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dawn
Guest
Can anyone tell me when to expect the April 2017 crowd calendar to be out? I see it was posted in September last year (I think)and I know my ADR's open up in October..so just curious.
KathyNY
Active member
Disney has been really late with their updating of info lately, so it seems Josh is laying off actual monthly calendars b/c it's a lot of work and then Disney changes it all anyway (though I don't know him, nor do I profess to speak for him). But his general philosophy tends to be that a good plan is better than any particular rec'd day. And that said, there are some other touring generalizations Josh has instilled in us:
(Quoted from bnoble in another thread):
Also, this year Easter is in April, so a good resource for crowd info is www.yourfirstvisit.net. Dave Shute runs it, posts here frequently, and is co-author with Josh on the Easy Visit books. Dave breaks down weeks a bit. There is a cool chart showing how many schools are on break what weeks here: http://yourfirstvisit.net/n-approaching-dates-at-disney-world/8-spring-break-at-walt-disney-world/
(Quoted from bnoble in another thread):
Also, this year Easter is in April, so a good resource for crowd info is www.yourfirstvisit.net. Dave Shute runs it, posts here frequently, and is co-author with Josh on the Easy Visit books. Dave breaks down weeks a bit. There is a cool chart showing how many schools are on break what weeks here: http://yourfirstvisit.net/n-approaching-dates-at-disney-world/8-spring-break-at-walt-disney-world/
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dawn
Guest
While I did know the 'take aways' I have to admit I am petrified about not having the calendar!! it is my bible...Sorry, Dawn, noticed after I posted that you are not a new person to these boards, so you probably already know all that I said.
I am in a panic now... wait JOSH!! I'm not ready for this!!! LOL...thanks for your reply..I guess I wasn't paying attention...no apologies needed ÜAND..in Chapter six (I think) of the new guide book, it says that it is still posted on easywdw.com/easyguide I really hope I can find it!! LOL Im such a whimp
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dawn
Guest
Right, but I saw that the last time he posted a crowd calendar was way back in April and it was for October 2016, which is what prompted me to ask if something was up.
2016
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Deleted member 832
Guest
While I did know the 'take aways' I have to admit I am petrified about not having the calendar!! it is my bible...
AND..in Chapter six (I think) of the new guide book, it says that it is still posted on easywdw.com/easyguide I really hope I can find it!! LOL Im such a whimp
I think his choice to move away from crowd calendars may have come after the book went to the publishers, since it's quite a new thought he expressed.
Though I'm also not sure his mind was 100% made in regards to them.
Still, not looking good, since as you see, it's been a while since he did one
3dadknight
Well-known member
I think I recall a post or a tweet from Josh explaining why he may be shying away from the crowd calendar business. He suggested that the plan for a day at a park is much more important than which day you execute that plan. The parks are crowded every day, but a good plan will make up for almost any crowd. I think he's right based on my experience. I've used the cheatsheets as a starting point for a plan on non-recommended days and they've worked fine. RD is going to be pretty much the same regardless of "crowd level." When crowds peak during the day, a good plan calls for not being in the park or doing anytime attractions at that point. FPs work the same no matter how many people are around. Have a good plan and you'll do just fine on whichever day you choose.
I'm not sure what an April 2017 crowd calendar would be based on. Disney did away with their long term predictions back in March and they're not saying anything more than two weeks out. Last year's crowds aren't a good indicator of this year's crowds. The summer has been completely dead. June saw lower attendance than virtually any time since September 2012. The last week of April this year was busier than Easter. No crowd calendar predicted that. Can't really go by wait times since Disney now reduces staffing so much when they're expecting fewer people. So you can have half as many people in line and still see longer waits if a ride is running with half the vehicles on the track. Avoiding Extra Magic Hours is antiquated advice. Animal Kingdom wait times this summer have been longest on Tuesdays. So I guess what I'm saying is that I don't have any information to provide. I could make it up like the "competition" and spend 20 minutes every month color coding the travel agents calendar based on when EMH is, but it wouldn't be accurate. So I don't know.
Disneydadben
New member
Very interesting info Josh. I appreciate your honesty.
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dawn
Guest
Thank you for this .. it has calmed me some!
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dawn
Guest
Okee doke Josh, thanks, I do 'get it', I'm just so used to you telling me what to do!! LOL.. I will be brave and use what I know...I feel like Obi Wan!! I appreciate you taking the time, and I do appreciate all the hard work you put into this site...Ü
Disney has done scheduling two weeks in advance for years. But no, you don't want to work for the Walt Disney Company. With the Rivers of Light debacle, they hired hundreds of part time cast members. No full time work. Now with the Jungle Book show ending, they are just not scheduling any of those employees or training them to do other jobs. They are just out of luck. What little is left is going to the few full time cast members they still have and College Program kids.
Days with extra magic hours don't consistently see longer wait times than days without. And with extra magic hours days usually seeing longer hours and more nighttime entertainment, you could make a good argument that those are the best days to go for those that can stay out that late. With no FP+ during extra magic hours, standby waits are typically much shorter than during the day. And staffing is typically higher on EMH days which can also push wait times lower even if attendance is higher.
Days with extra magic hours don't consistently see longer wait times than days without. And with extra magic hours days usually seeing longer hours and more nighttime entertainment, you could make a good argument that those are the best days to go for those that can stay out that late. With no FP+ during extra magic hours, standby waits are typically much shorter than during the day. And staffing is typically higher on EMH days which can also push wait times lower even if attendance is higher.
I'm trying to remember, wasn't there a bet floating around about September crowds vs. a summer month......I think it was a year or two ago........was it $100?
We just booked a trip for early February 2017, which is considered "value" resort season. Now I'm wondering if we will be facing long waits simply because crowds are low? I don't want long waits-that's why I'm going in February!
allknowingeye
Member
I was there then and the place was plastered full of Dance groups by the thousands. These groups are getting so large that they are becoming a force to themselves. May 2017 as many 5000 rooms or more are booked for the first weekend part of May.
disneydaisy
Member
Our Spring Break is the first full week of April. We were there this year and it was very manageable. I had all of our fast passes and good touring plans thanks to Josh. We also took advantage of riding BTMR, Splash, Pirates etc. while Wishes was going on and we basically walked right on. We actually went on BTMRR 2x it was that easy. We are RD people and also took advantage of EMH in the morning at MK and AK and got a lot done then. We are going again April 2017 and looking forward to another great trip.