We have an October trip, and so I’ve been watching crowd levels and reported wait times with some anticipation… Obviously CLs were 1 or lower last week, but looking now I’m still a bit surprised (pleasantly) by the wait times at being posted at HS. So the question is - are CLs back to normal but perhaps lower than predicted? Or is it too early to tell?
I’m no expert, but I’m guessing they are probably still a little low. People that were planning to be there last week during the hurricane days would have probably still been there until today or tomorrow.
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Would expect to see a ramping back up to normal levels over the next couple of days. People who were scheduled to arrive over this weekend likely did not make any changes to their plans.
Possibly could see a slight uptick over and above “normal” as people who were able to reschedule descend upon the World.
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funny I was just looking at lines wait times for HS and wondering the same. yea I think they will start to increase next week. but by this time of day, I would have thought locals may have started to arrive for swge. last I checked, smugglers was only 45 minutes and that was 10 minutes ago
October more crowded than September anyway so this month crowds aren’t necessarily a good comparison.
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Isn’t a CL7 at HS the same independent of what month it’s in?
In any case - the CLs are predicted to be pretty low for the duration of my trip (not as low as Sept, but still) — with the exception of HS. I’m assuming those CLs were best guesses based on expected SWGE traffic - and am trying to calibrate for my trip - hoping, really, that crowds are lower than initially predicted, or that perhaps EEMH is less crowded than my TPs indicate.
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Definitely this. We have seen an uptick of arrivals the past two days. I suspect this week will be more September normal.
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the thing is the hs prediction for yesterday was a 7 but turned out to be a 1…why I’ve no clue. but 35 minute wait for smugglers run is certainly a CL 1 and not 7. I think things will cerainly pick up in October but maybe not as busy as previously suggested
Another factor affecting crowds over the next few weeks is that the CM blackout has been lifted for DHS. That might affect the evenings more than the mornings - especially since I don’t think they qualify for EEMH.
People who re-arranged trips won’t have reservations for SW:GE so will likely be hoping to get in during EEMH.
Another CL1 day yesterday in HS, compared to 6 predicted. I’m beginning to suspect that Disney over-estimated demand for SWGE, at least in advance of RotR.
I’m curious - if CLs stay this low, what are the odds that Disney reduces hours for October?
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There was a story in The Illustrated Man. It told of how there had been a prophecy that the world was going to end on a certain day, and so all the adults came together and decided that they wanted to spare their children the pain of this looming Armageddon. The end result was that they killed their children out of compassion.
The next morning, everyone woke up, same as the day before. Except, of course, the children. And so, the end of the world had come upon by their own fear of the end of the world!
I see parallels to SWGE. Not a perfect allegory, but that the fear of the crowds led to people adjusting plans for something that just was never going to happen to begin with! 
While initially, I feared the crowds of this at the start of the year, as we saw the signs before the opening at Disneyland and WDW, it was clear the demand/interest for SWGE was FAR oversold than what the reality was going to be.
Originally, I figured I’d be lucky to just WALK THROUGH SWGE in our May 2020 trip. Now I fully expect to ride everything without FPs. I think RotR will bring in some increased crowds, I don’t expect it to be any worse than any other new ride opening.
Keep in mind the first two weeks after the Labor Day holiday are typically have some of the lowest crowd levels of the year since it is one of the few times when all school systems across the USA are all in session.
Crowd levels start building back up in mid-late September as the schools that started back at the beginning of August start taking their fall break.
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I think I was more alerted by the pretty big difference between predicted and actual CLs, but your point is well taken - looking at CLs for September & October YOY I see that things pick up significantly. So perhaps the CL’s predicted for October 2019 are what they are independent of SWGE. I interpreted the generally low CLs during my trip as being the status quo, and the uptick being driven by SWGE, but there may be no basis for that interpretation.
I don’t think so…this past weekend was very comfortable, in all parks. Did all the major rides twice, even got CRT for breakfast at MK day before. Even with the low crowds, the heat made it fairly miserable.
This is all making me very happy, as I leave the day after tomorrow. I’ll be in HS on Wed. evening, drinking at Oga’s after riding MFSR, or MF’R as it were. (Reverse order is just bad mojo for me.)
Are they still limiting access to Batuu? Otherwise, that wait time for MF seems really low. Or the ride is a flop.
I’m 17 days (and counting) and since Dorian am now conncerned about CL for late Sept. I assume many people re-scheduled their trips thus leaving EXTRA low crowds in all parks over the past week. . . I kept looking at all of my apps and WISHING I WAS THERE!!!
But - a slightly more crowded WDW is still better than no WDW at all I suppose?
I arrive late on 9/26 and fly back out on 9/29 (evening flight at least) 
VERY short stay for me this time BUT I’m trying to make the most of it . . . .
The only time that they had to limit the access to SWGE at HS was in the morning and early afternoon of the opening day. Since then all guests have had full access.
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I know the other star wars ride doesn’t open for a while still, but I wonder if SWGE is not enough to draw people in advance of all the new stuff coming in 2021. I for one would be thrilled if attendance was way down next fall when i go again.
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Personally, the Last Jedi squashed my enthusiasm for Starwars like a 10 ton sack of midichlorians. It is going to take a while for the stench of that movie to clear from the brand. I’ll check out SWGE next time I’m at Disney because the Imagineers do pretty cool stuff, not because it is vaguely associated with Starwars. Tron and the Guardians of the Galaxy coaster are much more compelling to me. But that’s just me. I’m sure there are many other people that feel differently.
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