May or June 2008 Trip

[MemphisTN]

We are thinking about making reservations for either the last week of May (Around Memorial Day) or the first week of June 2008. The 11 month window is almost here so we are trying to decide which week to go.

I know schools in the northern states won't be out of school until mid June, but the schools in our area let out for the summer in mid May. So we are planning on going once our oldest son is out but before the rest of the schools are out for the summer.

What experiences has everyone had as far as the crowds this time of year and the weather? I know Memorial Day Weekend will be crazy, but how are the crowds if we didn't arrive until Memorial Day and then stayed that week? Or would it be better to the weekend right after the Memorial Day Weekend?

Thanks for any advice

 

[DisDaydreamer]

I just can't imagine traveling by any means around memorial day weekend. I would say take the next weekend when the kids are taking or preparing for finals, SOLS,SATS, and such, and have to be in school. IMHO

 

[gracelrm]

We were at WDW this year from June 3-June 9th. The crowds were okay then. We always travel to WDW in June, sometimes mid June, sometimes earlier. We take advantage of early entries and do the big rides early in the day and we try to use fast passes to our benefit. Doing both of these really helps us to not have to spend too much time in line waiting. Most of the big rides (BTM, SplashM, SpaceM, TT, EE, RnR,) would have 60 minute waits when we would look if you didn't use fast passes. The MK was open until 11:00 most nights while we were there. My good friend went the next week and said the waits for the big rides at MK were more like 70 - 90 minutes and park stayed open until 12:00 most nights. So I'm assuming that the second full week of June is when the crowds are really picking up. I've never been at the end of May, but would think that around Memorial Day Weekend would be a time to avoid.

 

[MemphisTN]

We were leaning towards the week following Memorial Day. We bought a resale at BWV and have 150 banked points we have to use next summer. We also received some for 2005 that have to be used this fall, so we are going for a long weekend but could only get reservations at SSR. So while we are there we are going to check out the BWV area one night.

When we go back in May/June 2008 we are going to have to use the 150 banked points for 2006 (there will only be 4 of us) so our plan was to use all the points which depending on what type of room we get may end up being more than a week. We were planning on going to the parks but also to spend time at the pool, so we will probably hit the parks in the morning and go back to BWV and chill sometime in the mid afternoon. Plus if some parks are open late and the kids are still full of energy maybe go a few evenings also.

We went last October with my mother, step father, sister and her family and pretty much went non-stop. Getting up at 5:30 every morning and staying at the parks late each night can sometimes feel more like a job rather than a vacation. So this year we are going to spend time at the parks and also at the pool. Last year, I felt like I almost needed a vacation once we got back from our vacation.

 

[wildernessDad]

We are going mid May next year. We want to avoid the late-May crowds.

 

[MemphisTN]

We wanted to go Mid May also, but we checked our son's school calendar and the school officially lets out May 23rd, the Friday before Memorial Day.

 

[Mamiamjo]

We've gone on Memorial Day week twice (but now since Texas changed when they go back to school, our kids won't get out until the Thursday after Memorial Day )
Although it was busy, it was manageable and I would go at that time of year again (maybe when the kids graduate). We're thinking of going next year during the first week of June.