Memorial Day / week and Extended Evening hours? still beneficial or change dates?

[JJsmama]

Hi,
we could potentially arrive on Memorial Day afternoon (don't want to be there that day) and do Epcot Extended Evenings that night, then stay a few more days. OR we could move it to the next week, which would mean no holiday but more schools out in general. Opinions? Do you think Memorial Day weekend guests will leave that day? AKL rates are the same either way, but some other hotel rates look cheaper right after Memorial Day. Looking for best severe crowd avoidance strategy.

 

[kylenne]

My birthday falls around Memorial Day (sometimes on it) so I go often around that time and tbh I would keep the Memorial Day afternoon arrival. The crowd spike dissipates pretty quick from experience and the rest of the week tends to be moderate. Most of the FL schools are out that week but many more districts elsewhere start letting out the week after.

From experience Memorial Day weekend is probably one of the better holiday weekends to be there. There are crowds but nothing like July 4th, Thanksgiving, etc. It's similar to Labor Day weekend, in that people are reluctant to pull kids out for vacation around a recess (or right after the start of the school year, for Labor Day). So you will mostly be dealing with weekenders, many of which will leave the evening of the holiday to not use up PTO.

If you really want to avoid crowds I would chill at the resort on your arrival day and then go in for EEH. We get in the day before and on Memorial Day itself plan to hit HS hard for EE and then take a long pool break in the middle of the day, probably stacking LLs at Epcot for the early evening before EEH.

 

[JJsmama]

thanks!