Definition of Disney Crowded

Complaining about Disney being crowded is like complaining about water being wet. 

But with the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disney World’s Hollywood Studios on August 29 (the land has already opened in California) the world has yet to experience the extent to which “Disney Crowded” actually means. Are you ready? 

It always breaks my heart when I meet someone who has become a Disney-hater because of “the crowds”. It doesn’t have to be. Lots of things are better when shared with a crowd—like sporting events, parties, New Year’s Eve, parades, and concerts. Can you image the Olympics or a royal wedding without crowds?

If you travel to the parks a lot, you have obviously adapted to the crowd issue. You may even enjoy going on hyper busy days—like holidays, spring break, or major openings (not to wait in line, just to sit on the bench and watch people lose their minds). 

Honestly, I had never been to Disney on a supremely crowded day until I had the chance to pop in over spring break. Wait times for all the popular rides were the longest I had ever seen in person and walking down Main Street USA was a bear, but I expected that. Here were some things I did not expect.

• When early morning “Extra Magic Hours” were posted for 7 a.m. I thought, surely, I would be one of the few on a bus at 6:15 a.m. Was I wrong. It was standing room only. I almost had to wait for the next bus.
• A wait time was posted at the Swiss Family Treehouse. It wasn’t long or anything, just 15 minutes. What struck me as funny was that I didn’t even know the Treehouse had a sign in which to post a wait time.

• Guests were lined up for the parade so early that cast members were just outlining around people’s feet with tape. I had to hand it to guests, they did a good job of organizing themselves before the cast members arrived.
• Stroller parking in Fantasyland looked like this (see below).

• Aunt Polly’s Dockside Inn was open. I honestly thought I’d never see the day.
• At Epcot, cast members had to play traffic cops. They literally stood in the middle of the sidewalk near the Mexico pavilion directing guests to stay to the right and waiving at them to keep moving. You have no idea how much this improved traffic flow in the area. Not only did it keep the area from getting congested, it stopped people from walking against the crowd—a major pet peeve.

Hey, Disney never closed the park—which is the ultimate sign that you have arrived on a supremely crowded day (like Christmas Day or the 4^thof July). I’m guessing Hollywood Studios will see a few park closings once Star Wars land opens.

The dictionary defines crowded as: filled to excess; packed or uncomfortably close together. So, by definition, Disney is crowded 365 days a year.

For the frequent Walt Disney World visitor—who has been through the worst of crowds and the best—how would you finish this sentence?

“You know it’s a REALLY crowded day at Disney when…”

Be creative. What’s the quirkiest answer you can thing of? A healthy sense of humor takes the sting out of Disagoraphobia (the fear of Disney Crowds).

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