Is Summer the New Off Season?

[Disney On The Bayou]

I've been a DVC member since 2001 and my experience (perception) over the years is that the so called slow times aren't that slow and the summer seems to be getting slower. It could be that I'm just starting to get used to being in a large crowd every time I go to WDW and the summer crowd just seems normal. Or is summer really the new off-season?

 

[Deb & Bill]

I've been a DVC member since 2001 and my experience (perception) over the years is that the so called slow times aren't that slow and the summer seems to be getting slower. It could be that I'm just starting to get used to being in a large crowd every time I go to WDW and the summer crowd just seems normal. Or is summer really the new off-season?

It's just too darned hot to go in the summer months. Unless I am going to the beach and not WDW. Then summer is fine.

 

[drusba]

I have been a member 17 years and summer has never been a high DVC demand time. Currently, it is not only summer. DVC's low to moderate demand time runs almost 9 months straight from just after marathon weekend in Jan to just before the end of Sep. Even the holidays during that time are moderate. For current demand patterns see my post #3 here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3281173&highlight=availability

As far as park crowds go, what I have seen is that it is still very crowded and last two of weeks of June have gotten worse, while mid July to early August has gotten better.

 

[DebbieB]

We once got an AKV club 1 bedroom at 7 months for late June, I think 4 nights.

 

[edk35]

We have been going in the summers for years now and we never think they are crowded. Hot yes... but it works with kids schedules and until the last bird is out of the nest .... I don't see us going during the cooler months for while longer. So heat it is.

 

[DizBub]

We were there the 1st week of June this year. Weather was surprisingly not hot and humidity wasn't high. We normally avoid June through August.
It was actually more crowded than I expected.

Personally, I don't think there are any slow times anymore. They have created so many special events, holiday parties, RunDisney events, F&W, F&G, free dining, discounted rooms they are filling hotels pretty consistently year round. Plus DVC low point season does not coincide with WDW value season.

 

[crisi]

Ten to twenty years ago we were October folks - perfect - no crowds, great weather for the first part of that period. Then October started to feel crowded, but our kids had some time off school and weather was still good.

Now, the kids need to be around in the Fall so we've been right before school starts in late August. HOT, but crowds are much lighter than they were that final October trip.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

It's just too darned hot to go in the summer months.

I smiled when I read this because it reminded me of Sarah, from the Carousel of Progress. She comments on the temperature and how it is too hot to sew inside.

 

[ABE4DISNEY]

I've been a DVC member since 2001 and my experience (perception) over the years is that the so called slow times aren't that slow and the summer seems to be getting slower. It could be that I'm just starting to get used to being in a large crowd every time I go to WDW and the summer crowd just seems normal. Or is summer really the new off-season?

We just returned and it was definitely not slow. There were very few rides that were under 40 minutes in MK. If you didn't work those FP+, you would standing in line a lot.

 

[quinnc19]

It's not slow over July 4th - not even SSR was available when I booked last month (studio).

 

[eporter66]

We have gone in October almost every year since 2003, and the first 5 or so always seemed very light. Now, it seems busy, but I guess it is all relative. We are still able to do the rides we want, and with the right planning even a few times, but the crowds do seem bigger at this time of the year than when we started 10 years ago. And our plans always are to do the parks during the week and not on the weekends (especially Food & Wine Fest).

As for summer, since I live in Upstate NY - Disney will never be on my radar during the summer months, I need to be here to enjoy the summer!!

 

[jerseygal]

We've always gone to WDW mid August due to summer camps, kids sports schedules, high school leagues, etc...Yea, it was hot, but we "made due" with the weather and hey, we were at Disney and on vacation, so we adjusted to the weather and had Fun!

This is was our first late May vaca and LOVED IT! Beat the summer crowds!Happy to say that our summer vacas are now a "thing of the past", youngest DS will now be entering college in August!

Mom and Dad are "sneaking" away along for a few night December this year...Can't wait!

 

[vandy]

Or is summer really the new off-season?

As for DVC it can be the new off-season but only if they change the points chart and those dates no longer fall into the Magic Season category!

 

[Brian Noble]

It's just too darned hot to go in the summer months.

One of my family's favorite trips of all time was a mid-July visit where we did not go to the theme parks at all. Instead we bought water park/Disney Quest APs, and just did those three plus visited several resort restaurants that we hadn't been to before. We were either in water or AC the entire week.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

As for DVC it can be the new off-season but only if they change the points chart and those dates no longer fall into the Magic Season category!

I agree. Let's all collectively hold our breath and wait.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

I've been a DVC member since 2001 and my experience (perception) over the years is that the so called slow times aren't that slow and the summer seems to be getting slower. It could be that I'm just starting to get used to being in a large crowd every time I go to WDW and the summer crowd just seems normal. Or is summer really the new off-season?

Every time we've gone in the summer, it's very reasonable crowds. We went last week in July last year, and previous years went the last week of August. We would rather put up with the heat than insane crowds.

 

[Disney On The Bayou]

One of my family's favorite trips of all time was a mid-July visit where we did not go to the theme parks at all. Instead we bought water park/Disney Quest APs, and just did those three plus visited several resort restaurants that we hadn't been to before. We were either in water or AC the entire week.

I agree! some of my best trips have been no or little of the parks. We have stayed during a few 4th of July holidays and just stayed at BCV and enjoyed the resort. I have also made at least 20 plus golf only trips and again they are some of the best trips

 

[Disney On The Bayou]

We traveled to WDW for 6 nights in a 1 bedroom at GFV and 4 nights at Vero Beach, it was one of the best trips. The crowds were not bad at all and the weather was perfect, 80 with low humidity. I live in New Orleans so I know how hot and humid it can get but this year was an exception. What surprised me was the small crowds, maybe a 5-6 type crowd.

 

[Msmithmd]

We traveled to WDW for 6 nights in a 1 bedroom at GFV and 4 nights at Vero Beach, it was one of the best trips. The crowds were not bad at all and the weather was perfect, 80 with low humidity. I live in New Orleans so I know how hot and humid it can get but this year was an exception. What surprised me was the small crowds, maybe a 5-6 type crowd.

I would bet this was because a massive number of schools in the Midwest and east coast had make-up days at the end of the school year, thanks to the brutal winter.

This made the time you went more like early May than it is traditionally, as far as crowd levels are concerned.

We were down June 4-12, and found the crowds built day by day. Definitely an 8-9 feel those last couple days.

 

[msb578]

As for summer, since I live in Upstate NY - Disney will never be on my radar during the summer months, I need to be here to enjoy the summer!!

So incredibly true. I almost cried when a trip of mine was going to be changed from January to August. Thankfully that fell through!