Is There an Off-Season at Disney World?
For ages, people have been saying, “there’s no off-season at Walt Disney World anymore.” It’s true that almost every year for just under a decade, annual attendance has increased. In most cases, this has been 1% to 5% bumps (per TEA reports), but it’s still noticeable–especially in aggregate. (Last updated February 4, 2019.)
During our visits to Walt Disney World last January and February, we were shocked by the crowds. Data showed that wait times were up over 20% year over year, and the parks felt even more crowded than that due to reduced capacity on attractions and shorter operating hours.
Wait times actually decreased by modest amounts in the second half of the year, which is especially noteworthy because Magic Kingdom operating hours also decreased, with fewer early openings and late closings (the times of day most likely to have shorter wait times. That’s the good news–the bad news is that wait times were once again elevated in January 2019.
In the original incarnation of this post, we speculated that last year’s spike was due to a range of factors, from shifting school schedules to James Cameron to the economy and consumer confidence. In our subsequent post, Explaining Increased Crowds at Walt Disney World, we offered Disney’s manipulation of ride capacity as the most likely scenario.
It would appear that Walt Disney World is up to these same games again in 2019, as average wait times were frequently higher in January than they were last October, November, or December. Given that January used to be a sleepy time of year that we referred to as the holiday hangover, this is quite the change.
In addition to ride capacity, Walt Disney World has mastered the art of manipulating crowds, incentivizing guests to travel during what used to be the off-season. Perhaps the biggest exemplar of this is the Walt Disney World Marathon, and we should note that it occurred almost a full week later than normal in January 2019, which undoubtedly had a more prolonged impact on crowds.
This is nothing new–Disney has been effectively manipulating crowds for (at least) the last 5 years, refining its approach along the way. This would explain October and early December gradually becoming more crowded over the course of several years, but not the surge that has been evident more recently.
When analyzing crowds of today, it’s also worthwhile to look at past trends, particularly in tandem with the economy. During the global financial crisis, attendance at Walt Disney World held relatively flat. This was an impressive feat during the Great Recession, and led to a view of the parks as recession-proof. (In part, this led to the investments we are now seeing–Parks & Resorts was viewed as a stable and reliable business unit.)
Since the economic recovery began, attendance at Walt Disney World has soared. Magic Kingdom’s attendance numbers have climbed by over 3 million annual guests during that time, per TEA reports. This is in spite of pretty steep ticket and hotel price increases, neither of which have done much to slow attendance growth.
This is one big reason why “there’s no such thing as off-season at Walt Disney World” has become such a popular refrain. Not only were crowds significantly lower during the Great Recession, but operating hours were actually longer. (Remember when Evening Extra Magic Hours used to be 3 hours?!)
This all brings us back to the titular question: is there an off-season at Walt Disney World? Last year, we answered that there is not much of an ‘off-season’ in traditional parlance. That seems to be true thus far in early 2019, but there are signs that there’s still an off-season.
For starters, last fall was particularly slow, leading us to write another article, “All Quiet on the Crowds at Disney World Front.” We’d expect that trend to continue in 2019, especially as many guests are postponing trips until Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens.
While we are anticipating crowds to be bonkers once Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens (likely in November or December 2019), one big silver lining is that in the months leading up to it, crowds should be pretty soft. We’re already seeing signs of this with Walt Disney World dumping hotel inventory on Priceline Express and releasing Free Dining several months early.
However, one unfortunate byproduct of Walt Disney World’s sometimes aggressive reductions of ride capacity is that it’s very difficult to predict what wait times will look like, even on days when attendance is markedly lower. If attractions have their capacity cut in half, that can have a huge impact on wait times–even on less busy days.
Due to this, aggressive discounts we’re likely to see this year, and the big unknown of when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will debut, I would have an increasing amount of skepticism when relying upon crowd calendars. I think things have been trending in this direction for a few years now, actually. Crowd calendars still have utility at a high level when considering over-arching trends–and when viewed in tandem with weather and seasonal events–but I would not put my full faith in day-by-day, park-by-park scores. Relying upon these for planning your travel dates is an invitation for disappointment.
This sentiment is not a shot at other planning resources. Our own Best and Worst Months to Visit Disney World post underscores the low crowds of January, dubbing them as “lethargic.” If what we experienced in January 2019 is lethargic, I fear what Easter or October will look like. In the few years since we first published that post, I’ve revised its rankings several times, as crowds continue to grow and shift. After waiting in line 20 minutes for the TTA PeopleMover in January and seeing several attractions with 2-3 hour waits on a regular basis, I am about ready to throw my hands up in defeat.
There was a time when the past was the best predictor of the future when it came to Walt Disney World crowds. Data from previous years coupled with park hours, school calendars, etc., could produce reliable forward-looking predictions about Walt Disney World crowds. I’m not sure to what extent that remains true. There seems to be far more fluidity and unpredictability to crowds now.
As for whether the concept of an off-season at Walt Disney World will truly be a thing of the past after Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens, I don’t think so. What the robust economy giveth, the sluggish economy taketh. (Although not entirely, see the ‘recession-proof’ line above.) It’s hard to envision the economy continuing its current trajectory unabated, indefinitely. To the contrary, a ‘correction’ (to put it mildly) is due at some point in the medium-term.
When that happens, either attendance will fall or discounting will be more aggressive to maintain current numbers, or both. With each price increase and upcharge offering, Disney is gradually shifting its reputation to being a luxury travel destination. That’s a perception those who are firmly in the middle class–a demographic visiting now in strong numbers because they are doing well–will likely remember if when there’s a recession.
What I think is less likely is a return to the off-season crowd levels of the aughts and decades prior. Those days are gone, unlikely to return at any point in the foreseeable future. Walt Disney World has grown and changed considerably (a reality that’ll be further cemented with the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and the additions of the 50th Anniversary after that), as have the sophistication of the company’s marketing and crowd-spreading efforts.
For long-time Walt Disney World fans, this might all sound like bad news. Selfishly, we all want our visits to be relatively crowd-free. We also want the parks to continue growing and evolving (except when our own nostalgia is threatened). It’s all a delicate needle to thread. While I have some trepidation about what the future might hold in terms of crowdedness and pricing, I’m also incredibly optimistic about the money being invested into the parks right now, and how much better things will look for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary. Frankly, if I had to choose between the lower crowd levels of a decade ago coupled with the creative stagnation of that era, or the all-around growth of today (and the near-future), I’ll choose the latter every single time. Absent of being able to pick the “right” dates on the calendar, there are still other ways to beat the crowds. At Walt Disney World just as in life, the times they are a-changing; you better start swimming or you’ll sink like a stone.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
What has your experience been with crowds at Walt Disney World recently? Have you encountered ‘dead’ weeks in the last two years? Do you agree or disagree with our take on the off-season? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I went to MK on 12/26/18 and I expected the park to be busier. It wasn’t that bad. I think in all we went on 13 rides and waited a max of 40 minutes. We stayed for almost 14 hours. The park was the busiest i have ever seen it but I expected it to be much worse. We also went last Easter and the resort was busy but we stayed away from the 4 parks. I have water park annual passes and I really enjoy going to the water parks and enjoying the resort more than anything else. Curious to see what February break will be like but we won’t be visiting the 4 parks
Off Season of yesteryear is gone for good. Credit to the economy and to Disney for filling and targeting the slower periods with special events and promotions like free dining and various festivals. Those who only began visiting the parks in the last 10 years or so have no idea what “Off Season” is (or was!) My first trip was 1971 or 72, when I was a young child. My next was in 1986 for my honeymoon and then very frequently after that especially after the birth of my children. Each year I saw the crowds and ticket prices grow. I still go, but not as often as I used to. I am thankful for the Disney Magic I experienced 20-30 years ago. It really is those memories that keep me coming back. My recent trips have all been nice and fun, but the magic is not like it used to be, I guess lower crowd levels enhanced that magical feeling, unlike now. Even the supposedly limited ticketed special events like the Halloween and Christmas parties are not so limited anymore. The more prices are raised the more people complain, but to have those lower crowd levels and low wait times (without fastpass) is almost priceless.
We also went to WDW in January 2018 and we’re surprised by the size of the crowds. We’ve visited several times in January and enjoyed the smaller crowds. I would guess that at least one-third of the guests were from South America so Disney must be marketing heavily for their summer travel dollars.
While I agree that the new attractions are needed and some are spectacular, the value of the Disney experience is gone for me. The prices continue to rise well above inflation, yet the cast member and overall service quality is declining proportionally. Facilities are quite ragged in some of the parks. Merchandise creativity is absolutely gone. You can find cuter and cheaper things at Kohls.
Over all, I’d say Disney has gone from an expensive, high-quality experience to an over-priced,marginal mass-market junket.
Very well said! You are spot on on how to describe what Disney is like now. I’ve been going since I was 4 years old and I think around after 2008-2010 or so is when I really saw the decline beginning. Disney will never be the same. I’m thankful my family and I experienced the beautiful magic of Disney when everything was high quality…the cast members, the shows, the facilities, the restaurants, the merchandise, the resorts, and the cleanliness. It was a very special place to go and every aspect made you feel special and feel like you were a million miles away from everything. It’s not like that anymore!
Well said.
They do target foreign countries much more than the us. We were there in december and mostly people from south America. By accident my disney experience changed to uk. The discounts were amazing with free gift cards. Wish disney treated its own country so well
I’m a season pass holder so I visit a few times a year. I think what I am seeing is a leveling of crowds to a more steady busy level year round. I just visited in July and was shocked at how light the crowds were- for summer. However, fall is so busy I can barely get a room! I think people are avoiding summer and spreading the trips put across the year.
Tom,
I love reading your blogs! My family went to WDW February 4-9, 2018 and like everyone else, was amazed at the crowds. After expecting crowd levels to be anywhere from a 2-4, I’m curious as to what you estimate the crowd levels actually were? We’re going close to the same time in 2019 (February 1-8), and crowd calendars are all over the place from a 2-6. I’m just trying to prepare myself in case they’re off again. Thank you!
I pay attention to crowd calendar, but mostly under cover tourist website for Orlando theme parks in general. They are more accurate. Was at Disney World 3rd week of March and 3rd week of May and crowds were fine mostly. Magic Kingdom is usually always crowded more than other parks but all parks are usually lower census during the mid-weekdays. AK has gotten out of control compared to the past due to Pandora and Rivers of Light. Hollywood studios I am sure will be a mess in the future when the other two lands open. Epcot is fine most of the time. I do pay attention to public school calendars in general and try to go during off seasons. I avoid summers (unless day trip) and very close to the holidays.
If the traditional low-crowd-peroids are becoming more crowded, would it stand to reason that the traditional busy seasons (Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc) would become less crowded? Thoughts?
Hi! I have a question concerning crowds during free dining. We are booked at Wilderness 11/24-12/1 and we are NOT doing free dining. We could, possibly, change this reservation to 11/3-11/10, which is not a free dining week. Does free dining drive the crowds up, exponentially? I realize that I am going to Disney and it will be crowded but, would just like to avoid mass hysteria…if possible! Thanks in advance!
Those are both great weeks. I wouldn’t base the choice on crowds but on activities those weeks. The earlier dates get you Food & Wine Festival at EPCOT (which we love) and some Christmas decorations around WDW. After Thanksgiving gets you all the Christmas programming at EPCOT (very cool) and WDW fully decorated for the holidays. ADR’s may be harder to get during FREE Dining but get those as soon as possible anyway if you want table service. You might get lighter crowds on the earlier dates but Disney steps up with longer hours, additional staffing and other assistance as crowds increase so it seems to be a wash (to a point).
We go to food and wine around 11/3 each year and there is always some annual big race event then. Epcot is super crowded around that time and the hotels are hard to book and prices are extra high. Hard to book restaurants then too.
We went to WDW Oct 8-13, 2017. Even though we aren’t regulars (last visit was 2010), we didn’t think the crowds were bad at all! We stayed at Animal Kingdom so we planned our days by magic hours. MK was open until midnight and our 11 year old was pretty much the only kid riding any ride she wanted! We had Magic Kingdom to ourselves! We took it easy during the day and even took naps during the since we were up early every day! By far, October was the best time for us!!!
You had mentioned that you believe that going to WDW is becoming a luxury destination. We do not have a difficulty because 1. We have been DVC members for a very long time and 2. We only go every two years for two weeks. However I am disturbed. Are the executives at WDW (post Mr. Eisner) trying to do this on purpose, edging the riff raff out so to say. Building the expensive members lounge behind the Brown Derby, raising the prices. I have been visiting the world since 1975 and this thought makes me sad. I value anyones’ opinions.
I just moved to Crntral Florida.. I been coming to Disney with my Parents since 1984. I brought my kids here every year , now i live here.
There is no slow season or times anymore.. Want a less crowded day. Go when its raining. Or Pick a park With less attraction (example Mk has magic hours..Go to Animal Kingdom) (Epcot has food Festival..Go to Disney studios) They wont be empty but will have less. Other than that. January is no Different then June. People take their kids out of school all year long to go to Disney Best of luck Everyone.
Good point Frank about avoiding the park with early magic hours. Made that mistake today getting up early to hit 8 a.m. EMH at MK. Boat from Ft Wilderness was late, Gobs of people made immediate long lines, Frontierland and Adventure not open until 9. So no access to favorite rides. Got very few rides in. Just not a good value exchange. Won’t make that mistake again. #spoilthemagic
We thought the same thing – were there from January 16th to the 24th. It was by far the crowdest we have seen, even after trying pretty much every time from late September through mid-December. But still, a crowded day in Disney World is better than a non-crowded day not at Disney World.
I just returned from WDW yesterday after a full week. I could not believe the crowds! We actually had to skip the TTA Peoplemover as we had planned to do that right after parade, since it never has a line and is a lovely spot to relax in the craze of the afternoon. After hearing it was a FORTY minute wait, we decided to grab ice cream instead (a substitution with which I’m sure you have zero qualms). I kept saying that the concept of dead season is truly dead. When I was a CM, I occasionally worked in a restaurant in Epcot, and in September and January, we could have rotations with fewer than 10 tables booked. Not so anymore!
This post is spot-on. We just returned from Disney (visited January 21 – 29) and the crowds and wait times were NOT what I expected or anticipated. According to reputable crowd calenders, the days were posted as 3’s and 4’s but certainly felt like 8’s. Very crowded with high wait times at every park. Many South American families and large touring groups flooding every park (it’s summertime in South America now.) I will not be following recommended park days on crowd calenders any more. We switched a couple days around at the end of the trip and tried visiting parks NOT recommended those days and much to my surprise, those parks were substantially less crowded!
We usually go in September. Empty nesters. The last 10 years every other year. If park closing times are any indication of a slow period. I’d have to say September is slow. If not , why the early closing times???
We were at Disney Jan 24-31 2018 and found the weekend very busy but attributed it to all of the pro bowl crowds. We hit up AK on 29th and it wasn’t crazy busy and then MK on the 30th and found it to be moderately busy. The temps were cooler like 60’s during the day and 49 during the evenings. I’m wondering if this kept some people from going out. I think we noticed the Brazilian tour groups the most. There were groups of Brazilian teens in the parks and many Brazil families everywhere. It must be a popular travel time and destination for them. At times I seriously thought we were the only ones who spoke English.
It was an ok time to go but not as great of a time as years past. We will probably adjust our time and go a different time next year. We went October 2017 and won’t go back then. It was a mad house. October used to be be a fun great month to go. Not so much anymore.
I wasn’t at Disney last week/weekend, but I am sure the crowd levels were higher than usual due to the NFL Pro Bowl game and pre-game week activities in Orlando, as well as the simultaneous NFL All Star game and activities in Tampa.
You may have answered a lot of your own questions – I would definitely stay on property the last portion of your trip if you are doing a split stay, the Disney magic and all (and fastpass!). Any of those resorts are great, depends on your budget, and how much you plan on being at the parks. If you’re going to be gone all the time – Pop Century is perfect. If not, WL and AKL are beautiful for the holidays. WL is closer to MK, but AKL has more table service restaurants. As for free dining, there is no guarantee that you’ll pick the right dates, and yes you will have to pay the higher ticket increase since you will be making a new reservation. If that is what you are looking for, you’ll have to be flexible with your dates and wait until it drops. Good luck!
These stories make me anxious, lol. We’re trying to plan a first (and likely only) trip for Dec 9-21, 2018 for our family of 4 (boys will be 5 & 7 at the time). I know staying on property is the best option, but in order to maximize our days at the park (and minimize our cost) we are hoping to stay 7 nights at a family member’s timeshare very close by and drive to the park. The other 5 nights we want to stay on property. I was thinking we should stay the first 5 (9th – 14th) as these dates are slightly cheaper but hopefully less crowded than closer to Christmas and we can pack a little more in. I’m worried we might be disappointed moving to off property after, but we will very excited to be at the parks most of the day at the beginning and I’m hoping we can FP and rope drop to hit all the big rides and then when we’re off property plan to rope drop and not rush around quite as much and maybe see more shows and/or tour the resorts. I would love some input from Tom & Sarah and other experienced DW goers. We are trying to decide if we rent DVC points or go Value approach (and ideally get free dining promo). For DVC we were hoping to stay at Wilderness or Animal Kingdom in a Studio (savannah view at AK), and if we did value we would do Pop for it’s dedicated bus service and new Queen size beds. Depending on how much we can rent points for it would be ~$250-$350 more total than staying at Pop century. Since we will likely be at the parks most of the day, the value approach seems more practical especially if there is free dining promo, but this will likely be our only trip to DW while the kids are young and since we’ll be there for Christmas and Wilderness/AK are known for phenomenal decorations I’m wondering if we should splurge a little more for the nicer location. We will do at least 8 days at the parks and weren’t planning on doing a hopper ticket. We’ll probably avoid Sat/Sun but I’d also like to do the Christmas party one night. Any input on strategy or whether we should stay off property first and stay at Disney Dec 16-21 for better FP use during potentially busier week? Also any thoughts on Wilderness or AK vs Pop? I was hoping to book before ticket prices increase – does anyone know if we decide on Pop and I book the package now and then they do offer free dining if I can add it at that point and if they would charge me for the ticket increase? sorry so long and probably confusing … 😀
I would recommend Wildnerness Lodge if budget allows. At Christmas, the bus transportation can get overwhelmed, and Wilderness Lodge gets you boat transport to at least one park (Magic Kingdom), which can be very useful especially if you are planning to rope drop. It is also just a beautiful resort. Also, I believe there is a requirement of getting park hopper tickets to be eligible for free dining this year and you mentioned you didn’t want to do that (Tom has a blog post on 2018 free dining that has useful info on it).
We were there 16-22 this past December and the crowds were large but not unmanageable (we were able to ride both FOP and Navi on FPs). Generally, I give people the following advice as far as resorts: IF you really plan on being at the parks all day every day, then stay at a value. The bus ride takes time but if you only do it once a day it is not too bad. If you think you will want to take a midday break then WL is a good choice. I don’t like AKL because it is a bus ride to everywhere. As far as staying off property – remember that it costs money to park unless you buy APs (which you might want to do anyway since you are near the breakeven point). If you want to go to MVMCP there may be some discounts available on dates earlier in the month although I am not sure who is eligible for them – maybe on AP and DVC. BTW- Tom’s blog on what to do at MVMCP is excellent. If you want to do the candlelight processional, I highly recommend a dinner package as the lines get very long. Finally, I suggest you read Tom’s column that compared AP versus dining plan as AP discounts now cover more places and you can purchase Tables in Wonderland if you like to have a drink with dinner since it provides additional discounts and includes alcohol (as do some DPs now). Hope this helps a little.
We have been to Disney World the past 3 years and always stay at Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake Resort in Kissimmee. My two granddaughters (now 6 and 7) were with us each time, along with their parents. We had a beautiful condo with a full kitchen and ate all of our meals there, except for lunch (which was at the parks). There is a Super Target very close to Orange Lake Resort where we bought all our food. We drove to the parks every day that we went. Keep in mind that kids who are 5 and 7 cannot stay at the park for 12 hours anyway. We went very early and came back in late afternoon, which is about all the girls could take. I did make lunchtime reservations at the parks, which I would recommend, so we always had a nice one hour break and didn’t have to fight crowds at “fast food” spots. Orange Lake has a terrific lazy river and multiple pools, although I don’t know if you will be doing a lot of swimming in December. With 5 and 7 year olds, you won’t be able to see everything. We also found that the “shows” were wonderful breaks from all the walking. I tried to book the Fast Passes to be close to each other, if possible.
We were at Disney December 9th-18th last year and again the beginning of March. One thing I will tell you is that to get a fast pass to Flights of Passage you needed to book 60 days out, which you can only do if you stay on property. I assume it will be the same for Slinky Dog as that will be brand new. I was on the computer 60 days out as soon as my window opened and could not get a morning fastness for FOP. I have stayed at Pop several times and we have loved it every time. We are booked there this fall. We usually go yearly to every other year, but in December we used our tickets toward passes. We can’t afford deluxe resorts so I can’t give you any advice on that. I just wanted to tell you that some nights on property will really help you save time outside of lines. At some times last December the line for FOP was 3-4 hours long.
Thanks for the info! We ended up booking Pop for 12/9-19 and are super excited! Although we could have saved some money staying off property the added cost of the rental and the fact that we could only do FP 30 days out is what decided it for us. If we are somehow able to score free dining it will be cheaper than staying off property, but not holding my breath! I will be at my computer ready for those FP for sure, even being in AZ and it being several hours earlier. We despise waiting in lines – I know we will have to and we are ok with that, but our kids are still quite young and not super into rides (although we’re hoping to change that this trip), so we’re hoping with rope drop and FP we can see the must sees and then jump on anything with the shortest line to fill the gaps. The Christmas magic and resorts will also be great as we’ve never been before. I’m really trying to pump myself up as I am normally the type that plans to the detail and wants to see everything, so hoping I can be slightly more laid back (mostly for my family’s sake) 😀
If you are a planner, that’s a GREAT thing. Go ahead and plan just remember in practice that it’s a guide and be willing to stop and look at the ducks. I gave this advice to a friend of mine last fall when we all went together and, no joke, we were in MK less than 10 minutes (on the first day) before someone said, “Hey, look, ducks!” It was the DAD and, yes, we paused briefly for the ducks on our mad dash to the first ride. On free dining, we love it BUT it doesn’t really save money now that the park hopper is required. At the ages your kids are, a break during the day is really a great idea and makes hopping more sensible. You’ll get as many or more hours at the parks and those hours will be happier with that break. We still often take breaks and my kid is 12 now. She’s never napped, but she swims with Dad while I nap. LOL. AND we hit the evening festivities and EMH with renewed energy. BTW – POP is a great choice but my daughter loves All Star Sports. If free dining is a priority, you may have to be flexible on the resort. Good luck!
Thanks Christy for the advice! I will definitely be planning but will try and not get upset when things don’t go according to plan. I love the duck story! My kids are almost guaranteed stop to look at the ducks 😀 We did get the hopper – in case of free dining but also so we can break during the day and then go to whichever park makes sense in the afternoon and also to give more flexibility with dining reservations. I would love for us to nap and be able to enjoy the evenings as well, but we’ll see if I can convince my kids! I would like to be flexible on the hotels, but I have read that Pop has better bus service since it is dedicated and all the rooms will be remodeled and include queen beds which is key for my husband and me. We may consider switching for free dining but it’s a tough sell based on those two things. I’ve priced the higher tier hotels for those dates and unless we win the lotto I don’t think we can do the deluxe and I don’t know that moderates would be worth it either for the extra cost and same dining plan but who knows …
We’ve tried a moderate (CB) and didn’t think it was worth it. The queen beds at Pop are nice and the renovated rooms are great for storage. You just lose the table when the 2nd bed’s down. I didn’t think the bus service was better at Pop than All Stars. Of the half dozen times we’ve stayed at All Stars, we’ve only seen shared buses once, but I guess that’s a risk. We often drive to the parks anyway except MK. It will be awesome no matter what you decide. There is no wrong choice.
This is just my opinion, but whether you are at Disney at the busiest day of the year or the slowest time of the year, there is one thing that is always universally true, and that is that you will have your most productive time in the park from Rope Drop until about 11:00 and from after 8:00 till park closing. Even on slow days there will be substantial wait times from 11:00 am until about 8:00 pm. To be honest with you Jessica, I don’t think that the amount of additional time experience you will get in the parks is worth all the extra cost of making that on property stay happen. If you have a chance to stay off property for free with a relative or even at a very cheap cost, you need to take advantage of that.
At Ft Wilderness this week and adding some additional comments from our experience over the past few days. We’ve been long-time Annual Passholders and DVC members and on average visit 2-3 times a year. In winter the visit is longer as we do some Snowbirding and work some. Last Saturday 1/27 was easily the busiest I’ve ever seen Animal Kingdom. It was hard to move about.
Contrarily, the past two nights have been very light crowds at MK Monday and tonight at Epcot, even with extra magic hours. It has been cooler at night (high 40’s), so maybe that makes a difference. Maybe AK is just crazy busy due to Pandora. I do think Disney’s overall timing of construction at HS, making it a 1/3 to 1/2 day park coupled with a huge opening at AK was fairly bone headed and I may just avoid AK for a while, especially on weekends.
If you pick you spots, like early closing cooler nights, you can still get lots of rides in, especially at MK. Last night was awesome for riding.
Good point about HWS effecting other park crowds!