June Crowds

[Eventer98]

Hey there...my fiancee and I were planning our next Disney trip for August b/c we had such great luck with low crowds this year. Well we realized he will be leaving the Navy in July and won't be eligible for SOG in Aug. So we were thinking of going 6/21-6/30 instead. How are the crowds that time of year?? Thanks

 

[DebIreland]

We were there in June 05 (from June 24th to July 6th) and the parks were crowded often but we had great fun!! Also, the parks are open much later than in winter time so that's a plus. Now, if you're careful about which parks you go to on which days, you can avoid long lines and, I think, this is especially important in June/July. I would definitely avoid EMH (extra magic hours) mornings, even though you're staying onsite so try to go to parks which had EMH the previous day! Also the biggest and best strategy is to get to the parks early. We didn't always achieve that but when we did, we noticed a huge difference! For example, our first MK day, we got there at 10.45ish and we were overwhelmed by the crowds. Castle? What castle? All I could see was a sea of people in Main Street. lol!!! I found it stressful! Our 2nd MK day, we got there for 9am (not at EMH Day) and right up to 11am was fabulous - very low crowds, milder weather etc. Then around 11 the crowds poured in and made for a very different atmosphere but we didn't care as we had the headliners done and were taking our time by then.

The heat is an issue but it was quite manageable.

We noticde a big change too between the last week in June and the first week in July with crowds increasing on our 2nd week and heat levels rising!

You'll have a wonderful time but do get to the parks early. Good luck!

 

[KimWDW]

I went the last week of June in 1996. NEVER AGAIN. The lines were the longest I'd ever seen. And it was soooo hot. I passed out while waiting in line (for an hour) for the Muppet 3D movie.

 

[Eventer98]

Thanks for the tips! We don't mind the heat that much..this past Aug. was over 95 degrees most days. Plus, I think having the fastpasses will help. It just comes down to how much we want to stay at SOG or are willing to try a disney hotel.

 

[First timer]

We went June 28-July 5. Very, very crowded. Also very, very hot. I can take the crowds and I can take the heat - just not at the same time. Still had a great time though.

 

[Magalex]

We will be new June visitors DS is now in elementary school! HEAT/CROWDS= YIKES but we will do the best we can. We are morning people so that will help. Also not first timers to WDW! Also hope we can enjoy the parks at night

 

[mrzrich]

It is hot and crowded, but since this is not your first time, you can prioritize what you really want to see and take breaks from the heat and crowds.

Arrive at park opening before the heat and crowds are at their worst, and leave after lunch. Go back to the resort swim, nap, go shopping, go to one of WDW's spas, whatever.

Then in the evening after the sun has set, get back to the parks!

 

[Martha7]

We went last June, and although it was hot and crowded, we had a wonderful time! We made sure to drink plenty of water, ducked into shady locations such as restaurants, rides or shops as often as possible, and took a break back at the resort in the late afternoon, coming back for dinner and more rides in the evening! We did have to change clothes more often though, so count on two shirts per day per person. You can keep the same shorts on, generally speaking. (I haven't gotten into the habit of doing laundry while at the resorts, but many people do, so that's also an option!) We found that the small handheld fans were good. I brought the fans that spray water, but realized that we were already damp and sticky, so we preferred the non-water spraying ones. We didn't end up spending any time at the pools, but we were only there for four days, so we were focusing on park time, and my Dss are older, so swimming isn't that big a deal to them these days. Have a great time whenever you go!

 

[mattsdragon]

Book SOG now. We were there for our honeymoon that time last year, and we couldn't get into SOG 6 months in advance. It fills up quickly.

Crowds are starting to build up then, but it's Disney, so have a beer and people watch (except at MK).

 

[jwfla422]

Like everyone else said as far as crowds go, this is definitely PEAK crowd time. The crowds will probably be at their highest peak the end of the week you're there because July 4th falls that next week.

Keep in mind this is not only the hotest time as far as temps go but the sun is at it's strongest during the month in June.

Keep in mind it's not just the parks, but even the resort pools are extremely busy too. I recall reading about the BW pool being so crowded last year near July 4th time there was standing room only in the pool. It was so crowded you could barely swim. You definitely want to make sure you plan as many ADR's as possible as it won't be easy to get into a lot of restaurants by just walking up.

Personally I can't deal with it being so crowded. Going a week and a half before Xmas last year was too stressful for me and it wasn't 95 degrees and 100% humidity then, but the crowds were terrible. The waits at the counter service restaurants were absurd.

If you don't mind crowds and the heat together you could stand ANYTIME in WDW because late June is definitely the worst of both worlds.

 

[K9pal]

What about the first full week in June, Sunday through Thursday? DH and I always go in September and next June we're taking son, DIL, and our 5 and 7-yr-old grandsons. I know it will be more crowded than September, but is first week in June better than other summer weeks? And what's the weather like?
TIA!

 

[Jalva22]

First week in June will be better than late June. The crowds build throughout the month as more and more schools let out for the summer. Keep the schedule for Gay Days in mind when planning which park to attend so as to avoid the crowds. We went in early June of 2005 (something like the 6th to the 12th). We really didn't have a problem with crowds at all. But it is hot though! Rain will be hit or miss, and probably just a short event rather than a full day washout. A tropical storm came up the Gulf coast when we were there. It didn't hit Orlando, but moved up to the panhandle. It gave us a few days of cloud cover and drizzle, which made it much more tolerable. We're going back, hopefully, in early June 2007, so it wasn't bad enough to scare us off!

 

[bsmandi]

We were there last year the very beginning of June and the crowds were not that bad at all. I don't know if your plans are flexible, but that might be a better time.

 

[Shifletjl]

We visited mid June 2005. We followed the Unofficial Guide tour plans and were really prepared for the heat. By having a plan, you can avoid a lot of the problems that come with visiting the parks during the busy season. Early morning touring will give you the best results. Be there at park opening and tour until the crowds arrive (usually 11 am - 12 pm). Be skilled in the use of the fast pass system (a real time saver if you know how to use it).

We knew it would be crowded so we weren't surprised but we really don't feel that it had a negative impact on our vacation. We had a great time! We are even returning in June for our second round.

 

[Eventer98]

Thanks for all the tips! I don't have access to any vacation until that 3rd week in June so I am pretty much stuck going then. I already booked SOG (thanks for the head's up!) but we can't get our airline tickets until Feb when my DF's time off is approved by the good old government. So I do have some time to debate POFQ if we wanted to go the last week in August instead. (we won't be eligible for SOG after 7/11) Anyway....thanks again for all the advice!

 

[Zazu]

June is a wonderful time to go. Late park hours. Lagre crowds which can be managed with fast passes. Lots of special events. I like night time in the parks and extended summer hours provide plenty of that. Zazu