Lower crowds- Sept or 1st week of Dec?

[WendyMichaelJohn]

What time of year do YOU think has the lowest crowds?

Shel

 

[tjmouse]

September as long as they don't offer free dining! Seriously though, September mid to late was empty last year, but there were 3 hurricanes in a row that affected WDW. We are going the first week of December this year and I have a feeling it's going to be more crowded than in the past, just because of the lack of rooms and hard to get ADR's.

 

[WendyMichaelJohn]

Do you think it is going to be summer-time crowded, or just more crowded than it normally is (which would mean still fairly low-crowds?)

Shel

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

we were there in sept last year and it was empty, and this year we have changed to first of dec! guess i'll find out how bad the crowds are then.

if you can handle the possibility of hurricaines and all the stress is causes, sept is a great time to go. we always go the week after labor day and it has only been semi crowded on one day, in MK only, which was a saturday and it was alot of 'locals' from the florida keys hiding out from a hurricaine. We have always had good luck with weather in sept, too, even with the hurricaine issues driving down and back, last sept it rained one night and only for about 2 hours, never even an afternoon thundershower. in sept 02, it only rained once the time we were there, a quick afternoon shower.

 

[WendyMichaelJohn]

We're already booked for Dec. I was just reading all the reports of empty parks this month and started wondering...

I'm starting to really worry about crowds in Dec. We picked that week because of how low it was said to be in terms of park crowds.

Shel

 

[allaboutmm]

We're already booked for Dec. I was just reading all the reports of empty parks this month and started wondering...

I'm starting to really worry about crowds in Dec. We picked that week because of how low it was said to be in terms of park crowds.

Shel

Same with us. Everyone said," the 2 wks after Thanksgiving the parks are empty!" Now I hear that the PopWarner Cheerleaders will be at the PC with us ( no flames, I am a former rah-rah girl), and on the boards, sounds like crowds might be up. Oh well , we will just have to make the best of it( like thats hard to do at WDW!) Hope you and your family has a great, low-crowd trip!!!

 

[jctwizzer]

Without a doubt, September has the lowest crowds. Many of the guide books perpetuate the myth that the first week in December is not a crowded time. And that was true up until about 3 years ago. When the crowds started growing as people realized that Christmas docorations were up; MVMCP was fun; and parades were being televised. We've been going to WDW in early Dec. since 1996, and last year the crowd levels were up, again.
It will interesting to see if the trend continues.

 

[safaulk]

Do you think it is going to be summer-time crowded, or just more crowded than it normally is (which would mean still fairly low-crowds?)

Shel

Hey Shel!!! My nickname is Shel too!!!

Only 4 more days til we're in the World!! Whoopeeee!!!!

 

[WOODY13]

We were just at POR 9/4-9/10 and I asked I CM at the food court why so slow and she said that the week following Labor Day is the slowest week of the year.

 

[safaulk]

We were just at POR 9/4-9/10 and I asked I CM at the food court why so slow and she said that the week following Labor Day is the slowest week of the year.

We'll have to keep that in mind for future trips. We leave in four days, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the crowds will be sparse. Keep your fingers crossed for me please!

 

[Viki]

The week after Labor Day weekend is the slowest week at WDW and it's the week we usually go, but we're headed the first week in Dec this year and I'm expecting larger crowds.

 

[WendyMichaelJohn]

Okay, let me phrase it this way. If the only time I have ever been to WDW was in the heat and crowds of mid-July and staying off-site, am I going to think it is crowded last week of Nov/1st week of Dec., staying at an MK resort?

Shel (trying to find ways to ease my mind about crowds)

 

[WOODY13]

You should be fine. While the week after Labor Day may be the slowest the first week of Dec. should also be slow. Anyway it will definitely be slower than the summer months. I looked at Touringplans.com and the days your going are all 4-5-or 6's compared to July which is 8's.

 

[Viki]

Okay, let me phrase it this way. If the only time I have ever been to WDW was in the heat and crowds of mid-July and staying off-site, am I going to think it is crowded last week of Nov/1st week of Dec., staying at an MK resort?

Shel (trying to find ways to ease my mind about crowds)

I look at it this way, the week after Labor Day is a no-brainer. I can sleep in, I can change ADRs, I can do walk-ups (not that I actually would!!!
), while for our Dec trip, I'm planning to be a bit smarter. We'll be at the parks when the ropes drop. All of our ADRs are booked. And you won't see us in the parks in the afternoon.

 

[WendyMichaelJohn]

Did some browsing on Expedia. They have just about everything open the first part of the week (Nov. 26-Nov. 30/Dec 1) then after that the weekend has a lot of things booked. But the things that are booked are mostly upper level ressies, like preferred views and concierge. The only exception is POFQ, which is almost completely booked for the whole week, which to me might indicate either a convention OR a lot of people switched to POFQ after Katrina, with a sentimental yearning to visit the FQ. Either way, resort-wise, it looks like there is plenty of availability. Same if you check on WDW website.

Shel (still convincing herself that the crowds will be fine)

 

[jann1033]

January after the nye weekend, excluding mlk weekend is dead...the longest we have had to wait for anything is maybe 15 mins on tot in the late afternoon, normally everything is a walk on with a slight pause to wait for the next ride vehicle. i do wonder if people ditched the fall this yr due to hurricanes last yr, hence the free dining

( i know Jan was not it your list but then you said slowest time of yr)