No quiet season?

[SusanBaird]

Hi Dizzers,
Just wanting to post a thought after this weeks episode and last.

I'm a ride or die Disneyworld and land lifer fan and just came back from a great trip. Really appreciated the restaurant recommendations and tips from the podcast.

We often are posed the question on the show of whether or not X Y or Z change will turn us away from returning to Disney and the answer is usually no in the long term. But one change has given me pause.

This last trip and the one I did previously during Christmas (my own fault I know) really confirmed for me that I cannot have huge crowds and enjoy Disney (I also notice the strain on the castmembers capacity to provide the exceptional customer service I am such a fan of). And if its true that the parks are going to artificially create year round busy season through lack of staff and running rides at less capacity then honestly they've lost me. If I feel that the parks are busy and Disney is bending over backwards to make me feel this is not the case and give me the best experience possible then I'm in. but if I think they would like all the money and will intentionally give me a bad experience then what is the point?

PS: conspiracy theory evidence- We did notice that the rides would often let 1 ride vehicle for every 6 or so go through empty. We assumed it was broken or something.. but maybe....

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I believe what has happened over the last few years is traditional slow times and traditional peak times (other than the obvious ones) have flip flopped.
As an example summer used to be a popular time to go and now its not as much which is why they are offering more discounts in the middle of summer.
On the other hand 10 years ago the first couple weeks of December were a win-win. Christmas is in full swing and families are waiting until the kids are on Christmas break.
Now its much more crowded during that time.
What I've found pretty unique is that I can be surrounded by a sea of people in Fantasyland just standing around like something amazing is about to happen and then I walk through them to an attraction and have little to no wait.
I've found that in all the parks in the last 4 trips.
I've also found that there is a lack of CM's manning the lines in attractions to keep people moving along but not when it comes to the loading area and operating the rides so I don't think capacity has anything to do with longer lines.
I'm a firm believer that interactive lines and pure lack of paying attention to the people in front of you and too much attention to your phone cause way longer lines.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Hi Dizzers,
Just wanting to post a thought after this weeks episode and last.

I'm a ride or die Disneyworld and land lifer fan and just came back from a great trip. Really appreciated the restaurant recommendations and tips from the podcast.

We often are posed the question on the show of whether or not X Y or Z change will turn us away from returning to Disney and the answer is usually no in the long term. But one change has given me pause.

This last trip and the one I did previously during Christmas (my own fault I know) really confirmed for me that I cannot have huge crowds and enjoy Disney (I also notice the strain on the castmembers capacity to provide the exceptional customer service I am such a fan of). And if its true that the parks are going to artificially create year round busy season through lack of staff and running rides at less capacity then honestly they've lost me. If I feel that the parks are busy and Disney is bending over backwards to make me feel this is not the case and give me the best experience possible then I'm in. but if I think they would like all the money and will intentionally give me a bad experience then what is the point?

PS: conspiracy theory evidence- We did notice that the rides would often let 1 ride vehicle for every 6 or so go through empty. We assumed it was broken or something.. but maybe....[/QUOTE

The analysis of this issue given on the podcast was an eye opener for me. WDW is artificially inflating the crowds by cutting staffing & either not operating rides at capacity, or by having them shut down. DH & I are seriously hoping that this disturbing trend does not become the new norm. It also makes me wonder if this has been a test of sorts for the retail explosion they talked about during the podcast, I hope not! Beginning to feel a bit like a guinea pig over here...

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Oops sorry, apparently I managed to break the quote above - oops. ^^^

 

[SorcererHeidi]

Oops sorry, apparently I managed to break the quote above - oops. ^^^

I mess it up all the time. I hope that makes you feel like you're in good company.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I just got back and this week was lovely. I saw it amp up yesterday with bus loads coming in towards the end, but everything was lovely and non packed.

 

[rteetz]

I just got back and this week was lovely. I saw it amp up yesterday with bus loads coming in towards the end, but everything was lovely and non packed.

Agreed. I was surprised at how non-packed it was.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Agreed. I was surprised at how non-packed it was.

I had probably one of the best trips I’ve ever had. Seriously this was the best times. Everything was beautiful and non crowded. Animal kingdom on Wednesday was a BIT crowded but I still got everything done!

 

[rteetz]

I had probably one of the best trips I’ve ever had. Seriously this was the best times. Everything was beautiful and non crowded. Animal kingdom on Wednesday was a BIT crowded but I still got everything done!

Wednesday I rode FoP, NRJ, and EE all within an hour of AK opening. Then left and went to Epcot!

 

[SorcererHeidi]

@CampbellzSoup and @rteetz - Glad you both had such a nice (and uncrowded) time!

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Wednesday I rode FoP, NRJ, and EE all within an hour of AK opening. Then left and went to Epcot!

What did you do at Epcot.

PS we gotta take Hedi

 

[rteetz]

What did you do at Epcot.

PS we gotta take Hedi

Did Soarin, got Evac’d off of SSE, and did some Flower and Garden eating.

 

[Tonyz]

Wednesday I rode FoP, NRJ, and EE all within an hour of AK opening. Then left and went to Epcot!

My god you're a wizard.

How early did you get to AK?

 

[rteetz]

My god you're a wizard.

How early did you get to AK?

I was at AK at 7AM for an AP merch event. I was done shopping by 7:30 so I got to the Pandora bridge along with at least one hundred of my closest friends and waited until they let us in. Rode FoP by 8:05 hopped onto NRJ with a 10 minute wait and was done with that about 8:30. Wandered over to Everest with a 5-10 minute wait. Walked out of AK about 9:00AM.