May 1 - May 8 - still busy in the Parks?

[pooh2001]

What about the first week in May ?
After Spring/Easter breaks.
Before most schools are out
Decent weather.

Crowds still manageable ?

 

[Shanti]

What about the first week in May ?
After Spring/Easter breaks.
Before most schools are out
Decent weather.

Crowds still manageable ?

That's supposed to be a good time of year to visit. So many people take their kids out of school to visit WDW these days, the fact of school being in or out is no longer the biggest driver of crowds. Now it has just as much to do with WDW special events, weather, etc. Midsummer is actually a relatively low-crowd time to visit WDW now.

 

[BalooFan]

I have found the crowds to be manageable at that time of the year.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Typically manageable with the caveat that the Saturdays in May are considered peak days in Disney Tiered pricing and they just extended the first Sat in May from 9-9 to 8 to midnight. So Disney is expecting it to be busier than years past.

 

[JennyMP03]

We're going the first through the second week of May this year, and I've heard many favorable reports about crowds and weather. Not sure if it's any indication since I have only two in my party, but I had no trouble getting FP+ for anything I wanted, including FoP on two different days.

 

[stinkpickle]

The first week of May should be good time to visit crowd-wise...but we're living in strange times.

 

[vicb]

Typically manageable with the caveat that the Saturdays in May are considered peak days in Disney Tiered pricing and they just extended the first Sat in May from 9-9 to 8 to midnight. So Disney is expecting it to be busier than years past.

Yup, I just noticed that. AK also got extended on May 5 from 9pm closing to 10:30 closing with two ROL shows! I wonder if Cinco de Mayo has any impact? We did get pretty much all the ADRs we wanted and we booked those in January not 180 days out. The only one we couldn't get was Plaza for lunch... go figure, so I booked the latest breakfast at BOG and we will do brunch instead. Got all the FP+ we wanted at the times we wanted too. I was here this week 4 years ago and it was wonderful... this year... who knows.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Yup, I just noticed that. AK also got extended on May 5 from 9pm closing to 10:30 closing with two ROL shows! I wonder if Cinco de Mayo has any impact? We did get pretty much all the ADRs we wanted and we booked those in January not 180 days out. The only one we couldn't get was Plaza for lunch... go figure, so I booked the latest breakfast at BOG and we will do brunch instead. Got all the FP+ we wanted at the times we wanted too. I was here this week 4 years ago and it was wonderful... this year... who knows.

A couple of days ago I looked at FP availability for 7DMT on Sun 4/29, Thur 5/3, and Sat 5/5 and both 4/29 and 5/3 had FP availablity from 5 pm on. Sat 5/5 had it from 2 pm on. So it’s curious to me that Sat is extended. I know the majority of guests in a park are not on-site but I’m not sure if I believe that Sat is going to be 8 am busy. But maybe it will. That first Sat was very busy last year (although I feel like that was because it was the last Sat of Wishes).

 

[North of Mouse]

What about the first week in May ?
After Spring/Easter breaks.
Before most schools are out
Decent weather.

Crowds still manageable ?

We went at that time last year. It was very hot a few days and the parks were crowded on the weekends. During the week was the best crowd wise, but not slow by any stretch! Better than summer though!!

 

[LMO429]

Yup, I just noticed that. AK also got extended on May 5 from 9pm closing to 10:30 closing with two ROL shows! I wonder if Cinco de Mayo has any impact? We did get pretty much all the ADRs we wanted and we booked those in January not 180 days out. The only one we couldn't get was Plaza for lunch... go figure, so I booked the latest breakfast at BOG and we will do brunch instead. Got all the FP+ we wanted at the times we wanted too. I was here this week 4 years ago and it was wonderful... this year... who knows.

You can not get the plaza for lunch because for most of the day it’s walk up reservations only.

 

[vicb]

You can not get the plaza for lunch because for most of the day it’s walk up reservations only.

Really? I did not realize that. It was our tradition to always eat lunch there on our MK day but that's ok, we are excited to see inside the BOG castle.

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

Typically manageable with the caveat that the Saturdays in May are considered peak days in Disney Tiered pricing and they just extended the first Sat in May from 9-9 to 8 to midnight. So Disney is expecting it to be busier than years past.

Just curious where the change in hours on that first Saturdays is found? I don't see it on any calendar or schedule .

 

[Surgie2]

Just curious where the change in hours on that first Saturdays is found? I don't see it on any calendar or schedule .

It was posted on the WDW website within the last few days: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/calendars/month/2018-05-01/

 

[Elle :)]

We'll be there from 5/04 - 5/12. These are typically the same dates we go every year. Last year wasn't too bad with the crowds but it is hot! Bearable but hot. The weekends are always busy so we usually try to cut those days short and enjoy an afternoon lounging by the resort pool or visiting Disney Springs. I tried going to the water parks on a weekend and we hated it...so many people! Weekday crowds are manageable.

I had no problems getting FP's 60 days out this year but I have had a hard time getting the reservation I want at BOGR for a group of 6 (I still have one but I'm looking for a second). To be fair, I didn't book any restaurants until maybe 2 months ago.

I know Disney changed the park hours for 5/03 to 5/05, which is surprising because I've never seen the park hours change for our May trips. I guess they are expecting Some higher crowds that weekend.

 

[Surgie2]

We'll be there from 5/04 - 5/12. These are typically the same dates we go every year. Last year wasn't too bad with the crowds but it is hot! Bearable but hot. The weekends are always busy so we usually try to cut those days short and enjoy an afternoon lounging by the resort pool or visiting Disney Springs. I tried going to the water parks on a weekend and we hated it...so many people! Weekday crowds are manageable.

I had no problems getting FP's 60 days out this year but I have had a hard time getting the reservation I want at BOGR for a group of 6 (I still have one but I'm looking for a second). To be fair, I didn't book any restaurants until maybe 2 months ago.

I know Disney changed the park hours for 5/03 to 5/05, which is surprising because I've never seen the park hours change for our May trips. I guess they are expecting Some higher crowds that weekend.

We are going to be there your same dates. We also were fine getting FP for 9 people. When we chose this timeframe more than a year ago I started watching Orlando weather the first week of May and I do remember seeing very hot temperatures! We have our cooling towels and misting fans for the kids and plan shorter days so hoping it works out fine.

 

[Scar1199]

We'll be there from 5/04 - 5/12. These are typically the same dates we go every year. Last year wasn't too bad with the crowds but it is hot! Bearable but hot. The weekends are always busy so we usually try to cut those days short and enjoy an afternoon lounging by the resort pool or visiting Disney Springs. I tried going to the water parks on a weekend and we hated it...so many people! Weekday crowds are manageable.

I had no problems getting FP's 60 days out this year but I have had a hard time getting the reservation I want at BOGR for a group of 6 (I still have one but I'm looking for a second). To be fair, I didn't book any restaurants until maybe 2 months ago.

I know Disney changed the park hours for 5/03 to 5/05, which is surprising because I've never seen the park hours change for our May trips. I guess they are expecting Some higher crowds that weekend.

Wouldn't that weekend be Star Wars weekend, probably why they're expecting larger crowds.

 

[vicb]

Wouldn't that weekend be Star Wars weekend, probably why they're expecting larger crowds.

It is May the Fourth Be With You and Revenge of the Fifth.... however on another thread lots of people said they don't really do much extra for those dates anymore... sadly. One of the reasons we picked that time was my son really wanted to be in HS on the 4th. We are doing that anyway but I guess it isn't what it used to be. And it doesn't look like hours at HS were extended at all, just at AK and MK.

 

[Disney Mom 5]

There is also a huge cheer competition at Disney that weekend

 

[vicb]

There is also a huge cheer competition at Disney that weekend

Ugh...

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Define "busy".
Seriously. What do you consider busy?

Early May is not Easter/Spring Break/July 4/Christmas busy. But is it busier than, say, some random Tuesday in October? Probably.