See now...I have to say I have shifted alot when it comes to the "calendar"...
As a former frontline and GSM...I would have NEVER suggested that somebody travel in the summer or in a peak/holiday week.
Well...long story short...I've noticed a massive shift in the property's ability to handle crowds.
The summer months...maybe because of shifting school calendars...seem to be more comfortable the last few times we have went. Where as some of the "off" times are just disgusting.
I'm thinking of october and November specifically...
Our wedding anniversary (in the park formally known as EPCOT) falls in the first week of November...
We happened to be there after
dcl this last year and I am DONE with it. Not only is it useless from a DVC perspective - the crowds during the "wine and dine half marathon" were just unmanageable.
It was bad enough with the Florida resident rush on the festival...now they shoehorn more events into a super busy week. October is pretty bad too...
But we booked a half trip (visited family on the gulf coast) on 1/31 for the week following Easter this year... Supposedly the second busiest block of the calendar...
And we had no problems with reservations, rides, fast pass, crowds...
It was really nice...and years ago would have been mobbed.
I think there occupancy has started to fluctuate wildly off the grid...behind the scenes. Whereas I never would have gotten a short notice DVC that week 10 years ago... But they also wouldn't have been booked 100% solid at 6 months for November as was the case.
We are not renewing passes (take it or leave it and without a good deal - I'm leaving it)... So we decided to look recently (2 months out) for last week of June....when the final ridiculous north eastern school calendars end...
Again...no problems with anything 30-60 days out.
Ride and restsurants still fully available 25 days out - 7 dwarfs (hopefully it's wearing off), be our guest at 32 days (almost booked it...but it's just not very good), really no issues even today when I looked...
And rooms were available both through DVC and with heavy discount both on WDW's site and even better through wholesale discount equipped travel agencies (fantastic percentage off at beach club - problem is the rates are laughable to start)...
As dylan says: "the times... They are a changin"
The only summer drawback is the weather...
But hey...95 in Orlando still feels more livable than 91 in seaside, New Jersey
Long days... Long hours... Plenty of downtime padded in... I've come around on the summer.
But this is to pattern - as travel patterns are nowherevnear the same as when the "busy periods" were established in the 70s and 80s.
Christmas still sucks though - you gotta be insane.
Laymans opinion