Help! When should we go this summer?

[KatieCharlotte]

We can't go in June like we hoped, for a variety of kid-related reasons. My oldest can't miss school, and we can't go on spring break, so please don't tell me how much better those times will be! We will have five days in the parks and take afternoon breaks, so hopefully that will minimize the craziness. My son struggles with lines, but hopefully we'll get a DAS.

But, between Fourth of July (a Tuesday), the expo (July 14-16), a family event at the end of July, and back-to-school activities starting in mid-August, I don't know when to go. If we have to be at DL during one of the first three week of July, which would be the least terrible? Or should we shoot for the first week of Aug?

 

[SMD]

I'd fly in on the 4th and do your first park day on the 5th or go during the expo and make the 16th your last day. I'd expect to see a small uptick the day before the expo and at nights after most programming ends. But most people who add park time to the trip will go after to be there on the 17th. Everything is really 6 of one, half dozen of the other during July.

 

[Bossy22]

I have always went in the summer and don't mind at all, we went spring break once and that was a zoo and we will never do it again!!! We often go early August for slightly smaller crowds or July seems to be a little cooler (but still smoking hot!!) We love DL in the summer. Great weather, long hours, most everything up and running!!! Have a great trip and message me if you have any summer related questions!

 

[GatorChris]

Honestly, summer wasn't too much worse than Veteran's Day week in November. As long as you don't do July 4th week, you should be alright. You're just not going to be able to find a time when there aren't lines....especially in the summer.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

Honestly, summer wasn't too much worse than Veteran's Day week in November. As long as you don't do July 4th week, you should be alright. You're just not going to be able to find a time when there aren't lines....especially in the summer.

Do you think the 4th will still be busier than the expo? We're kind of in the same boat as the OP. We can only go the first 3 weeks in July. Right now we are looking at 7/13-7/20, but I'm wondering if we need to go earlier.

 

[agamble]

Summer isn't any worse than Spring Break, and sometimes it's better.
We've been in June and July, and it's busy but it's also well staffed and all the attractions are up and running. The nice thing about July is AP blockouts are in full swing and the local passholders with the cheapest passes are blocked, those with the Deluxe are only blocked on Saturdays. Rumor has it the RR opening may be pushed back until August, so if that is something you want to see consider that first week of August for the possibility it could be opened. Otherwise I'd go for the second week of July planning your dates between Independence day and the Expo. Sundays are the worst day to visit, in my opinion.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

Summer isn't any worse than Spring Break, and sometimes it's better.
We've been in June and July, and it's busy but it's also well staffed and all the attractions are up and running. The nice thing about July is AP blockouts are in full swing and the local passholders with the cheapest passes are blocked, those with the Deluxe are only blocked on Saturdays. Rumor has it the RR opening may be pushed back until August, so if that is something you want to see consider that first week of August for the possibility it could be opened. Otherwise I'd go for the second week of July planning your dates between Independence day and the Expo. Sundays are the worst day to visit, in my opinion.

The second week of July really works best around the rest of our summer plans, so I'm glad to heart that it won't be horrible, if that's when we decide to go. We'd love to be there when the RR and the island reopen, just because they provide escapes from the craziness, but they aren't must-dos. My DD and I would like to experience the Guardians of the Galaxy ToT, but it's also not essential. It's very important to us that Haunted Mansion isn't closed, but I think that doesn't happen until at least mid-August?

 

[SMD]

I think when they reopen, RR and TSI will be crazy for awhile. Probably until SW Land opens.

 

[rentayenta]

We are also forced to go this July. Our dates are July 4-12. We will be spending 5 nights at the beach and then four nights at Disney. I am hoping the heat scares some of the locals crowds away.

 

[agamble]

We are also forced to go this July. Our dates are July 4-12. We will be spending 5 nights at the beach and then four nights at Disney. I am hoping the heat scares some of the locals crowds away.

LOL! Well if they're local, they're probably used to the temperature. It's often just as hot, if not hotter, in September. The good news is that the cheapest passes, available only to locals, are blocked in July. The bad news is that most visiting tourists are like yourself and they have to come in late June to early August because that is when the kids are out of school. Have fun anyway! We're visiting for a week in June, and if we're lucky we'll get a couple days in either July or August too.

 

[DLgal]

The summer is really not that bad. We go all throughout the summer and really, it's all about the same. Go when it's most convenient for you.

Any summer day is less crowded than today was...

 

[agamble]

2. Saturday is always the most crowded, followed closely by Sunday.

Lots of good tips. I think in the summer Sundays may be more crowded than Saturdays because those with Deluxe passes are blocked on Saturdays all summer long, but they can still visit on Sunday. We have been on a summer Sunday and it was a madhouse. We tend to avoid weekends whenever possible. One nice thing about summer is you can avoid weekends because the nightly entertainment isn't on weekend only schedule as it may be other times of the year.