The absolute least crowded time to go.

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

Wait times are looking awesome right now. TP predicted 6s for the parks today and I'd hazard a guess they're going to come in lower than that (although who knows, it could change this afternoon). TP looks to have generally overestimated crowds this week. Fingers crossed that that trend holds for two more weeks.

This is TODAY ...
And while last week was amazing with NO crowds this seems like the norm .. and just one of the many reasons Disney is off our vacation list .. just to many wonderful things to see in the world without being on top of thousands of sweaty strangers , paying higher costs with less return and having no choice on when someone is popping into our room .. the world is to big for this hassle .

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

View attachment 317863

This is TODAY ...
And while last week was amazing with NO crowds this seems like the norm .. and just one of the many reasons Disney is off our vacation list .. just to many wonderful things to see in the world without being on top of thousands of sweaty strangers , paying higher costs with less return and having no choice on when someone is popping into our room .. the world is to big for this hassle .

Tell me this is the line for FOP.

I guess ride times tell you nothing. It looked great an hour ago on the app. I guess that wasn't reality.

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

Tell me this is the line for FOP.

I guess ride times tell you nothing. It looked great an hour ago on the app. I guess that wasn't reality.

I wouldn’t go off what the app says at all .. I noticed when I was there last week and it was dead that the ride times showed very long waits when in reality they were almost no wait .

 

[dlavender]

Since getting our AP last October we have been the following weekends:

Columbus day - The worst of all, crazy waits and crazy crowded

Week before Halloween - Still crowded, but manageable

Thanksgiving weekend - Crowded, but manageable

2nd week of December - Not too bad crowd wise

First weekend of March - Crowded, but manageable

Last weekend of March - Crowded, but manageable

You may notice a pattern

The only week I would cross of my list is Columbus day.

The best so far seemed to have been that 2nd week of December.

We are going again next week so we will see if the trend continues!

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I wouldn’t go off what the app says at all .. I noticed when I was there last week and it was dead that the ride times showed very long waits when in reality they were almost no wait .

Hmmm. I'm looking at Lines. The wait times still look very reasonable for 1 pm. FOP is showing 76 (TP) with a posted wait of 90. And EE is 30 minutes (again, at 1 pm). By no means is that dead or walk on but seems really reasonable. But your picture definitely looks like a crazy busy day.

I have nothing to go on right now other than wait times not being there.

Next week.

 

[twolittletinkerbells]

View attachment 317863

This is TODAY ...
And while last week was amazing with NO crowds this seems like the norm .. and just one of the many reasons Disney is off our vacation list .. just to many wonderful things to see in the world without being on top of thousands of sweaty strangers , paying higher costs with less return and having no choice on when someone is popping into our room .. the world is to big for this hassle .

What time and location was this picture taken? Context would help alot. That looks like FOP/Pandora area at rope drop. Which would be misleading overall.

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

What time and location was this picture taken? Context would help alot.

Sometime around noon , inside AK .. I have a friend there this weekend .. she is “ ITS NUTS here “ so seems just crowded in general from what she said , they also go often so I usually take her judge of crowds .

 

[DisneyOma]

Sometime around noon , inside AK .. I have a friend there this weekend .. she is “ ITS NUTS here “ so seems just crowded in general from what she said , they also go often so I usually take her judge of crowds .

Of course it is crowded - this the week of April vacation.

And while last week was amazing with NO crowds this seems like the norm .. and just one of the many reasons Disney is off our vacation list .. just to many wonderful things to see in the world without being on top of thousands of sweaty strangers , paying higher costs with less return and having no choice on when someone is popping into our room .. the world is to big for this hassle .

How can it be off your list if you were there last week, with no crowds? What made you change your mind in such a short period of time? The photo you posted has not been the norm for us on any of our trips, BTW.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We have done the last week of August the last few trips. Low crowds but it is HOT and humid. I have to bring two outfits for each day because you just sweat through everything. For us midday breaks at the pool are a MUST. But we always had fun.

When planning this next trip it was between August and Jersey week. DD said she was over the heat and wanted to see the decorations. We know crowds will be much higher but we are looking forward to not melting to death. We are also looking forward to later and longer hours. DD is a night owl and wants to do as many late nights as possible.

With that said, lower crowds is usually a toss up with something else. Heat, shorter hours, etc.

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

Of course it is crowded - this the week of April vacation.



How can it be off your list if you were there last week, with no crowds? What made you change your mind in such a short period of time? The photo you posted has not been the norm for us on any of our trips, BTW.

One ... it’s a pretty hostile reply .. two .. if you had seen any of my recent posts you would have seen that before our April trip we had decided to let our APs lapse and start more overseas travel for MANY reasons .. also don’t know what “ April break “ is ? I went just last week and did show it was a great week with no crowds .
We are done with Disney PARKS & RESORTS ( will still be doing DCL) for many reasons ... being
To many people makes for a non relaxing vacation , we have been so many times frankly it’s old , the constant increase in onsite hotels that are taking away perks by the minute and I just don’t enjoy having to explain why I don’t want anyone walking in my room at anytime they choose .
I would rather be enjoying a art museum in England or eating pastry in France for a ton less then staying a week at a deluxe Disney Resort , we also enjoy the occasional DCL cruise that is top notch and never feels crowded even when the ship is full . I enjoyed are trip last week .. but it’s are last ... the kids don’t even care for it anymore .

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

I did enjoy our trip last week , we upgraded to poly for free and had free room service along with no crowds .. but that trip had been paid for long ago and was already going to be the last .
I have been for 25+ years and just not into the crowds and constant inconsistencies of policies that they make ... everyone has a different experience because the entire place isn’t inconsistent.. it’s not people exaggerating or making up stories as much as Disney is simply inconsistent in implementing everything .

 

[Cee]

I agree that there are no slow or empty parks anymore. I made my res for mid-October for F & W Festival and just said, “the heck with it”. Just go when you want to go. I have to admit, at this point...I visit the attractions I love and leave the rest. I just love being there and enjoying the atmosphere. Bring me that Le Cellier filet mignon with truffle sauce from the Canada kiosk...STAT.

 

[sweetnjmom]

My last 3 trips have been the first week of May (2009 and 2015) and the week after Veteran's Day (2013). I thought it was more crowded in early May than November and much hotter than expected -- the first May trip we took had temps in the upper 90s and I was 6-1/2 months pregnant with our son. We didn't wait more than 30 minutes for rides - though some wait times were higher, but we just didn't go to those. I don't remember what the crowd levels were supposed to be then. But we did what we wanted and didn't feel crushed by a crowd (exception was leaving EPCOT after Illuminations).

This Summer we're going the last week of August. I've heard the crowds are lower (I'm not expecting empty parks). While I'd prefer to go during a less hot/humid/hurricane-risk time of year, that's the week when we have no child care options and I'm not pulling my son (who will turn 9 in mid August) out of school any more. I'm hoping for the best - though I'm sure that Toy Story Land will be crazy. But we're prepared for that.

 

[**Courtney**]

I have been in May, June, July, August, September, November, and December. November was my favorite time. I went the week before Thanksgiving (Nov 11-16) and it was fabulous. Minimal crowds. I never waited more than 30 minutes. The weather was perfect. I loved it.

I'm going next week so we'll see how that is...

I am so glad to hear this!! I normally go the week after Columbus Day (Canadian Thanksgiving me us Canucks) and I have noticed the crowds really increasing. We are arriving on November 10th and am hoping it wont be CRAZY busy. I figure we are ahead of the Thanksgiving crowds and after the leftover MNSSHP crowds.

 

[momimouse27]

I have been...Late February, March, April, May, July, August, September, October, November and Dec. Echoing what others have said, I believe the true empty times are gone. When my girls were small(90's) and we would go in September for (truly) Free Dining and it was a ghost town.

Having said that, I have two favorite times out of those. You are right about after Labor Day, and I think that's still a good bet. But the full week before Thanksgiving is my new favorite time to go. It's beautiful, decor-wise and weather wise. Crowds are below average. My other favorite time is end of April into early May-EXCEPT when it falls on Easter. I found the crowds very manageable and weather to be on the hot side, but nice at night.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I have been...Late February, March, April, May, July, August, September, October, November and Dec. Echoing what others have said, I believe the true empty times are gone. When my girls were small(90's) and we would go in September for (truly) Free Dining and it was a ghost town.

Having said that, I have two favorite times out of those. You are right about after Labor Day, and I think that's still a good bet. But the full week before Thanksgiving is my new favorite time to go. It's beautiful, decor-wise and weather wise. Crowds are below average. My other favorite time is end of April into early May-EXCEPT when it falls on Easter. I found the crowds very manageable and weather to be on the hot side, but nice at night.

Agree about that week before Thanksgiving. We started our trip last year on 11/14 at Universal and it was dead for most of the day. We walked on everything all day long. Beautiful weather, too. It was a great day! We went to MK on 11/16 and it was wonderful until the MVMCP crowd started to come in at around 4:30.

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

My last 3 trips have been the first week of May (2009 and 2015) and the week after Veteran's Day (2013). I thought it was more crowded in early May than November and much hotter than expected -- the first May trip we took had temps in the upper 90s and I was 6-1/2 months pregnant with our son. We didn't wait more than 30 minutes for rides - though some wait times were higher, but we just didn't go to those. I don't remember what the crowd levels were supposed to be then. But we did what we wanted and didn't feel crushed by a crowd (exception was leaving EPCOT after Illuminations).

This Summer we're going the last week of August. I've heard the crowds are lower (I'm not expecting empty parks). While I'd prefer to go during a less hot/humid/hurricane-risk time of year, that's the week when we have no child care options and I'm not pulling my son (who will turn 9 in mid August) out of school any more. I'm hoping for the best - though I'm sure that Toy Story Land will be crazy. But we're prepared for that.

If you have not been in August please drink LOTS of water , dress lightly and use sunscreen ... all day long .. I live in Florida and can’t take the extreme heat in August ... it’s just BAD .. feels like your breathing in heat .. it can be done just take lots of precautions

 

[momimouse27]

I wanted to add to that...we did MVMCP on Tuesday of that week(and this may not be the norm, but it was my personal experience) and it was one of the smallest crowds I've ever seen for that event. In full disclosure, that was 4 years ago. My husband's company always has their National Sales mtg the week before Thanksgiving and had it at WDW two years in a row, so that's when we went.

 

[Bostonbeans99]

I agree February is the best time to go. Usually is in high 70's but pack long pants and coats in case. The boat ride can be a bit chilly.

We have always gone in the first week of October & loved the smaller crowds and weather. (No hurricanes for us yet)

Last year we went in February, and it was not crowded. We even had Valentine's breakfast at Cinderella's Castle.

I would never ever recommend June/July/August (too hot) but notice my vacation ticker *sigh*
My youngest plays travel baseball and my other two are in college and it's a May/June vacation due to busy schedules.
We did June in 2016 and know it's going to be scorching hot.

 

[ZoZo]

We go mid August til labour day weekend. It's super hot! Wouldn't the weather be the same right after labour day? Does the temp. drop considerably at the beginning of September?

September is still very hot and humid, pretty much the same weather as August.