I think people in general just need to adjust their mentality of crowds and going to public places. It seems that people think because they're paying a lot of money that they're owed a lot less troublesome experience. Frankly, Disney doesn't owe anybody anything. It's a business and they're in the business to make money. Disney use to have months and period that were considered low crowds because quite frankly, there was a time when Disney parks weren't doing too well. Times have changed and Disney business have made acquisitions and changes to drive people back to the parks. Add in the fact that the economy is doing well and you have a receipt for disaster so of speak. If Disney wasn't a place that you didn't want to go to, well then the crowds would be low but since they've made some acquisitions and changes that people want and like, people are going to the park.
The best thing you can do for yourself is accept that the park is crowded and if you happen to be there on a day that isn't crowded, well consider yourself lucky. That's how we look at it so we don't waste our valuable family time together hissing and pissing over something that I have no control like crowds and how other people act. If I were to huff and puff over the rudeness and inconsideratness of other people, I'd be grump and pissed off all day long. I choose not to let it get to me.
Someone mentioned that they had some friends visit and was all hot and bothered with the crowds and decided they would never come back again. Frankly, I think they've got it all wrong. Their priorities, in my humble opinion, are mixed up.
Another way to look at it is this. If it wasn't crowded, that means that people are not interested in going and that means something's not right. Just look at Magic Mountain. I used to go like 20 years or so ago and they were crowded. Now they turned around a little but there was a time where they couldn't even get you to go if they gave away tickets. Certainly having gang members there didn't help but my point is, there is a reason why it's so busy and that's because Disney is doing something RIGHT and people WANT to go.
Keep up the good work Disney but let's also keep and eye for overdoing it on the pricing.
The problem is that Disney is not managing the crowds well. They are being inefficient in several key areas and that adds to the frustration guests experience.
I went to the parks yesterday with my kids who had a day off school. From our garage to the M&F parking structure is a 15 min trip. We left home at 8:00am. We did not walk through the gates at DL until 10:05am. That is ridiculous. Here are some reasons for that:
1. The parking garage toll booths were only staffed at 50%. Each booth can have two people working in it, one for each lane. They had only one CM per booth, requiring the CM to help one car on one side, then one on the other, and so on. This is fine on slow days, but the cars were backed up for about half a mile leading into the garage. Took 45 min to get to the toll booth.
2. The security lines were similarly half staffed. There were only 8 open lines out of 14 or so total. We waited 20 min in this line, then another 10 for a tram.
3. The line to get into both parks was massive. This could be streamlined by having lanes for AP holders and multi day ticket holders who ALREADY have photos on file. There is no distinction in place so you have people exchanging vouchers, needing to show ID, sign tickets, get photos taken, etc. How hard is it to set up half the lanes for these people and the other half as an Express entrance for people who already went through that? Have a couple CMs out front directing people. We waited 35 min to enter DL.
4. The speed of most CS restaurants is painfully slow. Of particular note: Red Rose Tavern, Hungry Bear, Flo's V8 Cafe, and Smokejumpers Grill. You order and then wait FOREVER while no less than 5 CMs stand around behind the counter looking clueless while 1 or 2 others fill all of the orders. There HAS to be a more efficient system!
These are the kinds of things that will drive people away. Inefficiency is a huge problem at DL. Literally none of my frustrations on crowded days have anything to do with other guests. It's just this kind of stupid stuff that pisses me off.