Help from the pros...vacation timing for 2019 planning :) 3 options!

[MiamiMere]

Looking at ahead for 2019 and we are limited due to school calendars and children that we can't pull out of school (7th grade/2nd grade).

I would love to hear your thoughts on these 3 options -

1) March 25th (Spring Break) - Falls a month before Easter for us in 2019. I am hoping with Easter being so late in April next year that it might spread out the spring break crowds. Wishful thinking? I have several Disney trips under my belt, with spreadsheets, fast passes, etc.. the kids and I will be soldiers. My husband will complain about the crowds if they are insane. We have our faves, don't need to do everything, won't be in character lines as my kids have outgrown that. The crowds don't scare me too much, unless it truly is wall to wall madness. Our past trips have been September/May timeframe.

2) May 23rd (Last day of school) - Will stay over Memorial weekend and stay the last week of May. How bad are the crowds over Memorial day? We have pulled the kids out of school when they were little in early May and it was AMAZING...not so sure about late May.

3) Mid-June - Wait until after Memorial day holiday and crowds have dispersed and go the first week of June. Looking at crowd calendars from 2017, the 2nd week of June is lighter than the others. Heat isn't an issue for us.

Thoughts??? I appreciate any and all input!
Thanks!
Meredith

 

[mamamelody2]

Is it a true "can't" on taking the kids out of school--like the school won't let you, or more like "I don't feel like I should"?
Because I'd totally be taking the kids out of school and going in September. In fact, my boys will be 6th and 10th graders and we're seriously considering going the week of Labor Day as that's one of the lowest crowd days of the year, and they only miss 4 days instead of 5. Our other 2 trips with our kids were all in September and they missed a full week. They were PreK, 2nd, 5th, the first time and 4th, 8th, 11th the next time.

ANYWAY, as to your 3 choices, they look to be similar in crowd level, all pretty high, but not insane. I would probably go with the March dates as weather would be more reasonable. Lower temps and less rain, typically.

 

[wdwjeffc37]

We went at the end of May in 2017. I didn't really look at the calendar when I made the decision. After booking for the first Friday after the end of school I realized that it was Memorial Day weekend and the opening weekend of Pandora. We were a little apprehensive about it but it worked out fine. Pandora was crowded but manageable. We had FP+ for the attractions(booked at 60 days out)and they had extended hours so we had plenty of time to do everything there. Two hour wait to get into the gift shop was crazy, but that was just one day. The next day we got right in. I really didn't notice the crowds anywhere else to be that bad. It is always crowded these days. The weather was pretty good, not too hot and just a few rain showers except one night when there was a huge thunderstorm with a lot of lightning which postponed the fireworks for about 1 1/2 hours. It was a great trip. You will be fine whenever you go. Cheers!!!!

 

[disneyworldsk]

june. less crowded and you don't miss school

 

[sharonabe]

I vote for June. Spring break has too many variables. Memorial Day week will be higher than the first week of June.

 

[MiamiMere]

Thanks for the input, I really appreciate all the feedback. As far as school, when I say "can't" it is really that I would prefer not to pull them out. My oldest takes advanced classes and last time I pulled him out for vacation, it took him weeks to make up all the work. So, it's a bit stressful for him but not completely out of the question.

Leaning towards waiting until June.....

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think June is your best bet (since you said you aren't concerned about the heat)

My kids are the same way, they don't want to be pulled out anymore. Making up the work is too stressful