best months to go?

[pattticakes]

I think we can afford it this year with the dollar doing so well! Have been waiting until our kids were a bit bigger(dd will be 8 and ds 4)

I'm self employed and my busy season gets going in May - October(can't go then), so I'm thinking Jan through early April.. when is the best time to go? I am ok to pull kids from school to avoid the insanity of travelling over March Break.... Was currenting looking over easter weekend... probably super busy too??? any thoughts?

Would also of course love for it to be a little warmer that So. Ontario... doesn't need to be hot, but warm woudl be nice!
Would appreciate any advice!!
Thanks!
patti

 

[BitsnBearsMom]

Easter is crazy busy - I'd avoid the week before and the week after.

My 2 fav months are May and Oct but you can't go then. November/Dec are also good times if you avoid the week around Thanksgiving and the week before/after Christmas!

 

[irisesareblue]

We are going the first week of January from Hamilton and driving down. There are good flights from Detroit to Orlando on Northwest Airlines (some as low as $62.00 each way).

The main reason I am going then is that work is quiet then and I can get away without feeling too guility (we run our own business). Value season starts in January and there are lots of good off-site deals!

I got a room at POP for under $75.00 per night with CAA for the weeknights and something under $95.00 for us for the weekend rates. We are planning on arriving January 2nd, which would be considered holiday season and were quoted a rate of $125.00 or something like that for Pop, so we decided to stay off-site that night at Best Western Lakeside - we got a rate of $45.00 per night. Can't beat that, even if the weather is a little cooler in Florida at that time of year - last November when we went it was supposed to be 60 degrees and ended up being in the 90s.

I'm thinking that with those prices on top of the Canadian dollar, we're in for some good times!

The alternative might be for you to go next September, which might have a Free Dining promotion - historically, these have been offered at that time of year. However, there is a real need to make your dining reservatins then at your 90 day window because alot of the restaurants will be booked up for sit down dining! So, if you're not planned out, it can be difficult.

 

[irisesareblue]

We are going the first week of January from Hamilton and driving down. There are good flights from Detroit to Orlando on Northwest Airlines (some as low as $62.00 each way).

The main reason I am going then is that work is quiet then and I can get away without feeling too guility (we run our own business). Value season starts in January and there are lots of good off-site deals!

I got a room at POP for under $75.00 per night with CAA for the weeknights and something under $95.00 for us for the weekend rates. We are planning on arriving January 2nd, which would be considered holiday season and were quoted a rate of $125.00 or something like that for Pop, so we decided to stay off-site that night at Best Western Lakeside - we got a rate of $45.00 per night. Can't beat that, even if the weather is a little cooler in Florida at that time of year - last November when we went it was supposed to be 60 degrees and ended up being in the 90s.

I'm thinking that with those prices on top of the Canadian dollar, we're in for some good times!

The alternative might be for you to go next September, which might have a Free Dining promotion - historically, these have been offered at that time of year. However, there is a real need to make your dining reservatins then at your 90 day window because alot of the restaurants will be booked up for sit down dining! So, if you're not planned out, it can be difficult.

DOH- I see you can't go September...silly me!

 

[RCMommy]

I say January. Went mid January two trips ago. Light crowds. Cool in the am and pm but had warm afternoons. A CM told me that according to Disney SPRING BREAK is from Valentine's day to May. You couldn't pay me to go in March or April !

 

[mlegerto]

I was also going to suggest May as my fav. time of the year to go, but it doesn't look like your free at that point in the year.

Outside of the May I love going at the end of September. You still have the summer weather (nice but the humidity has disappeared), crowd levels are down because everyone is back in school and you have much better prices on hotels / transportation.


OPPs....I seem not to be thinking straight! DUH....September comes BEFORE October hee hee.

Outside of those two months I like going in the middle of Jan. I find that after the holiday season is over prices PLUMIT and the crowd levels do as well. The weather is supposed to be a little cooler because it is "winter", but compared to the weather we will be having in Ontario in Jan, it's sure to be a lot warmer and inviting. My only concern with going in the middle - late Jan is that this is Disney's "slower" season and they often have rides or attractions closed for maintenance or repair so keep that in mind.

 

[greenclan67]

We went in Jan, 2 years ago, 3 to the 11th, the night we landed it was freezing. It did warm up as the week went along. Last year, we went Feb 5th to the 13th, and it was cold again the first 2 days, but warmed up nice for the rest of the time. The weather for us was warmer in Feb, then it was in Jan. This year we are going in March, never been in March, except when I was a young one with my parents. We are not doing tons of park days, so the crowd thing wont' bother me much. Have fun!

 

[grantclaire]

Hi we have gone in Dec, April and March. Avoid Easter if you can, The best weather was in March. We have gone for March break 3 times and have had a great time. The parks are busy then but with some planning it is not that bad. Have fun.

 

[Disney Ontario]

We try to go down every other year, we go the week before March Break and have had no problems. Other family members go down earlier and have cold, wet weather, but not us.

 

[Remmy]

What an exciting time to plan a Disney vacation.

If I may suggest a time we found that was excellent, the last week of January or the first week of February. We just went these 2 weeks this year. For basically 2 weeks it was walk ons for all rides but the popular ones. We walked on to Pirates, and Haunted Mansion, Nemo, Imagination more times than I can remember. It was wonderful. The only ride that was closed when we were down there was the Energy ride in Epcot and the Studios Back Lot Tour in DHS (as well as the President show in MK but we never go to that one). It was so great that we stayed the whole day in the parks (10 day pass) and saw and did everything we ever wanted, and several rides over and over. I have never seen it that way before. It was busier the first week of February but nothing was too crowded.

We have gone before the week before Presidents Day in February and after in 2006. The week before we found it more crowded than our last trip and after Presidents Day it was packed. The schools have different times off for various things so anytime after Presidents Day can be iffy with crowds.

Of course we found it a bit cool at times but never truly freezing. Even when they experienced the "freezing" weather for them in February the one night we found MK almost empty of park goers! We were literally alone in Adventureland and had to ask a cast member if they were still open in this area. We had our own boat (each family member could have had their own boat, but we didn't trust the children alone)! It was great.

We like going when we will miss the snow and really bad weather up here. Just remember whatever time you pick it will be perfect for your family and you will have a great time as you will be at Disney.

Remmy

 

[MikeyNS]

We're hoping the first of March will be good. We've liked the weather (got lucky) first week of February. Very pleasant and shorts weather to us Canucks.. May and the end of October is beautiful and the crowds are moderate. September is low low crowds but I can't stand the humidity (which ran into the first week or two of October one year) so we'll never go in September again.


We still have January and the first two weeks of December to try and can't wait to plan for those trips!

I know the months we'll avoid off by heart. April/June/July/August/November.

 

[Ted in Halifax]

First two weeks of february ... before presidents day weekend. Still Value season plus the parks are not crowded.

Trying November this year because of free dining ... but as MikeyNS said, I am concerned about the heat ... Feb has been fine in the past!

 

[Chickkypoo]

I love the 2nd & 3rd Weeks of November. The crowds are too bad, the weather is nice (usually around the 70's) and the Christmas decorations are just coming out.

I've been at the beginning of February before and found it to be a little chilly.

 

[LittleFlounder]

I know the months we'll avoid off by heart. April/June/July/August/November.

Why avoid November? I know the week including Thanksgiving is busy, but do you avoid the whole month? I've been the 2nd week of November the last 2 years and its been great.. nice temps and low crowds.

 

[Lizziejane]

We always go in January, and if this is your first trip, I'd highly recommend it for several reasons. You can probably get more done/seen due to low attendance than you would if you go in the middle of spring break. Yes, it's cooler (especially in the mornings) but my kids have always used the pool. Not me, I'm a wimp It's also cheaper in January, and there's a 4/3 deal right now.

the down side is that it's not hot, but I'm not sure I could ever tour the parks in the middle of a Florida heat wave - too hot for me. Splash mountain and CP are closed during January. My way of figuring it though is that I probably ride SM 3 or 4 times during a week - that's about 30 minutes of fun I'm missing out on. I can live with that in exchange for short lines on everything else and the ability to walk into many restaurants without an ADR!

Just make sure you miss the New Years crowd, the marathon weekend and MKL weekend. In other words, the last week of January is PERFECT!!

 

[famgel]

I think we can afford it this year with the dollar doing so well! Have been waiting until our kids were a bit bigger(dd will be 8 and ds 4)

I'm self employed and my busy season gets going in May - October(can't go then), so I'm thinking Jan through early April.. when is the best time to go? I am ok to pull kids from school to avoid the insanity of travelling over March Break.... Was currenting looking over easter weekend... probably super busy too??? any thoughts?

Would also of course love for it to be a little warmer that So. Ontario... doesn't need to be hot, but warm woudl be nice!
Would appreciate any advice!!
Thanks!
patti

It will be the 2nd time this Jan that will be in WDW. Last Jan we arrived day after New Year's which I wouldn't suggest. Check in at SSR was horrible and waited hours for room and lost our luggage!!! This Jan we're arriving 1/11, Mon after WDW Marathon and leave 1/16 Sat of MLK holiday. So I'm hoping it won't be that bad at parks, might have had 1 or 2 days that were good last Jan. The weather was great last Jan. hoping for the same this Jan. It was a heck of lot better than NY so we were happy! Hope this helps!

 

[weewuvvdisney]

We have been there for Quebec Spring Break which is usually one week prior to the Ontario one. It was great - short lines - very short lines.

We have also been there in Oct and the first week of November. November was nice and not too crowded also.

Go to www.allearsnet.com Under the planning section (if I remember correctly) there is a page that lists the busy/quiet times of the year.




Jan

 

[MikeyNS]

Why avoid November? I know the week including Thanksgiving is busy, but do you avoid the whole month? I've been the 2nd week of November the last 2 years and its been great.. nice temps and low crowds.

Only November because of the US Thanksgiving and not much happens in November. Food and wine is usually over, no holidays to take the kids, etc. Being a DVC member I'd rather wait and go the first two weeks of December for the uber-low point usage.

November is that kind of month that just gets greyed out in our minds.

 

[Chickkypoo]

Only November because of the US Thanksgiving and not much happens in November. Food and wine is usually over, no holidays to take the kids, etc. Being a DVC member I'd rather wait and go the first two weeks of December for the uber-low point usage.

November is that kind of month that just gets greyed out in our minds.

I've always hit the end of the Food and Wine festival in November, which has been nice as I get to enjoy a few days of it, and then Epcot is a lot more quiet and I can enjoy other things in the park. There is also the Festival of the Masters that goes on in November at Downtown Disney. I enjoy going to check out the different artists and the chalk art is amazing!