Are crowds much worse than predicted right now? (Dec 2021)

I’ll be arriving at WDW this Saturday. Touring Plans predict 4 out of 10 for most of our stay, but what are people experiencing there right now? I keep reading about much larger than usual crowds for this time of year. Thanks.

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Welcome!

It is busier than a “normal” year due to so many people coming for trips they had to reschedule for the last 18+ months. Plus, overseas visors are just recently allowed back into the U.S. for trips they’ve delayed.

It’s going to be very busy. Evening shows are packed shoulder to shoulder. WDW isn’t limiting any capacity anymore.

However, a personalized touring plan has been proven to save you up to four hours of time not standing in queues. With a touring plan you’ll be ahead of 90% of the people just wandering aimlessly asking, “What do you want to do next?” and then walking into a queue that is 90 minutes long! Later in the day that same queue may be only 15 minutes, but they won’t know that. However, you will because TP will have given you that data.

FYI – A common misconception about Touring Plans Crowd Levels is that they are an indicator of the number of people in each park. However, they are an indicator of average queue waits at the rides in that park during 11am – 5pm - the peak ride times.

A CL 4 can feel like a CL 8 in terms of park capacity, but the queues may be moving quickly. Conversely, you can be in a CL 9 park that feels like a CL 4 because the streets aren’t packed. However, all the queues are super long.

We were there last week and the parks are busier than what TP has listed. Their crowd levels are for wait times in the park morning/afternoons. Epcot gets busy in the evening, especially MK AH nights and have long lines.

With that being said, we did everything we wanted and more only using G+ one day out of 6 park days. We mostly stuck with mornings and evenings, taking afternoon breaks.

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Thanks. Unfortunately I’ll be with two DVC owners who don’t want to be “tied” to a plan. I’ll definitely make Touring Plans for a trip with a large group during Presidents Week in February (yikes!) — although how to make a plan when I don’t know what time my Lightning Lane attractions will be booked until the day of??? Thanks. I was such an experienced WDW goer, but the new changes are confusing.

I’ll be going shortly before you in Feb. My plan is to figure out my first two desired G+ for each day before the trip. Then put them in the plan in their approximate time. I suspect I won’t need to use the app. hack by then.

IMHO - Genie + and LL$ programs are not too different than FastPass was in terms of planning… If you didn’t go or use TP when FastPass was an option here’s how I handled it.

You could tell TP you were using up to 3 FastPass (FPP). So, if your plan had a FPPs at 10am / 11am / 12pm - Your “planned” attractions with a FPP were done.

With G+ you do get another pass as soon as you use the last one or 2 hrs whichever is done first. (Yes… there are ways to “game” the system, but I’m not wanting to complicate things more :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes: :crazy_face:)

So… make your plan, buy G+ / LL$, then follow the your plan. Along the way pick up as many G+ as you can following your plan. Like I said, you’re eligible for your next one as soon as you use the one you have. So, technically, you could have them back-to-back-to-back…if available

If you don’t see any G+ available for your next couple of steps then get the one you can use later and keep following your plan…

A touring plan has been proven to save you up to four hours of time not standing in queues - regardless of FastPass / G+ / LL$. With a touring plan you’ll be ahead of 90% of the people just wandering aimlessly asking, “What do you want to do next?” and then walking into a queue that is 90 minutes long. Later in the day that same queue may be only 15 minutes, but they won’t know that. However, you will because TP will have given you that data

Regardless of TP crowd calculators I think the parks are very crowded. Our family usually made a trip in December and the crowds feel prepandemic crowded. Recent TRs noted crowds too.

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Thanks so much. OK, I’ll build in my Lightning Lane stuff just like I used to do with Fast Passes. Great explanation — thanks. I’ve never felt so nervous to visit WDW — part of that is due to the pandemic and the awful ways people are misbehaving, but a lot is due to Genie+. I’ll pretend it’s still a Fast Pass (just with a twist or two or three). Thank you.

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I am here now and despite the low predicted crowds the parks are very busy. Often to the point it is hard to walk. Echoing what others have said and if you have a good plan, rope drop and use genie+ effectively you should be okay.

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