Crowds REALLY large right now?

[ww52]

When I see a posted 35 minute wait right now (5pm) for Small World - on an off-peak month like this is - I can't help but wonder if we are doomed this July.

Over two hours now for the 7 Dwarfs Mine Train.

Obviously we will use FastPass+ and book them 60 days out - but I read how quickly THEY get "sold out".

Sure - a lot don't ever get used and we can try throughout the day - but that's not my main concern.

Are the crowds REALLY that large? (Again, based on 35 minute wait for Small World - a very fast loading ride that despite being a classic really isn't a "must see". In January. On a Wednesday.)

(Maybe) related question, for veteran WDW goers - Did FastPass+ help or hurt overall? Our last trip was 5 or 6 years ago - again in July - and we never waited long for anything (thanks to FastPass as well as getting there are opening). I sure don't recall more than maybe a 5-10 minute wait for Small World. Even Splash Mountain - without FastPass - was maybe 45 minutes.

 

[Klayfish]

One moment in time on a January afternoon has very little bearing on July. WDW doesn't have slow times anymore. Ride times ebb and flow during the day...things like IaSM can have big spikes followed by emptiness. It can be a 5 minute wait, then jump to 45, then go back down. Perhaps it was offline for a while.

As for FP+ helping or hurting, that's debatable. In my eyes, it helped tremendously. We never wait in a line more than 20 minutes, FP+ made it so that there's no reason to do so.

 

[Colleen27]

Unless something has changed since our last January visit, this is one of the two times of year when WDW sees a major spike in tour groups. Because many of these groups are foreign and made up primarily of non-English speakers, they stick together with a leader that guides them from ride to ride. Get a major group or two entering the queue all at once and it can cause a significant but short-lived bump in standby waits.

 

[HopperFan]

This is my 5th out of the last 6 years this same exact week (one year I did 3rd week in Feb) and this has been way more crowded than any other of the years. Magic Kingdom was just plain miserable. We are getting ready to head up there tonight for EMH but at same time I kinda don't want to go. FP+ return lines for most part have been way longer than usual, some in temporary rope queues past the normal location.

DS was wondering if folks are keeping their travel state side. I can't say there is any obvious type of group/tourist that seems unusual so don't know.

 

[tobikaye]

The crowds are practically double what I saw last January and might be slightly busier than my early June trip. Today, we did our 3 MK FP and got out.

 

[heidijanesmith]

Just got back from my 1st January trip. It was so crowded. Agree with above poster that MK was miserable! 50min wait for IASW, 70 for Buzz and 70 for Pirates, ridiculous!!

We every year in the summer, lately June. Yes, June is busy........but I found this last trip in January to be more crowded. I think the crowds are so compact because the park closes at 8PM. The summer park hours are later and can spread out the crowds better.

 

[IvyWinter]

Yeah this doesn't sound "normal" for January. I get that there's no slow time anymore really, but even by those standards this seems to be a lot! Im flying out in the morning to meet up with friends but im resigning myself to possibly not doing as much as i usually do on January trips, just because of waits.

 

[hllb]

Yeah, we’ve got another thread going too. Yesterday looked ok and then today it’s right back to craziness. We leave Saturday. Sigh...

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Wow, we've gone in January and February before and it was wonderful. We're going President's week for the first time and I'm just hoping for the best.

 

[MrKnight]

I think its a combination of the following factors:

• Consumer confidence is higher than in previous years and the economy seems to be turning for the better, especially in states like Florida. The latest passenger counts at MCO reflect this. For example, passenger counts in 2017 at MCO broke records with 43+ million passengers.. This means more people than normal are traveling to Orlando, part of this is due to the general growth of the city, but a big chunk of it is obviously also due to an increase in tourism..
• WDW is taking a more aggressive marketing approach in recent years in an effort to fill off-season dates by offering discounted rates on off-dates, special promos (like free dining), and other perks to draw people to dates that historically are less popular.. The strategy seems to be working well for WDW..
• As stated by pp, the new FP+ system, while beneficial for some, has created longer stand-by waits for those who do not have a FP+ .. This can lead to a feeling of bigger "crowds" especially around entrances of attractions..

With that said, as more attractions, new lands, and expansions open up it will lead the more crowds.. I cannot even imagine what a park like DHS is going to look like once both new lands are open..

 

[ww52]

Thanks much for all the replies.

FWIW - I've been looking at IaSW lines occasionally the last few days at different times. Haven't seen anything low. Using the Touring Guide App that lists both official times and their algorithm based "real" time estimate.

I hate to think we're going to be limited to 3 rides PER DAY (using FastPass+) but with two small grandchildren, well - 45 minute waits are out of the question.

I have plenty of time to read up on FP strategies - which ones to try to procure once we use one and can get another. So much work for what should be an enjoyable experience. We've been there 8 times since 1989 and never had to put in so much research as we do now. But as I said, the last time was 5-6 years ago (the memory fades...) and obviously things have changed. You'd think the new headliner attractions built since then would spread things out.

Right now it's 12:30pm EST and IaSW is posted 25 minutes (16 min by the Touring app est). Well, as they (annoyingly) say - it is what it is.

But hey - a bad day at Walt Disney World beats the heck out a great day at home!

 

[subtchr]

I hate to think we're going to be limited to 3 rides PER DAY (using FastPass+) but with two small grandchildren, well - 45 minute waits are out of the question.

Arrive at rope drop, and you can add 2-5 more attractions with zero or short waits. Little ones wake up early! We were there January 2, and arrived at 7:30 for an 8:00 opening. We all rode Peter Pan, Pooh, and a couple others with only a few minutes wait each before moving on to our FP later in the morning.

 

[Magpie]

Thanks much for all the replies.

FWIW - I've been looking at IaSW lines occasionally the last few days at different times. Haven't seen anything low. Using the Touring Guide App that lists both official times and their algorithm based "real" time estimate.

I hate to think we're going to be limited to 3 rides PER DAY (using FastPass+) but with two small grandchildren, well - 45 minute waits are out of the question.

I have plenty of time to read up on FP strategies - which ones to try to procure once we use one and can get another. So much work for what should be an enjoyable experience. We've been there 8 times since 1989 and never had to put in so much research as we do now. But as I said, the last time was 5-6 years ago (the memory fades...) and obviously things have changed. You'd think the new headliner attractions built since then would spread things out.

Right now it's 12:30pm EST and IaSW is posted 25 minutes (16 min by the Touring app est). Well, as they (annoyingly) say - it is what it is.

But hey - a bad day at Walt Disney World beats the heck out a great day at home!

As the previous poster said, show up at Rope Drop and you can get a lot in.

I'd also add that you can make more FPs, as soon as you use up your first three. This works especially well in the Magic Kingdom. So, schedule those first FPs for the morning!

A midday break is always good with small kids.

The Fantasyland attraction wait times always drop considerably in the later evening, particularly Goofy's Barnstormer (because it's kind of back and out of the way). So if you've napped during the midday and have the energy left, touring right up to close can be a great way to fit in more rides. Especially since you can hop into any line, right up to a minute before park close!

And don't forget the playgrounds. Dumbo may seem like it has a long wait, but the queue is an open, indoor playground with room for young kids to run and play. The splash pad in the Circus is fun, as long as it's not too cold. Tom Sawyer's Island is a great way to spend an hour or more, while the kids explore the tunnels and fort, and play on the playset.

And, of course, there's all the "any time" rides and shows - like the Carousel of Progress, Mickey's Philharmagic, the steam train around the perimeter of the park, the Country Bear Jamboree, the Peoplemover (if it's backed up due to a stoppage, just come back later), etc.

You won't be limited to 3 rides per day!

 

[Stasieki]

I wonder if less staffing is playing a role as well?

 

[tobikaye]

I wonder if less staffing is playing a role as well?

I have seen plenty of cast members, in fact, there are an influx right now that are being trained. I have seen groups of new CMs being given tours and CMs shadowing at attractions, resorts, restaurants, etc...

 

[Eclpz314]

The crowds may be higher due to the NFL Pro Bowl being played in Orlando this coming Sunday. ESPN is holding all kinds of special festivities connected with it, so lots of fans/families, plus players and their families too. There's even some sort of "fun walk" on Monday, but not sure where that will take place. I'm sure a lot of the people have fit visits to Disney parks and Universal into their schedule. I know there were special vacation packages offered with it too.

 

[Eccle]

I've been looking at wait times in the first couple of hours after parking opening recently to help me plan for our trip. IASW is generally 10-15 min up until about 11.

And looking here over the past few days, it is generally 20 min or less at least at some points during each hour across the day recently (yesterday looked a bit busier)
https://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/wait_times.php?a=history

From previous visits we have always found the parks get at their busiest in the middle of the day, so we get in early when we can gets lots done on standby, then use fastpasses.

 

[hllb]

The crowds may be higher due to the NFL Pro Bowl being played in Orlando this coming Sunday. ESPN is holding all kinds of special festivities connected with it, so lots of fans/families, plus players and their families too. There's even some sort of "fun walk" on Monday, but not sure where that will take place. I'm sure a lot of the people have fit visits to Disney parks and Universal into their schedule. I know there were special vacation packages offered with it too.

Historically, pro bowl didn't add to the park waits much at all. That doesn't mean it's not an issue this year, but in the past, you didn't really see a bump during pro bowl week.

 

[ITALIANNYC]

This is why I usually only go to Disney with 1 person. You always get fast passes to everything after you use your first 3. No matter what ride

It’s always harder with a group

I’m going summer also. Hopefully all is well

 

[ktlm]

I think its a combination of the following factors:

• 
  
• As stated by pp, the new FP+ system, while beneficial for some, has created longer stand-by waits for those who do not have a FP+ .. This can lead to a feeling of bigger "crowds" especially around entrances of attractions..

With that said, as more attractions, new lands, and expansions open up it will lead the more crowds.. I cannot even imagine what a park like DHS is going to look like once both new lands are open..

Almost none of the rides that we regularly walked on with no wait have been walk on since FP+. We have seen Small World at 20 to 30 minutes even when the parks did not seem crowded. Pre-FP+, I can never recall waiting more than 10 minutes for Small World, and it was usually walk on or 5 minutes.