Why so crowded?

[MakiraMarlena]

Pent up demand, rescheduling of canceled trips (including those for international visitors), some people eating attractions in the parks still closed, continuing reluctance of US residents to cruise or travel abroad due to COVID restrictions (WDW does not require testing or vaccination and no longer requires masks except on transportation), more access to nontraditional schooling and work situations (fewer families scheduling for traditional spring/summer breaks, some parents/adult travelers can now work from wherever they are). Right now, it's winter. with no interest in international travel they're choosing either skiing, beach vacation or WDW.

 

[Nutmeg2016]

Interesting that NE schools would have a week off right before spring break

A lot of (perhaps most) public schools throughout the northeast are always off President's Day week, and then get a "spring break" in April (has been this way since I was a kid in the 80s). Some school districts tie spring break to Easter and/or Passover (unless they fall in March), while others have a set week (e.g. I think every district in MA always get the third week in April).

 

[Adkins1720]

It is packed. We used Disney genie yesterday at MK, only got to booked 2 things.

 

[snikki]

I’m in NJ and no one around here gets off this week and never did. My kid had off Monday and they don’t even get that every year. They swap that day around with Jewish holidays some years.

We do get half day on Thursday before Easter, Good Friday and the following week off.

But it seems this week has been super busy for a few years now.

 

[mjkacmom]

I’m in NJ and no one around here gets off this week and never did. My kid had off Monday and they don’t even get that every year. They swap that day around with Jewish holidays some years.

We do get half day on Thursday before Easter, Good Friday and the following week off.

But it seems this week has been super busy for a few years now.

In NJ as well, have had the week off at least 50 years (no Jewish holidays off). Spring break is always 3rd week in April. NYC schools always closed as well.

 

[mjkacmom]

Interesting that NE schools would have a week off right before spring break

Spring break is April. The flights to Florida from our NYC airports are horrendous this week every year.

 

[snikki]

In NJ as well, have had the week off at least 50 years (no Jewish holidays off). Spring break is always 3rd week in April. NYC schools always closed as well.

South Jersey vs North Jersey. Lol.

Philadelphia schools don’t have that week off either.

Flight prices are also horrendous during Jersey Week. I check Newark and PHL. Sky high.

 

[OwnedByRetrievers]

On a personal note, it’s a place to go without testing or requirements right now. Our preferred family vacation is a cruise but that’s on hold for the time being for us. So back to Disney we go again

This! We were supposed to be in Jamaica and you have to test to get into Jamaica and test again to get back here. I'm triple-vaxxed but still got Omicron and with the unreliability of rapid tests (I had three false negatives), I didn't want to risk not being able to get on a flight or get back to the US (top concern). Until the US drops the return flight testing, we won't be leaving the US.

 

[petrola]

Two words; SKI WEEK. A lot of schools all over the country are giving kids a week off right about now.
Note that this is a 4-year-old article, re-published this week;
https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/ski-week-schools-mid-winter-break-elitist-SF-CA-12638966.php

its probably mostly this. President's week is winter break for many schools in NY , CT , northeast etc. We are skiing this week and the lift lines are long....

 

[Obi-J Kenobi]

There are a lot of good points on this thread. And here, I thought everyone was heading to the parks because of Bob Chapek's honest, direct leadership of all things Disney. Sincerely, the unofficial Bob Chapek apologist.

 

[Beer Me]

This! We were supposed to be in Jamaica and you have to test to get into Jamaica and test again to get back here. I'm triple-vaxxed but still got Omicron and with the unreliability of rapid tests (I had three false negatives), I didn't want to risk not being able to get on a flight or get back to the US (top concern). Until the US drops the return flight testing, we won't be leaving the US.

Any foreign travel is a risk for sure. We like Mexico and Jamaica and would like to explore other places. But as much as it sounds nice to be stranded in the Caribbean it’s just not practical if you work for a living. Honestly, Disney isn’t very appealing right now either. I could maybe deal with crowds and genie+ etc but the resort prices are completely out of control.

So this will be the third consecutive year of a boring beach vacation where we do hardly anything but sit on the beach, get drunk and eat. I think I’ll manage somehow.

 

[jimmymc]

The US opened tourism in November and I think it's been crowded since. Overseas DVC owners and annual Disney fans have been booking long trips with 14 day international tickets.

 

[OwnedByRetrievers]

Any foreign travel is a risk for sure. We like Mexico and Jamaica and would like to explore other places. But as much as it sounds nice to be stranded in the Caribbean it’s just not practical if you work for a living. Honestly, Disney isn’t very appealing right now either. I could maybe deal with crowds and genie+ etc but the resort prices are completely out of control.

We do still have another trip planned to Akumal in November. I'm hoping by then things will change, but I've been hoping that for close to three years now. From what I hear, you can't even have alcohol while you're quarantining on their dime. Nobody has time for that.

So this will be the third consecutive year of a boring beach vacation where we do hardly anything but sit on the beach, get drunk and eat. I think I’ll manage somehow.

Sounds like pure torture.

 

[DanielleC]

I can remember the time when FL Residents got some nice resort discounts up to last weekend. Hospitality dies after major holidays. Disney countered that with Run Disney and the marathon in January, and added Festival of the Arts too, then added the Princess marathon weekend (this weekend). There's a hotel discount right now for AP holders and FL Residents through checkin's through 3/10, then it starts again on 3/11 through 7/7. I've never heard of a resort discount being offered the two weeks that wrap Easter weekend or for July 4th. So I don't know what to make of it these days. You used to be able to gauge attendance by the old FL Resident seasonal passport but that doesn't method seem to work any longer.

This week also kicks off the "unofficial" start of Spring Break. Somewhere, someplace there's a school district off from school for a week for the next 7 weeks or so through April 24th. I haven't been up to Disney since early Jan and was there for half a day (needed a cinnamon roll and mickey pretzel fix) and it wasn't that busy that day. I'm headed up next Monday but not headed to the parks.

 

[RamblingMad]

So this will be the third consecutive year of a boring beach vacation where we do hardly anything but sit on the beach, get drunk and eat. I think I’ll manage somehow.

Going to the Smokies this fall. I can't handle sitting around doing nothing. When I go to Hawaii, I hike.

 

[pwdebbie]

Successful marketing of the 50th anniversary.

 

[JenLT]

I hope the pent up demand and larger than usual crowds are gone by the first week of December. I’m getting a little nervous. I’m the past that was a lower crowd week. I know that now there are not really low crowd times, I sure hope to be done with the extra crowded times.

 

[snikki]

I hope the pent up demand and larger than usual crowds are gone by the first week of December. I’m getting a little nervous. I’m the past that was a lower crowd week. I know that now there are not really low crowd times, I sure hope to be done with the extra crowded times.

I’m hoping the same for beginning of November.

 

[focusondisney]

I've never heard of a resort discount being offered the two weeks that wrap Easter weekend or for July 4th.

We were at WDW Easter 2019 & last year. We had discounts both times. pretty sure they were both AP rates.

 

[tigger2002]

I think they should open up Future World at EPCOT early like they have done in the past. That would maybe draw some of the people away from the other parks early in the day. EPCOT is open fewer hours than any other park.