When is the BEST time to go to WDW?

[shari2shop]

Hubby just said that I could start planning a trip to Disney for our kids!!! I'm so excited.

We can go just about anytime. When is the least crowded time to go? I was thinking about between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Is this a good time or would some other time be better???

Also, is there somewhere I can find the different 'seasons'? Like Value, regular, peak?? I remember seeing it when I planned our last trip but I can't find it now.

thanks
shari

 

[cathy59]

BETWEEN Thanksgiving and Christmas is supposed to be a good time to go. Not many people take their kids out of school then.

Try Mousesavers.com. You'll LOVE it!
have fun!

 

[CrzyforPiglet]

We went and will be going again between Thanksgiving and Christmas. While the weather was unpredictible, the activities were fantastic and really added a whole new dimension to our trip. We hardly waited for anything and loved CP and MVMCP!

 

[Gillian]

It can be cold in November/december, if that matters to you. Usually not below freezing, but often too cold to swim. We went in early September this year. It was warm & mostly sunny, but there were still rain storms, similar to what you might get during the summer.

We had 2 main complaints about September - 1 the short hours & limited fireworks times (just once during our 9 day stay) & 2 the # of rehabs. The short hours weren't a big deal, because there was more than enough time to do everything during the day, but it is fun to see the magic kingdom at night. The worst rehab for us was the Haunted Mansion.

The crowds were so small that most of the fastpass machines were not in use. The ones that we used were in Fantasyland. And probably for the mountains & test track. We only waited 10 minutes in the regular line at TT (no single riders line even!) and that was our longest line the whole time.

 

[maciec]

We went December 2-9 last year and we decided that we will never go at any other time of the year. The parks were empty and the weather was great. We swam every night and it only rained one morning while we were there. I don't think I had on a pair of jeans all week long. However, I am naturally a cold person so I always had a sweatshirt with me for the indoor activities.

Hope this helps!

Mel

 

[crisi]

Gillian,

Both your complaints are true about pretty much any low crowd time - you trade crowds for shorter hours, fewer "bells and whistles" (parades, fireworks), and more rehab work.

 

[shari2shop]

Okay, after discussing it with my DH we have decided that the first part of December is definately when we are going to go. Since we have two young children we decided that the shorter park hours and less crowd is the best for our situation. The kids have never been, so if a ride is in rehab they won't know and I think the hoilday decorations will be spectacular! Anyways, we have not decided on an exact date. When it gets closer we will be flexible for resort codes and airline rates!

Juat wanted to say thanks for all the advice.


Shari

 

[MrsMud]

Shari2shop:
Good decision! We went the 1st week in Dec. last year (same time as MacieC)! We also said we wouldn't go any other time, and I am right now starting to plan our next trip for the same week this year, yeah!!!! The Christmas decorations ARE wonderful! Be sure to see the Osborne lights and also Epcot at night.
And as Macie C stated the weather was perfect. Low 80's every day, and it only rained for a while the morning we were flying home. Keep in mind it is not always that warm in Dec. Last month was pretty cool there, I don't think I would have been swimming. I guess it's a roll of the dice as far as weather is concerned.
The crowds were light to non-existent with the exception of one afternoon at MK when it got kind of crowded (still, probably only moderate compared with other times of year). We just finished up and hopped over to Epcot (BTW- the shorter hours were fine. There are nights when certain parks are open later, and with two little ones, by 8:00 they are ready to go anyway).
One last thing: You don't say how old your kids are, but if they are under 6 PLEASE take my advice and rent a double stroller. It was such a lifesaver. Even my 5 1/2 year old didn't mind it at all, she was so thrilled to be at Disney World. We were thrilled to be able to move much quicker, know where they were every second, and not have to deal with "I'm tired of walking" cranky kids. Have a blast, maybe we'll see you there!

 

[Princess_Aurora]

I have to disagree with everything everybody said (just to be different )

With kids, I think the abslolute BEST time to go is DEFINATLY for HALLOWEEN!!! The weather is not too hot, not too cold and the crowds are NONEXISTANT! The Halloween party at MK is the BEST! They close the park at 6 and if you're already in the park you get to stay while they kick everyone without tickets to the party out. This means NO LINES in all the rides. Of course, they do the same thing for the Christmas Party. But I have to say kids enjoy the Halloween party much more. There's trick or treating, costumes, fun parades, and a cool fireworks show. There are no scaryies either so you don't have to worry about the kids getting scared by something. They play music from the Haunted Mansion all night. It is sooooo cool! I thin that HAS to be the best time to go.

 

[catwho]

When the best time to go really depends on your preferences. I hate the heat. I live in the subtropics as it is and I hybernate during the summer LOL! So going to WDW during the summer when it is hot and you have to stand in line is NOT my idea of a good time. OTOH some people love going during the summer because it IS hot and they have to melt all the accumulated ice from under their arms and behind their ears.

I love going in January. Crowds are low, weather is cool. The pools are still heated so you can still swim and lines are short. Prices are also better during January. I'm planning 4 trips in the next year. One in March (not my choice arg) one in October, another in November and then the finaly trip in January 2004. I totally try to avoid spring break (no luck this year) and summer and anything that revolves around a school holiday. We homeschool our kids so we can really take vacation anytime we want (finances permitting!)

 

[beattyfamily]

First, the value, regular and peak seasons for 2003 are as follows:

Value is: 1/1-2/12, 8/24-10/1, 11/2-12/19
Reguar is: 4/27-8/23, 10/2-11/1
Peak is: 2/13-4/26

Secondly, do you care about heat? or just the crowds?

Here's my opinion:

September's (value season) not crowded and very hot. But it's hurricane season and it rains a lot. It's a good time if you like heat and low crowds.

October for Halloween (when we went) (regular season) was GREAT. The weather was perfect. It wasn't crowded and you can do MNSSHP one night. We were pleasantly surprised! This time is good for less rain, a bit less heat, and low crowds.

After Thanksgiving (value season) is also GREAT, but the weather is very unpredicable so if you like/need heat, then it may not be for you. It's great because of the low crowds and the Christmas decorations and MVMCP and the Candlelight Processional, and the Osborne Lights etc...also we experience less rain than September.

Hope this helps you.

 

[DisneyGirls2]

HA!
November 1994 - first and last cruise that we ever had ---- we had booked with Disney but ended up with Sylvester and Tweety bird stand ins for some reason ( Disney had some shaky financial ground with the cruise line from what a fellow passenger said), and we had a storm brew up and followed us at sea near the Bahamas. My husband took pictures of the beautiful buffet that NO one attended. The explorer that he is, he took a dizzy walk around the ship watching green people slumped everywhere, while our ship raced back to port. The three of us TRIED to sleep it off, with our Dramamine, of course. But I can still remember looking out our porthole and visualizing a scene out of the Poseidon Adventure. Back on land, thank the Lord---Just to sleep through the Space Center visit on the tour bus.....after all, it was part of the package. The rains that followed closed the Orlando schools ......but DW WAS open. As my sister said, "Look at it this way, it is an ADVENTURE!" So it was......in a sea of ducky yellow raincoats! The sun did come out.......I recall that it really did shine as we boarded our plane out of Orlando!!!

Next trip-----September, 1999
As we boarded a plane to Orlando, I joked with someone in line that we were "hurricane magnets" because of our previous experience. A couple of days later, it was no joke.
Hurricane Floyd was heading in Florida's direction, the coast was being evacuated for hotel rooms in Orlando..... and DW was closed for the first time in its history, as we watched them tape up storefront windows in the Disney Marketplace. "Floyd" took a sudden turn away from the coast, surely due to the prayers of my kids' school back home, but not until the winds, rain, and flooding did their thing. We do have an unused park hopper day. But if a park shortens their hours on a decision made once you have entered the park, it's just too bad. We found that they DO NOT offer any compensation for a late decision that they make. Make the best of it.....although we did hear some complain rather LOUDLY about their policy.

Well, we're braving the DW experience once again. This time it will be in mid April. Hey......you take your chances if you book at the same time we do.....Don't say we didn't warn you if it "RAINS ON YOUR PARADE"!

 

[homeschooler]

we go in January or February and LOVE it. Two years ago, we met friends there. It was their second trip but the first winter trip and said they would never go any other time.

We are from Ohio so even when the locals are in jackets, we are in t shirts. No crowds, very little rain. We have never gotten rained out but we were told to leave the pool one evening because of the weather potential and they stopped Indiana Jones mid way because of winds. That is the only time of concern

 

[lamcci]

HOMESCHOOLER....just what I was looking for! We are going in Feb (8-14th) and staying at POR...I've not heard much about Feb. stays and have been looking for opinions. We picked Feb. for lack of crowds. We'll just beat the Presidents Day/early spring breakers I think. It's been cold up here in MD...so of course I am hoping for some warm weather, but hey - 65 degrees and the sun shining sounds like heaven to me! We stayed at POR on our honeymoon 9 1/2 years ago and are looking forward to taking our two boys, ages 5 & 7 for their first ever WDW trip....less than three days to go. Yipee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!