Mid November or Late April?

[mrsgthatsme]

We are planning a trip next year for my husband and I , our two kids (6 and 9) and my parents. We are trying to choose a date and are debating between mid November (after Jersey week and before Thanksgiving crowds kick in) or late April 2017 (after the Easter rush.) Do you have advice on which would be preferable? Low crowds and good weather are top priorities to us. Thanks!

 

[a742246]

If you are travelling by air, the flights are much cheaper in November.

I like November, the weather usually is 77-82 for high and 50's for a low, although sometimes it can be 50's for the high's for a day or two.
November usually has less rain.

I never went in April so I can't comment on that!

 

[sarahann77]

I have really liked late April for myself. My first recent trip was mid Nov a few years ago and the cold days were just too cold when I'm trying to get away from a cold weather area. That year I think it was warmer at home than the cold days in Orlando. There were warm days surrounding the cold days. If I were expecting that low and going for the holiday decorations then have no problem going at that time again but I maybe will change to a different park as I found myself very cold at HS waiting around there.

 

[got15]

We did the week before Thanksgiving this past year- weather was AWESOME- still hot- but humidity low- and were able to use the pools. Crowds were high at AK and Epcot (we were there for last day of Food & Wine). It was v hard to get ADRs and some of the waits were v long. We also were able to see MVMCP- which was nice- but super crowded (we were there on a Tuesday night).

 

[alopez926]

I personally wouldn't recommend mid-November. We went from 11/11 through 11/16 this year. In that time span were 3 MVMCPs, Veteran's Day, the last 5 days of the F&W festival, and the Christmas parade taping (which varies from year to year). We skipped the weekend prior to 11/11 because it was the half marathon. I had an awful time getting ADRs due to free dining (and we were a party of 8, so that made it more difficult). The crowds were at 9's on our MK days, 8 on our HS day, a 6 in Epcot (without F&W crowd....which made it more like a 9/10, particularly after 5PM). AK was a perfect 6 and we enjoyed that. The weather was still quite hot on a few days (low 90s), but gorgeous, so that was a plus. We had a good plan, and we were able to do almost everything we wanted to do, but at a much slower pace than usual. I do have to say that we are not Rope Droppers who leave the park mid day and go back at night. We are there to enjoy the parks and we stay all day no matter what the conditions. So if your touring style differs, you may experience things quite differently and more positively.

I have gone in late April at the tail end of the Flower and Garden Festival a few times and have enjoyed that time of year immensely. Crowds have been manageable, weather has been hot, but not too hot. But I say this based on my experiences from 2012-2015. It seems like it's always crowded now so I'm not sure end of April will bring you lower crowds anymore.

 

[Michelle Blant]

I know the end of April now holds YouTube conventions and Disney hosts a cheer competition that last week of april every year. We went the 3rd week of January once and the longest we waited was 30 minutes (for peter pan)

 

[minster22]

Our regular time to go to WDW is the last week of April/first week of May. The weather is awesome, warm even at night but the high humidity has not fully kicked in. Flower and Garden is still going so Epcot looks amazing along with the food kiosks similar to Food and Wine (not as many). We travel from Boston so the school vacations have all ended and airfare is reasonable. Another factor for us is the long days of sunlight, November it gets dark early. And everything everywhere is in full bloom in April, November is definitely fall even in Florida. I don't know if there are truly ever "low" crowds anymore.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

I know the end of April now holds YouTube conventions and Disney hosts a cheer competition that last week of april every year. We went the 3rd week of January once and the longest we waited was 30 minutes (for peter pan)

I'm curious as to how many people the YouTube conventions draw to WDW? Surely the cheer competition is a biggie.