Anyone know why it's so busy right now?

[DISfirstTimer]

First Time at MK today and we got everything we wanted to get done today but Dumbo! This included getting there 1.5 hour later then planned, Dinner at Ohanas, and giving kids time on beach. Hope to finish everything else on Thursday

 

[hllb]

I think it sounds like you did a lot. What time did you do Navi and what time did you eat at th?

We arrived about 8:20 or 8:25 on a 9 am opening. We entered Navi standby about 8:35. Walked off at 8:45. Then joined the rope drop crowd for Everest (very small lol). They had a delayed start today for some reason. Rode that in maybe 15 minutes. Then shopped for a hoody and headed back for our FoP FP. Breakfast at TH was at 10:30. It worked quite well.

 

[Haley R]

We arrived about 8:20 or 8:25 on a 9 am opening. We entered Navi standby about 8:35. Walked off at 8:45. Then joined the rope drop crowd for Everest (very small lol). They had a delayed start today for some reason. Rode that in maybe 15 minutes. Then shopped for a hoody and headed back for our FoP FP. Breakfast at TH was at 10:30. It worked quite well.

I was thinking about rd (9 am) for Navi, go to the Safari, and then we have a FP for ee at 9:35. I have a th adr at 10:35 but our fop FP is at 10:50 so unless I can move the FP we will eat after fop at 11:25. Do you think we can do Navi and Safari before our ee FP?

 

[hllb]

I was thinking about rd (9 am) for Navi, go to the Safari, and then we have a FP for ee at 9:35. I have a th adr at 10:35 but our fop FP is at 10:50 so unless I can move the FP we will eat after fop at 11:25. Do you think we can do Navi and Safari before our ee FP?

That’ll be tight if you want to hit 9:35. You’d definitely make the window, just maybe not the start of it (assuming you’re at the park by 8:30). They won’t open Africa until 9 but you should be off Navi and in place for the real RD by then.

 

[Haley R]

That’ll be tight if you want to hit 9:35. You’d definitely make the window, just maybe not the start of it (assuming you’re at the park by 8:30). They won’t open Africa until 9 but you should be off Navi and in place for the real RD by then.

We will get to the park at least by 8 for the 9 am opening. I’m not planning on making ee by 9:35 but would like to get there pretty close to that time. Did you eat lunch at th?

 

[JessiMommy]

For those worried about your trips, it really hasn’t been horrible. With a good plan and FPs, it’s been perfectly enjoyable. And this is coming from someone who hates crowds and has only visited when crowd levels were 2-4 before. The only part that has been bad was walking around in AK today. Super crowded. We don’t wait in lines longer than 20 minutes or so either. Today we rode Everest 3 times, Primeval Whirl twice, Navi, FoP, and Dinosaur once. Saw Lion King, Nemo, and Rivers of Light. Ate at Tusker House and Satuli Canteen, and dug in the boneyard.

Agree with this. We arrived Sunday. We were at EPCOT yesterday (Monday), HS today (Tuesday) and back at EPCOT tonight (Tuesday) for EMH. It’s definitely more crowded than what we are used to but with rope drope and FP we are getting to do everything with no more than 30 minute waits. Most times even less waits. EPCOT EMH was great. Crowds thinned dramatically after 7 PM and kept getting lower all night. It was pretty cool out so maybe that’s why... Tomorrow is our AK day, we’ll see if our luck hold out.

 

[Luckysix]

We were at MK today. Predicted 4,actual 7. We’ve been to MK in Jan 2015 when CL 2/3 was the norm. Honestly, today wasn’t too bad. Perhaps it was our touring plan. There were definately more people, but we got to ride each of the headliners at least once. The lines moved quickly. There were quite a few tour groups. The height of the crowds was in Fantasyland and Adventureland during the afternoon. We had no problem getting extra FP.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

DAK yesterday was definitely busy. My family members kept commenting how different it was from this same week last year.

We arrived about 9:50am because they didn’t want to do the craziness of rope drop with their autistic 6 year old, which was fine because we pulled a DAS time for NRJ and had FP for FoP. Kiddo’s mom took him to Dinoland while his dad and I rode FoP twice since we were the only ones who wanted to do the ride. They came back when we were done and used our DAS for the boat ride, then saw the noon FOTLK with FP, did our Safari FP, took the kiddo to Rafiki’s for a bit, and then they left to go to Disney Springs for an early dinner. I went on Everest via a half-hour long(!!!) single rider line and then left to take an hour long nap in the lobby of AKL before my dinner reservation at Jiko.

We’re headed to Epcot today, and it’s my last day with them before I have to go back to work. We have a PPO Akershus ADR and Fastpass for kiddo’s favorite ride, “the fast blue car,” so I think we’ll manage...

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Agree with this. We arrived Sunday. We were at EPCOT yesterday (Monday), HS today (Tuesday) and back at EPCOT tonight (Tuesday) for EMH. It’s definitely more crowded than what we are used to but with rope drope and FP we are getting to do everything with no more than 30 minute waits. Most times even less waits. EPCOT EMH was great. Crowds thinned dramatically after 7 PM and kept getting lower all night. It was pretty cool out so maybe that’s why... Tomorrow is our AK day, we’ll see if our luck hold out.

All the parks were busier than predicted yesterday but Epcot had a lower crowd level than both MK and Ak even though it had EMHs.

 

[NicoleLarson]

Maybe it was just us but has anyone noticed higher than normal strollers? This was my main take away from the past couple of weekends. It seemed like all of the stroller parking was overflowing. I can't say it seemed like more strollers were in the walk ways but it did seem like the designated areas were completely full and people just started parking them wherever. So my guess is the word got out to preschool parents that Jan. is the best time to go??? Or due to lack of staffing no one was monitoring the stroller parking areas but they sure did look full

 

[hllb]

We will get to the park at least by 8 for the 9 am opening. I’m not planning on making ee by 9:35 but would like to get there pretty close to that time. Did you eat lunch at th?

We had breakfast at TH but lunch was out before we were done. If you’re just RDing Navi, you don’t need to be there by 8. 8:20 was perfectly fine, and like I said we had to wait until 9 for the rest of the park anyway.

 

[chicagoshannon]

We arrived about 8:20 or 8:25 on a 9 am opening. We entered Navi standby about 8:35. Walked off at 8:45. Then joined the rope drop crowd for Everest (very small lol). They had a delayed start today for some reason. Rode that in maybe 15 minutes. Then shopped for a hoody and headed back for our FoP FP. Breakfast at TH was at 10:30. It worked quite well.

This is our plan. Glad to hear it worked well.

 

[mab2012]

I’m wondering if I go the week before schools get spring break 19-23 will it be safe?

That's the week we are visiting. I am assuming it will be busy, but hopefully a bit better than the week prior (Texas and Ontario March break), or the week following (runs into Easter).

Disney has peak pricing in effect on single day tickets that week. And it is spring break in Central Florida, so presumably there will be lots of locals around.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Totally separate thought: I see AK was predicted at a 2 yesterday and ended up being a 7. As I mentioned earlier in the thread we were supposed to be there right now. I still wish we had been able to go, and I have no doubt we would have had a good trip, but we would have been bummed about the crowds.

I think the CL numbers for AK are just not worth looking at rift now. They are consistently way too low. Seems fair to assume with Pandora still being popular it’s pretty much always at least a 5. And yeah, it would be hard not to be a little disappointed about crowds.

 

[Haley R]

We had breakfast at TH but lunch was out before we were done. If you’re just RDing Navi, you don’t need to be there by 8. 8:20 was perfectly fine, and like I said we had to wait until 9 for the rest of the park anyway.

I meant did you try the lunch food? Sorry my question wasn’t worded right. We really don’t have to get there until 8:20 for a 9 am opening?

 

[hllb]

I meant did you try the lunch food? Sorry my question wasn’t worded right. We really don’t have to get there until 8:20 for a 9 am opening?

If you’re just going for Navi, that’s plenty early.

My husband and son tried lunch food. Son didn’t like the curry chicken. Husband liked what he had. We were seated maybe 10:40. Lunch started showing up around 11, but breakfast was still out when we left (just in the middle section - the leftovers)

 

[Haley R]

If you’re just going for Navi, that’s plenty early.

My husband and son tried lunch food. Son didn’t like the curry chicken. Husband liked what he had. We were seated maybe 10:40. Lunch started showing up around 11, but breakfast was still out when we left (just in the middle section - the leftovers)

Okay thanks! That helps knowing we won’t have to get there super early after our dah night. My husband has really gotten into curry lately so I think he will love the lunch. I’m still hoping I can move our FP for fop so we can eat at 10:35 instead of 11:25.

 

[LisaPisa]

We went 1/21-1/27. I just compared the predicted crowd with the actual crowd. Near double each day. We still had a blast, but it was disappointing and slow going!
MK 1/21 predicted level 4, actual was 7
DHS 1/22 predicted level 6, actual 8
AK 1/23 predicted level 3, was 6
EPCOT 1/24 predicted 1, was 6
DHS 1/25 predicted 4, was 7
AK 1/26 predicted 4, was 8

 

[WillowRain]

Maybe it was just us but has anyone noticed higher than normal strollers? This was my main take away from the past couple of weekends. It seemed like all of the stroller parking was overflowing. I can't say it seemed like more strollers were in the walk ways but it did seem like the designated areas were completely full and people just started parking them wherever. So my guess is the word got out to preschool parents that Jan. is the best time to go??? Or due to lack of staffing no one was monitoring the stroller parking areas but they sure did look full

You may be on to something there. I definitely felt like there were a TON of small children, mine included. And strollers were everywhere. I mean, they always are, but yes finding ours was sometimes difficult because there were so many and it had been moved. At the Land on a not so busy day, I think Wednesday the 17th, there were hundreds parked there, in the evening. So weird!

 

[hllb]

Was at HS today. It wasn’t bad. Wait times were decent, not too hard to navigate. It wasn’t the predicted 3 though. I’m guessing a 5.