I know there's no show time at Disney anymore, but when would you go if you had the choice?

[punkin]

My (grown) children are dying to go and can take a week vacation pretty much any time. I'm not bound by school schedule. I have no idea how to use Genie+ or ILL (though I will research) nor do I want to pay extra for them. I'm thinking the last week in September to the first week in October (before Columbus day) would work. I want to stay off-site (there will be 6 or 7 of us) and ROTR will be a must do. What do you think?

 

[CarolynFH]

Earlier in September, i.e. the first two weeks after Labor Day, will be less crowded. Schools in our part of Texas start back in early August, so some of them have the first full week of October as Fall Break.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

My (grown) children are dying to go and can take a week vacation pretty much any time. I'm not bound by school schedule. I have no idea how to use Genie+ or ILL (though I will research) nor do I want to pay extra for them. I'm thinking the last week in September to the first week in October (before Columbus day) would work. I want to stay off-site (there will be 6 or 7 of us) and ROTR will be a must do. What do you think?

If I'm not bound to school schedules and I'm factoring in weather, I would choose February (not around president's day), late September/possibly early October. I know 2022 was an abnormal year but usually February is a nice not as crowded time, it's definitely not empty but it's bearable. My only issue with September/Oct is it's still hot and rainy and you have the off chance of tropical weather concerns. You're right, there's really no slow time of year but those are typically less crowded times.

 

[CanucksRock]

Jan/Feb normally not crowded but has been more so the last few years. September is ususlly a good pick.

 

[sewingmolly]

I would pick Jan over Sept. Sept may have lower crowds, but Jan has better weather. I can put with more people if I'm not sweating to death.

 

[brockash]

My (grown) children are dying to go and can take a week vacation pretty much any time. I'm not bound by school schedule. I have no idea how to use Genie+ or ILL (though I will research) nor do I want to pay extra for them. I'm thinking the last week in September to the first week in October (before Columbus day) would work. I want to stay off-site (there will be 6 or 7 of us) and ROTR will be a must do. What do you think?

First week of May. After spring break, before summer so crowds are pretty decent and beautiful weather and Flower & Garden.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

First week of May. After spring break, before summer so crowds are pretty decent and beautiful weather and Flower & Garden.

It's currently 94 degrees, not really that humid just yet but it's a scorcher, not sure most people would find 94....feels like 97....beautiful.

 

[CarolynFH]

I would pick Jan over Sept. Sept may have lower crowds, but Jan has better weather. I can put with more people if I'm not sweating to death.

@punkin in my earlier post I was replying specifically to your statement about September/October. So I’d like to say that I agree with above - January/February are our favorite months now that we don’t have to worry about school schedules. The time after MLK holiday and before Presidents Day is an excellent time to go.

 

[jliucci]

I would also go with January/Feb. Sept is very hott/muggy and the love bugs are normally out in Sept.

 

[punkin]

@punkin in my earlier post I was replying specifically to your statement about September/October. So I’d like to say that I agree with above - January/February are our favorite months now that we don’t have to worry about school schedules. The time after MLK holiday and before Presidents Day is an excellent time to go.

September/ October work better for us for other reasons. I could do January/ February but it might run into other family obligations. May is a little too late to plan for this year. Lol.

 

[brockash]

It's currently 94 degrees, not really that humid just yet but it's a scorcher, not sure most people would find 94....feels like 97....beautiful.

Well I'm stuck in upstate NY, so to me that sounds beautiful. We often go in Sept. and have been in early and late May. I'd pick our May trips over September every time. Less humidity and less rain in May with around the same temps, so yeah to us early May is much more weather-pleasant than end of. Sept.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Well I'm stuck in upstate NY, so to me that sounds beautiful. We often go in Sept. and have been in early and late May. I'd pick our May trips over September every time. Less humidity and less rain in May with around the same temps, so yeah to us early May is much more weather-pleasant than end of. Sept.

May is always better than September in FL especially with hurricane season but I'm pretty sure the last pleasant days of the season were mid April.

 

[3gr8boys]

FWIW my county (in Metro Atlanta) has the last week in September off.

It will be interesting to see if crowd patterns return to historical norms or if being able to target lower crowd times will remain a thing of the past.

Like PPs, I definitely prefer February for both crowds (in the past, anyway) and weather. We've survived Spring Break trips, but no way I could handle the summer/early fall weather (and I grew up in Florida). That said, plenty of people do WDW in the summer and early Fall all of the time!
ETA I do have to work around school breaks, we've only done WDW trips Feb and April. I would love to go late January!

 

[Smugpugmug]

Early September is when you'll most likely see the least amount of crowds. I went the second week of September last year with my family and it was fantastic. The highest wait time we had was 30 minutes for Tower of Terror. However, something to keep in mind is that when we went international tourism was still prohibited so that definitely contributed to low wait times. It was also EXTREMELY hot. I don't think I would've made it if I didn't take a mid day pool break each day, it was that hot. It also rained every. single day. in the afternoon. It was like it was on a schedule, it rained at the same time in the afternoon during our entire trip.

First two weeks of May are also great times to go. It's after spring break but also before a lot of kids are out of school for summer vacation. I went the second week of May at Disneyland one year and the crowds were really low (this was pre-pandemic). I would also recommend January-February (not President's day week/last week of February) but keep in mind that the water rides do regularly close for refurbishment (both at WDW and Universal).

 

[scrappinginontario]

Mid September if you don’t mind melt-your-face-off hot. If that’s not for you then late April/early May are beautiful.

 

[punkin]

I just looked at the crowd calendars on the touring plans website and I'm thinking the 14th through the 20th of September might work for us. I'm hoping to be able to do the popular rides with reasonable wait times without paying extra.

 

[tigerlilly]

Hi We are going last week of September!

Based on DVC room availability the last week of Sept. (at least for DVC visitors) will be busy. We have done September in the past...like Long Long Ago and Far Far Away lol. We had a great time and crowds were not bad other the the usual places. I think your Sept. week sounds great.

We did go to WDW the last week of January this year. Having never been in January and with the caveat of it being 2022, I will say January was far from slow lol. In truth I was shocked at how busy it was. Throw in some 32 degree days, pools closed and some freezing rain and I made the decision I like surface of the sun hot. I do not like cold... we live in Central California and anything below 80 is cold lol.

Have a great trip!

 

[punkin]

Hi We are going last week of September!

Based on DVC room availability the last week of Sept. (at least for DVC visitors) will be busy. We have done September in the past...like Long Long Ago and Far Far Away lol. We had a great time and crowds were not bad other the the usual places. I think your Sept. week sounds great.

We did go to WDW the last week of January this year. Having never been in January and with the caveat of it being 2022, I will say January was far from slow lol. In truth I was shocked at how busy it was. Throw in some 32 degree days, pools closed and some freezing rain and I made the decision I like surface of the sun hot. I do not like cold... we live in Central California and anything below 80 is cold lol.

Have a great trip!

I agree. I hate cold. I might change my dates to the last week in September, depending on my children's schedules. I don't mind heat, humidity or rain. I just really don't want super busy.

 

[tigerlilly]

I agree. I hate cold. I might change my dates to the last week in September, depending on my children's schedules. I don't mind heat, humidity or rain. I just really don't want super busy.

Well here is to the hope it won't be super busy last week of September (we have our plane tickets already so Lord willing we will be there)! Once you pick your dates the fun of planning begins!!!