Best Time to Vacation in Disney

[jabberpoo]

When is the best time to vacation in Disney? Off peak when it is not too hot and not too cold or maybe when they offer discounted rates?

 

[mickeymule]

We like November after Thanksgiving is when we used to go. Last year we went the first week of December and it was nice (odd to be wearing a sweatshirt in Fla. and then take it off 3 hours later due to how warm it got). We were there on Memorial Day weekend in 96, quite warm and crowded, but my wife and I are going just the 2 of us the weekend before Memorial day. We shall see how that turns out.

Have fun.

 

[paladin]

I think the beginning of December is the best. It is value season, plus you get smaller crowds, holiday decorations, MVMCP, CP and (maybe) Osborne Lights. I love the weather as it is generally on the cooler side (I have had temperatures from the 40s to the 80s on the same trip). A great time to go!

 

[Autumngirl]

Originally posted by paladin
I think the beginning of December is the best. It is value season, plus you get smaller crowds, A great time to go!

Don't count on it. We were there the first week of December 2003....the place was MOBBED! We waited over 35 minutes for Fast Track WITH A FASTPASS! The Stand by time was 140 minutes!
Every line was crowded with 35+ waits.

We were there mid-July of 2003 and it wasn't as crowded as it was the first week of December!

The weather was unusually cold...it actually was 33 degrees the morning we left to come home... but other than that.. the sun was shining the whole time. But it never got out of the 60's (except one day spent about 4 hours in the low 70's) and a few days were in the 50's.

We went the first week of Dec because everyone told us the crowds were very light and the weather was comfortable... someone lied to me

 

[paladin]

Perhaps I should have said "early December" rather than beginning. I have been there the last several years from roughly the 5th to the about the 10th - 15th and it has been great. You do get the Pop Warners the first week and last year also had the state Democratic convention.

 

[DaveH]

That is open to what you like. We love the week after Thanksgiving. The crowds are lighter. The weekends are heavier because that is when the locals come. There are folks who love Sep. After Labor day the crowds are light, it is still hot in Fl. Others like late Oct to mid Nov. The crowds are fairly light except weekends, the Food and Wine Festival is going on. Other like the spring. Others prefer the hot summer time even with the crowds.

During the light times of year, you can do more in less time, you also have less time to do them. An example is the 2 weeks after Thanksgiving, most of the time Spectromagic is only on Sat nights. You may or may not have Wishes everynight. The slower times of year they close attractions for rehab. They try to have everything open during the busier times of year. In early Dec either Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon is closed. Only one is open. It comes down to, when you can go, what you are willing to deal with and how flexable you are to seeing certain things.

 

[jaysue]

The best time to go to Disney is any day

Of all the times we have gone, the early to mid November time seems to work best - manageable lines, low humidity, temperatures not too cold at night and days still not too short

thanks
jaysue

 

[jtjarvis]

We just returned from a late January trip (last weekend in Jan.) and concentrated on MK -- went Sat. and Sun -- and though there were enough people there to keep it "friendly," ha, I do not think we waited more than 5 minutes for anything! For us, introducing our 4- and 6-yr-old boys to WDW, it meant "the World" to us to have that ease of touring the park. The boys lasted all day each day probably because the weather was cool-ish and we were not spending our time in lines. Also in Value Season we got a great rate (with mousesavers code) on a FW cabin. We just ferried across to MK each morning.

Crowds will probably always mount up by afternoon any time in MK on a weekend --there were some long lines for certain things later on— but I also used tourguidemike.com and got strategic advice that worked like a charm!

This trip was a fabulous success in our book. I LOVE the slowest season!

JT