Slowest week of the year?

[MickeyMom2Boys]

Is the week after Thanksgiving still considered the slowest time of the year? We are debating between going in October for the Halloween party or the week after Thanksgiving. Just trying to get some information on the crowd levels to help us make our decision.

Thanks!

 

[kmk1180]

this site has a free crowd calender that's great for helping you figure out crowds.
by total people, or best week by weather or such.

http://**************.net/

 

[mom2rtk]

Neither October nor the week after Thankgiving are the slowest time of the year. I'll be curious to see what others think IS the slowest week of the year, but these are more "moderate" crowd times. Not terrible mind you, but not the slowest.

I think maybe the last full week BEFORE Thanksgiving would be among the slowest times. Then maybe early Feb?

In comparing October with the week after Thanksgiving, I'd choose based on whether you want to do MNSSHP or MVMCP. The crowd levels will probably be similar.

 

[lightwyear]

The week after Thanksgiving is not bad, and the decorations make it very nice, but I would definitely say it is NOT one of the slowest times. The secret is out, and the crowds are up.

It is not near peak times, but it is more crowded than it sued to be that week.

As someone said, the week before Thanksgiving has many decorations up and is a slower time.

 

[ars0525]

Do you want to be there for the Food & Wine Fest at Epcot? Then October.

We went the last week of Oct '10 (25-29) & found the crowds very manageable at all 4 parks.

 

[chuckml]

We've been twice the week after Thanksgiving. Not terrible crowds at all, but definitely moderate. It was also busier the second time we went over the first. I think, as a PP stated, that secret is out.
I think September would be the slowest time. Its crazy hot and humid, but the crowds are low-really low!

 

[FigNewton]

Yep. We've watched the week after Thanksgiving grow for years now. Too many travel books and shows declaring it one of the slowest times now. Definitely more moderate than slow now days.

 

[momtoejanda]

this site has a free crowd calender that's great for helping you figure out crowds.
by total people, or best week by weather or such.

http://**************.net/

Very nice site.

However, I dont really agree with some of it. It ranks Jan and the first half of February as the worst time to go. I loved that time of year! It is cool, no humidity and you are practically alone in the park. Yes there were closures but as you know you cant do everything anyway. oh yeah and lots of promotions!

we had lunch at Askerhus one day and it was just us and 2 other families. I think it is worth a closure.

So I think the best/worst times are really subjective.

 

[tyniknate]

Week after thanksgiving used to be a wonderful week to go. Now the parks are busier and busier each year. Wish we had a choice as to when we could go, but DHs work schedule either says that week or the week of July 4th . Not the worst week, but not nearly as nice as it used to be.

I took a look at the link above. I have to say that I think their estimate of the best week to go being Dec. 3rd is pretty much spot on. We usually go the day after Thanksgiving Nov. 25th (horrible crowds!) through the following weekend Dec. 4th (much better crowd level). By that Sunday (Dec. 4th) the parks are fairly emtpy. It would only follow reason that the week of December 3rd would be an excellent week. Wish we could go during that week.

 

[GingerJay]

Very nice site.

However, I dont really agree with some of it. It ranks Jan and the first half of February as the worst time to go. I loved that time of year! It is cool, no humidity and you are practically alone in the park. Yes there were closures but as you know you cant do everything anyway. oh yeah and lots of promotions!

we had lunch at Askerhus one day and it was just us and 2 other families. I think it is worth a closure.

So I think the best/worst times are really subjective.

I agree that's a good time to go crowd-wise but it's also refurb season; a lot of the rides are closed

 

[feezle]

That sucks. We are going the week after Thanksgiving.

 

[chuckml]

That sucks. We are going the week after Thanksgiving.

It's still a really good time to go, it's just not as "dead" as it used to be. All the Christmas decorations will be up, and we've always had pretty good weather that week. Have fun!

 

[RMulieri]

More moderate/average than low crowds.In fact this year it is no longer considered VALUE season anymore.The secret is out

 

[TXHauntedMansionFan]

We've been in January, March, May, October, November and Dec. The best trip for us regarding the crowds was mid Decemeber (10th-18th or so).

Other than Soarin and Toy Story, I can't remember ever having to wait more than 10-15 minutes for any ride. I do know that our last day was the Saturday that started the week of Christmas and the crowds seemed to quadruple overnight.

Still for the decorations/crowds, we would choose early Dec if given a choice.

TX

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

If those are your choices week after Thanksgiving will be slower by far. October (almost all month) is fall break in good chunks of the US and crowds are alot heavier that whole month now than in previous years. Disney also runs very few promos in Oct now b/c of high capacity.

That's not been the slowest week for almost a decade now, lots of sites collect data on attendance, wait times, hotel reservations (on and off property) and consistently one of the 2nd or 3rd weeks in Jan and week after Labor Day (starting that Tuesday) are the slowest.

That time stopped being one of the slowest times of the year after the 13th travel channel special advertising it that way about 5 years or so ago.

 

[momof2cutegirls]

That sucks. We are going the week after Thanksgiving.

Don't worry about it! We went this same week in 2010, and I was so worried after reading some of the posts on here. It is still a great time to go. Have a plan and you will be fine!

 

[Missytara]

Is the week after Thanksgiving still considered the slowest time of the year? We are debating between going in October for the Halloween party or the week after Thanksgiving. Just trying to get some information on the crowd levels to help us make our decision.

Thanks!

I have been going the week after Thanksgiving since 2000 and it is by no means any longer the slower week.

About three years ago, the Travel Channel had a special called "Disney on a Dime." They said it was the best "bang for your buck" week to go. Big jump that year in people.

Last year, they enticed a lot of people who would normally stay off-site (and those on-site to upgrade) by offering a monster pin code of 40% off your room OR free dining. While it does represent a lot of people that would have been there anyway, staying off-site now on-site, it was still very busy. Not crazy busy, but much busier than the first few years I went back in the beginning of 2000.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

Is the week after Thanksgiving still considered the slowest time of the year? We are debating between going in October for the Halloween party or the week after Thanksgiving. Just trying to get some information on the crowd levels to help us make our decision.

Thanks!

If September is an option, go for that...week after Labor Day or the week after that.

 

[MagicMe]

A couple of years ago we went the first full week of September (week after labor day week) which is when all schools are finally back in session. Many parents don't necessarily want to take their children out that early in the game. I found that it was still very hot and humid but during the week, it took us longer to walk through the ride queues than it did to get on the ride!! In fact, we never had time to stop and look at the "filler" stuff they have to keep you occuppied. And many fast pass machines were covered over since they were not needed. I don't think we got one fast pass until the weekend.

If it just wasn't so hot and humid - it would have been perfect!!

 

[hulagirl87]

We've been twice the week after Thanksgiving. Not terrible crowds at all, but definitely moderate. It was also busier the second time we went over the first. I think, as a PP stated, that secret is out.
I think September would be the slowest time. Its crazy hot and humid, but the crowds are low-really low!

I disagree with this. Wait, I take this back. I agree with the crazy hot and humid but the low crowds I absolutely disagree with. I travelled in September 4 years in a row and each year got crazier and crazier! While I haven't been in September since 2008, the humidity in itself is enough to keep me away!!! It also could have been the free dining that they were offering at the time of year that made the crowds grow more and more each year at that time.

We went the week before Thanksgiving and left right before the crowds started getting really heavy. Perfect timing. We have also been the first week of May and that was completely tolerable. Even more so than Thanksgiving time! And the weather was beautiful then