May vs. October

[Lovemy3babes]

Hi all! I'm hoping you can help me with a planning question. My plans were to take my daughters on a girls only trip this coming October. All is planned, ADRs are made, etc. No airfare yet though so we can make some changes with no penalty.

Anyway, we have had some big things come up that are making it impossible to go back so soon. (Had to get a different car, washer/dryer, central air repair, etc.) Of course this all had to come out of our Disney fund.

In looking at our calendars, I thought maybe we could go in May instead. My oldest will turn 13 so we could even make it a special birthday trip. My heart is pretty broken over October though. We've been planning forever and I love being in Disney in the fall!

Can you please tell me how May compares? Weather, crowds, etc? Thanks friends.

 

[Pakey]

I was at WDW last year for both May and October.

Crowds were about the same; weather was about the same.

 

[rn448698]

It kind of depends when in May and when in October. If you're talking the 1st or second week of May vs. most of October, the crowds are very comparable (not too crazy and not completely empty). Both the end of May & Columbus Day weekend in October can be crazy. The Food & Wine festival can make WS at Epcot borderline nightmarish on the weekends in October.

The weather can be comparable and VERY hot. The last week of October 2010 and 2nd week of May 2011 were mid/upper 90's with very little rain.

The two downsides to May were that there were some local school groups that messed with wait times and there weren't any holiday decorations for anything.

That said, I loved May because it was a great way to kick off the summer!

 

[nkereina]

I was there at the beginning of May last year (actually arrived April 30th) and found the crowds to be moderate and the weather warm but comfortable enough to walk around in. I have heard that October can still be as hot as September, but I suppose May could get hot too, especially at the end. No events come to mind in May either, while October has Food & Wine and MNSSHP which are crowd drawers. I don't think you can lose with either!

 

[beccasmom]

Early May is a great time to visit, IMHO. The weather can be hot, but we were there the first week of May this year and we lucked out; the weather was warm but not hot. Crowds are generally not bad until you get to the end of the month as some US schools dismiss earlier in the year than others.

In October the F&W Festival brings in a lot of folks as well as the locals. It can be warm too.

 

[sp0ngem0nkey]

If you already have made up your mind to go next year why not wait for the expansion?

see this-
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2744773

 

[Mr. Disney 1986]

If you are talking about early May then either month would be fine. If you are talking about later in May, I would personally pick Oct. It is less crowded and a little cooler.

 

[Lovemy3babes]

So, I should have been more specific. We're thinking early to mid May. (around the 10th) Our October trip was set for the 20th. I'm glad to hear they are pretty comparable.