Here now and OMG ITS CROWDED!

[Tinker74]

If you're talking about Free dining, you are 100% spot on.

Is free dining on now? Yikes! Is it on all summer?

 

[BestDadEver]

Of mousavers website for worst time to go to WDW .

South American Tour Groups – In July each year, large groups of teenagers from Brazil and Argentina descend on Walt Disney World for their winter break. Some of the groups do a lot of chanting, singing, clapping and shouting. The sheer size of the groups (up to 100 kids in a single group) can make navigating around them difficult. There have been complaints of tour group leaders taking over the FASTPASS machines first thing in the morning with dozens of tickets in hand, and thus grabbing all of the early return times. The South American tour groups also visit Disney World in January, which is summer vacation in Brazil, but those tend to include more family-oriented groups that do not cause as many issues.
.

Maybe they are coming early could be the issue with the fasspasses for you .

My source

 

[DebbieB]

If you're talking about Free dining, you are 100% spot on.

Is free dining on now? Yikes! Is it on all summer?

Free dining was not offered this summer, except for possibly bouncebacks from last summer. The next public offer starts September 2.

Schools let out in my area last week. So this is the first week off, which is probably why families picked this week.

 

[n2mm]

Fast passes in the morning are for return times in evening! I will never do summer ever again, did I say that already??!

Funny! We have sung that song many, many times. We were actually tempted to try late August this summer, but was there in mid May and on the last couple of days of our trip it got really crowded and really hot, and my DD said to me, this was a reminder of why we can't and won't do summer.

 

[hakepb]

Of mousavers website for worst time to go to WDW .

South American Tour Groups – In July each year, large groups of teenagers from Brazil and Argentina descend on Walt Disney World for their winter break. Some of the groups do a lot of chanting, singing, clapping and shouting. The sheer size of the groups (up to 100 kids in a single group) can make navigating around them difficult. There have been complaints of tour group leaders taking over the FASTPASS machines first thing in the morning with dozens of tickets in hand, and thus grabbing all of the early return times. The South American tour groups also visit Disney World in January, which is summer vacation in Brazil, but those tend to include more family-oriented groups that do not cause as many issues.
.

Maybe they are coming early could be the issue with the fasspasses for you .

My source

The tour groups weren't that bad the first 2 weeks of July last year. You have to be smart enough to zig when they zag.

Now, if they start staying at DVC villas we may have a real problem.

 

[cseca]

We were there a couple Januarys ago when the groups were there.
I have to say we were quite uncomfortable navigating the park when we ran into such large group.
I will say that it would probably be as uncomfortable whether the group is Brazilian or US based tho, so I'm not being snarky regarding the origin.

hakepb is right tho. If you can learn to zig when they zag you're fine. It's just a little harder to do when you're traveling with little ones.

 

[AmyB2006]

Middle of the summer? School's out? It's 90 degrees here now and super extra humid? Rains practically every afternoon? No thanks. LOL I know that because school's out people tend to go during the summer, but you couldn't pay me to go to Disney in the summer. To top off the melting heat and humidity, it seems to always be crowded. And I don't know about you, but I can tolerate heat, I can tolerate crowds. But put them together, and that's a recipe for a complete melt down for me.

You would enjoy your trip so much more in the fall or winter. We go 3 times a year, but all crammed into October, December, and February.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

We go every June 1st or 2nd week after school lets out, this year school let out Jun 6th! We head there in just a few days and we're looking forward to it!

Every June: Hot and humid but tolerable compared to Jul/Aug/Sep, this year however it appears we're going to have a very rainy one! We love DVC because we use am/pm EMH, spend time at the resort to cool off, way too hot after 12 noon! Head back at 4:30/5pm, have late dinners (8:30pm) and head back after pm EMH! This is how we work/beat the crowds and the heat successfully!

I think people don't realize that compared to the last 3 years, the economy has rebounded for many, and those who deprived themselves of Disney vacations to make ends meet are now back with a vengeance!

 

[tofubeast]

I think people don't realize that compared to the last 3 years, the economy has rebounded for many, and those who deprived themselves of Disney vacations to make ends meet are now back with a vengeance!

You nailed in on the head. It was pretty evident by the crowds I saw mid week in mid May. People were spending $$$. Shops were crowded too. It was crazy in comparison to similar time of year I went back in '09.

It's also evident by the lack of major deals offered by Disney. (i.e. the buy 4, get 3 deal of back in '09) Not to mention, price hikes.

 

[lisa3635]

We were there last week and it was so crowded too...we were back at the hotel to swim by 11 everyday. We will never go in the summer again, DD will be missing school next time.

 

[DisneyGal24]

Here now. It's our last day actually. We arrived on June 3rd and crowds didn't really get bad until the 10th but it was still manageable. We used TP and we were able to do everything we wanted multiple times. We met about 50 characters during our 12 day stay and never waited more than 30 minutes for one. As for the rain and heat both were expected. We made RD and used early EMH. We were back to the resort after lunch for resting and swimming.

 

[CMOORE185]

Of mousavers website for worst time to go to WDW .

South American Tour Groups – In July each year, large groups of teenagers from Brazil and Argentina descend on Walt Disney World for their winter break. Some of the groups do a lot of chanting, singing, clapping and shouting. The sheer size of the groups (up to 100 kids in a single group) can make navigating around them difficult. There have been complaints of tour group leaders taking over the FASTPASS machines first thing in the morning with dozens of tickets in hand, and thus grabbing all of the early return times. The South American tour groups also visit Disney World in January, which is summer vacation in Brazil, but those tend to include more family-oriented groups that do not cause as many issues.
.

Maybe they are coming early could be the issue with the fasspasses for you .

My source

Thankfully there were no Brazilian groups June 5th thru 10th this year. I have run into them before and they are very annoying.

 

[DebbieB]

Here now. It's our last day actually. We arrived on June 3rd and crowds didn't really get bad until the 10th but it was still manageable. We used TP and we were able to do everything we wanted multiple times. We met about 50 characters during our 12 day stay and never waited more than 30 minutes for one. As for the rain and heat both were expected. We made RD and used early EMH. We were back to the resort after lunch for resting and swimming.

I've gone 3 times in June and I think getting there early is key. If you arrive at 10:00-11:00, it's going to already be crowded and fastpasses are going to be later.

 

[bighoo93]

This is interesting to read. We went for a few days in June about 9 years ago. There were crowds, as I recall, but it didn't seem outrageous. We had only a toddler at that point, so we were thrilled with the "arrive early, leave mid-day for nap/pool/lunch, and return for evening." It couldn't have gone better. We missed the hottest part of the day, the busiest part of the day, and didn't waste time waiting in line for and eating food. And it kept the kids (and parents) from getting cranky.

But I'm surprised to hear that it is so crowded today even at rope drop. I don't think we were there quite that early, but very soon after opening, and it seemed like we had the park to ourselves. I have pictures of us on Main Street and in front of the castle with nobody else in the photo. So I know it started to get crowded later, but we were able to skip that. But it sounds like today even at the open it is bad.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the new fastpass system. I don't know much about it to know if there is any reason it would, I'm just trying to figure out why it would be so crazy that you can't even get fast passes at rope drop.

We'll stick to mid-September trips...

 

[CMOORE185]

This is interesting to read. We went for a few days in June about 9 years ago. There were crowds, as I recall, but it didn't seem outrageous. We had only a toddler at that point, so we were thrilled with the "arrive early, leave mid-day for nap/pool/lunch, and return for evening." It couldn't have gone better. We missed the hottest part of the day, the busiest part of the day, and didn't waste time waiting in line for and eating food. And it kept the kids (and parents) from getting cranky.

But I'm surprised to hear that it is so crowded today even at rope drop. I don't think we were there quite that early, but very soon after opening, and it seemed like we had the park to ourselves. I have pictures of us on Main Street and in front of the castle with nobody else in the photo. So I know it started to get crowded later, but we were able to skip that. But it sounds like today even at the open it is bad.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the new fastpass system. I don't know much about it to know if there is any reason it would, I'm just trying to figure out why it would be so crazy that you can't even get fast passes at rope drop.

We'll stick to mid-September trips...

The new fastpass system is only being used right now by cast members who are giving Disney feed back, so I do not think it is a factor.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Here now. It's our last day actually. We arrived on June 3rd and crowds didn't really get bad until the 10th but it was still manageable. We used TP and we were able to do everything we wanted multiple times. We met about 50 characters during our 12 day stay and never waited more than 30 minutes for one. As for the rain and heat both were expected. We made RD and used early EMH. We were back to the resort after lunch for resting and swimming.

We were there the 1-8 and that just proves how two people's perspectives can be totally different. I thought crowds were RIDICULOUS, except when the rains set in Wed night and Thursday. If somebody told me the same week next year would have the same crowds I saw last week, I would pass on it unless it was FREE, and even then, I'd have to seriously consider the whole deal.

 

[HayGan]

We are here now as well (have been here since June 1) and the difference in the crowds is VERY noticeable from that first week. We've had a blast but it has been because of smart fastpass usage, getting to parks early and getting out around lunchtime. We were able to ride EE and Dinosaur 3 times each yesterday as well as lunch at Yak & Yeti, Primeval Whirl and Bugs life all before we went to the 12:30 show of FotLK. We got the heck out of there after that.

I don't think we will come beyond the first week in June again. We did in 2011 and it wasn't quite this bad.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

The FL resident pass was valid until June 7 and a lot of private schools were out of school so that may have accounted for the crowds.

But it seems the parks are very crowded lately no matter when you go.

 

[CaskPeg]

If you are planning a summer trip to WDW...you need to go first 2 weeks of May for the best of less crowds...yet ride access. I know when you have children in school its hard to do that...but once schools are out and with the discounts currently running at the economy locations...it gets packed quickly. Enjoy the time you have there!

 

[CaskPeg]

HayGan-Just got back a month ago from my 5th cruise....which boat are you going on? I have been on Wonder, Magic, and just cruised for 7 days on the Fantasy this recent trip.

Make sure you use the "post-cruise list" for packing when you go. Cabins and drawer space can be tight if you are several in one cabin! Have an awesome time!