Free Dining Trip Planned...Debating Pushing It

[WDisneyMom]

back to Thanksgiving week....I know it will cost a bit more but I really don't think I can take the heat!! I hate being hot...it was the main thing that kept crossing my mind when I was deciding to book the trip or not....and then free dining sold me. Now as we are in the summer months and it keeps getting hotter (in Colorado, mind you) I think it will be a huge mistake to be in FL in Aug/Sept...I am so torn. The kids are aware that we may push it back and they are ok with it...we will go somewhere around here next month for a week so they see it as 2 vacations but I still feel bad....any advice for me?

 

[palavra]

I debated the same thing before finally choosing Thanksgiving. My husband just doesn't do heat/humidity well, and I'm not a big fan myself. I think my family will be happier in cooler weather, and it is well worth the extra expense to me.

 

[parkers*momma]

We live in NW Ohio and think September is perfect.

We go the the last two weeks of September-have for the past 10 years- and love it. It's not to hot, has it's moments of humidity but it's really beautiful weather. Last year, we had one day of rain and then a couple of days of humidy but nothing worse than at home during July and August.

The only thing sad about September is a couple of years there were hurricanes. BUT they really aren't bad at all. Compared to NW Ohio tornados and straightline winds..they were nothing at all....just a longer duration. I can't praise Disney enough on how they handle the situation. They keep you very informed of the storm, take precautions, and have the parks cleaned up and opened in no time at all. Hurricane Wilma had the parks (if I remember right) closed down until noon...but then it was business as usual.

I can't share about November as we have only been there in September and October. I didn't care for the last week of October...a tad to chilly in the evening for me, then again wearing jackets took care of the problem.

 

[Yarna]

Personally, I prefer Disney in the cooler months. We used to go every June for my birthday and SW Weekends, but the heat just got to us. We now stick to November-April. It's not the best for swimming, water parks, water rides, etc., but we make the sacrifice so we can enjoy WDW throughout the entire week!

 

[ChrisinNJ]

I don't like heat & humidity so that time of year would be miserable for me. We have gone in January, and for halloween/NJ week first week of November & I love it. I would rather have to carry a jacket than be so uncomfortably hot & not be able to cool off...but that is just me.

My concern for Thanksgiving week would be crowds. We considered Thanksgiving week this year because we have 3 birthdays that week, but if the crowds are crazy we wouldn't enjoy that much either. I have heard the say after Thanksgiving (my twins b-day) is one of the busiest days of the year.....

 

[Nie0214]

I'm from the north, I went during the first week of September, and it wasn't so much the heat outside that was the issue.. it was walking back and forth from air conditioner to air conditioner after being in 95*.

I have also visited in February and it didn't get higher than 55. I was quite comfortable, but I don't think anyone else enjoyed it.

It's 55 here today, and I'm still wearing capris.

 

[WDisneyMom]

Thank you for all the replies! I just don't care for the heat...not at all! We are actually thinking of Thurs Nov 19-thurs Nov 26..so we would be leaving on T-Day...just as the crowds are coming in! I have to be back at work that night so it works...I am really leaning towards Nov.....

 

[2forMe]

Well I would not go at Thanksgiving.. maybe after. But for me the crowds would just be too much. the increase in cost would not bother me that much... I would simply stay at a value instead of mod or something like that... but the crowds then.. no way, no how

 

[Kims09]

I've gone once in the end of August/beginning of September and the weather wasn't that bad. However, there was a hurricane lurking nearby and we had a constant cloud cover. I thanked my lucky stars that year for the weather.
That said, our preferred time to visit is during November. We've always had pleasant weather. We function so much better as a family when we're not hot and sticky (and therefore, crabby!).

 

[mrstamil]

If your kids aren't in school or you can pull them out for your vacation, you could arrive Oct.2nd and still get free dining. This is our favorite time to go. We went in the middle of September 2yrs. ago and were there for Love Bug season (gross). October is a little cooler but you can still enjoy the water parks. We're going in August this year (not so sure we'll like it), but have filtered water bottles and battery powered spray bottle fans to take with us.
Free dining is just SUCH a good deal. Keep in mind, if you don't make your dining reservations 90 days in advance, you may have to settle for what's available.

 

[englishteacha]

We were in Orlando in August 2007. It was hot, but we were fine. We took regular breaks in stores, and drank lots of water. We're from Maine and aren't used to really hot weather. We were more uncomfortable in Ohio in August of '05!

 

[yeahdisney]

Our friends own DVC they went Thanksgiving week with two kids. They said the crowds were horrible. They waited 2 hours to ride kiddie rides, mad hatter, its a small world, rides like that. We were thinking going that week, so the kids would miss less school. The plans are now Universal some of that week then Disney on Sunday. DD birthday is Nov 25 the day before Thanksgiving I was thinking of going to Magic Kingdom that day and getting the fastpass for free birthday offer, but I thought eek that crowd no fun for a slow moving party of five. So I believe we will stay with the front of the line passes for Universal.

 

[tinkatheart111]

We went in 2006 over Thanksgiving. It didn't get overly crowded until Thanksgiving day IMO. It was actually chilly the week we went but our friends went the next year and it was 85 most days. Since you're leaving on Thanksgiving I would go for it. The Christmas decorations were all up and we loved it!