To avoid or not to avoid crowd level

One thing I learned last trip was that I am a person that needs down time. I can’t go to the park all day every day–I mean, I CAN, but then I’m exhausted and grumpy.

SOOOO for my upcoming much shorter trip (2 park days, 1 water park day, 1 1/2 chillax days) I came up with the genius plan to do HS, TL (which I consider rest), and AK. I had it all planned in my mind AND booked a Beachcomber Shack (?) at TL just to ensure I’m relaxing as much as possible. I’ve begun to scrutinize my plan and the day I’m planning on TL/Rest, AK is a 2. The day I plan to go to AK it is a 7. Is 7 horrible? Will I be miserable? Should I just do 2 park days in a row and go to TL on our last day?

I wouldn’t worry too much about the CC. The lines will be longer but if you make a good Touring plan, you’ll avoid those lines…

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Who knows if I’m right or wrong, but if you’re sure those numbers aren’t changing (like they are a month out or less), then I’d do AK on the 2 day. Then again, if that’s a weird number in a usually high time, there’s a chance it’s wrong. It might actually be a 4 or 5 day and the 7 might be a 5 or 6.

Another thing to check is whether it’s a 2 because there are EMH or a party going on that would make people what to avoid it. Or is something happening somewhere else that will draw the crowds?

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What days of the week are you going to be there?

If you think the best option for your cheerfulness and stamina is the rest day in the middle, then I would do that and not worry as much about the estimated crowd level.

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If you are a plan user, I would not worry about the CL. I ended up experiencing a 10 in both MK and AK on my most recent trip, and wow - what they say is true - you will still work magic and have an amazing day if you are using and working your plan. In AK, I didn’t really notice the crowd with the exception of in Pandora and at the start of the day when it was more crowded at the taps (75 minutes before opening) than I expected. It also took more time than expected for the rest of my family to park and get in at actual opening time. The rest of the day was smooth sailing.

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Thank you for these insights. I think I’m getting a head of myself and should just wait until closer to the trip (May) to change anything drastic.

I know that the weekend we’re leaving there will be some sort of event (cheer competition?) so I’m thinking maybe the increase is because of people coming in for that?

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We will be there Tuesday-Saturday. Planning park/waterpark days W-F.

If you get closer to your trip dates and the projected CL levels are still far apart (like a 2 and a 7), if it were me, I would switch days and go to AK on he lower predicted crowd level. 2 and 7 is a big difference. As others have said a good plan in the most important thing so you could still make the 7 work well for you, but I would choose a good plan on a 2 CL day over a good plan on a 7 CL day.

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I don’t chase crowd levels with my planning, in the least. I focus more on making a good, solid plan and using that.

That being said I do think the feel of a park - especially Animal Kingdom where pathways are more narrow, can change with a substantial difference in crowd levels. I would call a difference between a 2 and a 7 pretty substantial. From the standpoint of comfort in terms of moving around there would likely be a pretty significant difference on those days.

That said, your plan will help your waits be shorter, regardless.

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Crowd Levels are not based on crowds, but rather on the number of doughnuts in Len™’s Magic Bag.

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