For small crowds and lower rates, best is January or early Feb but avoid very early January (through the weekend after Jan 1 as there will still be some of the Christmas crowd) and Martin Luther King weekend (even then it is not hugely crowded but more than rest of month). Also, keep checking mousesavers.com for possible discounts during that period. Much of Feb is fine for crowds except avoid entire week that Presidents Day falls in as it is very crowded then. You get into peak season prices beginning mid Feb and through most of April. Early March begins the spring break weeks and crowds are larger (although the earlier in March the less the crowd).