Why so crowded?

[RamblingMad]

It's too cold to visit a lot of National Parks right now. Bryce, for example, just got a lot of snow. The Grand Canyon is getting snow tonight.

And international travel really isn't back yet.

Crowd levels should become more reasonable once international travel returns to normal and the weather warms up.

 

[Tooth Fairy]

Princess Marathon weekend is this weekend

 

[Jennasis]

Pent-up demand.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Haven’t read other responses but I believe much has to do with people delaying their late summer/fall 2021 trips until now.

We were scheduled to go late Aug into early Sep last year so I was part of both of those threads. When cases spiked in FL last Aug many, many people (us included) moved our trips into Jan/Feb 2022.

 

[Chernabob]

I’m not sure if linking to reddit is allowed, but this is a great counter-argument to the current observations about crowds. No idea if the data are accurate, I’d assume so. But definitely interesting to see these comparisons.

https://www.reddit.com/r/WaltDisneyWorld/comments/sywbp9

 

[wiggy500]

Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.

 

[Brett Wyman]

• many people didn't travel for 2 yr and now they're desperate to go SOMEWHERE
• pent up Disney parks demand
• Disneyland-ers who wanted a less restrictive experience than going to DL right now
• reduced restaurant capacity
• not enough employees, so can't funnel people through the queues fast enough
• pent up demand to travel overseas, but difficult up until just this past 2 weeks to do so, so people figured, "Meh, let's go to WDW instead for now."
• people tired of doing weekend trips closer to home
• DVC members with points banked to use up
• not enough big people eater "things" - like Fantasmic & all of the day time big people eater shows
• 50th anniversary night time "spectaculars" turned out to be less than spectacular, so what was intended to be big night time people eaters isn't sucking up 10s of thousands of guests for over an hour in the evening

yeah all of these plus…

Lots of people with extra cash due to stimulus.
Lots of people “working from home” or with schools that are more forgiving with absences.


I do think the Disney parks will remain very popular, but crowds will normalize over the next few years back to a level similar to their previous levels circadian 2019.

 

[chaoskids]

I’m not sure if linking to reddit is allowed, but this is a great counter-argument to the current observations about crowds. No idea if the data are accurate, I’d assume so. But definitely interesting to see these comparisons.

https://www.reddit.com/r/WaltDisneyWorld/comments/sywbp9

I remember all the February 2020 precovid posts about the crowds and very similar posts to now. Lots of shocked comments to how unexpectedly busy it was.

 

[cygnusx1jg]

" too many season pass holders (looking at you Florida residents)"

Florida resident annual pass holder here. Got the pixie pass, so weekends and many holidays are all yours. Have fun and I hope you and your family enjoy OUR parks.

 

[DisneyAuntie12]

I’m not sure if linking to reddit is allowed, but this is a great counter-argument to the current observations about crowds. No idea if the data are accurate, I’d assume so. But definitely interesting to see these comparisons.

https://www.reddit.com/r/WaltDisneyWorld/comments/sywbp9

I think the lack of FP+ probably contributes to the perception of endless lines. If you get 3 "freebie" lines and then have to mix in a few other headliners with long lines, it doesn't seem as daunting as nearly every line being a long wait. If you haven't had a single low-wait time ride all day, I imagine those long lines feel really long.

 

[pens4821]

I’m not sure if linking to reddit is allowed, but this is a great counter-argument to the current observations about crowds. No idea if the data are accurate, I’d assume so. But definitely interesting to see these comparisons.

https://www.reddit.com/r/WaltDisneyWorld/comments/sywbp9

When I read about the crowds I can’t help but think of our last trip. MLK week 2019. We had gone that week before as well as late February, and the crowds/waits in January of 19 were bigger than we’ve experienced. I remember waiting long (over 30 minutes) for our BTM and buzz FPs. I don’t remember exact times but remember feeling all FP waits were more than we’ve experienced. As well as a very long waits at the end of the night (get in line near closing) for TOT and TT. Those are the ones that stick out 3 years later. That and just the massive amounts of people in the parks and trying to walk around.

I’m going to in a couple weeks so I’ll see if there is a big difference. I think alot of people are forgetting just how crowded parks were. And just how crowded other parks get when they complain about wait times.

 

[VandVsmama]

DH & I went the 3rd week of January in 2021. It was amazing and totally dead. Like...middle of the day in front of Cinderella castle and there was almost no one in the hub. Went back for a week in early June 2021 and it was definitely busier, but manageable. This was before Genie+, of course.

 

[gharter]

I agree with most about pent up demand.
So many vacations cancelled and money set aside.
Then you have ALL of the DVC points that couldn't be used when they were closed and now have to be used, rented or lost. Not a small number of people.
Add the number of people who just want to go somewhere.

 

[mjkacmom]

Pretty much all of the schools in the northeast have off this whole week, if you don’t ski you’re going to WDW.

 

[MainMom]

DH & I went the 3rd week of January in 2021. It was amazing and totally dead. Like...middle of the day in front of Cinderella castle and there was almost no one in the hub. Went back for a week in early June 2021 and it was definitely busier, but manageable. This was before Genie+, of course.

We were also there in January 2021. Best trip ever even with masks.

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

...never heard that term. Am going to embrace it

It was the original title for the third star wars film

 

[romanr27]

I’m not sure if linking to reddit is allowed, but this is a great counter-argument to the current observations about crowds. No idea if the data are accurate, I’d assume so. But definitely interesting to see these comparisons.

https://www.reddit.com/r/WaltDisneyWorld/comments/sywbp9

I'd be more interested in seeing comparisons like this on random non-holiday weekdays in January/February. If the parks are near capacity each holiday it's not surprising that you'd then see similar wait times.

 

[randumb0]

Interesting that NE schools would have a week off right before spring break

 

[Marionnette]

Pretty much all of the schools in the northeast have off this whole week, if you don’t ski you’re going to WDW.

Someone forgot to tell our school district. The kids had Friday and Monday off. They went back full time and in-person yesterday.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

We're well past "revenge travel" and just "back to Disney normal." It's just plain crowded. ALL. THE. TIME.