Haven't been on any of these forums in a longggggggg time, but now that I'm outta grad school I have some free time on my hands....
Anywho, been going since I 2001 and figured I'd throw some thoughts out there about crowds....
I'm a die-hard. Like I said, been going every year since HHN11. When we first started attending, we would go the 3rd week or so in October. Crowds were pretty manageable. They would even pace/pulse the line, aka put you into groups. I have many fond memories of going into RUN with just my Mom, or being sent through ScReAmHoUsE just 3-5 of us.
Clearly, those are things of the past. As the event got busier and busier we pushed our trips earlier up the month and eventually, into September. Now, frankly, it seems like crowds are just not avoidable. In the past, an hour or 2 hour wait was unheard of for a House. Now? 3-4 hour waits are easily seen and this is in September.
I don't know what has affected it....Is it the Walking Dead? Is it FFP or RoF passes? (Full Disclosure: I live in GA and SWEAR by the RoF + Express Pass - which is a STEAL. If you do not think any of the FFP or RoF passes are a STEAL you have entitlement issues or are delusional, no offense.)
I will tell you this, however. For the past couple years, the Saturday I went on was a BREEZE compared to Thursday and Sunday.)