STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Aurora · Marc Jacobs

Walt Disney World

Lilykind · Hermes

I've been at WDW during Labor Day Weekend in the past. The summer starts to slow down in early August because most schools are starting by then. From what I remember, it wasn't nearly as bad as when we went in July, but it's not like there aren't any people.

IME, weekdays are always easier than weekends. I have friends that go to WDW like three times a year (girl I know works for Disney and gets deep discounts on hotel and free admission to all the theme parks for self + 3 guests) and they always schedule it so that they do the theme parks on the weekdays.

Aurora · Marc Jacobs

Last time I went was the week before the week before christmas, then the week before schools got out in may, and before that mardi gras week. There were still some rides with 30 min waits but it wasn't as bad as when I went in june and it was 2 hour waits and stuff. I just wasn't sure what to expect with this week.

Thanks for the tips Lilykind. I'm bummed I don't get to meet you but maybe next year. BF got hit with student loans and a girlfriend so he hasn't been able to save up as much as I did since I've been saving for vacations for 2 years now.

joy0302 · Kate Spade

IMO the Birnbaum's 2006 Walt Disney World is the best Disney book. They come out with a new one each year to spotlight all of the new things and also tell you about all of the other rides and attractions.

My hubby and I go atleast once a year and sometimes we go on Sunday and other times on Mondays. To tell you the truth it doesn't really seem like much of a difference as far as it being crowded. Saturdays are the only days where there was a noticeable difference, but I think that may be from the locals going on that day also. If you did want to go on Sunday to be home by your birthday just go to one of the less crowded parks on Sunday like MGM or Animal Kingdom and save the Magic Kingdom for the weekdays when all of the kiddies are in class. Also I think since you were there last they have started something I think it is extra magic hours. They used to have them in the mornings, but they started doing them at nights also. The park stays open longer for Disney resort guests and you can stay and ride all of the rides with hardly any line. It is a really easy way to do everything in a few minutes that would usually take hours.

Hope this helps!

Aurora · Marc Jacobs

Thanks Joy. I know this is stupid but how do they know if you are a hotel guest or not for the late night hours? Do you have to exit and re-enter? We're staying on the grounds so it won't affect us really but I was just curious. I like that idea of being open not only an hour early in the mornings but 3 hours later at night. Such a cool thing.

joy0302 · Kate Spade

What they do is set up stations in different areas of the parks and have people looking at your hotel card/park ticket. After they verify you are a hotel guest they give you a wristband. Then after the extra hours begin you have to show your wristband before you can get on any rides. They don't always have all of the rides open, but they have all of the big rides available, like at MK they close the kiddie rides, but most parents have their kids in bed asleep by then anyway. The only park where the lines were still really long on those nights was Epcot, but that is because they really only have Mission Space and Test Track. It really is a cool thing though and the parks are so much prettier at night IMO.