Temperatures and crowds

[MonorailMan]

I know there's a thread somewhere on here that talks about this (or there used to be anyway) but I couldn't find it.

I'm thinking of making reservations for WDW in either October or November, but would like some input and opinions about when the best/cheaper time to go would be. I know the last week of November has really low crowds and I love that, but are there any other times in those 2 months that have a relatively low amount of crowds? I'd really like to go in October, but I don't want long lines either. I'm also a northern boy with a low tolerance for heat. (I know, I'm high maintainance. ) I've never been to WDW in October, so I wasn't sure on average how hot it got down there.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[rosiep]

I know there's a thread somewhere on here that talks about this (or there used to be anyway) but I couldn't find it.

I'm thinking of making reservations for WDW in either October or November, but would like some input and opinions about when the best/cheaper time to go would be. I know the last week of November has really low crowds and I love that, but are there any other times in those 2 months that have a relatively low amount of crowds? I'd really like to go in October, but I don't want long lines either. I'm also a northern boy with a low tolerance for heat. (I know, I'm high maintainance. ) I've never been to WDW in October, so I wasn't sure on average how hot it got down there.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Hi MM,

I always go in October because I, too, hate crowds and heat. I base crowds on the wait times for rides and I find in October it's usually about 10-35 minutes depending on the ride. The weather is very nice, cool enough for a sweater. The only negative is it can be rainy. My last trip we had three days of heavy rain.....can be fun if your in the mood, awful if your not prepared.

The other great thing about October is the Food and Wine Festival. MNSSHP is fun, but it's gotten pricey and more crowded than in previous years, so it's not on my must do list anymore.

I usually find myself going mid October.
Anything I can help with ...just give a shout.

 

[PghLybrt]

Thats when i usually go too!

I went this october and got super burnt, so it was hot. Sometimes we go end of Nov and it can be cool. However I am coming from Pa so if it isnt snowing were fine.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We went Oct. 14-23, 2005 and we thought it was hot. I am ALWAYS cold (I have pics of me in August wearing a jacket in front of the castle). We went to MHSSHP and DS dang near melted in his pirate costume. I wore shorts and a long-sleeved T-shirt and I was fine.

We went Dec. 2-6, 2006 and nearly froze to death. Last December it was warm.

If you get up and get to the parks when they open the crowds aren't that bad, even during really crowded weeks.

October 2 - Nov. 29 is regular season. Nov. 30 - Dec. 18 is value season.

Happy planning!

 

[billysotherdad]

We went Oct. 14-23, 2005 and we thought it was hot. I am ALWAYS cold (I have pics of me in August wearing a jacket in front of the castle). We went to MHSSHP and DS dang near melted in his pirate costume. I wore shorts and a long-sleeved T-shirt and I was fine.

We went Dec. 2-6, 2006 and nearly froze to death. Last December it was warm.

If you get up and get to the parks when they open the crowds aren't that bad, even during really crowded weeks.

October 2 - Nov. 29 is regular season. Nov. 30 - Dec. 18 is value season.

Happy planning!

A JACKET IN AUGUST IN FLORIDA! My goodness. I think maybe a good thick steak sandwich is in order here. Build up that blood!

 

[MonorailMan]

Orlando does seem to have some interesting weather. When I went in late November/early December in 2006 I personally thought it was hot. (It was really humid, which is what bothers me more than the actual heat.) And then one year when I went in February it was around 47 degrees and windy. My parents still have a picture of my mother and I waiting in line for The Living Seas, wearing jackets and looking as though the ride was about to be turned into "The Living Ice Rink".

 

[rpmdfw]

Who cares what the weather is like! It's the FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL!

If you've never been, you HAVE to try it!

It's our favorite time of year at WDW. We even planned our wedding around it so that we could get as many friends and family as possible here to try it.

That said, it'll probably be less hot in early November, and the F&WF goes until mid November, so you could book for the last week of the festival, have fewer crowds, and pleasant weather.

 

[OrlandoMike]

Who cares what the weather is like! It's the FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL!

If you've never been, you HAVE to try it!

Be forewarned! $100 later, and you still have to stop off at Applebee's on the way home!

 

[rpmdfw]

Be forewarned! $100 later, and you still have to stop off at Applebee's on the way home!

Hey! That's not true!



It's $150



And I've never left the F&WF hungry.

 

[OrlandoMike]

Have ya met Shrek?

 

[MonorailMan]

I know this is a dumb question, but I thought I'd ask:

I know the F&WF is held at Epcot, but do you have to pay the $150 to get in the park, or is the festival a complete separate entity?

I'm a F&WF newbie.

 

[OrlandoMike]

No it's the usual admission.

What they do is each country has a booth, and they add about 40 more countries. Each of the countries sells small portions of food, beer, and wine from their homeland.

Problem is, each portion is like $4.50 or more, so you end up dropping $100 to eat snacks!

But it is a lot of fun!

 

[MonorailMan]

No it's the usual admission.

What they do is each country has a booth, and they add about 40 more countries. Each of the countries sells small portions of food, beer, and wine from their homeland.

Problem is, each portion is like $4.50 or more, so you end up dropping $100 to eat snacks!

But it is a lot of fun!

Ohhhhhhhhh......okay. Thanks for clearing that up. Yeah, I more than likely would drop quite a bit o' cash because I'm a foodie and wine-o.

Wait....that didn't sound right.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

A JACKET IN AUGUST IN FLORIDA! My goodness. I think maybe a good thick steak sandwich is in order here. Build up that blood!

In my defense, we had just come from dinner at Kona. I always wear a jacket in the restaurants because they keep them so cold. When we got to the PhotoPass guy in front of the castle I still hadn't warmed up enough to take off the jacket.

No matter what time of year we are at WDW I keep my jacket in my backpack.

 

[TuckandStuiesMom]

In 2006, My daughter and I were there in January and it was COLD but no crowds! I made one ceremonial quick trip to the heated pool but thought I was gonna freeze to death getting dressed. No Splash Mountain or Kali Rapids for us even though pretty much everything was a walk-on.

I then did a super quick solo in October 2006 for F&W and it was HOT, HOT, HOT. (we had already had our first skiff of snow here by comparison) I was told the preceding weekend was pretty crowded -- but the weekdays were great crowd-wise.

This year, we went in March and we had a couple real cold days (the boys and I stayed in a tent and we had some pretty serious squabbling over who got the sub-zero sleeping bag. Brrrrrrrr) but the parks were packed 'cause it was Spring Break.

Our other trips were all in late Spring/Summer and every place was hot and crowded.

I am planning a another quick trip this December (7-11) to see the Christmas decorations and I am SO staying @ the DTD Hilton. Heated room...Comfy bed...Somebody else cooking my food...HH Rewards redemption... Hopefully the crowds won't be too bad. (At least that's what the Unofficial Guide predicts)

 

[rpmdfw]

Ohhhhhhhhh......okay. Thanks for clearing that up. Yeah, I more than likely would drop quite a bit o' cash because I'm a foodie and wine-o.

Wait....that didn't sound right.

Okay in all honesty, we've never actually dropped $150 in one day at the festival (with the exception of Party for the Senses). But $80 isn't uncommon for us. And we typically go every Friday during the festival. Can't do that this year, we'll miss two Fridays for the wedding/honeymoon, but we do get to pick up the Monday after the ceremony, so we only lose one day.

At any rate, all those little bites and sips, in and of themselves, aren't terribly pricey, but they can add up. But OMG is it good. And FUN!

We also do Party for the Senses once each year (held every Saturday of the festival), and it's a BLAST! We definitely get our money's worth out of it, too. Part for the Senses is a ticketed event held in the World Showplace building. For around $135 you get an unlimited amount of food and wine tastings. They bring in guest chefs from around the country (we've sampled food from a few Food Network personalities in the last couple years) and have Disney chefs as well. Plus a bunch of wineries, breweries, and distillers offering wines,beers, & usually one scotch. Add to all that deliciousness, performances by Cirque du Soleil and you've got a complete sensory overload! It's AMAZING!