yes the bathrooms were the worst I have ever seen. i had to do diaper changes on several occasions where the changing tables were disgusting. i always wipe them before i lay my daughter down. but, several times i removed unbelievable amounts of filth from the table using my wipe. i saw the same with the toilet seats. they were covered in urine and whatever else. i only saw one person cleaning the restrooms while i was there and i almost thanked that person since it was such a shock. what the heck is going on?

Less staff + More guests = more money

 

[WaterLinds]

I think you might be underestimating how busy “just schools in Louisiana” being off can make it. Last yr, almost everyone we saw had on some kind of Louisiana shirt. I think it would normally be low to moderate but that influx pushes it to moderate to crowded. It’s also some parts of MS & Alabama that have off too. Plus this yr there is also a cheerleading competition the weekend before Mardi Gras. But, with FP+ & other strategies, we never find it to be that bad.

That's entirely possible! My thinking was that for that week, it's a state with a population of under 5 million with no school, versus the week in March we are looking at, which is no school for probably 1/5 of the US plus the entire province of Ontario (13+ million people), never mind people from elsewhere. Obviously the Canadian visitor factor is reduced by geographical distance and the exchange rate, but I'd still assume that March week would be busier. TP has essentially the same crowd predictions for both weeks, though. (Mostly 7s)

Anyway, our brief visit this time should help us plan better to make the most of next year's hopeful March trip, if the crowds really are that similar! So I'll take that silver lining.

 

[LSUmiss]

That's entirely possible! My thinking was that for that week, it's a state with a population of under 5 million with no school, versus the week in March we are looking at, which is no school for probably 1/5 of the US plus the entire province of Ontario (13+ million people), never mind people from elsewhere. Obviously the Canadian visitor factor is reduced by geographical distance and the exchange rate, but I'd still assume that March week would be busier. TP has essentially the same crowd predictions for both weeks, though. (Mostly 7s)

Anyway, our brief visit this time should help us plan better to make the most of next year's hopeful March trip, if the crowds really are that similar! So I'll take that silver lining.

Yeah that makes sense, but I think it’s the proximity of LA to WDW so it’s an easy trip for most of us. Then not everyone in the country has spring break at the same time. But who knows!

 

[Action City]

Something that bothered me in most bathrooms was that the paper towel dispensers were so HIGH!!! Like I am 5 ft 1, I can barely reach it, how are my kids supposed to? So lets take our drippy hands, and walk over to this insanely tall paper dispenser, so now there is water all over the floor and dripping down my freezing cold arms. Really??? There were a few that had them on the counter, but then there was so much water everywhere you had to hold the towels out and pull while pumping so they didn't end up in the drink. The floors were disgusting, and pretty much 75% of the toilets I went into had pee on the seats....And the flush on those toilets, my daughter and I have issues with getting the protector down and sitting before they flush on us, so I kept getting some lovely cold bursts on my bum. It was not happy.

That was my exact thought in the bathroom by Canada in Epcot (on previous trips, too). If someone sent a kid in there, they would never be able to reach the paper towels. I'm 5'5 and had to reach UP to get paper towels, while the water ran down my arms.

 

[Elle23]

yes the bathrooms were the worst I have ever seen. i had to do diaper changes on several occasions where the changing tables were disgusting. i always wipe them before i lay my daughter down. but, several times i removed unbelievable amounts of filth from the table using my wipe. i saw the same with the toilet seats. they were covered in urine and whatever else. i only saw one person cleaning the restrooms while i was there and i almost thanked that person since it was such a shock. what the heck is going on?

I think during our 8 day trip I saw something cleaning the bathrooms twice.

And it’s not like the bathrooms were packed. I never waited in line for the bathrooms the whole time we were there.