Are Wait Times For Rides Really That Bad?

[MickeyWaffles]

It’s hard to know.
We were at WDW 1/31 - 2/6. While busy, it was not unbearable. We made our 3 pre-booked FP for the most popular attractions between 10 & 1. We then were able to book additional FPs with a little refreshing. We were a group of 9 some days, 11 on others. For additional FP, we sometimes split up the group and got overlapping times.

We barely waited in lines. Smuggler’s Run we waited 40 minutes, and 40 minutes for single rider on RNRC. All our other waits were much shorter or booked with additional FP. We did everything else by taking advantage of smaller crowds in the morning and also closer to park close. We also like to hop to MK in the afternoons or evenings, where there are usually many additional FP you can book.

This week is much busier than the week we were there, though. Pictures I’m seeing are nothing like the were the first week of Feb.

If you are going Memorial Day, expect large crowds. Last time we were there in May was 2018, I think around the 12th. Crowds were comfortable then, but it was 2 years ago now.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Agree - and the fact that FP is now available for every single ride is driving the wait times to ridiculous levels for rides that really don't merit them.

That said, I know I've learned a lot on these boards about how to plan my upcoming Spring Break trip. Read everything available and consider purchasing Early Morning or After Hours events if you want some less-crowded park time.

After hours is amazing. We are doing regular after hours and Villains version at MK this trip. It's one of the best add ons I have ever purchased.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

It’s hard to know.
We were at WDW 1/31 - 2/6. While busy, it was not unbearable. We made our 3 pre-booked FP for the most popular attractions between 10 & 1. We then were able to book additional FPs with a little refreshing. We were a group of 9 some days, 11 on others. For additional FP, we sometimes split up the group and got overlapping times.

We barely waited in lines. Smuggler’s Run we waited 40 minutes, and 40 minutes for single rider on RNRC. All our other waits were much shorter or booked with additional FP. We did everything else by taking advantage of smaller crowds in the morning and also closer to park close. We also like to hop to MK in the afternoons or evenings, where there are usually many additional FP you can book.

This week is much busier than the week we were there, though. Pictures I’m seeing are nothing like the were the first week of Feb.

If you are going Memorial Day, expect large crowds. Last time we were there in May was 2018, I think around the 12th. Crowds were comfortable then, but it was 2 years ago now.

That a VERY slow time of year. I don't think late May will be that way. It is a completely different world.

 

[yulilin3]

Taking my whole family, kids and grandkids, to Disney World the end of May. 20 of us in 5 rooms at the Polynesian Resort. I've been watching Disney World wait times and I'm horrified! Is it really that bad? We intend to do the early morning times but see hour waits within a few minutes of opening. Will we only be able to use the 3 fast passes without waiting in an hour line? Looking for some encouragement!

yes, there are only a couple of instances when the wait times are inflated, usually toward the end of the night, but, most wait times are accurate, give or take 10 min

 

[RememberWhoYouAre]

It is President's Week so WDW is very busy this entire week.
Memorial Day weekend will be busy, if that is when you will be there. Shouldn't be busier than what you are seeing for wait times this week though. MK is the easiest park to get additional FPs day-of because there are so many attractions.

I guess we'll see if crowds subside at all on Monday, until crowds typically pick back up again in March for spring break weeks.

 

[mercuryvenus]

yes, there are only a couple of instances when the wait times are inflated, usually toward the end of the night, but, most wait times are accurate, give or take 10 min

I will reiterate, though, that wait time inflation at the end of the night can be VERY significant. A purported 120 min wait time for Mine Train was 30 minutes in reality this past Saturday. We waited in line behind a couple who has been going to WDW twice a month for 30 years and they said this is consistently the case, since Disney wants people leaving the park.

 

[yulilin3]

It is President's Week so WDW is very busy this entire week.
Memorial Day weekend will be busy, if that is when you will be there. Shouldn't be busier than what you are seeing for wait times this week though. MK is the easiest park to get additional FPs day-of because there are so many attractions.

I guess we'll see if crowds subside at all on Monday, until crowds typically pick back up again in March for spring break weeks.

people keep repeating that it's President week. And yes it has been busy in the past but nothing like this year. Every year the parks get busier and busier, year round. So the experience of President's week this year is different than last year

 

[confetti]

That a VERY slow time of year. I don't think late May will be that way. It is a completely different world.

I was there that same week and while it's historically a slow week, it definitely was not this year! It wasn't holiday crazy but it was definitely way busier than it has been in the past. Thank goodness we had a good plan because we would have been stuck in 1+ hour waits for everything otherwise.

 

[mercuryvenus]

I wonder whether wait times will get better in 2021. I can see reasons for and against it:

Argument against wait time improvements -- new attractions plus 50th anniversary celebrations drive up attendance.

Argument for wait time improvements -- new attractions (esp the large expansion of Epcot, but also TRON) spreads out the crowds. Right now there's relatively little draw to Epcot, especially during the day. That will change when all the new attractions open and theoretically could spread the crowds out more evenly across the parks.

 

[RememberWhoYouAre]

people keep repeating that it's President week. And yes it has been busy in the past but nothing like this year. Every year the parks get busier and busier, year round. So the experience of President's week this year is different than last year

We go every year during President's Week. It's always extremely busy when we go. Was there Sat-Mon and it did not feel worse than previous years. Just my experience. Heading back this weekend.

 

[Sarahslay]

I have been 6 times in the last year from May 2019-January 2020, and honestly unless you go at a holiday weekend/week or run event it's really not that horrible. I went to HS on my trip two weeks ago, with a couple of FP, but I rode every ride in that park within 3 hours before park close (aside from Rise, because I had a boarding group that went in the first hour of opening that morning). Everyone starts going to other parks for EMH or fireworks, to Fantasmic, or to the HS fireworks and rides go down to hardly any wait. Waits were pretty bad during the day, and when I first got there, but I used my FP first, filled in the gaps between them with a couple low wait time rides, and then started jumping in lines and hour or so before close and it was awesome. I did that at MK too during the fireworks, I do it at all parks in the first 2 hours, then do FP, then take a break and go back to the parks later. Look for more FP as soon as you use your 3rd, you can usually get more easily (maybe not for headliners, but you never know what people will drop last minute). Be patient, don't lose hope, and have a great time.

 

[DisAg]

You just need a good plan of attack going in. Just because standby waits are long doesn't mean you have to get in the back of those lines. In 2017 we had most of our fp+ scheduled for late morning/early afternoon when the parks started getting busier. I think the best strategy now is to schedule them as early as possible because the lines are longer a lot earlier than they used to be (esp at HS). The earlier you get to 4th fastpass the better options you will have. We had a large group (20) so we were splitting up into smaller groups when booking 4th and on fp+. Most of the time we were able to get the same rides around the same times. Work the app when you are not busy and try to book a fastpass. If you find a ride you want, schedule it and work the app again to try to change the time of the ride to a.s.a.p. Ride, rinse and repeat.

You also need a list of things you would like to do at each park that rarely get long wait times. Do these in peak crowded times of the day between your fastpasses. Shows, parades, anytime attractions, drinking around the world, drinking on couch at nomad lounge (highly recommended), dining etc.

 

[kylenne]

NYC and many of the surrounding burbs have midwinter recess right now and that represents one of if not the biggest school populations in the country so keep that in mind.

 

[JETSDAD]

That a VERY slow time of year. I don't think late May will be that way. It is a completely different world.

Jan 31-Feb 6 2020 had higher crowd levels than the end of May 2019.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Jan 31-Feb 6 2020 had higher crowd levels than the end of May 2019.

yes but that same year in 2019 had much lower crowds than may 2019.

 

[JETSDAD]

yes but that same year in 2019 had much lower crowds than may 2019.

Actually they were very similar...it's certainly not a completely different world.

That being said, even in busier times than those, extra FP's can be added throughout the day with a bit of refreshing.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Actually they were very similar...it's certainly not a completely different world.

That being said, even in busier times than those, extra FP's can be added throughout the day with a bit of refreshing.

Do you think they will be able to get FP for a group of 20 that way? I am thinking that group is going to have to split up.

 

[DisAg]

Do you think they will be able to get FP for a group of 20 that way? I am thinking that group is going to have to split up.

we had 20 in our group feb1-9. we usually split up into groups of 4 or 5 when scheduling 4th+ fp but we were able to get a lot of the same rides at the same time or overlapping windows and still be able to all ride together. not every single time but more times than not. when we didn't, everyone would do whatever rides they were able to schedule then we would meet back up and try again.

 

[JETSDAD]

Do you think they will be able to get FP for a group of 20 that way? I am thinking that group is going to have to split up.

Agreed that it would be best to split up and get overlapping times for FP's they wish to do together. Start with a few of the harder to get ones booked in advance. With a group that size I would assume there will people wanting to do different rides at times as well.

 

[disneygrandma]

I personally think that the main reason the parks and the rides are busier is because the parks have shorter operating hours. With the parks open less hours, everyone is trying to experience the rides and attractions during the same period of time, as opposed to spreading out over a longer period of time during the day and evening. Extra park hours in the PM would mean less people going to the AM extra hours, and vice versa. Besides the longer evening/night hours, there were also evening parades that drew people away from the attractions. There are no more evening parades, except during the Halloween and Christmas parties. We loved watching the night time parades with all the lights at the MK! There were also daytime parades at AK and HS, again drawing people away from attractions. There needs to be a lot more attractions to disperse people effectively throughout the parks, especially with these shorter hours.

There are less and less "free" extra park hours, with Disney now instead charging for those "extra" hours. Since people are willing to pay for what Disney previously gave them for free, I doubt that Disney will be willing to expand their hours on a regular (permanent) basis.