Hi all - Trip planned for 4/1-4/4 … Two park days, no park hoppers.
Right now we have MK on Thursday and Epcot on Friday but the crowd calendar is telling me Friday 4/3 is a better MK day (5 vs. 7 on Thurs) even though there are EMH that day.
Would the Villains event from 10pm-1a lead to a smaller daytime crowd on Friday at MK?
Nervous to switch MK to a Friday since that’s a weekend day and I thought busier days but the Crowd Calendar is making me second guess everything.
The Villains After Hours event shouldn’t have any effect on the crowds since it happens after the park’s normal closing time.
I hear you. I guess i’m curious if people normally skip going during the day if they have the after hours tickets, resulting in lower crowds? I could be totally off base.
Hi Karol - Welcome to the Forum!
The CL predictions already take into account the effect of scheduled events. What I suggest you do is make a Personalized Touring Plan based on what you want to do, optimize it for each of the days you are considering, and then choose the day that suits you best based on the results.
That’s super helpful to know and great advice, thank you! And thanks for the warm welcome 
FYI – A common misconception about Touring Plans Crowd Levels is that they are an indicator of the number of people in each park. However, they are an indicator of average queue waits at the rides in that park during 11am – 5pm.
A CL 1 can feel like a CL 4 in terms of park capacity, but the queues may be moving quickly. Conversely, you can be in a CL 9 park that feels like a CL 5 because the streets aren’t packed. However, all the queues are super long.
Have been thinking about this as well. While it does happen after park hours, those with a ticket can get in starting at 7 pm. So to maximize their investment, there will be an influx of people into the park starting at 7, which could make it busier in the evening…anyone think that thinking is off base?
Have hoppers for my trip and we be at MK on an AH day. Was thinking about hopping away in the evening to avoid this…worth it?
That makes sense - assuming it partially has to do with staffing levels.
True, but I wouldn’t think the amount of tickets sold to AH are large enough to have a huge impact on lines/crowds. But you’re probably right that it has some affect. On MNSSHP or MVMCP days, there is a definite and noticeable of influx of people once the park is open to party guests, but parties are huge, crowded events. I would think that the much smaller amount of AH guests wouldn’t make a massive difference.
But I always enjoy hopping to a different park in the evening, so I don’t think there’s a bad option for you either way!
There will be a upswing of guests starting at 7pm. People in the park will really start to notice it by 8pm when HEA fireworks begin and everyone is on Main Street.
A lot of people, who arrived at RD, will leave after HEA. The park entrance & Main Street will be busy from 8:30 - 10am as everyone transitions in / out of the park. However, the queues for rides should be low.
IME - if you want to hop you need to do it by 7pm. Don’t stay for HEA. It’ll be too hard to get out of the park after 8pm.
Thanks, yeah if we hop, it will be after our mid day break. May just touch it out, if the queues are low, we are at Bay Lake, so will just walk back and will avoid the transportation congestion, will try to zig while everyone is zagging in terms of main street crowds. Might be a good night to ride during HEA. Good to have options, see what everyone feels like doing.