Best Time To Go

[calypso*a*go-go]

Hello Everyone!

After telling our kids we will be taking a break from WDW, they've decided okay...let's go to Disneyland instead. What they don't know is they are thinking Anaheim, but mom is thinking Paris!

If you were limited to only going during school holidays, what would you pick and why? Here are our choices:

Spring Break (usually first week of April)
Summer (late June thru August)
Thanksgiving (late November)
Christmas (kids usually get the Friday before thru the Friday after New Years)

Also, can anyone recommend the best guide for visiting DLP? I have just started my research and everything is very overwhelming for me!

 

[kevankiki]

If I had a choice I would avoid the school holidays, since you are obviously from the USA this should be possible, since UK holidays fall at slightly different times to yours.

Christmas is magical, but no doubt holidays would clash there.

If you are thinking next April then some parts of the UK have their holiday during the first two weeks, so there might be a clash there too.

Both the end of June and the end of November should avoid UK holidays altogether, meaning prices should be lower, and the park is not so busy on week days (though private schools do break up in June here I believe).

June might be preferable if you think the cold weather might be a problem (if I read right you are from Florida?).

That's just my opinion, others will see things differently. If you read the stickies at the top you will see lots of advice regarding planning, UK school holidays are also posted there, under the useful information part I think.

Have fun planning!

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I am actually from the state of Washington which just about as far as you can get from Florida in the Continental US. Sounds like the end of June might be our best choice as far as avoiding crowds, plus we could spend more time in Europe without worrying about getting the kids back in school right away.

Thanks for your help.

 

[hejos]

You might want to check into November. Obviously, they don't celebrate Thanksgiving there. But they have some their own Bonfire celebration in November. Also -- since they don't do Thanksgiving -- they put up their Christmas decorations early (I think beginning of Nov). I haven't been but have friends from UK that have gone many times in Nov and say it's great.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Ohhh...that sounds like a wonderful option too. Thanks!!!

 

[bavaria]

American Thanksgiving. Christmas decorations are up, low crowds midweek.

Would you be able to fly YVR-FRA-CDG? Far less tiring than SEA-IAD-CDG or SEA-ORD-CDG or any other route across America.

The polar route gives you a much longer first flight allowing for a longer sleep and far less jetlag.

 

[kevankiki]

I am actually from the state of Washington which just about as far as you can get from Florida in the Continental US.

Sorry, I was thrown by your location:

Location: Liquid Sunshine State

I always thought Florida was the 'Sunshine state'. though I probably should have queried the liquid part...

 

[leebob]

I think November/December is the time to go. It is VERY cold but that somehow adds to the magic. Plus, the decorations......

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

So what is considered "very cold" in November? Would we need really heavy coats/hats/gloves etc.? Also, is the weather severe enough that we might have problems with any flights? I would hate to purchase airfare and then have our trip ruined because flights were cancelled or something.

 

[leebob]

Well, I usually go in December when it is cold enough for a hat and scarf and the boating lake has usually frozen over (along with most other water features in the park.) There has been actual snow on occasion too but I think flights should be unaffected.

 

[bavaria]

So what is considered "very cold" in November? Would we need really heavy coats/hats/gloves etc.? Also, is the weather severe enough that we might have problems with any flights? I would hate to purchase airfare and then have our trip ruined because flights were cancelled or something.

NOT cold, at least compared what you are used to - it's a dry cold if anything, and not damp cold. Even when it rains in Paris, it is not cold rain.

Last year in Nov I wore a sweater only, or a shirt. In Dec, I wore a jacket ONLY because everyone here said it would be cold; in the end I ended up wearing a polo shirt, jacket and jeans most Dec days.

Paris in Nov/Dec is usually quite nice - it ranged from about 6 degrees to 16 degrees Celcius. It does get colder at the end of Dec into Jan. In comparison, we went on a July day when it was 12 degrees.