Question about crowds week before Memorial Day

Hi all! First post here…I haven’t been to WDW in 22 years and am planning on taking my family May 21-26 2017. One thing that drew me to these dates was the fact that our school systems lets out May 19th, which according to some website, is in the top 20% of getting out early. I joined Touring Plans last night, and love it! I did however see that the predicted crowds from the same week I’m going in May, for 2016, were in the 8-10 range…seems like everyday after Monday (Monday prior to Memorial Day) are off by at least 2 on the crowd rating. This week seemed to catch people off guard.
My question is, was it just because it was so close to Memorial day? I’ve tracked years before 2016 and, even with Star Wars Weekends being tied to that week, the crowds were in the 6-7 range and predicted correctly. I guess my fear is that there are going to be 9-10 days on that week in May 2017, but right now you guys have it in the 5-7 range. I know its a crapshoot for then, but I’m hoping maybe there was some variable that made last year so busy?

They no longer do star wars weekends. I was there over Memorial Day in 2001. My son’s first trip.

Right, if I remember seeing correctly, last year was the first May without Star wars Weekends? Which is even more puzzling when trying to decide if last years attendance spike was a fluke or not.

I went Memorial Day Weekend this year (2016). It was most certainly crowded, but we followed a touring plan. And aside from the walkways feeling crowded, we did not spend a lot of time in line for anything - just like the Touring Plans should work!

So, I say - spend a lot of time and effort making a TP that includes everything you want to hit, and you’ll have a fine time!

thanks! that’s what I’m doing just got my unofficial guide today in the mail. What dates did you go last year? Our last day will be the Friday before Memorial Day.

I was there with friends Tuesday evening- Memorial day afternoon this year and didn’t find the crowds to be too bad at all. Now the humidity and the heat, that’s a different story! :sweat:
Just have a really good plan, great fast pass choices, and plan on mid-day breaks (either getting out of parks for a bit or having an in-park sit down meal in the A/C) and you all will have a great time. I don’t worry too much about crowd predictions, as they are just that…predictions. I go when it is convenient, when kids have breaks and such, and know that having a great plan is more important than what the crowd calendar says. Have a great trip!

Were there there Friday to Tuesday, including Memorial Day. So odds are, if you’re leaving before that, you’ll do even better than us, crowd-wise.