Stories from September Trips?

[Minderbinder5]

Hi Everyone!

I'm currently planning my first WDW trip since 1988. Since I was 8 at the time, I didn't pay attention to things like crowds or lines back then. Can anyone share stories about their trips to the parks over Labor Day and the weeks following? I've heard that's it's a nice time for low crowds, but how inconvenient are the show schedules and the like at this time of year?

 

[Disneyfun1]

in my opinion, this is the best time to go. as you can see from my sig, we always go in sept. the crowds are very very low. wait times are non-existant, or are only very short waits. longest wait i remember is about 15-20 mins max. i remember last trip going to RnR at 2 pm on a weds, 0 min wait!!! you can make PS the day you want to go eat, or just go in without a PS reservation. I cant wait to go back, its coming soon! I even have pictures of the buses we were on in the morning and afternoon, and there is no one else on them, just us!!! I took the pics to show everyone. I have many pics of 0 min wait times on signs as well. Good luck to you!

 

[K9pal]

I agree, it's the best time to go. Parks might close a bit earlier, but it's no problem at all to see all (or at least most) of a park in one day. Early entry is not even necessary, although it's available. Last year it took a bit more planning because the fireworks were not every night at MK, but this year they are on for every night.
Cooler, low crowds, what more could you ask for!

 

[Blueberry]

We went in Sept 2001 and Sept 2003 and I have never seen the parks so empty, during any other month. Most everything is a walk on, the rides that seem get the largest crowds are the rides that appeal to the pre-school set. FEw people want to pull their kids out of school so early in the school year, so we found it is mostly people with pre-schoolers, empty nesters like ourselves and retired people during September (at least during the week). Weekends you do get visitors from the local area, and a few groups..but it is still not bad at all.....

 

[Tinkerbell58]

How's the heat and humidity? I'll be there September 2-10.

 

[Master Gracie]

My wife and I spent our Honeymoon at WDW September 10 - 17(nearly 4 years ago) and we loved it. You are correct the crowds are very low at that time.

The heat was pretty bad, it's Florida in September after all, but it was bearable. We have never been hugely into shows or parades, so I didn't really notice the schedules.

All in all, we loved going in September, are going again next month, and will probably go in September many times to come.

 

[Minderbinder5]

Well, September seems to be great crowd-wise! Thanks for all your input. I just randomly picked that month to go when I started thinking about a trip, and as it turns out, it was a great idea. Does the fireworks show only appear on the weekends, then, when the park is open later? Or do they just show it earlier in the evening? And what about SpectroMagic and IllumiNations? Since it will be my first trip back in over a decade, and my partner's very first (and MUCH anticipated) visit, I want to make sure we can experience all the magic.

As a side note, does anyone know what they have planned for the remodel of Small World?

 

[dinks]

Check out disneyworld.com. Look for the park schedules. These schedules show when the fireworks will happen. Last year we went during Sept, it was great!

 

[noyesl]

We went in September a couple of times.
Weather & crowds were both great (I think
on each trip it rained 1 out of 7 days).

Only problem we encountered was on our
Sept 2000 trip they had a 'love bug' infestation!
From what I was told this was 'love bug'
mating season. These critters were
EVERYWHERE. If you stood still long enough
they were on you, went in your bag,
on the door to your room etc...I remember
constantly swatting them away.

The bugs don't bite at all, they are just
a nuisance.

 

[Minderbinder5]

Wow! Those bugs sound annoying. I remember when I went (I'm sure it was summer time) there were tiny frogs all over the paths in Epcot. They were only about 1" long, and the poor things were getting stepped on all the time.

 

[stink]

Going Sept 12-18. Can't wait to get there. First time at Disney in September. Looking forward to Wishes, SpectroMagic, Disney Quest, seeing the Saratoga Springs Resort, experincing new & old restaurants and the warm fuzzy, escape from reality feeling that is Disney World.

 

[bctripp]

September is a wonderful time to go, but there is no wait for most of the rides, at least there wasn't when we were there. We went September 02, somewhere around the 20th. September 04, the week of the 8th.

 

[mathmagic]

September is our favorite time to go (see you there 9/16-9/25!!!). BUT, you do have to bear in mind that it is still hurricane season, and can be very rainy and windy at times. The parks RARELY close because of this, but sometimes the rides open then close then open then close due to the extreme weather.

I've survivied a hurricane while there, even though we had to extend our stay an extra day because the airports closed due to the storm. Though WDW isn't the least expensive place to have to stay an extra night, it wasn't the worst thing in the world to be "stuck" there one more day!! Just be prepared!