Park Planning - How to avoid the crowds?

[georgemac]

This year we are going to have to do an itinery, as we are tied to 4 specific days for Busch Gardens and Howl O Scream, 7 days for seaworld, any day for IOA/US and any day for Disney and the water parks. Normally we just arrive and take each day as it comes.

I have made up a table for our whole trip showing the park opening hours, when Halloween Horror Nights is on, when Extra Magic Hours are on and Seaworld Spooktackular.

Hopefully our 2nd week which is end of Oct/Nov will be quite anyway, but has anyone any tips of when to avoid the parks, eg avoid Disney Parks during EMH day's, avoid water parks at weekend's etc. I know some will say get to the parks early, but with us that just will not happen.

Thanks for any advice.

[wilma-bride]

One of the best tips I have read is about going to a park which has evening EMH the day after. So, if MGM has EMH on Tuesday, go on Wednesday. Supposedly, the majority of on-site guests, if they've been to EMH, won't go back to the same park the next day. We tried this last year and it seemed to work (not sure if it was coincidence but have read similar reports that it's a good thing to do). Otherwise, apart from avoiding the park with morning EMH (again, because on-site guests who do not have hopper privileges will go to that park and stay all day, other parks will theoretically be quieter), I can't think of any other top tips except for arriving early, which you have already said is unlikely to happen.

[robpat]

I checked the busy days with TouringPlans.Com as they seem to have been pretty accurate on previous visits. I also used the Park Hours posted on wdwinfo.com as a starting point (I like the tabular layout!). Plus of course advice from Dibber's!

Can't make any guarantees but it may help.

[loadsapixiedust]

Top tips: use Fastpass wherever possible, eat at less busy times so you can ride while everyone else eats, make ADRs so you don't waste time waiting for a table, ride popular rides during parades.
I agree with Joh about EMH, the park with morning EMH will be busier all day as most onsite guests will make use of the extra hour then stay all day. The day after EMH seems like a good bet.
Avoid water parks, Busch and US/IOA at the weekends and you won't go far wrong. Even in July we managed to avoid the worst of the crowds.

[Keyser Soze]

Avoid visiting the worlds No1 tourist location.;)

[Lisa-R]

Hey Georgemac, we'll be there the same time as you and have been in October time before.

I think you have done the right thing having a plan - even if you don't stick to it rigidly. We found that MK was busy each day we visited (3 in total) as it seems to be the most popular park. We found that if the queue time was more that we could stand - we just kept checking back at a later time - around 3pm the crowds did get better.

This year we have booked MNSSHP and one of the main reasons for doing this was the wait times are non-existant (so we've heard) and so we plan to do all the headliner attractions on the night we go. Don't know if you have planned for MNSSHP?

Happy Planning :)

[georgemac]

Lisa, we were at MNSSHP last October and really enjoyed it, and don't think we are doing it again this year, as the kids are now 14/18 and there are not really a lot of rides in MK for them, although I am sure we will be back for the nightime parade and Wishes.

There is more deatils of our day at MNSSHP in my trip report which can be gotten to from the link in my signature.

[Tommy_Belfast]

Avoid weekends as Americans come down for the weekend and the parks become full.

[Lisa-R]

Hi Georgemac - doh :cry: -I read your trip reports before, but didn't remember that you had been before!!! Your photos are great!

Soz, feel silly now!!

One question and I know it's off your thread - I have ordered my MNSSHP tickets and they won't post so we'll collect on the night - now do you have to have an additional regular park ticket for admission, or is the MNSSHP ticket alone good for entry on the evening?

I was gonna post this, but felt silly - if you don't reply (or anyone else) I will post the question. :blush: I 'think' I read somewhere on another site that you just needed the one ticket? :smile:

I think we should start an October Tips thread - it's a really popular time to go for us Dibbers!!! :grin:

:wavey:

[georgemac]

you do not need another ticket for park entry - the MNSSHP ticket will give you entry to the MK from 4 PM onwards

we collected our tickets form guest services before the event and all this was explained to us then

have a great time

[Petalsoftly]

Avoid visiting the worlds No1 tourist location.;)
Lol.... darn.. beat me to it :D

[W3LUM]

This year we are going to have to do an itinery, as we are tied to 4 specific days for Busch Gardens and Howl O Scream, 7 days for seaworld, any day for IOA/US and any day for Disney and the water parks. Normally we just arrive and take each day as it comes.

I have made up a table for our whole trip showing the park opening hours, when Halloween Horror Nights is on, when Extra Magic Hours are on and Seaworld Spooktackular.

Hopefully our 2nd week which is end of Oct/Nov will be quite anyway, but has anyone any tips of when to avoid the parks, eg avoid Disney Parks during EMH day's, avoid water parks at weekend's etc. I know some will say get to the parks early, but with us that just will not happen.

Thanks for any advice.
Best tip i can give you is do what you have planed. Then let the touwe(rope) go with the bucket. We are going in september for DD's birthday, all she asked for was to see "the night of joy" so we will do that then take it as it comes.:thumbs-up

[Lisa-R]

Thanks Georgemac - that is good news !

Sorry I stole your thread matey.....

[madondisney]

If you do happen to get into a park and its busy try this tip. It usually works...

Observe the masses and do the opposite! If everyone goes up Main Street and turns left towards POTC, then try turning right towards Buzz Lightyear.

Can't make any promises, but it usually works.

Nicky:wavey: