Best time of year for WDW?

[alice1422]

Hi, I am planning a trip to WDW with a 10 year old. We can only travel during the last 2 weeks of march, or between mid june and late august. I understand that spring break will be very crowded, but summer weather is worse. Which would you recommend?

 

[ngl]

Many FL public schools have Spring Break the week of March 13, 2023. Those that have a Catholic affiliation have them the week either prior/after Easter which is April 9 this year. Many schools up north, whether public or private, also have Spring Break the week of Easter or after (of course lots of variance everywhere!). Also, as further insight regarding crowds, the highest points for DVC for 2023 are the weeks of April 2-9 and December 24-31. Based on that, I would say if you have a late March Spring Break that probably would be my vote simply because the true height of Spring Break may not be there yet and the heat of summer. We are Floridians and while we do pop in for a long weekend over summer at times, it is HOT and typically you will have afternoon thunderstorms to plan around.

 

[alice1422]

Many FL public schools have Spring Break the week of March 13, 2023. Those that have a Catholic affiliation have them the week either prior/after Easter which is April 9 this year. Many schools up north, whether public or private, also have Spring Break the week of Easter or after (of course lots of variance everywhere!). Also, as further insight regarding crowds, the highest points for DVC for 2023 are the weeks of April 2-9 and December 24-31. Based on that, I would say if you have a late March Spring Break that probably would be my vote simply because the true height of Spring Break may not be there yet and the heat of summer. We are Floridians and while we do pop in for a long weekend over summer at times, it is HOT and typically you will have afternoon thunderstorms to plan around.

is the week of march 20th good in terms of crowds?

 

[ngl]

is the week of march 20th good in terms of crowds?

I will start by saying that since COVID, typical crowd calendars have been thrown out the window (in general)! We live about 1hr + from WDW and last year visited the parks 28 days throughout last year (we were adding up the days to see if our annual pass renewal was justified and determined it was )and times we thought it should be less crowded it was not and times we expected major crowds it wasn't that bad. So any crowd calendar is really a shot in the dark at this point. I just think the demand is high year round.

Having said that, many FL public schools are out March 13 and seems like many up north are not out until later (usually around Easter). I think colleges could be the week you mentioned but Disney does not have the college draw Universal does so I do not think that would impact it. I do think the last week in March this year would be a little less crowded than the 20th week because of the way Easter falls. Just so hard to tell!

I also think it depends on what type of weather you are looking for. We've had a few years where we got a cold spell in mid-March (friends who booked beach trips locally during their Spring Break were not happy!) but that is nice for a Disney day. Summer there is no question it will be hot. And most likely thunderstorms at some point during the day (not a big deal - you just have to plan for that).

 

[Pooh2]

I'd go with March for the weather.
We went for two days this past August and were too miserably hot to enjoy our time in the parks.
The pools were great though!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Agree with other posters. Basically, crowds later in August likely to be lighter, but hot, hot weather plus the threat of severe weather (including hurricanes). March weather much better, but it's likely to be crowded the second half of the month. If it were us, we'd do March and plan for the crowds, use Genie+ some days to help, make ADRs as soon as possible to get some dining options we want, and enjoy a non-park day or 2 to get away from the crowds at some points! If you and your family enjoy the pool, you'll be wanting pool time whether it's March or August! Good luck with your planning and enjoy!

 

[midwestdee]

We were there mid-June with DD’s family (2 boys 12 & 8 at the time). Yes it was hot but I’ve sure experienced worse. By some miracle we only had 1 day with a MAJOR downpour. Crowds were big but tolerable. We did use Genie+ and ILLs ( worth every penny). DH was amazed at how DD & I worked Genie+.

 

[Shiriki Utundu]

Hi, I am planning a trip to WDW with a 10 year old. We can only travel during the last 2 weeks of march, or between mid june and late august. I understand that spring break will be very crowded, but summer weather is worse. Which would you recommend?

Alway October. Best weather and crowds

 

[m999fow]

Ive only ever been in April/May, Aug/Sep and Sep/Oct. Id say March will be your best bet like ithers have said, pot Covid crowd levels are all over the place apart from after labour day in September.

Many FL public schools have Spring Break the week of March 13, 2023. Those that have a Catholic affiliation have them the week either prior/after Easter which is April 9 this year. Many schools up north, whether public or private, also have Spring Break the week of Easter or after (of course lots of variance everywhere!). Also, as further insight regarding crowds, the highest points for DVC for 2023 are the weeks of April 2-9 and December 24-31. Based on that, I would say if you have a late March Spring Break that probably would be my vote simply because the true height of Spring Break may not be there yet and the heat of summer. We are Floridians and while we do pop in for a long weekend over summer at times, it is HOT and typically you will have afternoon thunderstorms to plan around.

 

[Scalemaster34]

Will say that August seems to have a lot of discounts, and crowds looked pretty good last year.

But weather in Florida in August, makes it hard to have an enjoyable time... unless you are use to mid 90 degree heat and near 100% humidity. I'd rather have March crowds than Aug weather.

 

[ERED]

I think you're good with either March or October. Those are our favorite times to go! I think we prefer October a bit more because you have the option for MNSSH.

 

[MissEglantinePrice]

Hi, I am planning a trip to WDW with a 10 year old. We can only travel during the last 2 weeks of march, or between mid june and late august. I understand that spring break will be very crowded, but summer weather is worse. Which would you recommend?

We go to WDW pretty often, traveling based on a combination of weather and crowd calendars before my son started school. Now that he's in school, we've started doing a yearly August trip, and we love it. It is hot, that is true, but we've never found it to be unbearable. Remember that you're in and out of air conditioned transportation and attractions all day. And the tradeoff is smaller crowds. I think the key is to start the day early, be willing to stop and sit down in an air conditioned restaurant for lunch, and take a break from about 1pm - 3pm when it's hottest or there's a quick thunderstorm (which drives everyone out of the parks and also kicks up a nice breeze for your evening visit!).

We stumbled upon the August trip when we evacuated to Orlando late in August during a hurricane and realized what we'd been missing. By doing early August instead of late--when hurricane season really picks up--we feel like we hit the sweet spot and it works for us.

 

[Yasha Hartmann]

The last two weeks of March are usually considered peak season for Walt Disney World (WDW), as many schools have spring break during that time. This means that the parks are likely to be crowded, with longer wait times for popular rides and attractions. However, the weather during this time of year is generally milder, with average high temperatures in the mid-70s°F (around 24°C) and lows in the mid-50s°F (around 12°C).

On the other hand, mid-June to late August is considered the summer season, which means hotter temperatures and higher humidity. The average high temperatures during this time of year can reach into the mid-90s°F (around 35°C), with high humidity levels that can make it feel even hotter. The parks are also likely to be crowded during the summer months, especially in July and August.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

LATE AUGUST

Park hours are a bit longer. Take advantage! I liked getting to parks early, doing a mid day break for pool time and then returning to a park. I didn't do this everyday but if I was on a 7/8 night vacation, at least 3 times! Also, in late AUG if you decide to take a NON-park day this is also a great opportunity to be at the pool when it opens! Having some time before it gets crowded is nice. Learn the tricks for staying cool before going!

 

[Orion Nebula]

Hi, I am planning a trip to WDW with a 10 year old. We can only travel during the last 2 weeks of march, or between mid june and late august. I understand that spring break will be very crowded, but summer weather is worse. Which would you recommend?

Crowd wise Late August, weather wise March. The weather is sketch in August though and very hot. June isn't usually as hot but crowds really ramp up (and it still can be hot). Mid-March is usually insane crowd wise but the weather is nice. lol

If I had to make a choice I would go late August. Kids have gone back to school, and I hate crowds more than anything. You prob should've put up a poll.

 

[ShannyMcB]

We like mid-August....sure it's hot but the crowds aren't bad. Most southern state schools are back in session and it's fun end of summer hurrah for Northern states students. The last two years were did the week of August 14th which gave a full week after we got back to finish up back to school prep and get over any little colds caught while traveling

 

[sistershandy]

We go in August every year because it's my daughter's birthday, but the humidity and amount of rain, particularly later in the month, can be draining. We always say we should have had her at Easter because I much prefer the weather then, even with the crowds.

 

[Darcy03231]

We've gone during the last week of August many times. We're from the Northeast and I haven't felt that it's been that much hotter/humid than at home during that time. We've found the trick is to get up early and go to the parks in the morning, take a break during the mid-afternoon for lunch/pool/nap, and then go back in the evening.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Hi, I am planning a trip to WDW with a 10 year old. We can only travel during the last 2 weeks of march, or between mid june and late august. I understand that spring break will be very crowded, but summer weather is worse. Which would you recommend?

I have visited WDW at both times of year, and neither is 'better.'

You may find that one option appeals to you more than the other option, but we have enjoyed our visits at every time of year.

A few considerations beyond ordinary weather and crowds: March prices are high: room, park tickets, G+, food- everything. August is hurricane season. It starts before August, but August and September are the peak of hurricane season. March is Flower Festival in Epcot. WDW now considers August =Halloween season. MK has Halloween parties multiple times per week starting mid-August. Even on non-party days, MK will already display fall decoration. July 4th is also very busy and high prices, but you get July 4th fireworks. March tends to have extra/extended park hours over August. Though the middle of the day is crowded, the longer park hours offer potential flexibility, if you are able to be flexible.

 

[kathy884]

Everyone is different. There is no way in blank that I'd do a trip to Orlando theme parks in the summer. If I am in Orlando in the summer I will be in the water or inside in air conditioning. I am a heat / humidity weenie. Spring break all the way for me despite higher crowds.

If higher prices budget are a consideration for spring, I would happily do a four night trip in the spring vs. a seven night trip in the summer if it came to that to stay in budget.