Memorial weekend

1sttimer · 6 May 18, 10:33 PM

So excited less than 2 weeks to go!

Anyone have any experience of memorial weekend and what parks etc.

At the moment I have a shopping day planned for the Saturday, KSC on the Sunday and IOA for the Monday.

Any thoughts would be gladly received.

Also are the parks busy with school kids prior to this weekend?

Not been for 6 years so excited is an understatement

Tappy · 6 May 18, 11:41 PM

We went last year for first time which coincided with memorial weekend. To be honest EVERY day seemed busy so never noticed any different!

ianc · 7 May 18, 03:43 AM

They only get the one day off work - the Monday. Those going for a long weekend break arrive on the Friday and travel home on the Monday, as they are at work next day, so Sat/Sun tend to be busiest. You can get an idea of when Disney expect to busy by looking at their hotel rack rates - Fri/Sat/Sun are the peak nights.
Bear in mind that 20 million people live in Florida, and the capacity of the theme parks is a tiny fraction of that number, so most locals do NOT go to theme parks. They do other things - much like we do in the UK on a sunny warm bank holiday. If they have an annual pass, they are more likely to go when it is less busy - just like you.
You also ask about schools - those in the south east of the US start the summer break round about Memorial Day and go back early August. The last day of term in Polk and Lake Counties is the Thursday before Memorial Day, Osceola's last day is the Friday before, but Orange County's last day is the Wednesday after. The north east tends to start/finish their summer break a bit later. Disney's rack rates for Summer start on Memorial Day and run till mid-August - May up to the Thursday before Memorial Day is much cheaper.
The Memorial Day sales in the shops tend to be the same sale they have every weekend, but name it after the holiday, so visitors (who are not there other weekends) think it is somehow special.

cameragirl69 · 7 May 18, 11:03 AM

Been on memorial weekend before and will be this year too! We may see you there lol on the Sat shopping day! Have never noticed any difference as it just always seems to be busy. We will be at Epcot on the Monday as its Dads 70th and thats what he wants to do, just avoiding the Sat/Sun. Enjoy your hols!

birdiesX4 · 7 May 18, 02:16 PM

We were there least year and just seemed like a normal day to us. We will be in Las Vegas for Memorial Day this year.

Mjordan · 7 May 18, 04:36 PM

We were there in 2015 and 2017 for the last two weeks in May and will be for 2019 too

personally I didn't find it too bad, it was still manageable, and we did, Animal Kingdom, Typhoon lagoon and Busch Gardens for that weekend.

I would say that the second week did seem busier (our actual half term) compared to the first week, but not enough to make me think im never going again obviously lol

You will be fine. We don't do shopping days (my idea of hell

) so cant comment on what that's like.

Have fun...

6 May 18, 11:41 PM	#2
	6 May 18, 11:41 PM Tappy Gone all Goofy
Tappy Gone all Goofy Join Date: Aug 16 Location: Liverpool	We went last year for first time which coincided with memorial weekend. To be honest EVERY day seemed busy so never noticed any different!

7 May 18, 03:43 AM	#3
	7 May 18, 03:43 AM ianc Apprentice Imagineer
ianc Apprentice Imagineer Join Date: Jun 10	They only get the one day off work - the Monday. Those going for a long weekend break arrive on the Friday and travel home on the Monday, as they are at work next day, so Sat/Sun tend to be busiest. You can get an idea of when Disney expect to busy by looking at their hotel rack rates - Fri/Sat/Sun are the peak nights. Bear in mind that 20 million people live in Florida, and the capacity of the theme parks is a tiny fraction of that number, so most locals do NOT go to theme parks. They do other things - much like we do in the UK on a sunny warm bank holiday. If they have an annual pass, they are more likely to go when it is less busy - just like you. You also ask about schools - those in the south east of the US start the summer break round about Memorial Day and go back early August. The last day of term in Polk and Lake Counties is the Thursday before Memorial Day, Osceola's last day is the Friday before, but Orange County's last day is the Wednesday after. The north east tends to start/finish their summer break a bit later. Disney's rack rates for Summer start on Memorial Day and run till mid-August - May up to the Thursday before Memorial Day is much cheaper. The Memorial Day sales in the shops tend to be the same sale they have every weekend, but name it after the holiday, so visitors (who are not there other weekends) think it is somehow special.