Crowd Calendar Comparison

[Pookie9922]

We are going to WDW the week after Thanksgiving for our first trip. I had planned out our week based on some of the free crowd calendars and what works for us - generally avoiding EMH because we can probably rope drop, but EMH is pushing it for us. So I know enough to stay away from an EMH if we can't make the most of it.

Anyway, I finally splurged on a Touring Plans subscription and what I thought was going to be a low Epcot day is a 6! Everything else is a 2 or 3 for that day (and generally our whole week is 2-4). Kenny the Pirate has it as the best park for the day. I get the impression that TP is usually the most accurate, but that level is such a jump from everything else that week. Could it be off? Or what does TP take into account that other calendars might not? The only thing I can attribute to is that it's a Friday and MK is a party night.

 

[mesaboy2]

Comparing crowd calendars is not a good idea. Since all of them are in the business of predicting the future, none of them will agree. Ignore them completely, or choose one and don’t look back.

 

[Doug S]

I'm not sure why TP is being so aggressive with EP late November/early December. Might be that it's more trafficked during the holiday season due to the Candlelight Processional and other holiday-related stuff.

 

[gharter]

I look at crowd calendars, compare Touring Plans and kenny the pirate and then do what works for our schedule.While I look at them, I'm not sure they have ever really been helpful or accurate.

 

[kydisneyfans]

I get an idea of what park/ what day we are interested in, then check the UT and KTP calendars. Normally they are in the same ballpark with the thoughts, except a random Wednesday during October where Epcot was mobbed and it was a level 4 for the day. If more folks start going to parks based on these crowd calendars, they will be thrown off.

 

[tlmadden73]

Don't compare them .. ignore them. Plan your trip around when you can go and when you think it will be less crowded in general.
(For example, I am choosing to go mid-November because I can utilize a day off for Veterans Day, it isn't Thanksgiving week (where I assume it is crazy, etc.). Could I scour the crowd calendars and find the "perfect" week to go? Probably, but so is a lot of other people. It's probably why the months of October/November are probably more crowded than the summer months now .. crowd calendars have been saying for years now .. "Go in the fall"

When you have that planned, just plan your park days based on your preferences .. want to go to an EMH? Pick that day . .etc.

In my opinion they do nothing but stress you out .. "Why is Thursday an 8 for MK, but Epcot is only a 4? Should I switch my days?"

It WILL be crowded - plan accordingly. Want it less crowded? Go during the week and don't go around a major holiday.

While I feel they may have been useful at one time, only Disney knows how truly crowded it is going to be at any given park any given day simply based on the number of Fast Passes that are reserve for that park and that day. While the websites have historical data to choose from, that doesn't really mean anything for the future. (And why we see complaints on here about "I used to go during X month and it used to be not crowded .. now it is super crowded!"

 

[OneinThree]

I'm not sure why TP is being so aggressive with EP late November/early December.

We went the first week of December last year and were shocked at how busy it was. Sounds as though TP may have caught on to that trend.

It WILL be crowded

Anything from Thanksgiving week through New Years is crowded now. Look no further than complaints on the forums about no availability. Still, this goes for most of the year now. Rope dropping and making good use of FP+ plus refresh should help.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Kenny the Pirate always steers people away from a park that had EMH that morning. He`s very consistent about that. Now tell me how that can be wrong? If people started showing up an hour before rope drop, the park will be more crowded all day. Right??

 

[Frogmom6]

The DIS podcast has an excellent interview with a rep from Touring Plans (I believe from April). He describes in quite a bit of detail how they get their numbers. I don't know how other sources get their info but I doubt anyone has them beat as far as the number of variables they consider and sources for info.

 

[SarahC97]

As others have said, you really can't live or die by the crowd calendars. I've gone to WDW four times in the past year and I have come to the conclusion that there really is no slow time anymore. All the different times I've gone have had different predictions and truth be told, I didn't notice much difference in wait times or how crowded it felt in the parks (though I avoid Xmas and NYE like the plague). So, just go when it works for you, make FP+, have a touring plan, and then just have a great vacation!

 

[OneinThree]

As others have said, you really can't live or die by the crowd calendars. I've gone to WDW four times in the past year and I have come to the conclusion that there really is no slow time anymore. All the different times I've gone have had different predictions and truth be told, I didn't notice much difference in wait times or how crowded it felt in the parks (though I avoid Xmas and NYE like the plague). So, just go when it works for you, make FP+, have a touring plan, and then just have a great vacation!

Live or die? I live fairly close. I've seen plenty of days that were supposed to be light end up in complete pandemonium, and days that were supposed to be busy be among the most manageable. Overall, I agree that it's never slow anymore.

 

[disneyworldsk]

ok but tp early november he has '1' and '2'in some parks. It's jersey week, food and wine, marathon weekend and veterans weekend and the first mvmcp. and some parks are at a one? I'm not following any of them this time. If it's that crowded, I'll park hop. I do not understand a '1' that week. so I'm not following.

 

[lambdabeta]

We are going to WDW the week after Thanksgiving for our first trip. I had planned out our week based on some of the free crowd calendars and what works for us - generally avoiding EMH because we can probably rope drop, but EMH is pushing it for us. So I know enough to stay away from an EMH if we can't make the most of it.

Anyway, I finally splurged on a Touring Plans subscription and what I thought was going to be a low Epcot day is a 6! Everything else is a 2 or 3 for that day (and generally our whole week is 2-4). Kenny the Pirate has it as the best park for the day. I get the impression that TP is usually the most accurate, but that level is such a jump from everything else that week. Could it be off? Or what does TP take into account that other calendars might not? The only thing I can attribute to is that it's a Friday and MK is a party night.

I agree. I am going that same week and I had looked at TP earlier this year. When I looked again recently because I was actually planning my park days I noticed there were some days that suddenly were a lot lower than before. They have ones and twos on days that were fours and fives earlier in the year. Epcot seems to be the only park that is close to consistent with the earlier numbers. What I think is wrong is the days with lower numbers. I went last year at this time and looking at the numbers from last year the six is more consistent. It is the two to fours that are way lower than last year. According to TP's they say it is because they think there will be lower occupancy because of all the discounts being offered in Dec. I hope they are right because having such low crowds in the park would be much better than last year when every park was at least a four or higher every day.

 

[Main Street Matilda]

I use Touring Plans for most of my trips and I find that they are generally accurate. In reality, though, I just use them as a suggestion and plan accordingly (dining, FP). I have had instances where the "best park" changes but as long as I have FP for the rides I want and get to the parks early, I find it's not an issue. As one of the PP said, it seems like WDW is always busy nowadays. You kinda just have to roll with it.

 

[Disfan454]

We are going the same week as you. Do you mind telling me what parks they showed as 2s and 3s that week. We are doing HS on Monday, Tues MK, Wed is an off day and Thurs is AK. We are doing the party Sunday night the of 11/25 which is why we chose MK on Tues.

 

[greg9x]

TP crowd calendar was saying 4's for when we were there couple weeks ago... It was more like 6-7's. Like everyone says, they are just guessing. Look at them to see if there is something your not considering like a party or special event.. but otherwise, do what works for you.

 

[Runnsally]

TP crowd calendar was saying 4's for when we were there couple weeks ago... It was more like 6-7's. Like everyone says, they are just guessing. Look at them to see if there is something your not considering like a party or special event.. but otherwise, do what works for you.

To say that TP is just guessing is incorrect. Certainly not perfect, but by far the best out there.

 

[Doug M]

We are going the same week as you. Do you mind telling me what parks they showed as 2s and 3s that week. We are doing HS on Monday, Tues MK, Wed is an off day and Thurs is AK. We are doing the party Sunday night the of 11/25 which is why we chose MK on Tues.

Just pay the 12 bucks or whatever it is if you want that info. Subscribers are not supposed to post that info. Plus their lines app is awesome.

 

[disneyworldsk]

Also, re. the weeks in november. when i check resort availability (thinking of switching my resort) there basically is not much to choose from especially in a standard room category. most offerings are villas, preferred rooms, and most hotels offered are caribbean beach, or the ultimate grand floridian room. i feel like there is a disconnect. while i am trusting mostly of touring plans i would like an explanation of such drastic low crowd calendars the first weeks of november especially when you also compare it to room availability.

 

[Klayfish]

They're a joke, don't waste your time. They have absolutely no accuracy value...and nor do they actually try to predict crowds, they try to predict wait times.