[RMJKS05]

...Visiting certain parks on certain days. Based on crowd patterns over the years.

Have any of y'all followed this advice?
-and-
Did you find it to be more or less accurate?

[MickeyMac]

I don't follow their parks/day advice to the letter. What we have a tendency to do is go to the EE park from start, grab lunch or head back to hotel, then go to the park that was EE the day before. It's worked for us.

Another thing we like to do is go during the off season, when crowd flow usually doesn't seem to matter.

That said, our next trip is in June - LOL!

[ilvminnie]

Originally posted by MickeyMac
Another thing we like to do is go during the off season, when crowd flow usually doesn't seem to matter.

That said, our next trip is in June - LOL!

We prefer Mar/April & Oct ourselves, so our next trip is in Aug!!:dazed Well, it's not my fault my DD was born in August, is it???:whistle: :whistle:

[RMJKS05]

...On past trips, we always went for at least 10 days (of course there were only the 2 parks then), so we never really had to worry about planning to visit certain parks on certain days to avoid some of the crowds.

This time we're only going to be there for 8 days/7 nights. So we're going to be on the go all but one day, that is going to be our cool down day. Just trying to see as much as possible & was curious if what the books were advising was accurate.

Realize the 3rd week of Aug is going to be crowded no matter what the various guidebooks say, but if there are certain days that they're not as bad as other, then more the better.

[ilvminnie]

I've found that since Birnbaum's (which I love by the way!) comes out so early that patterns can change frequently depending on what's going on at any given time. MickeyMac's advice is great, but I would also avoid MGM & MK on the weekends. You'll get a lot more "local" traffic in those parks on the weekends. At least that's what we've found.

[rthaler]

When we went to WDW last year at Christmas (20-25) I followed Disney Insider tips to the letter. Certain parks on certain days and going through the parks in certain directions. Also, which rides to hit first and which ones to use fast pass on. It worked, or so I thought. We never had to stand in line for more than 20 minutes for any ride or show and most were less than that. The only exception was Christmas Eve afternoon. The park swelled to capacity. But by then we were pretty much done except for A Character Dinner at LTT (which I had PS for) and riding any ride that we had already done but wanted to do again.

I was an exceptional time for all of us (minus my sons ankle being fractured).

From talking to many people in the parks (CM's and tourists) though, attendance has been significantly down since 9-11-01. So it may not have mattered afterall. I know our trip previous to 9-11 was a lot busier.

Who knows?

Randy:)

[RMJKS05]

...As it stands now, we're not going to follow any guidebook suggested touring plan per se. We'll probably follow the advise about which parks to visit on which days. We're going to be on the go trying to hit all 4 parks in WDW in 8 days/7 nights. We're definitely planning on 1 down day though.

Thanks again.

[garada3]

Is it true that school groups just about take over Epcot during the week? The Unofficial guide says that in the fall, Epcot is best seen on a weekend to avoid these unruly and mostly unsupervised groups of kids. We are going thelast week in October. What are peoples experiences with these groups?

Thanks!

[mickaholic4077]

School groups are not as bad as tour groups from Brazil!!(My apologies to any Brazilian posters here!!). Anyway,Epcot is so spread out that I don't think you'll have any problems dealing with crowds.

[iluvwdw]

Originally posted by mickaholic4077
School groups are not as bad as tour groups from Brazil!!(My apologies to any Brazilian posters here!!). Anyway,Epcot is so spread out that I don't think you'll have any problems dealing with crowds.

Mickaholic4077, YOU COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT BETTER! (Sorry, Brazillian DCers). We had the PLEASURE of spending the week with these groups 2 years ago and it was...AN EXPERIENCE, I will say (to be politically correct)! I wonder if there is a way to find out which groups come to WDW and when they come...HMMMM....:hmmm

[mickaholic4077]

If anywhere would have it,I would say The Unofficial Guide to WDW by Bob Sehlinger.

[tinkerbell]

Originally posted by ilvminnie
I've found that since Birnbaum's (which I love by the way!) comes out so early that patterns can change frequently depending on what's going on at any given time. MickeyMac's advice is great, but I would also avoid MGM & MK on the weekends. You'll get a lot more "local" traffic in those parks on the weekends. At least that's what we've found.

I know we were there last april 2002 .. and there didnt seem to be any less crowds then before 9/11 .. I agree with ilvminnie about Birnbaum's and that it does seem that there are a lot more locals in MK and MGM on the weekends.
of course I anwser to a crowded park is leave *grin* and go to a different park.

[ccorbet]

I bought the Unofficial Guide and found a lot of tips I plan on trying (since I haven't been to WDW in 7 years). I guess I'll find out in September if the book was worth it!:)

[mickaholic4077]

Trust me ccorbet,the book is well worth it!!!

[ccorbet]

I need to STOP reading it......I'm getting more excited everytime I look at it and am driving my family C R A Z Y !!!!!!!!