Serious question. Does anyone on here really know what a '6' means? How about a '3'? No? Define an '8' for me. Is your definition of a '7' the exact same as Touring Plan's?
Or, are you someone that calls it 'busy' when you have to wait 45 minutes to ride Pooh at 1 o'clock in the afternoon, when you could have waited until 10 o'clock at night and rode it with a 3 minute wait.
Touring Plans is not perfect, but they do have statistical data to back up their information., That's something none of us have. A single day cannot be considered in a vacuum. It has to be compared against all other days to have meaning. May 10th might seem 'crazy busy' to someone that is there, but compared to New Years Eve, it's a walk in the park. Likewise, November 3, 2012 and November 3, 2018 but may both be 5's. But, that doesn't mean the crowds are the same. The ratings have been adjusted over time where a 7 now does not mean the same thing as a 7 did 8-10 years ago did.
And, if Disney staffs based on projected crowd levels (which they do), then the average customer may not even really notice the difference between the 4 & the 6.
Like Touring Plans, Kenny the Pirate is not perfect. But, he is very consistent with several themes that are supported by historical evidence. And, much like touring plans, when Kenny has a day shaded 'Green', that does not mean that the park will be empty. It means that it's the best available option for that date. A 'Green' day in Christmas Week is going to be significantly busier than a 'Red' day in the middle of September. Some of Kenny's general themes are:
- Crowds are heavier on Extra Magic Hour days (especially nighttime)
- MK crowds on Party Days are significantly smaller than non-party days (people want to see the fireworks)
- The day after EMH in a park is usually less crowded (everyone was just there the night before)
- etc, etc, etc.
So, yes, the crowd calendars have value. They are not perfect and should not be expected to be foolproof. But, they do tell a story supported by historical evidence.
Ultimately, both ends of the crowd calendar spectrum are wrong. Those who rely too heavily on them don't take time to understand them or build a good plan around the projections. Those that totally dismiss them are expecting them to be perfect and can't see the forest for the trees. There is value there, especially for the inexperienced tourist.