My four-year-old has been periodically lobbying for a return trip to DisneyWorld , and the more I think about it the more I like the idea. 
But I'm trying to decide on the best time to go, especially since last time (we went right before she turned three) we were sort of spoiled by going at the least crowded time, Jan 1-7. And I *really* noticed the difference between the first day at the parks (Jan 2nd, still a weekend and so everyone was still there) and our other days - in fact, that first day at MK was so yucky that instead of having our nonpark day in the middle of our week there, we had it on our second day, to wait out those crowds.
We can do those same dates again this year, although it's cutting it much closer to when I need to go back to work (teaching college). Or we can go for the week before Christmas, leaving around the 23rd. I've read that mid-December is one of the lowest attendence times, but then Christmas week is the highest of course, so I was wondering just how close to Christmas does it start to get super-crowded. Any info anyone has on this would be much appreciated.
My other choice, btw, is to go mid-May, when college has let out but before schools have. That has the advantage that we can go for longer, and being far less crowded than at Christmas, but the disadvantage that it's more crowded than mid-December or January, and also it's hotter there then (and the appeal of hotter weather is much less in May, when it's nice at home too, than in Dec/Jan, when I'd be desperate for nice weather!).
Since I"m writing anyway....one other thing I was thinking was a trip where we mostly did the non-park stuff, with only a day or two at the parks (because obviously we can't skip them altogether!). There's just SO much nonpark stuff to do that it seems like it'd be easy to fill up a whole trip with it, but then we might feel bad about skipping parks. Has anyone here totally skipped parks and still felt like you had a fun Disney time?
But I'm trying to decide on the best time to go, especially since last time (we went right before she turned three) we were sort of spoiled by going at the least crowded time, Jan 1-7. And I *really* noticed the difference between the first day at the parks (Jan 2nd, still a weekend and so everyone was still there) and our other days - in fact, that first day at MK was so yucky that instead of having our nonpark day in the middle of our week there, we had it on our second day, to wait out those crowds.We can do those same dates again this year, although it's cutting it much closer to when I need to go back to work (teaching college). Or we can go for the week before Christmas, leaving around the 23rd. I've read that mid-December is one of the lowest attendence times, but then Christmas week is the highest of course, so I was wondering just how close to Christmas does it start to get super-crowded. Any info anyone has on this would be much appreciated.
My other choice, btw, is to go mid-May, when college has let out but before schools have. That has the advantage that we can go for longer, and being far less crowded than at Christmas, but the disadvantage that it's more crowded than mid-December or January, and also it's hotter there then (and the appeal of hotter weather is much less in May, when it's nice at home too, than in Dec/Jan, when I'd be desperate for nice weather!).
Since I"m writing anyway....one other thing I was thinking was a trip where we mostly did the non-park stuff, with only a day or two at the parks (because obviously we can't skip them altogether!). There's just SO much nonpark stuff to do that it seems like it'd be easy to fill up a whole trip with it, but then we might feel bad about skipping parks. Has anyone here totally skipped parks and still felt like you had a fun Disney time?
Most schools got out the 17th, and we noticed an increase on Sat. the 18th, but it was still very manageable at MGM. Sun. the 19th at MK was very crowded, so we left & went over to AK where it was still manageable. We had an off day the 20th. We decided to hop over to Epcot very briefly before leaving the 21st & we couldn't believe the wait times & fast pass return times & were so glad we were leaving that day. 
