"Quiet" time of year to go?

[seashell724]

For us it doesn't really matter when we go so we want something where crowd levels will be lower. I thought the first week of Sept when school is just starting would probably be slower but am I wrong? Are there other times of the year also that are relativly slow?

[portocall]

I am not sure that Sept. is all that quiet with free dining. We went at the end of October, and we thought the crowds were fine, the slowest I have ever seen it was the begining of Dec.

[tinkerbell34]

Slowest times have generally been the first two weeks of Nov (before the holiday week), the first two weeks of Dec, and the first week of January. I always take my son to WDW for his birthday the first part of Sept (after Labor day) and we have always had low crowds also. October is a big convention month normally so I think crowd levels can be hit or miss.

[carlbarry]

Go to the Disney World website, www.disneyworld.com and look for the "Wonderful Weeks" link. There you will see calendars that show which weeks are slower. One caveat: I chose Dec. 5-12 based on this, back in March. Well, lo and behold, recently that week was de-listed as a Wonderful Week! But try it anyway; it is a good guide.

[ToddyLu]

:scared1: Dang that is when we booked, too. Maybe Pop Warner put us over the top. Dang it, in the past we found this week better than the first week of Dec. Oh well, any time is good with us. Aren't they offering Free Dining starting 12/14, or is that 2009??

[Dawn68PA]

We went in mid-October once and it was delightful. No crowds at all. Never had to wait much for any ride and ADRs were a breeze. I remember making a few last minute changes (while we were at WDW!) and got everything I wanted. :thumbsup2

[stm61]

we've always gone the first or second week of Sept. No crowds, nonexistent lines, it was great! It was hot and humid, but we're from SC so we're used to that. Same for the occasional downpours, we get those at home to. The only thing I'd advise for this time is to make ADR's as soon as you can. We came home 9/7 and they were turning people away from every ts place we ate at. There were no walk-up seatings available until after 8 pm, and nothing for large groups at all.

[carlbarry]

:scared1: Dang that is when we booked, too. Maybe Pop Warner put us over the top. Dang it, in the past we found this week better than the first week of Dec. Oh well, any time is good with us. Aren't they offering Free Dining starting 12/14, or is that 2009??

It seems like it is the Pop Warner thing that took it out of Wonderful Weeks. But I can't believe that they have that many people attending that it could cause crowds.

[ToddyLu]

;) Well next year we will have to maybe make some changes. We went at this same time last year, no real problems. My DH thinks I am horrible for having already made ADRs--mawwhahahaha, he will see the method to my madness...:rolleyes1

[shelemm]

This is an easy one. The week after the week of President's Day. Right at the beginnning of March. We've been twice. The parks are uncrowded, and the weather is perfect. Plus everything is operating because it's in a busy season between two major holidays.

Most everything is walk-on. Except for Soarin'. Lol.

[carlbarry]

my first trip there was the first week of March 2006. I had read all the literature, about how I would be able to see 2 or 3 shows before lunch. Well, I tore through both MK and Epcot in 2 days! It was the week before Spring Break. The weather was perfect, and the parks were empty.

[mygyky]

we went the week between Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving in November 2006. So slow, we stayed on rides several time before getting off. Only wait was Test Track and Soarin' and each of those was 20 mins at most.

Does anyone have experience with last week of April crowdwise?

[swald91]

They have a slow time?? :rotfl2: I think Sept is slow, but with free dining that may make the crowds bigger. We went last week of Aug & it wasn't bad. Tried to get a trip in before going back to school. I really thought it was going to be terrible-but it wasn't. We didn't just walk onto rides but it was do-able especially in the HEAT!!!!!!! (Anytime you get the chance to go will be great anyway-better than not going at all...I wish I was still there:sad1: )

[joyfulscrapper]

I know things have changed immensely since 1990, but we went to WDW for our honeymoon and were married Labor Day weekend. So our trip was around the first week of September, just after Labor Day. I thought it was great! :thumbsup2 (Of course, it was my honeymoon...:cloud9: ) It seemed like we were the only ones there, really. I don't remember waiting in long lines ever or waiting to eat. Back then we had no ADRs, with the exception of Hoopdy Do Revue. I would think it would be a great time to go because I wouldn't imagine too many people taking their kids out of school in the first week (or first few weeks for some areas of the country). Maybe there are more travelers without kids, such as honeymooners or seniors because of the free dining plan, but it was great when we went. (no free dining to my knowledge, though, in 1990)

[michelle1]

We have been several times in late Aug and early Sept because of free dining. While the crowds are quite low, since you can go anytime, I would choose another quiet time that isn't hurricane season. The heat and humidity don't bother us but we were a tad stressed this year because we weren't even sure if we were going to get there because of the hurricanes.

[ajcolorado]

We went in mid or late January once and it was almost too quiet for my tastes.

[DisneyTN]

I took a trip to the World in August of 2002 and had never seen the parks so empty. It was late in the month when all the schools and colleges were just starting back.

[SanDiegoDayTripper]

I agree that the first week of December is a great time to go. We were there Dec. 2-8 back in 2006, and everything was calm and quiet, and Bonus, the Christmas decorations were up! The weather was actually sort of cold, but I prefer that any day to heat and humidity! We have the same sort of "winters" here, just a little overcast and in the 60s, so we thought the weather was fine!

Yes, our kids missed a few days of school, but it was worth it! (They were in primary grades at the time)

[MrsCopper]

As a family, our favorite time of year is the beginning of December. I may be biased because it is also my wedding anniversary and we did go to Disney for our honeymoon. Although, we have done the middle of October and loved it. There were no crowds and barley no wait for rides. If there was, nothing more than 20 minutes. During trip in December 2006, one of the cast members at the Contemporary told us that the September that year was very slow and almost seemed like a ghost town. He told us that the month of September after the Labor Day weekend is always slow. He said that is why a lot of the rehabs happen in September, but other than that, the crowds are light. What I have learned over the years, is that the closer to and around a holiday (when a lot of people/schools are off), the heavier the crowds are. Weekends are always a bit more crowded than during the week because of the FL residents who hit the Parks on their days off. Summers from June to mid-to late-August are very, very crowded and hot. September seems to be slow as is January since they are months that fall after the busy times of year for Disney. The coolest months are January and February. If you are after Christmas decorations, they usually go up right before Thanksgiving and stay up for the week after New Years. Keep watch for the various Festivals and Marathons going on in Disney. These times of year are also a bit crowded. The Food/Wine Festival is a big one. The Marathon Labor Weekend is a big one. Pop Warner invades the beginning of Dec (this year Dec 7-13) with kiddie football and cheerleading. Stay away from the Value Resorts and even the Caribbean Resort (sometimes) and you may not even know they are there -- unless you catch a group of them in line with you while in the Parks. Disney does list on their Calendar the various Events that they schedule throughout the year. I have done mid-May and end of August by myself. Mid-May has been a nice time with less crowds. End of August was a hit and miss. Sometimes it was hot and less crowded, and others it was hot and really crowded (so crowded you didn't want to be in the parks).

[jblrn2b]

We went 2nd week of September last year. It was wonderful. We got on Buzz Light Year 5 times in a row one day. For the most part, we didn't wait at all even with free dining. It was HOT though!

We also went in April this year. 4 days before President's week and it really didn't get busy until Friday. It was a little chilly - they actually ran out of sweatshirts in some of the gift shops. We had fun anyway.

We also went the 2nd week of November and it was also wonderful. Low crowds pretty warm.

Hope this helps

[ChristineAndMatt29]

I've been to WDW during the second week in December 2007 and just recently during the last week of September 2008. September was SO quiet compared to that time in December, but both times of the year are definitely quieter than the summer! Both times are also much prettier - decorated for the holidays and for the fall! The fall weather is beautiful in Florida, too!

[marynpaul]

I have been to WDW 3 times around Mother's day in May.. Crowds are totally manageable and weather is perfect :cloud9: