How do you select which day will be water park day?

Walt Disney World Crowd Calendar
1

I’m trying to map out our park days months ahead of time so that I can get our ADR’s in order. I was wondering if anyone had thoughts on which days of the week might have lower crowds at water parks. Also wondering if people follow the same logic of arriving when park opens. It will be summer. Obviously weather will be a factor once we are there. While you are at it, feel free to share your thoughts about BB vs. TL. We will only be going one day.
Thanks!

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  1. Avoid weekends - busier with locals.
  2. YES to rope drop! We found lines got long fairly quickly - we went during 10 am opening, and by 11 am they reached their steady state for the afternoon.
    Aside from that, I’d probably make my schedule with a free day, an AK day, and a Waterpark day that are fluid and can be swapped around, since AK FPPs are usually easy to make a few days before.
    As for which park - We love both, but TL a little more - the wave pool is astonishing, and the Crusher Gusher is the most fun water roller coaster ever. If I had kids aged 6-12, I’d head for Blizzard Beach because of the Ski Patrol area. But the last time we were at WDW, we loved the WPs so much that we went there TWO days on a 4 day trip… 8 am RD at a park for and hour and a half, hopped to a WP, rest at hotel, and back to a park in the evening.
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I do not know why but I thought I read somewhere (my guess on chat) that Thursdays tend to be the busiest days at the WPs?

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I just looked it up in my 2015 version on the UG. It says that research shows that most of the people at the water parks are tourists, not locals and since so many tourists travel on the weekends the weekends are less crowded and Thursday is the busiest day ( maybe that changed in the 2016 version?)

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Lots of conflicting a device on best day to go - in the summer I expect it does not make that much difference. We fit in our water park day in around day 8 - after the other parks and round about our second rest day (we are Brits so go for 2 weeks). We always make RD - gives you an hour to do the major rides. Alternative strategy is to arrive late afternoon and close the park (esp in summer when they close at 8pm)

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Wow, that’s great information! Given how crazy it was when we were there on a weekend (and it seemed like everyone I talked to was a local), I cringe at the thought of weekdays!

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