Why are crowds lower this summer?

[mickeyluv'r]

Where fall travel is concerned, keep in mind it is hurricane season. More or less free dining began (long ago) as a way to counter folks who were scared to visit Orlando during hurricane season (plus schools reopening). While Orlando itself usually only gets minor damage (too far inland), if the news is plastered with images of FL devastation, that effect will linger.

I'm sure for example, many folks still hear Hurricane Katrina when they read "New Orleans", and that was over ten years ago.

As for parents pulling kids from schools, that is as old as WDW. If anything, many schools have instituted strict policies against pulling kids for vacations since No Child Left Behind. Schools whose test scores didn't improve every year lost federal funding, so keeping kids in school is favored!

Home schooling has also become WILDLY more popular (see above). Many schools have adopted alternate schedules, and also many school systems offer professional training days to staff. Again, those've been around a long time, but No Child Left Behind forced schools to take them more seriously.

So YOU may see kids and think they are missing school, but it might be professional development day, or professional development + one day holiday.

 

[tinkerbell1112]

I would also guess with more schools having 1 or 2 week fall breaks, families are choosing fall over hot & humid summer. I know I would pick fall over summer...

I can only wish we had 1-2 weeks fall break! We've only ever had a 3 day weekend in the fall. This year we got a 4 day weekend! LOL. I've always envied those with long fall breaks outside of Thanksgiving week!

 

[Shanti]

As for parents pulling kids from schools, that is as old as WDW. If anything, many schools have instituted strict policies against pulling kids for vacations since No Child Left Behind. Schools whose test scores didn't improve every year lost federal funding, so keeping kids in school is favored!.. No Child Left Behind forced schools to take them more seriously....So YOU may see kids and think they are missing school, but it might be professional development day, or professional development + one day holiday.

I'm a teacher in Texas (high stakes testing rules the public schools here), yet every year I have multiple students out for a week+ for Disney trips while school is in session.

The schools are serious about standardized testing and take every day seriously- that doesn't mean the parents share the same attitudes.

As for parents pulling kids from school for vacation being "as old as Disney itself", all I can say is no, this isn't what it was like when I was in school (& I'm younger than WDW). Most people waited until school vacation time to go off on week-long trips.

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

We're headed to WDW in Sep. but I've been stalking live wait times just to get a better idea of what rides develop long lines earliest, as I plan for FP+. I've been surprised how low the wait times in general have been on many of the rides. I've also read many posts commenting on lower crowds this summer.

Why do you all think crowds are lower this year? Has Disney hit a point where it's too expensive for some families? Has the opening of Shanghai Disney taken some of the international visitors away from WDW? What other factors could be contributing to this? I'm just curious!

For us it was the shorter hours. We contemplated taking a trip next month, but it didn't seem worth it because there were not enough evening touring hours scheduled.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

One reason I have not seen mentioned here...

We recently moved and have not yet found an adequate dogsitter so we can go away on a WDW trip. We have to find somebody trustworthy to take care of our two dingaling dogs so we can sneak away on vacation.

 

[MEFacct]

As for parents pulling kids from school for vacation being "as old as Disney itself", all I can say is no, this isn't what it was like when I was in school (& I'm younger than WDW). Most people waited until school vacation time to go off on week-long trips.

I am older than WDW and I remember classmates being absent for a week + for family trips and vacation. Of course in those days, people were just as much concerned about family connections as they were standardized testing - maybe more so. This included the teachers, who worked with the students and families to make sure they didn't lag behind. That was when a teacher was a teacher 24/365 until the day they parted this earth (I remember the telephone calls during dinner that usually ended with someone going to their room immediately. And Mr. Gaffney stopping us in the grocery store long after we were in his class to quiz us to make sure we were staying sharp. He always asked my mom how we were doing when we weren't with her. Oh, how I miss him.).

My children have always had good attendance and pretty good grades (honors, duel enrollment, etc.). I do not regret at all keeping them out for an extra day on a long weekend to take a family trip to WDW or whereever. The most we have kept them out was 3 days (our very first WDW trip). We only allow this once per school year. Missing school does not have to mean falling behind. I wish more people still recognized the importance of the family connection.

I did notice the lighter crowds during our June/July trip. It seemed to be more spread out. Lots of people on the buses, boats and monorail though. I know many homeschoolers who take their children during Dec and Feb. And based on room availability Oct - Nov is pretty popular.

 

[Shanti]

Of course in those days, people were just as much concerned about family connections as they were standardized testing - maybe more so. This included the teachers, who worked with the students and families to make sure they didn't lag behind.

Yes, of course I work with students who miss weeks of school for vacation. Since my job is dependent on their success on standardized tests, I have no choice but to put in extra time with students who have missed instruction, tutoring them for free after school, to get them where they need to be academically. My colleagues do the same.

When families remove struggling kids from school for vacation (yes, some parents do this), it's the teacher who takes after-school time away from her or his own children to fill in that child's missed learning. My son has to stay in after-care and wait for me to finish these tutoring sessions. I wish certain parents were more considerate of the family of the teacher, who has no choice but to put the extra hours in to accomodate that family's vacation choices.

With high-performing students this is not an issue, but for borderline or struggling students, it's a real problem. Teachers have families, too.