Help me trip plan, please.

[Friendly Frog]

Life has been filled with changes and challenges and this time around I am going to need your input to help me make this trip happen.

I need help to know when you think is the best time from my trip based on my needs. I must avoid heat. Nothing above 80 or 85 max. (60-70 would be ideal.) What month do you think would be best?

I will be trying to maneuver in crowds in a mobility chair and without family to help, so lowest possible crowds is an important factor too. I hear that is busy all the time now, so the best possible is all I can shoot for. Also, I may be using a ticket I had put away a long time ago, and it does not look like I can book fastpasses ahead of time on it, because it it so old, so again this make lowest possible crowds important. Avoiding competition events or big tour group dates if possible.

I have not been to Disney since before Avatar was constructed and I know that so much has changed and I have not been able to read and keep up on. I know bag check lines have changed, and the skyliner will be running. Anything else I need to know? Something new about ice? I normally take ice with me. Any other new rules?

Is there a rate chart to refer to so I can pick a lower cost season? I use to do the planning before, and like I said, things change and now I feel like I am starting all over from knowing nothing.


Thank you so much for any advice you can give me.

 

[sharonabe]

Based on your need for cooler temps, I'd say Jan and Feb are your best bets. That at least narrows down where you need to start looking at prices and things.

The new ice rule is you can't bring loose ice in a cooler. You can put loose ice in a ziplock bag and put it in your cooler, but it has to be contained in something inside your cooler.

 

[Friendly Frog]

Thank you Sharonabe. Would you or anyone happen to know of a source that shows if any major competitions or events are happening in those months. I think A run or something happens in Feb? Also a link to the rate seasons at Disney. I know these links use to exist, but it has been many years and I don't have my old notes. Thanks!

 

[Nancyg56]

I cannot help you with "seasons" but i think you can get a good idea of costs during the timeframes that you are most comfortable by using the website and just tinkering around.

I agree with @sharonabe that January and February will meet your needs weather wise. Fall is HOT IMO, and December can be busy, but I think it is manageable. You may get decent rebates for parts of December if you book a with a discount, however many offers are packages, which may not be what you want.

I think that you have specific challenges so I would suggest you stop in on the DISabilities forum. Those folks are so knowledgeable and can help you with some tools to navigate the parks.

I do not think the runs impact the parks much. I think the resorts and restaurants are impacted, but the parks absorb the runners during the day if they tour.

 

[yorkieteacher]

Touring Plans website shows events that are happening in their crowd calendar I know-

 

[sharonabe]

Thank you Sharonabe. Would you or anyone happen to know of a source that shows if any major competitions or events are happening in those months. I think A run or something happens in Feb? Also a link to the rate seasons at Disney. I know these links use to exist, but it has been many years and I don't have my old notes. Thanks!

I think allears.com still shows the seasons when you go to their resort section.

 

[DisneyBelle27]

Hopefully, these links are allowed -

This link will show the resort 'seasons', by individual resort:

https://www.mousesavers.com/2020-disney-world-room-rates-season-dates/


I find this graphic handy as it shows a bunch of the events over the year, like competitions and races, in one image:

https://wdwprepschool.com/disney-world-crowd-calendar/#Crowd_Calendar_at_a_glance_graphic

 

[TinkSassy]

Thank you Sharonabe. Would you or anyone happen to know of a source that shows if any major competitions or events are happening in those months. I think A run or something happens in Feb? Also a link to the rate seasons at Disney. I know these links use to exist, but it has been many years and I don't have my old notes. Thanks!

January has marathon weekend so you will want to stay away from that. Otherwise these should both be good months as most of the competitions happen at the sports complex now instead of inside the parks like they used to. So more crowded value resorts but not so bad in the park.

I also have a horrible time with heat. FL can always be a crap shoot but last January we were in 2 sweatshirts apiece by fireworks time as it was really cold. Ice water is available for free at all the CS restaurants so I quit carrying water or ice- just bring a refillable and use those to fill it back up so my water is always cold. I also invested in a cooling vest so I have if needed (made for MS patients) - because if I get hot I cannot cool down which is why I don't go in the summer.

 

[siren0119]

Thank you Sharonabe. Would you or anyone happen to know of a source that shows if any major competitions or events are happening in those months. I think A run or something happens in Feb? Also a link to the rate seasons at Disney. I know these links use to exist, but it has been many years and I don't have my old notes. Thanks!

The big things to be aware of in Jan/Feb are:

MLK weekend - Marathon weekend
President's day weekend - heavy travel, many eastern states have school vacation
The weekend immediately after President's day - Half marathon weekend

Somewhere in there is the opening of the International Festival of the Arts at Epcot, but that doesn't have as large a draw as Food & Wine so it doesn't impact the crowds as much.

That said, with the second Star Wars ride opening in early December 2019, it's REALLY hard to predict what that will do to the crowds in 2020 over the first few months of it being open. It could taper off after the holidays, but crowds could get high and stay that way for people who waited to travel until both rides were open in SWGE, but didn't want to get caught in the Christmas rush. If you're planning a trip later than 2020, you should be fine.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Life has been filled with changes and challenges and this time around I am going to need your input to help me make this trip happen.

I need help to know when you think is the best time from my trip based on my needs. I must avoid heat. Nothing above 80 or 85 max. (60-70 would be ideal.) What month do you think would be best?

I will be trying to maneuver in crowds in a mobility chair and without family to help, so lowest possible crowds is an important factor too. I hear that is busy all the time now, so the best possible is all I can shoot for. Also, I may be using a ticket I had put away a long time ago, and it does not look like I can book fastpasses ahead of time on it, because it it so old, so again this make lowest possible crowds important. Avoiding competition events or big tour group dates if possible.

I have not been to Disney since before Avatar was constructed and I know that so much has changed and I have not been able to read and keep up on. I know bag check lines have changed, and the skyliner will be running. Anything else I need to know? Something new about ice? I normally take ice with me. Any other new rules?

Is there a rate chart to refer to so I can pick a lower cost season? I use to do the planning before, and like I said, things change and now I feel like I am starting all over from knowing nothing.


Thank you so much for any advice you can give me.

I would go with Jan/Feb for lower crowds and guaranteed lower temps. You can still get a rogue warm day but it's rare for it be HOT. We've gone both months, more times in February and the warmest days are right around 80 that we've had but little to no humidity so it's very comfortable.

As far as season/resort costs, I did find this chart below for 2020. Hope this helps. Here is a video on some helpful info if it's been a bit since your last disney visit.

https://**************.net/2019/07/02/disney-world-2020-resort-price-seasons/
2020 DISNEY WORLD RESORT PRICE SEASONS: VALUE RESORTS

• The lowest prices of the year–the value season–begin 1/2/2020
• 20-30% higher prices–Marathon rates–begin 1/9/20
• Lowest prices of year–the value season–begin 1/12/20
• 20-30% higher for the Martin Luther King Jr. long weekend begins 1/17/20
• Lowest prices of year–the value season–begin 1/20/20
• 40-55% higher for the week of Presidents Day begins 2/13/20 (prices are a bit lower 2/17-2/19)
• 25-30% higher–the regular season–begins 2/23/20
• 35-50% higher–the peak season–begins 3/6/20
• 25-30% higher–the regular season–begins 3/22/20
• 35-50% higher–the peak season–begins 3/29
• 60-70% higher–the Easter season–begins 4/5/20 (prices are a bit lower 4/11-4/14)
• 25-30% higher–the regular 2 season–begins 4/19/20
• 45-55% higher over the Memorial Day long weekend begins 5/22
• 30-40% higher–the summer season–begins 5/25/20
• 55-65% higher over the long 4th of July weekend begins 7/2/20
• 30-40% higher–the summer season–begins 7/5/20

 

[MomOTwins]

We went in late February and had days in the 90s. I would vote for the mid January-early February for the lowest temps.

 

[rosiebean]

We went last President’s Day weekend. Parks were very crowded and it was HOT. I’d try early January if possible.

 

[Friendly Frog]

Hopefully, these links are allowed -

I find this graphic handy as it shows a bunch of the events over the year, like competitions and races, in one image:

https://wdwprepschool.com/disney-world-crowd-calendar/#Crowd_Calendar_at_a_glance_graphic

Thank you. Unfornately I could not get the crowd calandar to work. Do you have to be a member? Is there a free one?

 

[siren0119]

Thank you. Unfornately I could not get the crowd calandar to work. Do you have to be a member? Is there a free on?

If you do a google search of "Disneyworld Events" and the month you're traveling, lots of sites will come up! Most blog posts about it won't require a membership, but because they're blogs you may not be able to access them from a work computer (depending on your company's filtering)

 

[Friendly Frog]

Thank you everyone. I am having such a hard time. I thought I had an idea of when to go, I checked rates last night after midnight and today by noon the rates had all jumped up a by a large amount. UG! It looks like Jan and Feb is either filled with events or holidays, and in between those dates are where the rates jumped up.

I have few other questions.

If I purchase a ticket from a legit broker and can not go on the day expected, is it true that the ticket will expire, but as long as I do not use it, I can trade it in later for full value?

If so, how could I do that if I am not there? If I have to do it in person, then wouldn’t that mean that on my next trip, I would not be able to book fastpasses in advance since I would not have a legitimate ticket until the exchange took place?

Does Disney still have free EMH? Or it that now all extra charge? If EMH still exist, will a ticket from a broker get me the extra hours if I stay on site, of do I have to purchase tickets and room as a package to get EMH?

Do you have to pick which park you got to on what day with multi day tickets, or is that only if you buy single day tickets?

Thanks again.

 

[siren0119]

Thank you everyone. I am having such a hard time. It thought I had an idea of when to go, I checked rates last night after midnight and today by noon the rates had all jumped up a pretty large amount. Now back to square one.

I have few other questions.

If I purchase a ticket from a legit broker and can not go on the day expected, is it true that the ticket will expire, but as long as I do not use it, I can trade it in later for full value?

If so, how could I do that if I am not there? If I have to do it in person, then wouldn’t that mean that on my next trip, I would not be able to book fastpasses in advance since I would not have a legitimate ticket until the exchange took place?

Does Disney still have free EMH? Or it that now all extra charge? If EMH still exist, will a ticket from a broker get me the extra hours if I stay on site, of do I have to purchase tickets and room as a package to get EMH?

Do you have to pick which park you got to on what day with multi day tickets, or is that only if you buy single day tickets?

Thanks again.

Tagging @Robo for the ticket validity/upgrade questions, as he's the guru

Extra Magic hours are available to all guests of WDW resorts (And guests of "official" WDW hotels near Disney Springs) - access to use EMH has nothing to do with what ticket you have or where you bought it, it's tied to where you are staying. Now, it has seemed that over time they have cut back on EMH in favor of special ticketed early morning/after hours events, but morning and evening EMH still exist for Disney resort/official WDW hotel guests.

You don't have to choose parks on multi-day tickets, except that it's a good idea to have plans for your days so you know where to book fastpasses and dining reservations. You can't book fastpasses for more than one park on the same day (but if you are park hopping, once you use all of your booked fastpasses at one park, you can book a fastpass at whatever park you are hopping to. You just can't have active reserved FP at more than one park on the same day).

 

[DisneyBelle27]

Thank you. Unfornately I could not get the crowd calandar to work. Do you have to be a member? Is there a free one?

Nope, no membership required. However, it looks like their website is broken! I can't see it now either.

 

[Friendly Frog]

You guys are GREAT! I can not thank you enough.
Do you think the whole week of MLK is busy? It is strange but that week is less expensive.

 

[Friendly Frog]

Nope, no membership required. However, it looks like their website is broken! I can't see it now either.

LOL That is the way things work for me. I broke it. LOL

 

[siren0119]

You guys are GREAT! I can not thank you enough. Do you think the whole week of MLK is busy? It is strange but that week is less expensive.

It's heavy over the weekend due to the marathon, and then gets to be moderate crowds during the week. Nothing too strange about it, Jan-March historically isn't a hugely busy time of year when compared with June-July and the major holidays. They added the International Festival of the arts at Epcot in January-Feb BECAUSE it was a slower time of year and they wanted to encourage more people to come.