Off or slower times to go; are they gone?

[anniemae]

Early May. I hear it is lovely and the weather is great. I would love to go during this time.

The week after Labor Day.

Jan is also very very slow.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We've done the last week in August, leading into Labor Day, and the crowds are really manageable. Not dead but lower crowds and short waits. It is HOT but we do RD, midday break at the pool and PM park. It works for us since my kids love the pool as much as the parks.

 

[dreiwhit]

Looking at pictures of our trip the first week of October 1991, there is literally nobody in the background of any picture. There's a picture of my son and mom at Pecos Bill's with only one other table occupied in the entire restaurant-nobody around at all when we got their pictures with Mickey in front of the carousel. We thought it was packed and uncomfortable on Valentine's Day 1996, but that crowd is equivalent to about a 6 now. Up until about 8-9 years ago, we could reliably count on any time school was in being a much quieter, less expensive time to go but there's no real low season anymore.

Just a comparison. We went to Epcot on Monday, February 29th, and last week on Monday, November 28th. In February, we went to the area that has Soarin' and Living with the Land at ate lunch at Sunshine Seasons around 11am. There were only two other families besides us and the rest of the table area was deserted and the whole area was pretty quiet. It stayed deserted while we ate a leisurely lunch.

Now, last Monday, November 28th. We went there about 11:15am, and the place was packed. I mentioned the lines at Living with the Land, but probably 85% of the available tables were taken! We were really surprised. We had planned on going on Living with the Land while waiting for our FP for Soarin', but didn't want to wait for what turned out to be a 45 minute wait for LWTL in standby so we got out of line. We did find two tables close together to sit at just to rest and wait for our FP window, but it was hard to find them. And, turnover on tables was fairly quick. My wife and daughter got up to go to the bathroom before Soarin' and gave us their bags. Their table was snapped up quickly.

Also, I was surprised to see a lot of grammar school, junior high and high school age kids at the parks last week. I honestly didn't think they would be there, with the holiday the previous week and being close to exams for Junior High and High School kids.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Just a comparison. We went to Epcot on Monday, February 29th, and last week on Monday, November 28th. In February, we went to the area that has Soarin' and Living with the Land at ate lunch at Sunshine Seasons around 11am. There were only two other families besides us and the rest of the table area was deserted and the whole area was pretty quiet. It stayed deserted while we ate a leisurely lunch.

Now, last Monday, November 28th. We went there about 11:15am, and the place was packed. I mentioned the lines at Living with the Land, but probably 85% of the available tables were taken! We were really surprised. We had planned on going on Living with the Land while waiting for our FP for Soarin', but didn't want to wait for what turned out to be a 45 minute wait for LWTL in standby so we got out of line. We did find two tables close together to sit at just to rest and wait for our FP window, but it was hard to find them. And, turnover on tables was fairly quick. My wife and daughter got up to go to the bathroom before Soarin' and gave us their bags. Their table was snapped up quickly.

Also, I was surprised to see a lot of grammar school, junior high and high school age kids at the parks last week. I honestly didn't think they would be there, with the holiday the previous week and being close to exams for Junior High and High School kids.

I could be wrong as my trips this year are running together, but I was at Disney the last week of Feb too...wasn't Soarin' still closed for refurbishment and addition of the new theatre then? If that is correct (which again, i could be wrong), then it's not a totally fair apples-to-apples comparison.

But yes, 45 mins for LWTL? That's when I bail to the resort pool!

 

[A W Reezy]

We were at Disney from 11.27 - 12.3 and noticed it was considerably more crowded than it was in 2010 when we went right after Thanksgiving. Granted crowds were still decent compared to summer months. I just assumed most people had figured out the week after Thanksgiving was a great time to go. Lower crowd levels and Christmas themes.

Had a CM in EPCOT tell me the end of February through Good Friday was typically the best time to go to Disney in her experience.

 

[MommaBerd]

We like to go the week BEFORE Thanksgiving week. This year, it was crowded on both weekends - particularly Epcot the first weekend of our trip because it was the end of F&W. But during the week - it was awesome! And, it's usually warm enough to swim.

 

[Ladyfish77]

I was frankly amazed how manageable the crowds were the last week of July this past year. I feared the worst but was pleasantly surprised.

This was what we saw also. I had gone earlier in the year (week before Memorial Day) and the last week in July was less crowded than May. Maybe if I had gone earlier in May?

As others have said, Disney looks to fill resorts and parks with more and more options that tend to negate the slow times that used to exist.

 

[EmmyKay]

We have gone right before Labor Day two years in a row and the crowds are low. 2015 was hot; 2016 was less hot, but rainy. Totally manageable crowds though.

 

[HerbivoreMom]

We just spent 3 days in WDW (Monday through Wednesday during the first week of December) in order to avoid crowds and I feel like it worked. It's still busy but compared to a week when kids are out of school it would be chaos. For example, there were lots and lots of things to do that didn't have a wait of had a wait less than 30 minutes. We got fastpasses for many things but hardly anything absolutely required a fastpass.

 

[klmall]

I think the era of low crowd times is over. Yes, late August and much of September is probably still good but that's for extremely valid reasons that keep many away from Disney: start of school; hot and humid weather; and hurricane potential.

When we first started going in mid-December in 2007 it was moderately busy; wouldn't say slow/uncrowded as many crowd predictions said but still good. In 2011 it was moderate to busy especially in the MK. But by 2014 even though we went a week earlier it was definitely busier and at times, nearly impossible to even walk easily midday in the MK; basically wall to wall people. In other words, it got busier and busier over the years but the appeal of the Christmas decorations and parties kept us choosing this time of year to visit.

October and early November has become crowd central due to Food & Wine and the Halloween parties. We used to love the last full week before Thanksgiving and some say it is still decent.

I've done late January and it was good but the park hours were shortened and evening activities and swimming of course, an issue! We're now giving late April/early May a try this coming year. But we know it won't be uncrowded going in! Thank goodness we have been enough times that we know what we like and what we can skip!

I imagine at some point Disney will have figured out how to fill the parks 90% of the year with that elusive 10% low crowd time consisting of scattered days and weeks and inconvenient for many families. And my guess is that this 10% will vary quite a bit from park to park and year to year making it even harder to figure out the best time to be there.

 

[Sugart]

I don't know if it's an indicator or not not but we booked our FP last night at 53 days and had no problem getting any ride. Frozen was available early mornings, as was SDMT and Peter Pan. Party of 11 too. Our Oct 15 trip we had trouble getting rides and dinner reservations at 180/60 days. Our dates are 1/29-2/5 in case anyone was wondering.

 

[Trixie Belden]

We will be there on Sunday through Wednesday next week, which is technically still the first part of December but going during the week rather than the weekend. I'll let ya'll know what the crowds are like on weekdays (we tend to go for long weekends due to DS son schedule, but he's staying home this trip). We're also going for a quick weekend in January before our APs expire, which usually has not been super crowded but with the Epcot Art Festival thing going on, it might change that.

The biggest (and most frustrating for us) change we've noticed is that it's almost impossible to get a lot of ADRs since we rarely plan more than 6 weeks ahead. Either I sit and refresh MDE periodically for days until something pops up or now I use Touring Plans ADR finder. 5 years ago I could make ADRs for everything but CRT about a week out. FP+ is a total game changer for us as well. We used to decide on Thursday to take a quick trip down that weekend but it really doesn't work that way anymore. It seems like WDW has totally changed their marketing to capture the once a year or once in a lifetime guest, rather than the AP holder who made 7-8 trips a year. (I know, Florida resident problems!)

 

[stinkpickle]

We like to go the week BEFORE Thanksgiving week. This year, it was crowded on both weekends - particularly Epcot the first weekend of our trip because it was the end of F&W. But during the week - it was awesome! And, it's usually warm enough to swim.

Same here. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were pretty good that week, partly because MK had a party on Tuesday night and a private party on Thursday.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I know people say this time of year is not a "secret" anymore, but I still vouch for the week after Thanksgiving through the first two weeks of December. Just got back from a trip November 29th-December 3rd. We had almost NO lines. The only substantial lines at all at any park were for Frozen Ever After, SDMT, and Toy Story Mania. The rest were less than 15 minutes, most were walk-ons. At Universial, EVERYTHING was a walk-on, including the new Kong ride. It was amazing!

We were there from November 27 through Dec 7.

I'm sure it was better than summer time or over the Christmas holiday or Easter. But it was much busier than it was just 2 years ago, at the same time.

We didn't stand in many lines. but we also didn't ride many rides unless we had a fast pass.

 

[winterwhite]

MK this past Monday was wall to wall people. The busiest I've ever seen it. Today wasn't nearly as bad but Epcot was also jammed on Monday.

There are tons of kids here and guessing from the number of people who are clueless or pretending to be, most are foreign. I've seen four different massive tour groups.

Historically we have liked this week but this may be our last trip. I couldn't get any dining and barely any fast passes or hotel rooms. If Disney is going to make it too hard for me to participate in my own vacation, I'm going to start going somewhere else.

 

[Duffywannabe]

It is certainly not like it was even 4 years ago, where you could find slow times to go. If the economy tanks, those times may come back. It for right now, there are better times to go but no real slow time that you can depend on.

Being local is difficult, parks close early, so 3 of 4 parks and not an option some nights, like tonight. Weekends work, but they are more crowded. For travelers, weekdays can be better and you can plan it.

It's funny though, I've talked to people who were in the same park on the same day and had different experiences than me. You try and avoid the crowd and down rides but just have bad luck sometimes. Or good luck and they have it rough. I also think attitude helps. When I am stay positive, things just seem better.

 

[tlmadden73]

I think the only slow times still is end of January, early February .. and end of August/early September.
(Not as many want to go when it is really cold or really hot ).
But Disney offers their cheapest hotels at those times (and discounts to boot) .. so it just depends who wants to take advantage of those times.

Any other times there is parties or festivals to contend with. Or just times where kids are off of school.

I am planning on going at end of March (sorta "in between" Spring Break and Easter break) .. so who knows. I expect it to be more crowded then when I went last time (End of August) and maybe the same as the previous time (Early October).

 

[Mom2Stitch]

We are planning on March 7-March 12 2017, we are hoping for some good luck with weather and crowds, but I will plan on it being packed.

 

[BrianL]

I don't think slower times are gone, but I do think they are becoming harder to predict. It's not the same as it used to be where certain times of year were guaranteed to be slow.

 

[Tattylou]

We went all through the 80s and 90s....seems like the low crowd times now are still busier than those glory days. We were kids then, but I don't remember the insanity that crowds can be now. My cousin hasn't been since 95 and is going next year. I'm trying to prepare her for how different it is now with FP, DDP, wait times, etc.
I remember when most rides were under 25 min wait most of the time, except space mountain and big thunder would be 45 min max.