Spring break or the last couple weeks of Aug??

[BELLEDOZER]

I am planning a surprise trip to WDW for our 2 boys in 2011. I know I"m an overplanner, but it's going to take me that long to save up the money for the trip. This will be our first trip to WDW, and I was wondering which would be a better time to go? Any help regarding this would be really appreciated, and will help in the planning of our trip. TIA

 

[Irin997]

I would like to know as well. How crazy is it during Spring Break? Although I want to take advantage of free dining as well in August/ Sept, but then she has to miss school.

 

[cheap traveler]

My Aunt and Uncle just went for spring break, and it was MOBBED! Crowds are always crazy during that time.

I am going the last week of August this year, and it is, of course, FREE DINING.

Crowds are usually lighter around that time, because all southern schools are back in session, and it is the start of hurricane season.

No matter what, you will have a great time. It's Disney world, how could you not??

 

[Hootch]

time can be cool or very hot. We went some years ago and and the temp dropped below 40. We went again recently and it was too cool to swim. I personally don't mind the hot weather in the summer. We have gone in June or July the last three trips. You'll also find the parks to be less crowded.

 

[jaycat]

I think it depends on when your spring break is. When we went we had really nice weather and the crowds were moderate. Take it form a southern girl - August is going to be HOT.

 

[Aliceacc]

I vote for August.

Last year, Spring Break was the perfect storm of park attendance-- it conicided with Easter vacation, Passover, and just about every school in the country was closed the same week. Check some of the back posts-- Disney was forced to close one or more parks several times that week to new entries.

Late August, on the other hand, means that a decent part of the country is already back in school. Throw in the Free Dining offer that Disney will probably offer once again (or at least, they have offered for the past few years) and Value season, and you have lower crowds and a better price.

FYI: This year, Free Dining starts on August 16.

 

[Irin997]

I vote for August.

Last year, Spring Break was the perfect storm of park attendance-- it conicided with Easter vacation, Passover, and just about every school in the country was closed the same week. Check some of the back posts-- Disney was forced to close one or more parks several times that week to new entries.

Late August, on the other hand, means that a decent part of the country is already back in school. Throw in the Free Dining offer that Disney will probably offer once again (or at least, they have offered for the past few years) and Value season, and you have lower crowds and a better price.

FYI: This year, Free Dining starts on August 16.

Well I think you settled it for me! I knew I wanted free dining or some other kind of promo and I'm not sure what pops up in the springtime, but if free dining starts that particular week, that is the last week before school starts so I think that settles it for me and August it is. Thanks!

 

[beccasmom]

Spring Break is crazy busy. On our trip the weather was pretty good - it was mid-March - and the evenings were chilly, but not cold. But the crowds were unbelievable - it took forever just to check in at the CR . I would not book at this time for a first trip. I think it would be too overwhelming. For WDW veterans like us it was an okay trip, but certainly not our best one.

August is certainly not the best weather-wise, unless you like the hot weather. But the crowds are thinner as the month goes by. With free dining this year, it will no doubt be busier, but IMHO not as crowded as spring break.

 

[Aliceacc]

Well I think you settled it for me! I knew I wanted free dining or some other kind of promo and I'm not sure what pops up in the springtime, but if free dining starts that particular week, that is the last week before school starts so I think that settles it for me and August it is. Thanks!

I just did some checking at www.mousesavers.com Here are the free dining start dates for the past few years:

8/20/2006

8/26/2007

8/28/ 2008

8/16/2009

There's no guarantee that it will be offered next year, of course, but the last week of August looks good. The typical release date for the promotion is early April.

 

[chskover]

We will never do Spring Break again!

 

[Aliceacc]

Also, if you know you want some sort of a promo and Free Dining could be too late, keep in mind that AAA offers discounts ranging from 10-20% off your room.

Free dining is a better deal, but only if the dates work for you.

Here's a nice rundown on the typical discounts: http://www.mousesavers.com/disneyresorts.html

 

[BELLEDOZER]

I want to thank everyone for all their greyt responses! I have boys that will be entering grades 2 & 3 in 2011, and now that I will soon have a place where I can hide things out of their view (a craft room that they are going to be banned from entering), will be able to hide all sorts of things away for the trip without them clueing into what mischief I'm up to. It sounds like the last 2 weeks prior to school starting (our kids go back to school after a holiday the first weekend of Sept), is looking like the best time to go to WDW. It also gives me more time to save up the money for the trip. Since I'm a stay at home mom, hubby relies on me to save up the majority of the money for the trips so that when it comes to going, there is less of a financial hit, if I've saved up enough money to cover 2/3rds of the costs for the trip. Have a great day everyone! And thanks for all your help!

Trish

 

[queenofsheba4]

We have been there twice during spring break and once in Aug. I would definitely chose Aug again. The lines were very long when we were there during spring break and just soo many people.

A tip for saving for your trip is whenever you have an extra $25, $30, $50, whatever... go to your local Disney store and purchase a gift card. We did this for the year leading up to our last trip and it made life much easier when we got to Disney. You can also use these gift cards when making payments on your trip, souviners, Disney restaurants... Have fun!

 

[nicki.momof3]

My Aunt and Uncle just went for spring break, and it was MOBBED! Crowds are always crazy during that time.

We went Easter week this year and it was not MOBBED in our opinion. We rode Pirates 3 times in a row with 10 minutes lines each at 5pm on Easter Sunday. It is all how you plan everything. We always make Dinner ADR's, go at opening, leave about noon for a 3- 4 hour break and go back and stay until 11pm'ish. We had the best trip this year. Weather is GREAT.

I am going the last week of August this year, and it is, of course, FREE DINING.

We have also gone the last week in Aug 2 times and the free dining is not worht the extreme heat and rain. At Easter the weather was perfect, no rain and personally the crowds were easier to deal with. When people get very hot they get grumpy.

Crowds are usually lighter around that time, because all southern schools are back in session, and it is the start of hurricane season.

Exactly - we hit hurricane season in 2009 and it rained everyday (hurricane Fae)

No matter what, you will have a great time. It's Disney world, how could you not??

Enjoy