Just got the email about updated hours for MK. Nice! They added between 1 and 3 hours each day of my trip Apr 24-May 5! One day they even added four, from 9-9 to 8-12!! Even for my coveted crowd level 1 prediction day May 2nd they added an extra hour. I know the odds of it being an actual CL1 day is iffy, but fun to think I might finally experience one. Here’s hoping for 16 hours of CL1!!!
will
Good luck with that. Just got back and the crowd report weren’t even close. Crowded most day but the last was the worst as Spring Break really kicked in. Before we went I was getting a Crowd level change every days via E-mail. Hope you have better luck with the crowds.
DocHopper:
Nice to hear from you again! Yep, been seeing the reports about predictions being off too. Understand odds are low, but fun to hope. Re-reading many posts about how to best react to above-prediction crowds. Re-optimize, Re-optimize, Re-optimize! 
I was there for the Q4-2015 “surprize crowds”. It was a concern during the planning and I recall not getting to complete my TPs, but long term memories are just of the fun, so can’t have been too bad.
will
Well, just got the crowd level updates, and bummer. My coveted CL1 day at Magic Kingdom is now CL4. The fantasy of a CL1 day was pretty unlikely anyway. A bit more concerning is an AK day which was already going to be tough at CL7 went to a CL9. Yikes! May have to get there at 5am!
will
Yup, I think we’ve got a very similar holiday coming up as we’re planning on being in both those parks on those same days. I’m fine with the MK CL4 as I never really thought that would happen lol.
The AK CL9 stings more as we have ADRs booked and I’m not sure where I’d move the day too anyway.
Ah well, as you say, just get there early! We were planning that anyway as we have no FOP FP+
cblanc:
Yep, sticking to my overall plan too, just going to emphasize more the early start. I rely on park buses, so will make really sure we’re on the first bus leaving the hotel. General consensus is it is 90 mins before opening, but no-one seems to promise this, it is just observational. My plan is if we make it to near the front, plan on FoP then Na’vi, but if not near the front just ride Na’vi and come back to FoP later. We’ll decide mid-stampede.
When WDW dramatically increased the hours for MK on my theoretical CL1 day from 9-9 to 8-12 about a month ago I figured Disney knew something I didn’t yet and expected the change. I have pretty crammed touring plans with the old crowd levels, so will wait a few days before re-optimizing and almost certainly trimming a few things. Wah! May only ride Buzz or Mission Space a half dozen times now (My son’s favorites).
will
Just went through all my plans and re-optimized using their latest crowd level data. Overall much less impact than I suspected, even on the CL1-CL4 MK day! I guess that is quantitative evidence of what we hear here all along, a good touring plan is pretty immune to crowd level changes! Feeling quite a bit better.
My general judge of a “good day” is one where the plan shows more time in on rides than in lines and have that for all but two of the 10 days, so still looking good.
will
I’m planning a trip beginning the Friday after Labor Day-the crowd calendar is iffy and bound to change after they see what Galaxy’s Edge does the week before, so rather than being completely off guard, I’ve made some practice plans using dates where crowds of 6-7 are expected that have the same operating hours as my true dates . Mostly they are in October after our trip during schools Fall breaks. That way I can sort of see what may be more realistic in case GE brings much bigger crowds to other parks than TP currently anticipates, and will optimize a few days before and during the actual trip.
I’ve done that, too- changing the crowd level on a plan to see what happens. Often, there’s surprisingly little change. Hope it translates to real life.
Does Disney typically add the most hours on the weekends, if they do add?
Hoping to get a couple extra hours on a Saturday in May.
Yea, I just read an article on Disney Tourist Blog about “being spontaneous” at WDW - this doesn’t mean of course no planning, but more on the lines of don’t stress over it…things happen/plans change. so for me, a little attitude adjustment and TP re-optimization will be my weapons of choice.