October?

[margaretb8777]

Hi,

We are planning a trip to Florida in the next year or so and we want to pick the best time of year to go. We are tied in pretty much to school holidays (subject perhaps to doing some heart seaching about the rights and wrongs of taking my 9 year old daughter out of school for a week). At the moment we are considering late October.

I have got it in my head that this might be a good time because it will be less busy than the main holiday periods but with a reasonable chance of good temperatures (not too hot and sticky). The main thing against it would be the need to take my daughter out of school for 1 week.

Are there any other drawbacks of visiting at this time of year? I understand that the park opening hours are shorter but are there other things to consider as well?

Like - Are there less parades and firework shows at the parks? - any other things to consider?

The other time I have been thinking about is Easter. My worry here is that the crowds will be really bad.

We have heard late August is quieter but the tempertures and humidity at this time of the year do not appeal.

Thanks in advance to anyone taking the time to reply.

Clive

 

[Neoshoegal]

We're also planning late October (although we do not have to bear in mind school holidays). Crowds should be ok, as you say, less than Easter.
Fireworks at the MK and Epcot should still be every day. Fantasmic is only twice a week. Parades still regularly (Spectromagic a few times a week).
Plus, there are the MNSSHP, which we will certainly be going to!
Good time to go!

 

[kieras nana]

october,is our favourite time to go.we take our grandaughter,so go the half term week,with 1 week term time.
the crowds are manageable & the weather is really good.
we also love MNSSHP & always go,on the 31st.
never noticed a reduction in fireworks or parades,so i wouldn't worry about that,just the reduction in fastasmic shows,but this isn't just in october.
hope this helps
tracy

 

[wayneg]

Think you have it more or less covered there. I think this year was hotter then usual for end of Oct.
Its our fave time of year, great weather, lower crowds(compared to Xmas, Easter & August) Haloween events. Can't fault Oct.

 

[chocolateMinnie]

We have been three times in October. 2003 and 2007 we had good temperatures of 70-80F. Very hot during the day and even early morning, needed a sweater on the night of MNSSHP because we were out at midnight but that was the only time we ever used one.

This year they had record weather and we were literally sweating from 5am-midnight. Never wore anything but vest tops and shorts.

The crowds from 24th -28th were very very low. We have never seen the parks so quiet, we went to the MK on the Sunday for example and rode every ride in fantasy land twice between 9am and 10.30am. Then went on Buzz Lightyear five times in a row without queuing.

The parks were busier from the Thursday onwards but nowhere near as busy as they were in February. Still never queued very long for any rides.

Same number of parades and fireworks. The hours are shorter (water parks 10-5, AK 9-5, MK 9-7 on MNSSHP nights and EPCOT 9-9) but with the food and wine event at EPCOT and the halloween party our children were bushed by 9pm every night, we only just managed to keep dd awake until 11pm for the halloween party. Those of us with children can't hack the longer opening hours anyway.

I would go October every time given the chance the only negative is that about 50% of the visitors seem to be from the UK at this time of year.

The year we had 3 weeks we found that the first week in November (New Jersey week?) was very busy.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Of your dates October makes the most sense, if you can go for 2 weeks or more. Manageable crowds and ideal weather.
We are tied to school holidays too, a lot of us are.

This year we went in April at Easter, crowds for about 3 or 4 days were extremely busy to say the least, though otherwise not too bad at all and the weather was perfect. Lovely sunshine with the occasional breeze.

Crowds are not necessarily a big issue for us , mainly because we have been so many times now but also because we get a Guest Assistance Card through Joshua's disabilities, so can bypass the worst queue's if need be.

Despite summer being the hottest and in some ways worst time to go, that's when we are going next year.
Purely because we can fit more than a 2 week holiday in, though we too need to take Josh out of school for just a few days.
Going late August like we are doing means the US schools have gone back by then, and also flight prices drop (for us) around the 22nd August which means a saving on the cost. Would have preferred to have gone earlier in the month, but flight prices were just crazy.

I think overall October is a good time to go, though summer has the advantage of that 6 weeks off which can make planning the holiday a little easier. Big downside of July & August is when the parks are busy and it's around 100 degrees. Can be hard work & tiring.

 

[wedreamofdisney]

We go on the 15th October for 3 weeks. We have a week either side of the school holidays, so the kids will be missing 2 weeks of school. It is something I don't think twice about TBH, but I didn't want them off for the full 3 weeks.

Can't wait fo MNSSHP, it will be fab, and I am taking an outfit with me!!