May vs October Dilemma. Please Help!

[pheathers24]

My dilemma is my husband wants to go in May 2012 and I want to wait until October 2012.
If we go May 19th - 26th hopefully we would miss most of the Memorial Day crowd. Or during the kids fall break October 13th - 20th. Which would be a better time to go? In 2009 we went at the end of April, which was just about perfect but the kids are older and I don't want to have to take them out of school for a week again, and in 2010 we went at the end of October which was hotter than our April trip but still good. We've already done MNSSHP so that won't be a factor. Anyway any suggestions or comments about these dates?

 

[nsdnjbl]

If those were my choices, I'd choose May. But I don't think you can go wrong. What fits the children's schedule better?

 

[of2dbeach]

I would do May also it will be cooler less chance of rain and you wont be in the midst of hurricane season

 

[Azrael]

I think I would choose October in hopes that the new and improved Fantasyland might be ready to go (or at least part of it). I also enjoy MNSSHP. It is great to dress up and see everyone else in costume.

 

[SYDCOLEMOM]

I Would choose October. The last 5 years we have gone at during the second week of September. This year we choose to go from 5/25 to 6/4 and it was AWFUL ! crowds were easily 3 times worse. Ride lines were 60 minutes plus and the heat was ridiculous. We still had a great time but I would much rather have a little cooler weather and 15 to 20 minute wait times.

 

[StitchSpawn]

I would also choose October, May is actually really really hot here, it was about 94 everyday I was there and I think your actually going to still run into Memorial Crowds, they like to plan to extend the vacation too. October will be less crowded. A lot of southern schools will be out when your May trip would be and most if not all Florida schools, bringing in locals.

May does have Star Wars Weekends, it's crowded and hot, but worth it if you'll like that. I went then and had a blast, despite almost having heat strokes everyday. Oh, & it's free with admission unlike MNSSHP.

 

[Dan1]

I went last year in 1st 1/2 of May and man oh man was it hot....temperature every day (or so it seemed) was in the 90's and the parks were almost as crowded as mid-March.

We are going again next year end of April / early May. Why? First I figured it might be a bit cooler (i..e 80's) with any luck and second it fits into our personal schedule.

However, next time after that I am looking for either February or late October.

Dan

 

[mantismad]

I prefer October as both times when we went in May it was hotter and the parks were busier than we have experienced in October.

 

[kent285]

Definitely October. I've had good luck with crowds both of those times, but I think weather is better in October. We went last week in May '09 and it poured rain almost the whole time.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

May is also Star Wars weekends so it will be crowded at DHS. We went this past May and everyday it was 90 - 95 degrees.

Oct has the fall decorations and F & W event. And can still be hot but less crowded except on the weekends at Epcot because of the F & W event.

So both months have there faults.

 

[rbrainerd]

We frequent Disney about 3 times a year...January, May & October (helps that family member is a CM lol). May can be hot, rainy & crowds seem average to even low. Star Wars Weekend is at HS, not a hard ticket event so there is a crowd but we love to go since it happens only during the 3 weekends in May. October is much cooler but you can still have hot days. Mid Oct. is known to be the "change of season" and it gets cooler. Crowds are low. If you can, going to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween is well worth it...(we are a group of late 40's and early 20's and enjoy it) the nice part is you can get into MK as early as 4 and once the park closes to just ticketed people you can basically walk on ANY open ride especially in the later hours...so fun to walk on the mountain rides with no one there January is by far our favorite...no crowds once the vacationers go home, cool weather, minimal rain, and a break from snow

 

[LSchrow]

we have gone every early may and october for many years.
may wins hands down for the gorgeous weather .(maybe 1/2 hour of rain in 10-14 days, if at all.), and lower crowds.
however, october can be cooler .(then again, less pedictable - we've had sizzling heat some years, and a frigid 30's - one late october). cowds are higher, but the food and wine, and halloween festivities are on.

for a relaxing vacation, i would pick may. for a more do/see vaca, october would win.
hth