I’d appreciate any input as I’m trying to pick my park days combining the guidance from the Best Days info (https://touringplans.com/magic-kingdom#best-days-to-visit-section) with the Crowd Calendar and my brain hurts. Leaning on the Best Days page info for Halloween party season, this is my current plan for the trip. I’m avoiding MK on Tuesday because of the shortened hours for MNSSHP - which we’re not attending. I know it’s very slow that morning, but instead I’m taking my chances that Wednesday 8/12 won’t be too bad at MK even though Wednesdays are to be avoided generally in Halloween party season. I’d appreciate any thoughts you have about the strategy below:
(Staying at All Star Sports. No park hopping)
Sunday 8/9 (overall CL 3): MK (EE w/LLMP)
Monday 8/10 (overall CL 2): EPCOT (EE w/LLSP for Guardians)
Tuesday 8/11 (overall CL 2): DHS (EE w/LLMP)
Wednesday 8/12 (overall CL 2): MK EE (no LLMP)
Thursday 8/13 (overall CL 3): DHS EE (no LLMP); fly out that evening
Where are you staying? Just making sure it’s not deluxe because EEH are Monday and Wednesday that week, I believe.
Your plan makes sense to me. I love starting or ending a trip with MK. Since you’re leaving mid-day Thursday, I agree that I’d do MK on Wednesday to be able to see MK at night, especially with the August heat.
I disagree with this strategy, but obviously your call. The lines during regular park hours on party days are generally much shorter than on non-party days. Have you seen the difference personally? I have (albeit during October and November, not August) and the differences were staggering.
Edit: Is your other MK day a party day? If so and you want to see HEA, I can understand why you would deal with the larger crowds on the non-party day for your second MK day. In that case, I would switch your LLMP day for MK to the non-party day.
Thank you, @davej . I have never been at MK on a party day. It seemed to me that attending on a party day would be most useful when you can park hop around 4pm as partiers arrive. We don’t have park hopper, so we’d lose out on several hours of park time that day, especially if we duck out of the sun or rain for a while in the afternoon. My other MK day (Sunday 8/9) is not a party day. I suppose on Tuesday we could resort hop that night if we did spend the morning at MK. I just think the rest of the family would miss being in the park until closing.
What do you guys think? In August, better to go to MK on a party day or non-party day if you don’t have hoppers? I advised to go on a party day, but would like @BryanAir to get other opinions.
I always think MK on a party day is a good bet if you’re not going to the party. I suppose early August might be the exception to this when a lot of school districts are not yet back in school.
Still, I’d take it as a bet overall to be a good day
I think August is usually light enough all around that you could get away with multiple configurations depending on what days / times you want to be where without it being too big an issue.
That said, I agree that going to MK on a party day is usually much less stressful and you can accomplish much more in fewer hours. You could schedule a nice dinner or another activity that evening, or just stay in MK as long as you can tolerate it or until they kick you out. It’s usually not too bad when the partiers start arriving, and it’s a good time to do shows like Tiki Room, Country Bears, etc. or pick up low-wait attractions that you missed, like its a small world or People Mover.
Also keep in mind the wild card of weather! Keep an eye on the tropics. You might need to be flexible. That said with El Nino, this year is supposed to be less active.
I think you have to also consider the other issue, which is increased crowds on non-party days. My worst day ever in MK was in December on a non-party day. Since then, I avoid those at all costs.
Thank you all for your helpful responses. The MNSSHP dates closest to my stay are Aug. 7th, 11th, and 14th. Should I expect that any non-party day at MK during my stay will be artificially crowded (despite what the Crowd Calendar shows)? Or is it usually only the day before the party and the day after the party that see an increase in crowds?
Not artificially, just comparatively. The crowd calendar shows MK as a CL1 on those three party dates, but as 2 to 4 on non-party days. That 4 is enough of a difference to be very noticeable in wait times and “how it feels.”
I think the reason we are all suggesting that one of your MK days be a party day is because you will be able to do more attractions, during the shorter day. I understand that you are concerned about weather. I would plan to do out door attractions early morning, pack ponchos, and plan indoor attractions for the hours you are concerned could be stormy. Honestly, you may be able to do everything you want before that time. The only reason to be in MK on a non party day is to see the parade and fireworks, but you have a non party day for that.
WDW is exhausting. A shorter day and some rest time can be a wonderful gift. Have a great trip!
Thank you all for these tips and explanations! I am going to plan to do MK on the party day (Tuesday). If we are also going to do a full non-party day, does it matter which day we pick? Of our options, the crowd calendar shows MK Sunday as 3, MK Monday as 2 and MK Wednesday as 2.
If it were me, I would keep your non-party MK day on Sunday. A 1 point projected crowd difference between different non-party days is generally not a reason to make a change and I find it very “Disney” to start a trip out at MK. Plus spending Sunday and Tuesday at MK, let’s you spread out your MK days so they are not back to back.
CLs 2 and 3 are awesome regardless of how you slice and dice to piece the days together. In August, I don’t think it’s crowds that I would be most concerned about. I would be more concerned about the weather: temperature, humidity, and downpours of rain, affecting my playing comfort.
Your schedule looks fine to me! Stay out of the sun as often as possible. Hydrate well. But most important, have a magical time!
