If You Could Pick Any Date ...

[Karnak]

If you could pick any five consecutive dates in 2006 for a solo visit to Walt Disney World between September 18 and December 10, when would you go?

I have no problem choosing my resort, but the best dates in which to plan my five-night trip are a bit of a puzzlement.

And why would you choose those particular dates?

Thanks so much for your thoughts.

 

[danalin]

I would go the week after Thanksgiving. The crowds are low, hardly any waits at all, the weather is great, all the Christmas decorations are up, the parks and resorts are just beautiful and it's value season! Best time to go IMO.

 

[Mamu]

I've done Disney Feb, March, April, May, Oct. and December. All have been great times too visit.

We loved Easter, but very crowded.

December was probably my favorite time because of all the decorations. Everything was beautiful. Crowds low, weather cold.

I went this past October for the first time and loved this time of year. Warm weather, low crowds and absolutely loved MNSSHP. I think my next trip will probably be in the fall.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I would probably pick late October. I think the Food and Wine Festival sounds like great fun (although I haven't been able to do it, yet), but I wouldn't want to go too early because the weather might still be too hot. Early November might be OK, but I'm not sure when Jersey week is and from what I hear, it's best to avoid that.

 

[Principessa1284]

late september/early october, but avoid columbus day weekend. crowds are light and you can go to Mickey's Not so Scary Halloween Party! If not, you HAVE to see hallowishes, it's amazing!!

 

[CleveRocks]

The Touring Plans website has a page (http://www.touringplans.com/BestDays.htm) that predicts attendance at the parks based on historical information as well as, I think, Christine Testa's mood swings. A rating of 1 is the lowest possible attendance and 10 is the highest. The lowest rating at all for any single day during your targeted time period is 4. The only stretch with five consecutive days of 4s is Sunday October 29 through Thursday November 2.

 

[Collette]

I had the rare opportunity to enjoy semi-solo trips last October and early December. October is my absolute, hands-down favorite!!

The Christmas decorations at WDW are wonderful. I love the Candlelight Processional with the guest narrator and strolling through the Osborne Lights. And Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party was fun. Didn't have time to hear the Christmas stories from each country in WS nor did I see the special ending to Illuminations - but I heard good things about both. I'm from the north and I seem to need snow and cold for Christmas. So I was kind of feeling the "Christmas in July" thing.

It is value season which is a big plus. I was thinking my suggestion would be to travel on December 2 and 8 and have the five full days in between. Elsewhere on the boards I read the Pop Warner dates were in that timeframe, so I don't know how great an idea that is.

My preference though would be October!!! I've been there three times during that month and loved each trip. Last year, I went the last full week in October and it was a near perfect vacation. Early October is still too hot and humid for me.

I absolutely love Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party!!! I thought that Hallo-wishes alone was worth the price of the ticket! The Boo to You parade was fantastic. The music and atmosphere walking into the park and onto Main Street at night was great. And riding BTMR (my favorite at night) three times in a row as fast as I could walk through the queue was quite fun.

I also love the Food and Wine Festival. I wasn't too fond of dining alone at table service restaurants so the festival was perfect for solo eating. Went there two or three days just trying different things.

If I could do it again, I would travel on October 21 and 27 and have the five full days in between. The reason I pick going home on a Friday is because I feel that weekends get more crowded and plus I like to get home early, savor the memories of my trip and rest up before heading back to work.

On October 21, I would check into my resort, have dinner at Boma and mingle with the crowds at Downtown Disney during the evening. I like to begin and end my trips at Magic Kingdom so Sunday morning I would be there at opening and have a late breakfast of tonga toast at Kona Cafe. Tuesday night would be MNSSHP with dinner at Pecos Bill's. Somewhere in that week would be the vegetarian platter at Tangierine Cafe, a kaki gori and joining a table of Oktoberfesters at the Biergarten. And Thursday I would either attend MNSSHP again or I would be at MK at opening and end the day with a very fine dinner at the California Grill timed to see Hallo-wishes one more time.

Okay, that got a little long winded... but I REALLY liked that trip!!!!!!!!!

Have a great time planning!!

Collette

 

[MICKEEP]

I would go the week after Thanksgiving. The crowds are low, hardly any waits at all, the weather is great, all the Christmas decorations are up, the parks and resorts are just beautiful and it's value season! Best time to go IMO.

agree totally.....danalin took the words right out of my mouth..

 

[JennyDrake]

First week in December.

 

[WillCAD]

Okay, my top five consecutive dates would be Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Anniston, Kiera Nightly, Natalie Portman, and Mila Jovavich.

I've done solo trips in September, October, and early December.

My favorite time of year to go to WDW is the end of October, through Halloween. The Food and Wine festival is happening, the weather is warm enough for swimming but not humid, rainfall is low, and hurricane season is over. Crowds are moderate to low, far lower than the summer season, and rates are Regular season. If you have an AP, there are usually some Passholder discounts available. Air and rental car rates are usually pretty cheap, too.

Second on my list would be September. It's hot, it's humid, and it's the middle of hurricane season, but September holds the twin Holy Grails for WDW fans - low crowds and cheap rates. Crowds are almost non-existent in September because of the tripple-threat: anniversary of 9/11, hurricane season, and all the kids go back to school. Because of the low bookings, rates in September are Value season, which is the lowest, and September is the most likely time of year for Passholder discounts and general public specials like free dining plan or ticket upgrades, or in years past, resort discount codes. Drink lots of water, carry a poncho, and walk right onto just about everything.

Third on my list is the first or second week of December, which I have done now for 3 years running because of MouseFest. After the Thanksgiving crowds clear out, crowd levels get very low for a couple of weeks, but the holiday decorations are up, MVMCP is in full swing, and resort rates are in Regular season, but again, there are often discounts available either to Passholders or sometimes to the general public. Air and rental car rates tend to be pretty low at this time, and off-site hotels runa lots of specials because it's still considered off-season. And then there is MouseFest, but that's a whole 'nother topic.

 

[kizmac]

late september/early october, but avoid columbus day weekend. crowds are light and you can go to Mickey's Not so Scary Halloween Party! If not, you HAVE to see hallowishes, it's amazing!!

I second this time period! It's still in value season too. The Halloween party is a blast. We've been to WDW the first and second week in December also and I MUCH prefer late Sept. The weather was very chilly in early Dec. and we all got the flu while there. MVMCP is really nice but my kids liked MNSSHP much better.

 

[Karnak]

The Touring Plans website has a page (http://www.touringplans.com/BestDays.htm) that predicts attendance at the parks based on historical information as well as, I think, Christine Testa's mood swings. A rating of 1 is the lowest possible attendance and 10 is the highest. The lowest rating at all for any single day during your targeted time period is 4. The only stretch with five consecutive days of 4s is Sunday October 29 through Thursday November 2.

True. I looked at the ratings on-line, and also the ones in the Unofficial Guide for the last week in October and the week after Thanksgiving as well. Looks like they are very similar. I don't know why the Unofficial Guide bothers with a scale of 1 to 10 though, since the lowest I've found at any time of the year is 4.

Thanks for your input.

 

[kerry34]

For me it would be a tie between the end of october for halloween, or after thanksgiving for the christmas events and decorations. We have gone before around Halloween and we loved MNSSHP. Someday I would like to do it again. Also the christmas events and decorations are great but if I had to do it again I would pick after thanksgiving because I hear the crowds are favorable and you still have the benefit of the christmas atmosphere.

 

[Claudia Kellenberger]

Here's the dates that I would pick for you. I also feel very strongly about it, too. I would pick your arrival date as Monday December 4th. If you go around September and October you are still in hurricane season. While December's weather is a bit cooler, it sure is more comfortable. Although it is the lower, value season, weekends tend to get more crowded. You would be just missing the weekend. Also, the Christmas parade is usually filmed on the first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of December, and you would just miss the big crowds of that. You would be able to see all the Christmas decorations, and see all the shows with lower week-day crowds. There would probably also be a MVMCP on Tuesday the 5th, also lower crowds.
In my opinion, it would be the *Perfect* time !

 

[disneyluv4]

The first week of December. Christmas decorations are up and crowds are usually lower! Have fun.

 

[chrome64]

Oct. 1-6

October is my all time favorite time to go. Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is the best! And I love the Food and Wine Festival!!

DH and I are going back for a couple of days in Oct (with no kids!) for our anniversary! I can't wait!!!