momee Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 I've only been once, 10 years ago. We're going to be in the area right after New Years until the 10th. Where do I start planning, what do I need to know? How are crowds then? Ack. (And of course - yayyyyyyyy!!!) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 I have no helpful hints but wanted to say HAVE FUN!!! :party: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Easywdw site has good, free crowd calendars and tips. Disboards has all things Disney. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momee Posted December 28, 2015 Author Share Posted December 28, 2015 Thanks, I see lots of posts on here (now that I've posted myself, sorry - should have searched first) about easywdw. This is our first vacation in our youngest's whole life. I am SUPER excited. Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forty-two Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 My top bit of advice is to make fastpass reservations. Also, if you have a smart phone or tablet, you can download the mydisneyexperience app, and do all sorts of things on the fly - look up ride line times, look up maps, make or change fastpass reservations. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SebastianCat Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 The first couple weeks of January (after kids go back to school) are some of the best times to visit. If you are arriving the weekend of New Year's, that weekend might be busy, but as of the 4th, crowds will be at their lowest, and weather should be pretty nice. It's been a VERY mild winter so far - I live about an hour away Orlando and we are wearing shorts, t-shirts, and flip flops almost full-time. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momee Posted December 28, 2015 Author Share Posted December 28, 2015 (edited) "but as of the 4th, crowds will be at their lowest, and weather should be pretty nice. " Friends saying it might be super crowded and maybe we shouldn't go. I called for ticketing info and she said they closed Magic Kingdom earlier today due to capactiy :( We can do Hilton Head as well and see Charleston and Savannah for day trips. Soo thankful to have such a choice to make, I am stunned and surprised and grateful~ Edited December 28, 2015 by momee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink and Green Mom Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 "but as of the 4th, crowds will be at their lowest, and weather should be pretty nice. " Friends saying it might be super crowded and maybe we shouldn't go. I called for ticketing info and she said they closed Magic Kingdom earlier today due to capactiy :( We can do Hilton Head as well and see Charleston and Savannah for day trips. Soo thankful to have such a choice to make, I am stunned and surprised and grateful~ Christmas - New Years Day is one of the busiest weeks of the year. I live in the Tampa area and we have gone a few days after New Years (once kids go back to school) and there is hardly anyone there. Do look for the free crowd calendars. They are very accurate. It will put your mind at ease. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Also, consider the water parks for the busier days. We did Aquatica (Sea World's water park) on Christmas eve and it was basically walk on to anything you wanted to do, despite temperatures in the mid 80's. We got really good deals on the tickets, too. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Yes to those saying it's one of the best times to go. The crowd will be thin and the weather should be nice, though we've had a pretty hot, often record-breaking December. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momee Posted December 29, 2015 Author Share Posted December 29, 2015 Well, I'm going with the Hive mind's advice. Disney - here we come! Thanks everyone for weighing in~ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momee Posted December 29, 2015 Author Share Posted December 29, 2015 It's a Marathon Week or something like that. Do you think that's a good thing for us? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 It's a Marathon Week or something like that. Do you think that's a good thing for us? There will be people running through the parks, but that won't affect wait times for rides. They're just passing through. :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 We went there during Marathon week once. My husband and I actually did the half marathon (this was before kids). There is a reason they have it that week and that is to draw some crowds. That was possibly best Disney trip. VERY low crowds and not too hot. Loved going right after the holidays like that. The crowds will not resemble anything that is happening there over the holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 If you are going in a week, get online and get your fast pass reservations NOW. My guess is that for some rides they will already be gone as they are available 30 days out for those staying off-site and 60 days out for those staying on-site. We were not able to get some 30 days out for the more popular rides. Even though crowds are low, they aren't sparse. You will still hit 60 min. wait times for things like 7 dwarfs mine ride, Soarin', Toy Story Mania, etc.... If you can't get fast passes for those, be prepared to wait or get there right when the park opens (before and wait for the rope to drop to get in) and run straight to that particular ride and get on it first. We couldn't get fast passes for 7 dwarfs and did rope drop one day and still waited 25 min. but later it was much longer. Also, know that January has large crowds from Brazil on their break from schools. Dawn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 If you are going in a week, get online and get your fast pass reservations NOW. My guess is that for some rides they will already be gone as they are available 30 days out for those staying off-site and 60 days out for those staying on-site. We were not able to get some 30 days out for the more popular rides. Even though crowds are low, they aren't sparse. You will still hit 60 min. wait times for things like 7 dwarfs mine ride, Soarin', Toy Story Mania, etc.... If you can't get fast passes for those, be prepared to wait or get there right when the park opens (before and wait for the rope to drop to get in) and run straight to that particular ride and get on it first. We couldn't get fast passes for 7 dwarfs and did rope drop one day and still waited 25 min. but later it was much longer. Also, know that January has large crowds from Brazil on their break from schools. Dawn Same goes for restaurant reservations. If there is any sit down or buffet you were hoping to hit, try to get reservations now. You probably won't be able to get into them otherwise. If you plan on just doing the walk up places, then you should be fine. I, honestly, would not choose to go to Disney without a chance to actually prep for it and get fast pass and meal reservations. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 I'll repeat go to easywdw. Look at the January calendar. Pick what days to go to which parks - they rank then from best to worst each day. We like to do 1.5 days at Magic Kingdom, 1.5-2 at Epcot (our fav), 1 at Animal Kingdom and 1 at Hollywood Studios. Once you know where you're going to be when, get your FPs. Next, get your restaurant ressies, if you plan on eating onsite. The crowds should be quite low, but even still, for your best shot at hitting the attractions you want to hit, arrive before opening. You can do amazing things in the first hour at a park :) Have fun!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momee Posted December 30, 2015 Author Share Posted December 30, 2015 (edited) Sending me to easywdw is like sending a mom to the Hive when she just decided to take her kid out of public school :) Acronyms, do this don't do that, fastpass time commitments. Will we survive if I just wing it, show up for the sights, ride what looks fun, eat when/where we feel like it and catch a show or two? (starting to hyperventilate - I don't know what Fantasmic even is - feel like that's the equivalent of not knowing what Saxon math is!) Edited December 30, 2015 by momee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnMyOwn Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 I agree with scheduling your days with the crowd tracker. I like to make reservations at sit down restaurants for a late lunch because it's a great way to rest, relax and recharge halfway through the day. I also pay the small fee for the unofficial guide to disney site. They have schedules you can follow as well as crowd trackers. I find if I follow their schedule just until lunchtime, we generally get to do everything we want to in the park, but it does mean getting there when the park opens. Before I found these schedules, I really felt Disney was a ripoff, because we'd be there the whole day waiting in lines and maybe only get to do 5 or 6 rides. Have fun! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momee Posted December 30, 2015 Author Share Posted December 30, 2015 That unofficial guide to Disney is exactly what I needed. Specific parks' crowd estimations, the impact of marathon weekend, and many schedules including the exact one I was looking for :) Thanks ever so much for that recommendation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Check daily even while there for openings in dining. We were there late November and were able to get a few ressies the for hard to get places ( ie Be Our Guest, 1900 Park Fare, etc). If you are staying on property, use the extra magic hours. We like using the late evening ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 We are at Disney right now and it is crazy busy...but we have had a really enjoyable time none the less. We did do some planning but it was rather last minute so not a lot of dining/FP+ for headliners...yes you can just show up and wing it but it is more fun if you are slightly prepared...all the menus for dining are online...go look them up by park and see if there is anything you like and want to do. Look at the rides at each park and pick the ones you HAVE to go on...then try to get a FP+ for them, you may have to be flexible and know that you will rope drop 1 and FP the other big ticket because you probably can't do both. The best advice is to show up at rope drop...the parks have been doable when we rope dropped them this week...even though after the parks were closed due to volume twice when we were there. We take mid day breaks most of the time and go back in the evening....Plan for varying weather! It has been so hot here this week (80+ every day we have been here) but then when we leave it will be 65 as a high so be ready for both extremes. But it is so much FUN!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink and Green Mom Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 That unofficial guide to Disney is exactly what I needed. Specific parks' crowd estimations, the impact of marathon weekend, and many schedules including the exact one I was looking for :) Thanks ever so much for that recommendation. We have found that on days where the crowd is estimated a 1 or a 2 (with 1=not busy, 10=crazytown), you can really go on any ride with no line with very few exceptions (and the exceptions being at most a 10 minute wait). I do love those schedules though. My husband makes fun of me for using them but they do work. One tip: if you are going to Epcot, do Test Track early. It experiences a lot of stoppages and may be closed at the slightest indication of weather, so earlier in the day ensures the least potential for disappointments if that is high on your to do list. I also believe Soarin' is going to close for remodel soon which may make Test Track more crowded than normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceyobu Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 We did 8 days there two years ago with a 8,6,4, and 1 year old. We had a fabulous time. We did 3 days at magic kingdom 2 days at Epcot 3 days at Hollywood studios (they were doing Star Wars days and my oldest two couldn't get enough) 1 day at animal kingdom We spent one day in the middle at the closest Florida beach and that was also great. Even if you aren't a super planner, reading a bit before you go can make things sail along more smoothly. Hit the popular rides first thing in the morning and late in the day. Plan some shows when you need a walk break. Plan in advance how much you are allowing for souvenirs because their is expensive crap for sale at every turn. Have fun! We are saving to go back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Sending me to easywdw is like sending a mom to the Hive when she just decided to take her kid out of public school :) Acronyms, do this don't do that, fastpass time commitments. Will we survive if I just wing it, show up for the sights, ride what looks fun, eat when/where we feel like it and catch a show or two? (starting to hyperventilate - I don't know what Fantasmic even is - feel like that's the equivalent of not knowing what Saxon math is!) I know it's overwhelming, but please don't wing it :) If nothing else, just download the January calendar and pick what parks to go to. Do you understand the Fastpass process? If so, set those up. I think there are cheat sheets for every park which tell you what attractions are FP priorities. To me, that's most important. Everything else you can probably "wing." Deep breaths. You can do this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 That unofficial guide to Disney is exactly what I needed. Specific parks' crowd estimations, the impact of marathon weekend, and many schedules including the exact one I was looking for :) Thanks ever so much for that recommendation. I trust easywdw. They're way more accurate than Touring Plans. Easy sometimes compares TP's estimates to reality after the fact. They are wrong quite a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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