Polar Vortex screwed everything up

[scoutie]

I'm a teacher, and our school year was due to end extremely early this year (May 22nd). I planned to book a Disney trip right after Memorial Day in hopes of beating the worst of the crowds and heat. Now that school has been cancelled multiple days, we have to make up those days. My dream of traveling in May is over. We are taking a whole family trip (courtesy of my inlaws) to Ocho Rios June 8th, so if we want to go to Disney, it's likely going to have to be in late July or August. I really don't like crazy crowds or long lines. We traveled to Disney the first week of January last year, and while it was busy, we found it very manageable (did rope drop, stayed on site).

Am I crazy for considering going in July or August, or should we put it off until next year?

 

[arihillfarm]

You aren't crazy. Crowds the week following Memorial Day and the first half of Aug. will be about the same. July (except for the week following the 4th of July which is slower) will be much busier, so I would avoid July.

-Astrid

 

[mm1971]

I'm a teacher, and our school year was due to end extremely early this year (May 22nd). I planned to book a Disney trip right after Memorial Day in hopes of beating the worst of the crowds and heat. Now that school has been cancelled multiple days, we have to make up those days. My dream of traveling in May is over. We are taking a whole family trip (courtesy of my inlaws) to Ocho Rios June 8th, so if we want to go to Disney, it's likely going to have to be in late July or August. I really don't like crazy crowds or long lines. We traveled to Disney the first week of January last year, and while it was busy, we found it very manageable (did rope drop, stayed on site).

Am I crazy for considering going in July or August, or should we put it off until next year?

Nope. Go late August. Crowds are lower and very manageable. We will be heading down then. The only thing to prepare for is the heat and humidity. We like the hot weather so no bother to us. Crowds start to drop some about mid August and then get lower the later it gets. If you do RD, it is even easier to avoid the lines and be there the coolest part of the day.

 

[wiigirl]

Nope. Go late August. Crowds are lower and very manageable. We will be heading down then. The only thing to prepare for is the heat and humidity. We like the hot weather so no bother to us. Crowds start to drop some about mid August and then get lower the later it gets. If you do RD, it is even easier to avoid the lines and be there the coolest part of the day.

 

[scoutie]

Nope. Go late August

I can't, because school starts in mid-August. I run a "boot camp" for new middle schoolers, and have to go back August 12th.

I'm not a huge fan of the heat and humidity, but I am from the Midwest, so it's not foreign to me.

I'll look into early August, maybe?

I appreciate the input!

 

[BabyGirl2005]

We went the 1st full week of August. After the 1st weekend in August, the rates also drop from the summer rates. So, we pay summer rates for friday through Sun, then the lower rate for the rest of the time. I have seen a difference of about 40 per night. Which adds up the longer you stay.

Since august 1-3 is still in summer rates, you can get a price break starting that Monday aug 4th. Still be back in time for August 12th.

Not sure how long you are wanting to stay.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I'm sorry that your vacation plans have been messed up. If late August is not an option for you, I would definitely choose early August over July because July is known as prime tour group season at WDW. Also, if you are staying onsite at a Disney resort hotel, the prices drop from summer season pricing to value season pricing at the value and moderate resorts beginning on August 3rd according to Mousesavers.com. Good luck with whatever you decide. Even though my family doesn't have any vacation plans at stake, I can certainly understand how this rough winter has thrown most of us off on some level. We are pretty much losing our spring break in our school district because of all the make up days and there is also the possibility of make up days being tacked onto the end of our school year too if we have any more cancellations because we still have the winter conditions that we get throughout February and even most of March to look forward to

 

[Aliceacc]

We're both teachers... we ONLY go late July/ early August.

Sure, it's hot and crowded. But the days last forever, and that mid afternoon dip in the pool is fabulous.

There's time to really enjoy being in vacation mode before and after Disney.

Obviously, I vote for summer-- our ADRs go in on Friday morning

 

[MandiC]

I've never been to Disney (yet!) but Ocho Rios is BEAUTIFUL! We went last year, stayed at Sandals, very relaxing vacation, just wish it weren't so far from the airport!

 

[SEA333]

I can't, because school starts in mid-August. I run a "boot camp" for new middle schoolers, and have to go back August 12th.

I'm not a huge fan of the heat and humidity, but I am from the Midwest, so it's not foreign to me.

I'll look into early August, maybe?

I appreciate the input!

Haha...I don't have any great advice, but I do have empathy!! We are from the Chicago Suburbs (west), and we are on day #4 for the year now, which my kids have already figured out they will have to pay for by going to school in June instead of getting out for the summer on May 29th like originally planned.

So much for any kind of summer....not getting out until the 2nd week of June, fall sports 5-day/week practices starting the last week of July, and since I will have a high schooler this year for the first time, school will start back the 2nd week of August for him. I would be at a total loss of when to go to DW, too!

This makes me miss my home-state of Michigan....sure, the kids don't get out of school until the 3rd week of June, but NOBODY goes back until the Tuesday after Labor Day. It's an actual law. sigh.

 

[scoutie]

We are from the Chicago Suburbs (west), and we are on day #4 for the year now, which my kids have already figured out they will have to pay for by going to school in June instead of getting out for the summer on May 29th like originally planned.

Yes! Chicago Western Suburbs here too! Same situation!

I appreciate the input. I'm heavily leaning toward August now. We hoped to stay six nights. Hmm. I'm cheered up now!

 

[4HppyCamprs]

I'm a teacher, and our school year was due to end extremely early this year (May 22nd). I planned to book a Disney trip right after Memorial Day in hopes of beating the worst of the crowds and heat. Now that school has been cancelled multiple days, we have to make up those days. My dream of traveling in May is over. We are taking a whole family trip (courtesy of my inlaws) to Ocho Rios June 8th, so if we want to go to Disney, it's likely going to have to be in late July or August. I really don't like crazy crowds or long lines. We traveled to Disney the first week of January last year, and while it was busy, we found it very manageable (did rope drop, stayed on site).

Am I crazy for considering going in July or August, or should we put it off until next year?

Our first trip was late August and it was okay. We are in nW Indiana and so heat and humidity are pretty normal around here (not this past summer but that is a different story lol). If the right deal came along I would go again in August. I rained for a bit each day but it was short. We had a 6
Month old and 4 year old and both were fine.

.

 

[AmyBWV99]

Count us in on the weather mucking up our plans. We are in the quad cities 2 hours west of you. We are supposed to be checking in to AKL on may 31st because school was supposed to end May 28th. Well we have eaten up our make up day built into the calendar plus some as of today the dismissal day is June 2nd. We have some rearranging to do

 

[scoutie]

We are in the quad cities 2 hours west of you

My husband is from Rock Island!

I'm sorry you are also affected. Crazy winter!

 

[delilah]

We are in the same situation as you. Our son is in 10th grade, and I had the week following Memorial day scheduled for our vacation. I rescheduled for the week of June 8-15, because our AP expires on June 16. I rescheduled last week, the day that they missed enough school so that make up days needed to be after Memorial day. So, today they missed yet another day.

Oh well, at least it's not like when he was younger, and one year I used nearly all my vacation for days school was out, because he was too young to stay home alone. When he got a little older, I would bring him to work with me (I'm a doctor), and let him stay at my desk in the office. The irony of the situation is that the school he attended was across the street from my office. Our office has only been closed about 3 days in the 20 years I've been here, and two of them were Jan 6 and 7 this year.

 

[AZMermaid]

I'm on the opposite side. It's been in the mid 70s since Christmas. I feel like I wasted money on long sleeve shirts it doesn't look like my kids will get to wear. I'm a teacher too and we love to travel the week or two after Memorial Day. We are always out the Thursday or Friday before. We aren't this year, but I was starting to really consider WDW since it seems like a lot of people will still have school. I'd love a snow day though...

 

[Minnesota!]

We went early/mid August last year. Yes, it's hot and humid, but no more so than in Minnesota in early/mid August.

We love that time of year. go! Enjoy! You might discover you love it!

 

[DCbride]

Two teachers here too. We had plans for our spring break, but have to change. We used so many days we are now going to school during Easter week. Plus, we don't get out until June 25!

We usually go August, Nov and Easter. Each trip is very different and is planned differently. In summer go rope drop, leave parks around 12 and return after 5. We always swim and nap in the summer but not other times. Another perk, you eat less heavy sit downs since it is so hot...but you do spend more on Mickey ice cream

 

[ChgoMusicGirl]

I'm a teacher, too, in the south burbs of Chicago and we also just finished up snow day #4. I originally was going to book our vacation starting Thursday, the 5th, but have pushed it back to the 7th, which only gives me one day of cushion.... and it's only January!!! Really hoping we don't have more than one more snow day (actually, I don't want any more!!!!) Hope everything works out for you trip!!!!

 

[ceemys]

I've gone in early August. Crowds were just fine.