What would you do? Memorial Day 2021

[PattyN]

I'm booking for next summer. I have the chance to leave as soon as school is out, on Saturday May 29, but that puts us in the parks over Memorial Day weekend. We've never been over a holiday weekend- would you go then or wait until the next Tuesday? I know it's hard now to gauge what crowds will be like, so I guess advice based on your observations of past years? Thanks! We've cancelled twice for this year- I need to look forward to something, and with teaching in the school year that is coming up, I'll need all the pixie dust I can get!

 

[AquaDame]

If you can wait I'd wait... as you said its hard to gauge next year, but I imagine families that are putting off their normal trips this year are currently going with the same dates next year if they're going at all. At least if they are the sort to schedule over holidays in the first place..!

 

[Shula]

We've been many times over Memorial Day weekend. It is somewhat busy and noticeably less so on Tuesday but it is easily doable. We try to go then so family can use the holiday as a day off rather than a vacation day. Hard to say for next year tho with so many rebooking for next year. (I'm currently on hold with reservations to book 8 rooms starting 5/28)

 

[ropedropper]

I think Memorial Day weekend tends to be one of the less busy holidays for Disney. Certainly nothing like Christmas, New Years, Thanksgiving, or Easter. We have been a couple years on Memorial Day weekend and really didn't seem any different than any other random weekend. Of course weekends will always be busier than weekdays. If you have the option of spending more weekdays I would do that.

 

[pmiranda]

I’d opt not to go over Memorial Day weekend. While it’s not quite as crowded as Christmas, the perceived difference is negligible. Last time we went during Memorial Day, it was elbow to elbow through the parks relatively quickly after park opening. Of course it’s so dang hot, too; it’s just a double whammy.

 

[cgattis]

Yes, the holiday weekend is more crowded than the days prior and the first few days after but remember.....more schools finish pretty much every week after that point, so more and more people. If your dates really are completely flexible, I’d say travel on the holiday or the next day, but dont wait another full week or two. Or, if you decide to go on the holiday weekend, try a water park on the weekend days instead—we found the crowds there lighter than expected in the actual holiday.

 

[VandVsmama]

I'm booking for next summer. I have the chance to leave as soon as school is out, on Saturday May 29, but that puts us in the parks over Memorial Day weekend. We've never been over a holiday weekend- would you go then or wait until the next Tuesday? I know it's hard now to gauge what crowds will be like, so I guess advice based on your observations of past years? Thanks! We've cancelled twice for this year- I need to look forward to something, and with teaching in the school year that is coming up, I'll need all the pixie dust I can get!

I think that you should go ahead and start your vacation on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. If crowds on Memorial Day weekend are a concern, then do a resort/non-park day on Sunday. Go horseback riding or canoe'ing at Fort Wilderness on that day, for example. Then on Memorial Day, go to Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon. Get to bed early on Memorial Day. Then the day after (Tuesday) would be your 1st park day.

 

[KenHutch]

We are planning on checking in on that Saturday. That has been our dates for 3 of our last vacations. We avoid Magic Kingdom that weekend we usually start in Epcot. Very doable. Of course with Disney not really having a handle on this flu thing my daughter is looking at May/June 2022 instead.

 

[kj2mom]

We moved our trip that was supposed to start next week to start the Thursday before Memorial Day Weekend. We are sandwiching a cruise that leaves on Memorial Day with some park days. If the reservation system continues that far (we do have our reservations) then that is an amount of crowd control but we have been several years over 4th of July and had a fantastic time so we are hoping for the same with Memorial Day. Here's hoping it all works out by then, we are a little sad this week with our 'we were supposed to be doing _________ right now'.

 

[Delirium]

If you are simply talking about arriving Saturday versus Tuesday, and it is not shortening your vacation at all, I would always opt for the Tuesday start because of the weekend, whether it be a holiday or not. Now, if starting on Tuesday requires you chop off a couple of days after your trip, I would say don't do it. I would never cut short a Disney trip just because of the expected crowd.

Memorial Day is not bad at all compared to other holidays. Many schools are still in session, and even in those that are not officially done for the year have Graduations and spring sports schedules that almost always run past Memorial Day. For a lot of people, Memorial Day is not an option for those reasons.

 

[JennP78]

I’ve been for MD weekend (2018) and it was crowded but not ridiculous. I’d happily do it again although it was a touch hot.

I found it similar to Presidents’ Day weekend which we do often. I also found it much more bearable than a nonholiday weekend in October which we also did in 2018.

of course next year is a total wildcard for obvious reasons.

 

[ghtx]

I agree with previous posters that starting the day after Memorial day (Tuesday), the crowds should be pretty manageable. Memorial Day weekend itself will be pretty crowded. Then again, everything could be totally different next year!

 

[Skywalker3]

We have been many times over Memorial Day weekend. Since 2012, have been to Disney or Universal every year but one. Schools here often get out a few days prior, sometime several days, and we can get a jump on some of the crowds. I personally don't like driving over that weekend, I think it's more dangerous, so we try as hard as we can to avoid driving then . While parks may not be as crowded as major holidays, they are still crowde,d and unlike Thanksgiving and Christmas, etc. IT IS HOT AS HADES. We were there the week that Pandora opened, besides the awesome ride, was the heat and 'feels like 100+ every day that week. It's manageable tho. we are rope droppers, and back in room by 2 or 3, and often back out in the evening. Get as much done in the AM as possible. and on Memorial day weekend, maybe do a park like AK or Epcot, hopefully they'll be less crowded than MK or HS.

 

[wdw71]

We have been a couple times during MD and didn’t think it was bad at all. I wouldn’t hesitate to go then.

 

[Happy2BMommy0812]

If you were choosing between 2 holiday weekends - like Thanksgiving or MD, I’d say MD. But if school gets out and you have the flexibility to travel the Tuesday after, it’s going to be less crowded.

That being said, I love long trips. So, I’d just extend my trip and be there for the weekend AND the following week and plan some down time. lol.

 

[Happy2BMommy0812]

Although, on second thought, with the park pass, the crowd size will be limited, so it may not be an issue being a holiday.