July Vs October - Care to Help Decide? Please :)

[mmbrad02]

Initially when I see my topic, this seems like a no brainer question – October right? But hear me out and please help me consider both options and make a decision


Our family consists of my DH, myself, and my DD13. I share that to say we have no babies or strollers or anything of that nature. We love us some Disney but have been in a parks drought for a while now – our last visit being a day before/day after scenario for a cruise in 2019. This is our first week long/onsite trip in many years. And we are definitely ready!

Originally I decided we would go over my DD’s Fall Break if my daughters school schedule coordinated with mine and my husbands work schedules. It does. That would be October 6-12 range. However, Disney released their summer discounts and of course I had to play around. June is not good for us because my DD plays softball and also has one summer camp already scheduled for June. However, we can do the week of July 21-27 without any conflicts with work/sports/camps/school, so I started crunching the numbers.

When I compare current numbers (October appears rack rate), July is cheaper. By about $1500 based on the resort/dining plan/number of park days I chose. This is the Disney+ Free dining options vs the exact same choices in October. I guess my thoughts are, for those that have gone more frequently – is there historically any promotions (even just a room discount) in October these days? Is it worth taking the risk and waiting?

My cons is … July is HOT We did a trip once in July 2006 and I said Never again. But never say never right?! (for the record we have done two Caribbean cruises the last two July’s so we are used to heat at this point). Is July going to be a ton more crowded than October? Before DD started school we went in September and loved that, but we have done a couple of October trips on her fall breaks and I found them to seem quite crowded, as I know Columbus Day/Fall breaks are probably popular times to visit as well.

So would anyone kindly share an opinion? For us, $1500 is significant money. But I would just like to make the best decision based on what we have. Also, I have dabbled with booking and planning for July and then watching for anything to change for October pricing - I guess that's an option also?

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

Initially when I see my topic, this seems like a no brainer question – October right? But hear me out and please help me consider both options and make a decision


Our family consists of my DH, myself, and my DD13. I share that to say we have no babies or strollers or anything of that nature. We love us some Disney but have been in a parks drought for a while now – our last visit being a day before/day after scenario for a cruise in 2019. This is our first week long/onsite trip in many years. And we are definitely ready!

Originally I decided we would go over my DD’s Fall Break if my daughters school schedule coordinated with mine and my husbands work schedules. It does. That would be October 6-12 range. However, Disney released their summer discounts and of course I had to play around. June is not good for us because my DD plays softball and also has one summer camp already scheduled for June. However, we can do the week of July 21-27 without any conflicts with work/sports/camps/school, so I started crunching the numbers.

When I compare current numbers (October appears rack rate), July is cheaper. By about $1500 based on the resort/dining plan/number of park days I chose. This is the Disney+ Free dining options vs the exact same choices in October. I guess my thoughts are, for those that have gone more frequently – is there historically any promotions (even just a room discount) in October these days? Is it worth taking the risk and waiting?

My cons is … July is HOT We did a trip once in July 2006 and I said Never again. But never say never right?! (for the record we have done two Caribbean cruises the last two July’s so we are used to heat at this point). Is July going to be a ton more crowded than October? Before DD started school we went in September and loved that, but we have done a couple of October trips on her fall breaks and I found them to seem quite crowded, as I know Columbus Day/Fall breaks are probably popular times to visit as well.

So would anyone kindly share an opinion? For us, $1500 is significant money. But I would just like to make the best decision based on what we have. Also, I have dabbled with booking and planning for July and then watching for anything to change for October pricing - I guess that's an option also?''

Another consideration is the HALLOWEEN party nights that will be in full swing in OCT and drastically reduce evening Magic Kingdon hours. I for one will work around those because I MUST see the MK fireworks every visit.

 

[sam_gordon]

I would expect July to be more crowded as well, then you add in the heat and I understand your reticence. BUT, I'm more about the money, and I agree, $1500 is a significant difference. Are you flying? If so, did you price out air fare?

Assuming everything else being equal, I'd say July. There's going to be more daylight hours, and with many schools having a fall break, October may not be as empty as you'd expect.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

October can now be crazy crowded. Tons of schools now have fall break. We actually get two weeks off.

We went in June twice. It was very hot and rainy. We now stick to March and October.

 

[HopperFan]

We used to go every October when the only thing happening was a singular golf tournament. Disney has put forth all efforts to fill up October to fill the rooms and they were successful. I have been in October in pouring rain for hours and brutal heat so honestly I don't feel like the weather is any safer in October. Hurricanes season gets worse in fall.

I was there last summer that week in July ... yes it was hot but strangely was better than our June trip. We had occasional showers but no real rain that impacted our trip. Again, you just never know. We felt the crowds were very manageable and with longer hours we got lots done. If July saved me an amount of money that makes a difference, and you aren't taking any young children I'd pick July. You get full park hours, you get more spread out school breaks filling the parks and save money!

 

[_19disnA]

Almost every year someone from the office where I work takes their family to Disney in July for the first time and returns to say they would NEVER go again that time of year. WAY too hot/humid to be walking for miles at the various Disney parks. While perhaps that is the only time of year some can go due to school/work/etc., I would find somewhere else to go if that was your only time to vacation.

 

[mmbrad02]

This is why I love getting opinions on this board - for example - the Halloween party comment. I had forgotten about those momentarily, and we have done them twice. We enjoyed them, but honestly I don't need to go for a third one so that saves us money too by going in July (is this a Disney math scenario -haha). And less stressful planning around those while we are there.

Also, on that note, I remember on one of our September trips, we had a couple of evenings we were almost rather bored because (this was pre child), DH isn't much on swimming and the parks closed earlier in the fall hours. That's another vote for summer....

On all of our Disney trips, we have rope dropped, and then headed back to the resort from 1-3ish, and then return early evening. So we do tend to dodge some of the rain showers and the brutal part of the heat. We will just have to really try to utilize our scheduling if we do July as far as the heat goes.

Thank you for your sharing your opinions and of course if anyone else has any, please share!

 

[Newsies]

In my past experiences traveling and working at WDW, I've found July and August to be significantly less crowded than any time in October. Specifically the last week of July into the first week of August has been terrific for us. Yes, it is brutally hot, but parks are open longer so without the insane crowds of October, you can do the "rope drop in the morning, back to the resort for pool/nap to cool off, and back to the parks in the evening" song-and-dance and still get a lot done. For $1500 less, I would pick July.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I would choose October in the hopes that it wouldn't be hotter than the surface of the sun, but that is far from a guarantee. Also, in July it is crazy crowded to the point where it isn't fun.

 

[leahgoogle]

We've been in July and October. I much prefer Oct. It can still get hot, but usually it is not as bad as July and the humidity is lower (at least the times we went during that time). But, $1500 and free dining would be enough to sway me to go in July. We went to Universal the same week of July 2022 and it was HOT. Guests were passing out. We just took it easy and got into the air conditioning as much as we could.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I know it's hot, but the two main reasons we like going in the summer months are lower prices and lower crowds. I know the crowd calendars always show the summer months to be crazy crowded because kids are out of school, but so many people fear the FL heat that it always seems to keep people away...and it's why the summer prices are historically lower than many other times of year. You should also be going ahead of any Halloween party stuff at MK, so it should mean more MK evening hours...meaning more bang for your buck.

 

[Skippyboo]

Where are you coming from ? July is going to be hot and humid. A couple of hours onshore in the Caribbean isnt really the same as hours walking around the park in it. Also if you’re going to stay at a Skyliner, thunderstorms will shut it down. So just prepare for jungle hot and humidity.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

October doesn't always mean cooler temperatures. I live in the South (GA) and been to WDW many times in October (love Halloween). Last time we went to WDW in October was 2021 and it was HOT. I got married at WDW in mid October 2001. I have pictures of my husband and I with light sweaters/jackets. I laugh at that now. Don't think that will ever happen again. $1500 is a lot of money. If that's your major deciding factor, save the money.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Our first trip to WDW was for Independence Day 2017 for four or five days. We went every 4th of July thereafter until the pandemic. As well a few Thanksgivings, Christmases and New Year’s Eves. This is just to say we’ve enjoyed different types of weather in Orlando.

With that in mind and given your post it’s a no brainer for me.
Save the money, dress for the weather, buy a water bottle fan and enjoy WDW in July.

Have fun no matter when you go!

 

[mmbrad02]

To answer some questions mentioned...

We are in Kentucky, so we do have our fair share of humidity (not to Florida levels, I know).

We can fly or drive, and haven't decided at this point. My MIL has a home in Sebastian, south of Orlando, that we have driven down to several times in a day trip (a long day but a day nonetheless) but historically we have always flown to Disney. Flying will be ideal, but if airfare doesn't cooperate, driving is on the table We tend to stick with Southwest and their rates for October haven't been released, so I can't truly compare yet. And by looking at their July rates, I think they are subject to change at this point.

I also understand that there will always be different opinions and such - for example in 2018 we went for a few days in June (with my husbands work trip sandwiched in the middle) and we thought those particular days felt much less crowded than our previous October trip. In a lot of ways it's all a guessing game I think! And maybe some luck

I know I said previously that we went in July 2006 and said never again. That was our very first Disney adult trip and we did our research but in a lot of ways was still flying blindly. We have learned so much since then that I think we would be better equipped if we did another July trip.

 

[Christine]

July is brutal heat but if you can manage that then go for it. I would have said October in the past but Disney has done a remarkable job of getting people in the parks outside of school breaks and they can be equally insane crowd-wise. I was shocked over my November 2019 tripped. IMO it was worse than any summer trip I took, minus the heat.

 

[MsChristy12]

Being on a cruise in the humid heat is very different than walking around the parks. But since you're from Kentucky, I think you might be able to tolerate the July weather better than some? I'm from the west coast so our cut off is May! We will not go to FL between June - Sept, We can't handle walking around the parks and standing in lines in that heat! We will melt!! I think in your case, try July and see how it goes, because $1500 savings is huge! Try it one more time, and if you and your family can't deal w/ the heat, then you'll know for sure no more July/Aug Disney trips!

 

[HeatherC]

Both will be crowded, but on top of that July will be stifling, ungodly humid with rain almost every day. I would definitely do October because we would be miserable.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

We went in July once many years ago when we were much younger and it was horrible. Never went back in the summer again until a couple years ago I decided to go in August for the discounts. It was terrible. Never again. We normally go in October. I wonder definitely go then.

 

[Praying Colonel]

July is hot but if you've been before you probably know how to mitigate that (hydrate, rope drop, afternoon break, strategic use of attractions/restaurants with A/C, etc.).

I don't have a crowd calendar in front of me, but October can be high crowds, too. I'm cheap so I'd do the one that's $1500 cheaper.