November trip Vs. September trip?

[DisneyBeth94]

Hey guys,

I'm completely torn between a November trip and a September trip for 2016.

I prefer Christmas a lot more to Halloween but would also want a trip where the crowds are minimal if possible. If I were to choose a September trip, would there be a lot of Halloween decorations up? As much as I love halloween, I don't want all of my photos overcrowded with Halloween decor, whereas I would love my photos to be filled with Christmas decor! If we were to go in November our dates would be 6th-20th (good idea or bad?)

It's just me and my boyfriend, both from the UK, and neither of us drive so we will be booking day excursions with coaches to Universal Orlando and Busch Gardens if anyone can help with that?

We'll be staying at Disney resorts for the entire duration of our stay (14 nights) with one week at Pop and the other at AS Movies.

Also, my boyfriend's birthday falls in late September if Disney give any special treatment to birthday guests?

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give me as I really am torn between the two!

 

[Aurora0427]

Magic Kingdom is really the only park decorated for Halloween. It's not like Christmas where the resorts and every park are decorated. If you go in September before the food & wine festival begins at Epcot, the crowds will be low. October and November were extremely busy months this year for Disney, so definitely expect higher crowds in November. However, the weather can be more dicey in September- more rain and there's always the chance of a hurricane.

Having gone at both times, I'd pick November. better weather and Christmas decorations. If you go with a great plan, you'll be able to accomplish everything you want, given the duration of your trip. Plus your November dates are before the Thanksgiving holiday, so you won't have those crowds.

 

[LaurenT]

I'd go in November. The weather will most likely be better and you're ther long enough that you'll probably get some hot pool days and some cooler park days. F&W should still be going on during the first part of your visit, Christmas parties will be underway before you leave. Avoid the wrong parks during veterans weekend, visit the recommended parks each day in general, and the crowds should be very manageable.

 

[goofyintoronto]

The weather is far better in November. In Sept it'll be raining a lot plus VERY humid. Crowd wise, I think the beginning of November is generally not too crowded. But its easier to manage crowds when the weather is mild than in the scorching heat.

 

[ilovebassets]

We've done both and both months are great. September will be a little less crowded and a little hotter. We went in late September this year for eight nights and it didn't rain once, so weather is not always as predictable as everyone would like to believe. If you want to hit the water parks or spend a lot of time at the pool, I'd go with September. If you really want to avoid the heat, go with November. Both will be pleasant overall. In regards to decorations, the MK has the most Halloween stuff around Main Street and the entrance, but other than that, it won't be everywhere.

 

[kohlby]

We LOVE going in November! If you pick your time right, crowds aren't terrible at all. Stay away from Thanksgiving week completely. (Also, look up when "Jersey Week" happens and try to avoid that if possible. It's much better than Thanksgiving week but more crowded than the rest of the time). We have done both the full week before Thanksgiving and the week right after Thanksgiving. The weather has always been wonderful for us in Nov.

That being said, we went in Sept one year because we were going with a group and that's when they were going so we had no other option. The heat index was over 100 most days. The crowds were super low, so that was nice. But the November crowds were manageable - I'd say Nov crowds have been moderate for us. It's not that hard to deal with moderate crowds with some planning. But dealing with heat is challenging for many. We did much better dealing with the heat than we expected in Sept, but it still impacted two of the five of us. We live in the southeast, in a place that's usually a little hotter than FL in the summer and yet a couple people in my family struggled with the heat.

For Nov 6-20, you'll run into some days of Jersey week but it's a long enough trip that I wouldn't worry about avoiding Jersey week completely. November 19th will have crowds pick up a little, and more noticeably on the 20th, so you'll be leaving right as the Thanksgiving rush comes in.

 

[nooneshome]

November - better weather, Christmas decorations and maybe FD too.

 

[beccasmom]

I would opt for November too. Weather is generally more comfortable. We try to visit just after the close of the Food & Wine Festival (mid-November), although you might wish to include that in your plans.

 

[disneynerd28]

Definitely September. My family and I have gone in September the past 3 years, but decided to go in November this past year. The crowds in early September are usually fantastic, in 2012 we hardly had to wait for anything at any park. When we went in November this last year though, crowds were insane as it was getting closer to Christmas. I live in Florida now for college and experiencing September and November at WDW, the weather really isn't that much different. It's still going to be HOT, it's Florida. However, weather is never really a concern for me or even my family, we like it hot outside. September is my vote!

 

[CynBeth]

If you can I would say go late Nov or early Dec. Holidays Around the World and CP don't begin at EPCOT until Black Friday and the resort decorations might not be up until Thanksgiving. We were there this past Thanksgiving Week and they were running behind so some of the resorts we visited early that week did not have anything up and we did not get a chance to go back.

I would recommend visiting Sea World. They have holiday festivities on certain days that are included with admission unless you pay for the preferred holiday show seating. They convert Wild Arctic into Polar Express and after the motion simulator as you get to the animals they have Santa. At night there are special shows and a holiday marketplace and snow falls and trees dance to music at certain times as well. I think you can get a combo SW and BG ticket and can get transportation from SW to BG.

 

[brinkley07]

We went in Sept/Oct and mid Dec this year. I loved being there in Sept even with the weather, and Dec had its perks too. If you love the idea of Christmas decorations more than I think you will love going in Nov.

 

[aviva5675]

We went one year arriving in there on Halloween. Didnt go to any parks that night. Many people left 11/1 and the crowds and weather were phenomenal the whole week. Loved it. Like someone said, avoid Thanksgiving week starting the weekend before, and google Jersey Week and avoid that. Weather much nicer than Sept.

 

[DisneyFan2013]

My vote is for November because I got rained on a lot in September.

 

[anniemae]

Definitely November. My absolute favorite time. The weather is fabulous. Cool in the evenings warm in the afternoon. I hate the rainy, ho,t humid, scorching summer weather. The Christmas decor is a bonus!

 

[AL_Girl]

We have done both.
Mid-late September was not crowded at all but it was hot and humid. Fortunately we didn't encounter any rain at all. We did everything we wanted and our park days were shorter than normal and we were resting at the resort. Probably the most easy going trip we have had. We have always been more Christmas people than Halloween but we really enjoyed the Halloween Party.
We have been twice the week after Thanksgiving and the first time was wonderful as the crowds were low and the Christmas Party wasn't crowded at all. The second trip the week after Thanksgiving (2013) was a lot more crowded and even though it was an early Christmas Party it was sold out.
For me personally, I can deal with hot and humid and less crowded than maybe a little nicer weather and more crowds.

 

[DisneyBeth94]

Thank you so much you guys! Based on what you've said, my love for Christmas, and the tamer weather; I'm booking to go this November from the 6th-20th. It definitely seems like the better time of year to go for me. Any advice and tips you can give me to help manage the crowds would be most helpful and appreciated!

Thanks again!

 

[anniemae]

Thank you so much you guys! Based on what you've said, my love for Christmas, and the tamer weather; I'm booking to go this November from the 6th-20th. It definitely seems like the better time of year to go for me. Any advice and tips you can give me to help manage the crowds would be most helpful and appreciated!

Thanks again!

You will love it! Best time of year to go IMO!

 

[scrapquitler]

Hey guys,

I'm completely torn between a November trip and a September trip for 2016.

I prefer Christmas a lot more to Halloween but would also want a trip where the crowds are minimal if possible. If I were to choose a September trip, would there be a lot of Halloween decorations up? As much as I love halloween, I don't want all of my photos overcrowded with Halloween decor, whereas I would love my photos to be filled with Christmas decor! If we were to go in November our dates would be 6th-20th (good idea or bad?)

We went in early September and early November this year.
Halloween decorations were up in the MK in early September, but they are mostly limited to the Main Street area.
Christmas decorations were up in the park in early November, but not in our resort (Pop Century). Hollywood Studios and MK were decorated a lot for Christmas because of the Osborne Lights and the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. I don't know if the decorations at HS will be different in early Nov. next year because the Osborne Lights will not be there next year.


It's just me and my boyfriend, both from the UK, and neither of us drive so we will be booking day excursions with coaches to Universal Orlando and Busch Gardens if anyone can help with that?

We'll be staying at Disney resorts for the entire duration of our stay (14 nights) with one week at Pop and the other at AS Movies.

Also, my boyfriend's birthday falls in late September if Disney give any special treatment to birthday guests?

You can get a pin from Guest Services (also: anniversary, we are celebrating, Anniversary, first trip, family reunion, etc) and many cast members will wish him happy birthday. The bus driver might have everyone on the bus sing happy birthday. Sometimes you get a bit of other pixie dust here and there, but there are no guarantees.

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give me as I really am torn between the two!

I prefer the Christmas decorations, but would rather go for the Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party than the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. It is indeed a dilemma. If you adjust your dates, you can be there for BOTH like we did this year (go for a couple days before Halloween and stay until into November...then you get to do both!).

 

[bc7ate9]

September is VERY hot and VERY humid. You basically swim through the air. The crowds this past year were not significantly low enough to warrant dealing with the weather, in our opinion.

 

[Accident]

I was at WDW the start of sept this year and except for the 3 days that a hurricane might have hit there was no low crowd and it just got worse over labor day weekend.. In my opinion your going to have large enough crowds to be annoying either week so go with the holiday you like more and sept can be much more rain and insane heat/humidity.