Crowds and cold oh my!

[JennyDrake]

Just back from 5 days with The Mouse December 9-13.I have been during this same time frame for the last 12 years. Last year was unusually low crowds--this year unusually high, I would say twice the number of people as last year. NO walk ups for table service at Epcot or DHS. Stayed All Star Movies and for those who obsess about such, we never, ever shared a bus! Bus service was great!

Pandora was all but impassable with crowds. Couldn't get that 4th FP for FoP no matter what.

First few days were COLD. Got better but still cold wind.

Wait times for headliners were 50-70 minutes by 11:30 am, but you could still get a lot done at rope drop. Lines really wherever you looked. Flame Tree had line going up onto the bridge. Short lines for most ladies' rooms.

Any questions?

 

[mco65]

when you say COLD>. jacket/jean cold..
or long sleeves but still shorts cold?



I can do pretty good in cold with just long sleeves and shorts but sometimes i need a jacket/jeans to stay comfortable.. Did the sun every peak in to help out the cold?

 

[focusondisney]

Not the OP, but I am here now. Arrived on the 9th. Cold as in 41 degrees cold, jeans, long sleeves, sweatshirt or heavy jacket & gloves cold. I am from western NY/ Buffalo area. So I know cold. It does feel much colde here for the temps because it is humid, not dry.

Saturday & Sunday we’re pretty overcast so no sun to help. Rest of the week has been sunny, but it cooled off when sun went down. Getting warmer today Witt high back at 80 by Sunday.

Too bad we leave Saturday.

 

[JennyDrake]

I am cold natured, so factor that in! In the evenings I wore a base layer (synthetic - I was lamenting my silk layers were at home), turtleneck, lightweight wool sweater and topped off with fleece lined windbreaker. I also had gloves and ear muffs. I was with someone from Illinois and another from New York and they were also ready to head for a warm room a couple hours after sundown.

No way any of us was wearing shorts.

 

[Gentry2004]

I think the recent weather was really unseasonable. Its looking much better going forward. I am very nervous about crowds though. We leave for FL tomorrow.

 

[focusondisney]

And I agree about the crowds too. Very crowded compared to even last year at this time.

 

[bumbershoot]

.I have been during this same time frame for the last 12 years.

I was lamenting my silk layers were at home

You were there for 2010 and didn’t bring your silk layers? Jenny Jenny Jenny...


mco65, it can get COLD in Orlando in late fall and in winter! Then it can be 80 the next day.

 

[abnihon]

It was so cold last weekend! I bought a hat and gloves!

 

[aspen10]

How was 4th FP availability other than FOP?

 

[Gentry2004]

It was so cold last weekend! I bought a hat and gloves!

Against my husbands objections ("we don't need those!") I am bringing knit gloves and ear warmers for everyone, just to ward off the cold.

 

[jaysmom4285]

We were at WDW from 12/6 - 12/13. I feel your pain about the cold weather. We had seen the weather forecast and packed accordingly. We visit WDW every year at this time and, while there were more people than in the past, we didn't find it especially overcrowded and were able to do everything we wanted to do without waiting in a single stand-by line. We consult touring plans crowd calendars and try to aim for the best park of the day, and that has rarely let us down. We did do MK on a non-MVMCP day, since we didn't have party tickets and wanted to see the HEA fireworks. I know what the fireworks crowds can be like on a non-party day, so I had booked at plaza view dessert party, which was a lifesaver. Even on the non-party day at MK, I had no problem picking up many extra FP+, including 7DMT, for the times I wanted. Same for other parks. I was able to get same day FP+ (often for multiple rides) for Soarin', Test Track and FEA at Epcot, Toy Story Mania at DHS, and FoP and Navi at Animal Kingdom. The key is persistent refreshing of the MDE screen, even if it says there are no more FP+ available. I got literally every FP+ I wanted for the times I wanted in whatever park I was in by refreshing the screen until something popped up. We were a party of two, so that helped. I can't speak much to the availability of walk-up ADRs at Epcot or the Studios, as we had only made a few ADRs in advance and don't usually do walk-ups.

 

[aspen10]

We were at WDW from 12/6 - 12/13. I feel your pain about the cold weather. We had seen the weather forecast and packed accordingly. We visit WDW every year at this time and, while there were more people than in the past, we didn't find it especially overcrowded and were able to do everything we wanted to do without waiting in a single stand-by line. We consult touring plans crowd calendars and try to aim for the best park of the day, and that has rarely let us down. We did do MK on a non-MVMCP day, since we didn't have party tickets and wanted to see the HEA fireworks. I know what the fireworks crowds can be like on a non-party day, so I had booked at plaza view dessert party, which was a lifesaver. Even on the non-party day at MK, I had no problem picking up many extra FP+, including 7DMT, for the times I wanted. Same for other parks. I was able to get same day FP+ (often for multiple rides) for Soarin', Test Track and FEA at Epcot, Toy Story Mania at DHS, and FoP and Navi at Animal Kingdom. The key is persistent refreshing of the MDE screen, even if it says there are no more FP+ available. I got literally every FP+ I wanted for the times I wanted in whatever park I was in by refreshing the screen until something popped up. We were a party of two, so that helped. I can't speak much to the availability of walk-up ADRs at Epcot or the Studios, as we had only made a few ADRs in advance and don't usually do walk-ups.

Excellent! Thank you. I have always had luck getting everything with continual refreshing, and we go next week. I was hoping that with persistence, I'd be able to get additional FPs, if I weren't picky about which FPs I picked up. We are a family of 5, so I have to be less choosy, but previously, I've gotten Test Track, 7DMT, Frozen, Soarin and FOP for 3 (my littlest is too short).

 

[Jennasis]

Lol enjoy the crowds as they are now...cause once Toy Story Land and Star Wars opens it is going to be off the charts.

 

[Wubar]

Just back from 5 days with The Mouse December 9-13.I have been during this same time frame for the last 12 years. Last year was unusually low crowds--this year unusually high, I would say twice the number of people as last year. NO walk ups for table service at Epcot or DHS. Stayed All Star Movies and for those who obsess about such, we never, ever shared a bus! Bus service was great!

Pandora was all but impassable with crowds. Couldn't get that 4th FP for FoP no matter what.

First few days were COLD. Got better but still cold wind.

Wait times for headliners were 50-70 minutes by 11:30 am, but you could still get a lot done at rope drop. Lines really wherever you looked. Flame Tree had line going up onto the bridge. Short lines for most ladies' rooms.

Any questions?

Thanks for the report! Sorry you couldn't get that FoP FP+....

Longer lines everywhere else, but short lines for the women's restrooms??? Something does not compute....

 

[JennyDrake]

You were there for 2010 and didn’t bring your silk layers? Jenny Jenny Jenny...

.

I KNOW!!! 2010 was frigid! My silk layers were in the attic (literally) and I arrived home from caring for aging parents and left at 5 the next morning...... A friend who joined me tried to find some to buy to bring with her for me!

 

[JennyDrake]

How was 4th FP availability other than FOP?

For Epcot...ehhhhh....JiYi, living with the land, nemo, SSE and that was it. DHS *only* had voyage of little mermaid available. MK had character meet and greets but no mountains. AK had nemo, bugs life and meet and greets, that was it.

 

[Mac30188]

Lol enjoy the crowds as they are now...cause once Toy Story Land and Star Wars opens it is going to be off the charts.

I actually have been wrestling with this in planning my next trip as well. I certainly believe Star Wars will be a different level of crowded than Disney has seen. I am not so sure about Toy Story Land. I am not sure Toy Story Land will be even as crowded as Pandora much less Star Wars. The coaster will certainly start as a several hour wait before tapering back to probably 90 minutes. Saucers will probably more crowded than a ride like that should be, but I just don't see waiting more than an hour. It certainly is a nice and needed addition to keep the park friendly to younger kids, but it is not going to be the same draw as Star Wars or Pandora.

 

[jaysmom4285]

For Epcot...ehhhhh....JiYi, living with the land, nemo, SSE and that was it. DHS *only* had voyage of little mermaid available. MK had character meet and greets but no mountains. AK had nemo, bugs life and meet and greets, that was it.

As I noted above, we didn't experience those limitations at all. At first try, the MDE app will probably say that most attractions have no FP+ left. But I was always able to get any FP+ I wanted by refreshing the screen multiple times. After our initial three FP+ at MK, I probably got 5-6 more that day, including 7DMT. Just don't believe the app if it says there aren't any FP+. Keep refreshing, and something will usually turn up.

 

[DisneyDad2015]

I’ve never been at Christmas time before, so I can’t compare crowds to other years. However I’ve been here all week and haven’t felt like it’s too bad. Everything has been very manageable and haven’t had to wait in stand-by more than 30 minutes for anything (Soarin’ was the longest at 30). Even saw a day of fastpass available today for 7DMT (which I don’t think I’ve ever seen before). Taking advantage of rope drop, EMH, and planning FP+ wisely are still the key to managing crowds.

 

[ZoZo]

Against my husbands objections ("we don't need those!") I am bringing knit gloves and ear warmers for everyone, just to ward off the cold.

Great idea. Why pay WDW prices for gloves and hats if you can bring them from home? That could get really pricey really fast.

And gloves and hats take up so little room in a suitcase.