Best to go before or week after may half term?

[crabbie1]

As we have decided not to go in December this year due to school restrictions and taking 2 weeks out we are looking at going may 2015. This way the kids will only miss 3 days of school if we go for 10 nights. Question is would it be busier the week before or after the holiday week? Also cost wise for flights . I know people on here will have experience of doing this but I have never been this time before. We have disney vacation club so will just be flights and tickets.

 

[flortlebap]

We did the week before in May last year. Crowds get worse the later you leave it so I would say the earlier the better.

That said, I would never go at that time of year again. We had ten days of almost solid rain - the locals said it had been that way for two years in a row.

I really hope we were just unlucky, but we would never risk that time of year again.

 

[RDP]

We have gone after half terms in the past (or flow out later in the half term week. Flight prices in the past have dropped towards the end of the half term week and this has been the decider for us. What I would say is that on reflection it wasn’t good for the children to miss the beginning of a new term, if they had to miss any school, the end of term would be the best imho. We have found the parks busy but bearable. October weather is lovely. Cant comment on May.

 

[wayneg]

We always took Matt out for the week before Oct half term, its a few years ago now so not sure if its same but they used to do far less in that final week than the 1st week after a break.

As for rain, you have no idea when is the worst time, it varies from one year to the next, by far the worst rain we have seen is late July, next worst Oct (complete with passing hurricane) and then 3rd worse was May but on the other hand had perfect weather at the same times of year.

 

[crabbie1]

Thanks All . May have to rethink the whole thing. Going april last year was perfect as was end sept and november december so the thought of lots of rain and heavy crowds does not appeal BUT will look at the week before and half term week but may look at October '15' do not know if we can wait that long though. I'm stuck to school hols now so will have to get used to it grrrr

 

[marypoppins81]

We did the week before in May last year. Crowds get worse the later you leave it so I would say the earlier the better.

That said, I would never go at that time of year again. We had ten days of almost solid rain - the locals said it had been that way for two years in a row.

I really hope we were just unlucky, but we would never risk that time of year again.

Do you mean non stop all day and night rain? This concerns me a lot for our trip! I was hoping to get away from the rain. I expected a downpour daily for up to an hour.

Counting down to 14th May!

 

[wayneg]

Do you mean non stop all day and night rain? This concerns me a lot for our trip! I was hoping to get away from the rain. I expected a downpour daily for up to an hour.

Counting down to 14th May!

The bad year we had it started around 3-4pm and carried on til about 11pm. It varies from year to year so much there is no way you can plan for it but historically May only has half the rainfall of June, July, Aus or Sept, its not the worst month. http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USFL0372

 

[flortlebap]

Do you mean non stop all day and night rain? This concerns me a lot for our trip! I was hoping to get away from the rain. I expected a downpour daily for up to an hour.

Counting down to 14th May!

I think it's still very rare to be stuck in a prolonged period of rain like we had. In all honesty, after a week of solid rain I just wanted to go home!

May/June was when we went and whilst it was awful for us, I doubt it will be like that for everyone. We've never had anything but quick downpours when we have been in August, September and October so the weather was a huge disappointment and we wouldn't do May or June again because of how awful it was!

It could happen any time of year though - so I think we were probably just exceptionally unlucky!

 

[queendisney]

yes the weather is so unpredictable. We went for 2 weeks in May one year and it was perfect the whole time. Our worst weather by far has been in September. We had rain for the whole of one week, morning, noon, night...it never let up! Also had hurricane Frances to deal with. We said 'never again' to September. So we went in September in 2012 again!!!!! and yes we had the normal afternoon down pours but it was find other then that. Although we said we won't go back again in Sept as it was far to humid for us. November is our fav time.

 

[crabbie1]

yes the weather is so unpredictable. We went for 2 weeks in May one year and it was perfect the whole time. Our worst weather by far has been in September. We had rain for the whole of one week, morning, noon, night...it never let up! Also had hurricane Frances to deal with. We said 'never again' to September. So we went in September in 2012 again!!!!! and yes we had the normal afternoon down pours but it was find other then that. Although we said we won't go back again in Sept as it was far to humid for us. November is our fav time.

I agree with november its great . We have had a restless night and decided on the 18th may 2015 for 11 nights. Iv read lots about the crowds etc and as long as we get up early as in august it will be fine. I think in busy times FP+ must be a god send.

 

[Pootle]

I think it's still very rare to be stuck in a prolonged period of rain like we had. In all honesty, after a week of solid rain I just wanted to go home!

May/June was when we went and whilst it was awful for us, I doubt it will be like that for everyone. We've never had anything but quick downpours when we have been in August, September and October so the weather was a huge disappointment and we wouldn't do May or June again because of how awful it was!

It could happen any time of year though - so I think we were probably just exceptionally unlucky!

Our 'year' was 2005 and apart from the day we arrived, it rained for the whole 2 weeks and was overcast and cloudy to boot - no sun apart from day 1. I agree with virtually every word of flortlebap's post - and I've visited in every month of the year and have more than 60 trips under my belt. I've been in Florida for a hurricane, tropical storm, frost and everything in between, but that was by far the worst.

Weather can be disappointing (as in, colder/wetter/hotter etc) in any month, but June is statistically the wettest month. In 2005 they had the average month's rainfall in the first week. Put me off that's for sure. And I know there will be people who go in June and don't see a drop

From the Weather Channel site:

On Average: Records:
July is the warmest month.

January is the coolest month.

June is the wettest month.

November is the driest month.

 

[flortlebap]

Our 'year' was 2005 and apart from the day we arrived, it rained for the whole 2 weeks and was overcast and cloudy to boot - no sun apart from day 1. I agree with virtually every word of flortlebap's post - and I've visited in every month of the year and have more than 60 trips under my belt. I've been in Florida for a hurricane, tropical storm, frost and everything in between, but that was by far the worst.

Weather can be disappointing (as in, colder/wetter/hotter etc) in any month, but June is statistically the wettest month. In 2005 they had the average month's rainfall in the first week. Put me off that's for sure. And I know there will be people who go in June and don't see a drop

From the Weather Channel site:

On Average: Records:
July is the warmest month.

January is the coolest month.

June is the wettest month.

November is the driest month.

That does echo our experience - even when it wasn't raining it was cloudy! We had two sunny days out of 14!

 

[Zeebs]

We are going May this year the 19th to 2nd June. We went in 2011 and they were just missing record high temps. We had one massive downpour but the rest of the time was hot, hot, hot and sunny. Weather is unpredictable look at the weather here at the moment. It is what it is, I can't change it so I will just have to deal with it if it turns out to be rainy, hopefully it will mean less people in the parks if it is very rainy.

Kirsten

 

[crabbie1]

We are going May this year the 19th to 2nd June. We went in 2011 and they were just missing record high temps. We had one massive downpour but the rest of the time was hot, hot, hot and sunny. Weather is unpredictable look at the weather here at the moment. It is what it is, I can't change it so I will just have to deal with it if it turns out to be rainy, hopefully it will mean less people in the parks if it is very rainy. Kirsten

These are similar dates to what we have picked so let me know how it went. The weather is not a deal breaker for us but it prepares us more for packing plus its DB daughters first trip.
It will be disney world and not the West Midlands thats all that matters

 

[edinburghlass]

We go 5th May for two weeks for third year running. Last year we had rain one afternoon at 3.00 when we were at Discovery Cove and they had no rain at Disney. Year before we had rain on a few evenings but always when we were eating and the rest of the time it was very hot.

 

[scoobydooby]

I just booked a very spur of the moment mother daughter trip for May half term week and the Thursday and Friday of the week before. Got some kind of glitch I think on Virgin. Premium Economy seats CHEAPER than economy for our return leg and only £100 more each for outbound.

I'm looking forward to May. I'm hoping its drier and cooler than August!