So what is the low crowd time?

[havoc315]

Last week of August is still good if you can deal with the horrendous weather, but if you can go the week after Labor Day, the crowds are even lower.

I'm hoping that's still true. Did it a few years ago, and loved it. At DHS, rode ToT and Star Tours multiple times without lines.
But it seems to have gotten worse lately. From different crowd calendars I've looked at, looking like moderate crowds as opposed to low.
I'll be there 8/27-8/30 next year, so I'm hoping.

Yes, the heat is horrible. But it's the only time of year on our school calendar where kids are off school AND crowds are bearable.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I'm hoping that's still true. Did it a few years ago, and loved it. At DHS, rode ToT and Star Tours multiple times without lines.
But it seems to have gotten worse lately. From different crowd calendars I've looked at, looking like moderate crowds as opposed to low.
I'll be there 8/27-8/30 next year, so I'm hoping.

Yes, the heat is horrible. But it's the only time of year on our school calendar where kids are off school AND crowds are bearable.

Same here

 

[anniemae]

We were floored by how empty the parks were the last week of Aug and first week of Sep!

This past last week of Aug/first week of Sept was slow due to the hurricane. There was a state of emergency issued and many many people cancelled or postponed their trips. One forecast had Orlando taking a direct hit. We spoke to many CM's and they all said there were tons of cancellations. I personally think people rescheduled to the 2nd or 3rd week of Sept making that time frame a bit more crowded.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

October is still relatively slow; however the parks are just so crowded year round now that the only real slow times IMO are in February (avoid Presidents' Day) and the last week of January

MK closes early 16 nights for MNNSHP in October, which really messes with the crowd levels on the few non-party nights. There have already been at least 3 level 10 days in MK this month, which has never happened before. Even the party days have been 6's and 7's lately.

 

[wendow]

Oh really? That makes me feel better since we went before Labor Day LOL

Yes, crowds were lower before LD. We *almost* chose that week, but instead we chose the week after. I really, really wish we had chose the week before.

Having said that, who knows what you can plan for next year?!?! It seems the hurricane moved quite a few people to the next few weeks. I do agree with you though that probably either of those weeks around LD would have some of the lowest crowds.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Yes, crowds were lower before LD. We *almost* chose that week, but instead we chose the week after. I really, really wish we had chose the week before.

Having said that, who knows what you can plan for next year?!?! It seems the hurricane moved quite a few people to the next few weeks. I do agree with you though that probably either of those weeks around LD would have some of the lowest crowds.

Oh right, that hurricane. You know, I just remembered, this year we went two weeks before Labor Day, so returning the weekend before Labor Day. It was still a decent week though in terms of crowds.

 

[Disneylover99]

Oh right, that hurricane. You know, I just remembered, this year we went two weeks before Labor Day, so returning the weekend before Labor Day. It was still a decent week though in terms of crowds.

Aug. 30 - Sept. 3rd this year was the shortest ride wait times I've ever experienced, and this was our sixth year in a row during this time.

 

[loves to dive]

It's difficult to figure out, many will tell you to go when schools are in session. I think a lot of schools around the country are now staggering their schedules, it's not like it used to be when everyone was back in school after labor day. I was there the last week in Sept/first week in Oct. and it was crowded. Kids everywhere, someone surmised they must be non-Americans and schools session were different outside the states but if they were non-American they did great American accents. I think people don't hesitate to take their kids out of school now (no judgement there, I took mine out for long weekends when he was little, never for a whole week though) so school schedules are a bust.

I just go when I can get a good room discount, never look at crowd calendars or anything else. I'm an adult though so I can go pretty much when I want. I think crowds might be subjective too. I've heard people say how crowded it was at times I was there and I thought it was fine.

 

[abinormal]

I found the ************** week breakdowns very helpful. It was dead on for our week. We went April 25-May 2. It was in a sweet spot between Easter and Memorial Day, no free dining, no hard ticket parties.

Flower & Garden was going on but it didn't interfere with our touring. My kids are small so we were out of the parks by dinner, so I think we missed the worst of the crowds.

It wasn't dead by any means but we didn't have a difficult time avoiding lines and crowds. I think our worst wait was Tinker Bell's M&G which was very off from the posted wait time. We waited probably 40 minutes for that.

 

[JennyDrake]

Last week of August, first week or two of Septembe, the last week of January and the first week of February are the only low-crowd times left on the calendar.

DITTO!!! The first week of December isn't TOO bad.

As PPers have said, no LOW crowds as we knew them even a few years ago . October is VERY busy with f&w and school fall breaks .

 

[anniemae]

It seems Oct went from slow to crowded pretty fast. I think that will happen to all time frames. I still say the week after LD is best. All kids are back in school by then.

 

[Paigesmom2013]

It's all about perspective, I guess. We went the week after Labor Day 2013 and I kept thinking, "why are all these people here?" (My oldest didnt start preschool until the next week.) The crowd calendars were 3 and 4 levels I think, but I was expecting it to be empty. It was my first trip and I had no clue.

 

[TedMosby]

Late January/Early February have always been the best in my experience. Early September is also great but the weather is still awful. When I worked at HS the park was very pleasant after Labor Day until around this time of year. There really isn't a time of year where the parks are completely empty, it's just all relative. Early September seems empty compared to late December but there's still plenty of people.

 

[Accident]

September hasn't been great for the last 2 years. Jan/Feb is going to be your best bet but be careful with some of the holidays. marathon and anything special that might get added to the calendar or give parents extra days with kids out of school. usually the days before and after those times are really crowded but the rest of the time isn't horrible. Also keep in mind that low crowds=great time to refurbish/clean up attractions so you have to weigh your favorite things to do vs they may be closed to renovate.

Disney got really good at filling the resorts, special events and keeping the crowds coming all year round.. There is no "low crowd" option anymore, and just expect it to be more crowded than in past visits and you'll have a great time either way..

 

[Meriam]

I'm really surprised that the first of May is not more highly recommended. We went in September for the first time and thought the crowds were decent (except for the awful night of overcrowded Wishes due to MNSSHP). We've decided to go back the first week of May 2016 with the expectation that spring break will be over and American schools will be cramming for end of the year tests, making parents less likely to pull their kids from school for vacation time (we homeschool). Thoughts?

 

[Shanti]

See here:

http://**************.net/2014/09/28/2016-weeks-to-visit-walt-disney-world-ranked-in-order/

And / or here:
http://**************.net/2014/09/25/disney-world-crowds-in-2016/

The Your First Visit crowd calendars are getting dated, particulary for the fall months like October, which that site describes as "low". Search disboards for info about the October 2015 crowds from people who were actually there & you'll see that's inaccurate. I think a lot of the usual crowd calendar sources are relying more on info about how crowds used to be at Disney vs. how they've begun to change in the last few years. Fall is the "new summer" at Disney World now, in terms of crowds.

 

[Shanti]

I'm really surprised that the first of May is not more highly recommended. We went in September for the first time and thought the crowds were decent (except for the awful night of overcrowded Wishes due to MNSSHP). We've decided to go back the first week of May 2016 with the expectation that spring break will be over and American schools will be cramming for end of the year tests, making parents less likely to pull their kids from school for vacation time (we homeschool). Thoughts?

American schools take their end of year tests in April, not May (at least, that's the case here in Texas- America has a state-by-state school system rather than a national one.) The tests are standardized & it takes weeks for the scores to come back- that's why.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Definitely not April. In fact, April can be one of the busiest times of year, depending on how spring break and Easter holidays fall.

It's getting more and more crowded year-round, but October and January are still good times for low crowds.

Just wanted to chime in.....October is definitely NOT a quiet month!! I was there in October...couldnt believe how busy it was. In fact, I think the time I usually go (last 2 weeks in August) is a lot quieter than October!

 

[revdon64]

DITTO!!! The first week of December isn't TOO bad.

As PPers have said, no LOW crowds as we knew them even a few years ago . October is VERY busy with f&w and school fall breaks .

Here now. I love Josh at easywdw, but first week of December is NOT a low crowd week, at least not anymore. Feels like third week of June to me. I just want to hole up in my hotel room and hide from these crowds. I'd say minimum level 7 or 8.

 

[anniemae]

Sept, right after labor day, before f & w is the slowest IMO