May or June 2006??

[DisneyShack]

Looking at a week-long trip in either late May or early June, 2006. Have three options and looking for your thoughts:

1. School ends around May 22 so we could go right after but would include Memorial Day weekend;

2. Go after Memorial Day but would include Gay Days; or

3. Wait and go June 11-18.

Is there enough difference in the crowds to make one time better than the other? From what I've read in the past, Gays Days really only affects the MK and only on the the first weekend in June (I'm assuming that will be June 3-4, 2006).

We have been fortunate to be able to go offseason but DD starts 1st grade this year so summer vacation it is. I'd like to hear from those that have been during these times. Thanks.

 

[UkJamesF]

I've been at the back end of june before and on gay day it's the Magic Kingdom that draws the most crowds, but in general i'd say avoid Magic Kingdom on any type of holiday, although you should be ok in other parks. I have just recently visited and was there during Forth Of July, and we just avoided the theme parks and water parks altogether.

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

We are planning for the last week on May 2006. We were at AKL this year at that time and crowds did not pick up till the weekend approached. Memorial day crowds I assume.

Our schools are out around the 22nd too. Hoping for no snow days or it will screw up my plans. DD will probably miss the last day,but it is only a half day anyway.

I normally look for short weeks at school in the Fall and just pull DD (7) out for a couple days. Never had any problems from her Teachers at all. This time we are taking my Neice and Nephew too and they are a bit older and I can't just pull them out of school. Their Dad won't let me. So the end of May is my best bet for less crowds. I would much rather go in Fall.

Other posts indicated this past June was crazy busy,but it could have to do with the big 50 anniversay celebration.

So if you can go for the week before Memorial day.

 

[missypie]

I'd go right after school gets out. Does your district build bad weather make up days into the calendar, or do they add them on to the end? Might want to check that out if you don't know the answer.

We were at WDW this year from May 26-June 5, so we hit both Mem. Day weekend and Gay Days.

We followed Tour Guide Mike's excellent advice and didn't wait in a line for a ride more than 17 minutes. We were even at MK on the Saturday of Mem. Day weekend and didn't wait in any long lines. We were at Epcot on the Sun. of Mem. Day weekend. With TGM, fast passes and a nice lunch ADR, we had a great day with no long lines BUT it did seem crowded walking around, and FP return times were pretty long.

As far as gay days are concerned: It's no big deal at all. We didn't go to MK on the Saturday. On the trip home, I asked each of our kids individually how many gay people or groups they had noticed. (The kids are 14, 12 and 9.) Each of them said "none." They didn't notice the group of guys at Epcot wearing "I am what I am t-shirts." They didn't notice the two ladies sitting near us on a bench at MGM, wearing matching rainbow bandanas. They didn't notice all the guys coming into MGM for a private party when we were leaving, all wearing black tank tops. The kids were oblivious to all of this, as well as they should have been, because it was just no big deal at all.

(As an aside, I noticed FAR LESS PDA of any kind at WDW in comparision to what I've seen at our local Six Flags.)

 

[DisneyShack]

Sounds like end of May might be the best choice. Anyone else have an opinion?

 

[tlynk]

I'd go right after school gets out. Does your district build bad weather make up days into the calendar, or do they add them on to the end? Might want to check that out if you don't know the answer.

We were at WDW this year from May 26-June 5, so we hit both Mem. Day weekend and Gay Days.
QUOTE]

Hello , My family is considering going to WDW from May 26 - Jun 1. Do you recall if the crowds dwindled down after the Memorial weekend was over? Did you notice much of a difference on Tuesday or Wednesday following it? We would like to do the Disney cruise June 1-4, but we can't decide if we should go to WDW before or after?? I've seen on the Disboards people are still feeling motion sickness after the cruise.

 

[mommystieg]

We have visited in early June the last 4 years -- in 2002 and 2003 it was not crowded at all. The past two Junes have been busier than the previous two but the crowds are very manageable. We have been during Gay Days and have not noticed a significant difference in crowd levels that week; we stay away from MK on the weekends when we are there. We have always been able to do everything we have wanted to with a little planning and FastPass. The later you go in June, the more the crowds pick up. I have not been during Memorial day weekend but I would think any holiday weekend would bring more visitors. Good luck and we hope to see you next June!!

 

[missypie]

I'd go right after school gets out. Does your district build bad weather make up days into the calendar, or do they add them on to the end? Might want to check that out if you don't know the answer.

We were at WDW this year from May 26-June 5, so we hit both Mem. Day weekend and Gay Days.
QUOTE]

Hello , My family is considering going to WDW from May 26 - Jun 1. Do you recall if the crowds dwindled down after the Memorial weekend was over? Did you notice much of a difference on Tuesday or Wednesday following it? We would like to do the Disney cruise June 1-4, but we can't decide if we should go to WDW before or after?? I've seen on the Disboards people are still feeling motion sickness after the cruise.

The only day that really "felt" crowded was the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. Other than that, no day felt more crowded than any other. (Except when we went to MK the day after Memorial Day and it had been POURING rain early in the day. By 9 am it was a light but steady drizzle and MK was just empty. We were there at rope drop but did not hurry at all and were still on the first ride of Dumbo for the day - one of only 2 families. We pretty much had the place to ourselves for a couple of hours.)

 

[disneyaggie]

When is Memorial Day 2006? When are Gay Days 2006? I don't want to go during either one of these.

I would like to try to go in May, preferably the week after Memorial Day. The crowds should be lighter due to the holiday just being over and school is still in session. Anyone go during this time?

 

[cjb71870]

They pretty much land on the same days each year. We go regularly on Memorial weekend, and the Gay Day has been on the Tuesday after Memorial weekend. The last weekend of May. I agree with the MK talk. But, MK is always the busiest park.

 

[champagnegirl26]

We went 3rd June for two weeks this year for our first time and didnt find gayday celebrations to have much effect on crowd levels. The parks really managable especially first thing. towards the end of our holiday things were getting a whole lot busier though!
Claire.

 

[golfgal]

I would go as close as possible to the end of your school year, the 22nd. You will find that when you first get there, it will not be crowded. Memorial Weekend, as others have said, will be busy, but still not horrible. We were there this past spring, arriving on the Sunday of Memorial Weekend. We were at AK on Memorial Day and it was busy, but not bad. We fast passed the Safari and Kali River Rapids, other then that, we didn't wait for anything, but there were a lot of people there. The rest of our trip was pretty rainy, BUT, it kept people out of the parks and we walked on to every ride. Gay Days was towards the end of our stay and we saw a few couples, but didn't notice an increase in the crowd level. I wouldn't go on the June 11th date. That will be the most crowded of your choices and it will be HOT. You will have somewhat better luck with the weather in May.

 

[Magalex]

We are hoping to visit WDW 5/24-5/30 2006. How is the weather during the last week of May?

Thanks!
Magalex

 

[missypie]

We are hoping to visit WDW 5/24-5/30 2006. How is the weather during the last week of May?

Thanks!
Magalex

We had sun May 27-30th, and rain for the next 6 days. During the sunny part, I guess it was hot, but the only thing that "did us in" was watching the AK parade at 4 pm in the blaring sun. We SHOULD have staked out a spot in the shade to watch it, but we didn't.

Just notced that you're from PA. The heat may bother you a bit more than it bothered us Texans...essentially the same temps that we were having back home. But if you seek out shade, it's not bad that time of year at all.

 

[LglBlonde]

We went Mem Day 2004 to June 4, 2004 - so we were at MK on Mem Day Monday and got their at noon. We rode the major attractions w/o issue, but did not make it to Fantasyland.

The rest of the week, we got up and hit whichever park had EMH (Mornings only at that time). Only one day did we overlap w/ Gay Days - AK on Friday. it really was not a big deal AT ALL. Gay days will have one park for each day, ex. MGM - Thurs, AK - Fri, MK - Sat, and Epcot - Sun or something like that. It's not hard just to go to another park the day they are scheduled to be in whichever park. Even the day we went to AK with them, it was not really noticeably more crowded.

We loosely followed UG.

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

Weather was fabulous! Upper 80's Partly cloudy! Never rained even once!

I did see after we left it started pouring for about a week after Memorial day.

We lucked out!

It is hard to predict that sort of thing,but the rainy season seems to kick in after May is over.

 

[TXTink]

We are planning a trip May 20-27, so this is all great info for us too!

For those who have been around this time of year, how are the EMH? I have been reading some posts that say there are very crowded, especially the MK at night. I would love to hear some first hand information for how they are in May.

TIA!

 

[Magalex]

Next year's trip in May is kind of like an unexpected gift. We were there April 22-30 2005 and our trips are usually years apart. So the May 2006 will be a trip that we will try to see things we might of missed in April. My DH wants to explore the countries more in Epcot. Parts of AK we need to go check out again. Soaring and the Stunt Show will be on our list. Our DS will be 5 1/2 for next year. We are definitely a morning family so that will help with the heat. Plus we will make sure we go slow just because we were there in April 2005. I am excited for my DS to experience staying at ASMO so if it gets too hot/crowded we will go back to the resort's pool.

Thanks to the May experts
Magalex

 

[BestBigSis]

My Dbros dont get out of school till the third week of June so we wont be leaving until jun 26th..

 

[Goofy4WDW1964]

We used to go in May and loved it. Nice weather and not too crowded. Now that our son is in school, we have gone the first week of June. June is quite a bit more crowded than May and this year was the absolute worst. Last year we bit the bullet and took him out of school and went the begining of May. After switching back to June this year, I am hoping that we will be able to pull him out of school come next May because I don't want to be down there again in June.