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Post by dmkedm on Apr 27, 2024 17:23:06 GMT -5
I'll be the dissenting voice (sort of)--I've owned DVC since 2006 and the nature and frequency of my trips has changed a lot over the past 18 years. It now seems to be "full circling" a bit--my DS, who talked me into the DVC purchase all those years ago, is now a father of an almost-3-year-old, with baby #2 expected in the fall. So now, instead of planning trips around DS, I plan them for myself, with friends and other family, with DS and his family, and gifting my points to DS so he can take his family (or just himself and my DIL) while I watch DGS)....
I've had times when I thought I was burning out....but I still eagerly look forward to going to WDW (I don't ever go anywhere else on my points)....I've grown from my initial 150 points to my current 832...while I rarely miss going to a park, I frequently only go for a meal or for a walk around, riding one or two (and sometimes no) rides. I just love the atmosphere, "the bubble"....these last couple of years it has felt newer, fresher....lots of new rides, new refurbishments, new attractions (Guardians of the Galaxy is awesome, as is Flight of Passage--and I'm loving the new "hang-out" areas in Epcot)....I refuse to use Genie+ (altho I did have one trip when DS bought it (for all of us) and I got to go on the rides he reserved for all of us, and I did like that--but not enough to buy it--and worse, figure it out on my tiny-type phone!; and one other trip when I bought an ILL)...I abhor Disney forcing me to use my phone and resist it as much as possible. But I still love going to WDW, and go 3-4 times each year. usually for a week each time. I go for the atmosphere, the relaxation (altho I almost always work while I'm there), and the almost (but not quite) universal feeling the CMs give me that I'm the most important person in their world.
Certainly I've had disappointing trips, or disappointing moments on otherwise good trips. And I agree that familiarity can breed let-down -- and knowing how things used to be when those things were better (like Magical Express to get to/from the airport, free fast passes) can contribute to a feeling of let-down, too. But don't forget the new good things--internet access didn't use to be free. There didn't use to be a Member Lounge. I remember the days when I had to call for reservations--as awful as Disney IT is, it allows me to make/modify reservations far more often than it messes up!
Anyway, we'll see how long my love affair w/Disney lasts....but so far it's enduring. I'm happy to be DVC, and happy I get to go to Disney as often as I do.
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Post by PirateLinda on Apr 28, 2024 8:36:16 GMT -5
I can understand people being Disneyed out, but we are not there. We still love going 3 or 4 times a year. Sometimes with family or friends or just us. Each trip is different. And we do love the festivals at Epcot.
As far as the bloggers, I don't bother with most. I do read Tom Bricker's (The Disney Tourist Blog). I used to read Allearsnet, but Deb Wills retired and I hate what they did to that site.
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Post by tomandrobin on Apr 29, 2024 7:00:14 GMT -5
I'll be the dissenting voice (sort of)--I've owned DVC since 2006 and the nature and frequency of my trips has changed a lot over the past 18 years. It now seems to be "full circling" a bit--my DS, who talked me into the DVC purchase all those years ago, is now a father of an almost-3-year-old, with baby #2 expected in the fall. So now, instead of planning trips around DS, I plan them for myself, with friends and other family, with DS and his family, and gifting my points to DS so he can take his family (or just himself and my DIL) while I watch DGS).... I've had times when I thought I was burning out....but I still eagerly look forward to going to WDW (I don't ever go anywhere else on my points)....I've grown from my initial 150 points to my current 832...while I rarely miss going to a park, I frequently only go for a meal or for a walk around, riding one or two (and sometimes no) rides. I just love the atmosphere, "the bubble"....these last couple of years it has felt newer, fresher....lots of new rides, new refurbishments, new attractions (Guardians of the Galaxy is awesome, as is Flight of Passage--and I'm loving the new "hang-out" areas in Epcot)....I refuse to use Genie+ (altho I did have one trip when DS bought it (for all of us) and I got to go on the rides he reserved for all of us, and I did like that--but not enough to buy it--and worse, figure it out on my tiny-type phone!; and one other trip when I bought an ILL)...I abhor Disney forcing me to use my phone and resist it as much as possible. But I still love going to WDW, and go 3-4 times each year. usually for a week each time. I go for the atmosphere, the relaxation (altho I almost always work while I'm there), and the almost (but not quite) universal feeling the CMs give me that I'm the most important person in their world. Certainly I've had disappointing trips, or disappointing moments on otherwise good trips. And I agree that familiarity can breed let-down -- and knowing how things used to be when those things were better (like Magical Express to get to/from the airport, free fast passes) can contribute to a feeling of let-down, too. But don't forget the new good things--internet access didn't use to be free. There didn't use to be a Member Lounge. I remember the days when I had to call for reservations--as awful as Disney IT is, it allows me to make/modify reservations far more often than it messes up! Anyway, we'll see how long my love affair w/Disney lasts....but so far it's enduring. I'm happy to be DVC, and happy I get to go to Disney as often as I do. We are also members since 2006. Like you, we have gone "full circle" with family trips.....our kids, no kids, than grandkids. Our trips are always the same and always different. For example, we always go at Christmas-NYE, but some trips its 6 of us, some trips there are 20 of us, depending as family/friends join us.
We love the Disney bubble, its still there. We love that being there makes us happy. The crowds do get old, but every place has crowds these days.
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Post by brp on Apr 29, 2024 7:32:24 GMT -5
And so do we  But yeah, here at Jazz Fest, it has gone from crowded to, at times, crazy crowded. Even as prices have gone up as much as Disney. Boomers had kids, Now those kids are out and about along with the Boomers.
When us Boomers, as a far larger cohort, die off, the crowds for a lot of things might start to trend downward.
Cheers. |
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Post by tomandrobin on Apr 29, 2024 9:02:05 GMT -5
And so do we But yeah, here at Jazz Fest, it has gone from crowded to, at times, crazy crowded. Even as prices have gone up as much as Disney. Boomers had kids, Now those kids are out and about along with the Boomers.
When us Boomers, as a far larger cohort, die off, the crowds for a lot of things might start to trend downward.
Cheers. An interesting fact.....Magic Kingdom attendance is still lower than every year after 2012. Actually, this is true for all of WDW theme parks.
The crowds are less, but always feels like more than prior years.There are many reasons for this, that stack upon each other......genie+, Lightning Lane, shorter park hours, shorter "resort guest" hours, less staffing, less flexibility (inter-park transportation and park hopping), ticket restrictions, etc.
Disney has squeezed everyone into shorter park hour days, and forced them to stay in just the one park. Took away their freedom to come and go where ever they wanted and whenever they wanted. We see it and we have more flexibility than almost everyone, but it still impacts us. For example, by closing the parks a lot earlier we tend not to plan on going to a second park after dinner because the park will close in 2 hours. Again, Disney shows they are the masters of manipulation.....tying up all your time in on parks, leading to you spending more money in the parks.
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Post by bakerworld on Apr 29, 2024 9:45:51 GMT -5
Has anyone noticed if the crowds have a significant downturn at a PM time? Back in the day, around 3p, there use to be shorter lines at MK. We use to wait to them.
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Post by baymaxfan on Apr 29, 2024 10:02:37 GMT -5
Has anyone noticed if the crowds have a significant downturn at a PM time? Back in the day, around 3p, there use to be shorter lines at MK. We use to wait to them. In my 20 years of going to WDW, I've never found the afternoon/evening crowds that great. Morning was (and still is) the best. I've tried the afternoon/evening crowds many times over the years and never quite understood why people would frequently claim short lines. Perhaps I just got unlucky. But unlucky again and again and again. Highly improbable. |
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Post by johnb on Apr 29, 2024 10:03:12 GMT -5
Has anyone noticed if the crowds have a significant downturn at a PM time? Back in the day, around 3p, there use to be shorter lines at MK. We use to wait to them. At 3 PM, I've been at the pool for about an hour. Thrilldata.com might have information that can answer your question. |
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Post by tomandrobin on Apr 29, 2024 10:19:13 GMT -5
Has anyone noticed if the crowds have a significant downturn at a PM time? Back in the day, around 3p, there use to be shorter lines at MK. We use to wait to them. Not in the era of Genie+ and Lightning Lanes.
Well...to answer properly, it depends on the ride/attraction.
As noted above and by me many, many times....the best time for rides is first thing in the morning. Parks are empty, no lightning lane yet, rides have not broke down yet.....its just the best time. Believe it or not, the worse time for waiting (on average) is noon to 1pm. That is peak park, genie+ and lightning lane. There is a slight dip around 1:30, from people taking time out to eat lunch. The last hour of the day, most ride wait times drop nicely.
Most rides and attractions peak and drop all day, but at no time is it significant to worth trying to time it.
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Post by tomandrobin on Apr 29, 2024 10:20:06 GMT -5
Has anyone noticed if the crowds have a significant downturn at a PM time? Back in the day, around 3p, there use to be shorter lines at MK. We use to wait to them. At 3 PM, I've been at the pool for about an hour.  Thrilldata.com might have information that can answer your question. Ha....By 3pm, I have left the pool and headed up to the room for a nap. |
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Post by brp on Apr 29, 2024 11:38:43 GMT -5
First thing in the morning, and done. That simple. Return later iff Deluxe Resort extended hours.
Cheers.
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Post by helenabear on Apr 29, 2024 11:45:04 GMT -5
Has anyone noticed if the crowds have a significant downturn at a PM time? Back in the day, around 3p, there use to be shorter lines at MK. We use to wait to them. Closer to closing I see lower posted times. Definitely not as early as 3. Though at that point I'm usually done for the day. |
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Post by WDWGoof on Apr 29, 2024 11:55:53 GMT -5
I did find a pattern for FOP lines at AK to be lower between 1pm and 2:30pm. I’m assuming many people treat that park as a half day park so lots leave at lunch time.
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Post by tomandrobin on Apr 29, 2024 13:09:30 GMT -5
I did find a pattern for FOP lines at AK to be lower between 1pm and 2:30pm. I’m assuming many people treat that park as a half day park so lots leave at lunch time. You are correct.
You can look here and view day-by-day to see the pattern. |
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Post by Adelard of Bath on Apr 29, 2024 13:34:47 GMT -5
You can look here and view day-by-day to see the pattern. This link is very interesting! Looks like I should be going to my local "Valleyfair" which is a smaller six-flags style place all the kids go to, with a lovely black-top / pavement motif and a handful of not-top-tier coasters. Looks like waits are 20 minutes and under on a random Monday in the summer. Then I saw "Knott's Berry Farm" in the list, same owners as my local Valleyfair I was just talking about. Waits look pretty decent on the same random Monday in the summer. I used to LOVE going to Knott's in my younger days. Checking out Busch Gardens Tampa on the same Monday in the summer, looks like I could ride the majority of the pretty-awesome coasters they have there in the 20-40 or maybe 50 minute range. In fact, that web pages crowd level prediction thing for this week said "Monday - Empty, Tuesday - Empty, Wednesday - Empty" etc, with some crowds on Friday and Saturday labelled as Busy. Then I found Disney and went to Hollywood, which shows me on that same random Monday, a daily average of about 80 for Slinky, with maximums listed way higher. I haven't seen it that low in forever so who knows. (I have no interest in driving the 90 minutes to my local Valleyfair...why would I want to walk around a giant blacktop thing with a bunch of teenagers. I could go to Universal instead!) |
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