The best busy time?

[disneycat321]

I'm a teacher, which means we can only go to WDW at the most crowded times of the year. So, my question to all of you is....what do you think is the BEST of those busy times?

Info: We have no kids (yet). Just two adults with lots of energy (at Disney anyway) who love utilizing EMH (both morning and night), Disney food, and touring HARD with just a short afternoon break. Epcot is our favorite park, and especially WS.

Considerations:
Crowds - We are really used to crowds because we had DLR passes for 5 years and were locals. When we went to WDW in mid-June 2010, we heard lots of people complaining about crowds, but we thought it wasn't crowded at all. However, we obviously don't LOVE crowds...lol.

Heat - We have a hard time with FL weather, which is why I would be REALLY hesitant to go in the summer again. When we went in June 2010, it was rough - 95+ every day. We live in high heat, but that humidity is killer, and we just aren't used to it coming from CA. We loved it when we went in May 2013 and was less humid, rained less, and was no higher than the 80s.

I think heat is a bigger consideration than crowds, for what it's worth.

Price - We stay on property and fly from CA. Flight prices and hotel prices are a big concern, and are MUCH higher at holidays (especially Christmas!)

Options:
1) My October break, which is always the week before Columbus Day.

2) Thanksgiving week

3) Christmas (I have 2 weeks like most schools)

4) Spring break - I always have 2 weeks - the weeks before and after Easter

5) Summer - I'm out mid June until early August.

Opinions? Thoughts?

p.s. Please don't remind me of how wonderful off season is. I know. We went one year in May when I taught at a year round school. That's as "off season" as we'll ever get, and it'll never happen again. lol.

Thanks!

 

[MataHari22]

Out of all of those, I'd go with the first option.

 

[agavegirl1]

I'd do October. You have a good chance of decent weather and medium crowds. I did it last year. It can be rainy some years but it is not a cold rain. Avoid actual Columbus Day.

 

[g-dad66]

In terms of crowds, definitely the October week.

For weather, however, we find early October to still be too humid and rainy for our liking (though not as bad as summer). We love the weather in both mid-March and mid-November: definitely our ideal time to go, in terms of weather.

But crowds will be very high at Thanksgiving and very, very high at Easter. (Crowds will be worst at Christmas, and weather can vary a lot at that time of year.)

 

[TiffanyA]

Being from Florida (Miami to be exact), I'd choose Thanksgiving or Xmas. I live in CA too and now have a horrible time with the summer humidity. People somehow seem to think August is the worst in Florida, but I always counter and say no, it's September. The weather does not start to cool until late October, early November and that is why autumn transitioning to winter has always been my favorite time of year in Florida.

I also don't mind the crowds. Sure I don't love them, but weather usually plays a much bigger role in my enjoyment. We went several years running for my son's birthday in late September, going to WDW just after his birthday - usually around Columbus Day and man, it was hot, humid and miserable. My son got heat rash every time actually.

Now we go in December every year. Crowded? Sure. But we always seem to have a blast! We just watch flights like a hawk now. It's really never too early to buy if you have the means. In our experience, prices hardly ever go down these days.

 

[Oswin]

I love July 4 time. It's busy, but so much fun. If heat is your biggest factor, I'd say go over Thanksgiving break. The crowds will be high, but not as bad as Christmas break.

 

[Alesia]

I would pick October.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Thanksgiving is a decent week. Crowded, but the weather is nice, and you get see the holiday stuff. We had a great Thanksgiving trip one year. We actually flew back on Thanksgiving, I think we went the Friday before and we got good airfares.

I would skip Christmas week since you have other options.

Spring Break will be very crowded but again nice weather.

The October week could be good, but it seemed like it was super crowded this year? So I wouldn't count on low crowds, but I'm sure it is fine. Downside is it will still be very hot.

I wouldn't do the summer since you have other options.

 

[OhThePain]

My wife and I (no kids yet either) love October. Low crowds, less expensive, MNSSHP and F&W. It's a homerun.

However, I did take her on her first trip ever to WDW from right after Christmas until a couple days after NYE. While the crowds are insane and intense and prices are more expensive, there is something to be said about bringing in the new year at WDW. It was worth doing once and is something we would consider doing again in the future. It is a very festive time to be there with all the decorations that are up. Plus, the parks are open a lot longer which helps make up for the larger crowd (on one day we got to MK at 7AM and left at 3AM... just cause we could).

 

[DizneyLizzy]

I am helping a friend plan her Thanksgiving trip right now, and honestly, it's making me jealous that my school district doesn't have the whole week of Thanksgiving off - the students do, but we have parent conferences Mon and Tues. Anyway, she's taking her kids the Saturday through Wednesday before Thanksgiving and it sounds awesome - great weather, Christmas decorations, looooooong park hours (seriously, the AK is open until at least 8 PM every night of her trip, and all of the parks open at least at 8 AM every morning of her trip), and while I imagine it will be crowded, it can't be any worse than summer. If I didn't have to go to school the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving, this would be my pick.

My problem with October is the Halloween parties at the MK. They make it feel like it's more crowded than it actually is bc everyone slams the MK the nights it actually is open, and the other parks are slammed the evenings that the parties are happening. I did a long weekend in Sept this year over Rosh Hoshanah, and while the low crowds were nice, I don't know if I'd do it again bc of the relatively short park hours and the Halloween parties.

 

[goofyintoronto]

October, weather wise, is such a lovely month to go. Although i was surprised with the crowds, its pretty packed for it being Oct! But still, the weather....so lovely.

 

[jacksgirl]

I like October, but, like others have said, at least the first half of October is still very hot and humid. Having spent quite a bit of time in Southern California, I can say it will still be miserable in Florida at that time (barring an unexpected cool front, which happens sometimes, though rarely). Thanksgiving week is doable, and there is no more magical time of year at Disney than the holidays. Also, you might consider either the week before Christmas or the week after New Year's (I'm not sure exactly which two weeks you have). As long as you avoid the Christmas Eve-New Year's Day time frame, you should be fine.

 

[Tink3rbell86]

I'd say first choice October. Second Thanksgiving

 

[mkla2015]

For the best weather- I'd pick spring break or Thanksgiving... October is still very warm and humid. I'd avoid Christmas since you have other options. Personally I'm a fan of Disney in March- weather is perfect- cool nights and mornings, warm days ideal for swimming, flower and garden fest.

 

[LisaCM614]

Spring Break has beautiful weather. We love it. We are tied to the school calendar and a visit to Flower and Garden in Epcot is just what we need after a long northeastern winter! Plus it is less rainy than October! Cost wise I think October wins, weather Spring Break. Also someone else already mentioned it but with Spring Break you don't have to worry about shortened MK hours because of parties.

 

[lovndisney12]

If you have any desire to be there on or over Christmas - go for it. We had the luxury of many an off-season trip before husband got into teaching and kids got into high school and sports activities.

We love our Christmas trips as much as our low season crowd trips. It is very crowded but very manageable if you use rope drop and EMH like it sounds you do. My suggestion would be if you plan on having children in the future, try a Christmas trip now while you are without kids. Save the October for when you have kids so it is a little easier navigating the stroller and wait times with squirmy kids. My kids are 17 and 14 now so they can handle going during peak crowds, getting up very early for rope drop, wait patiently in line, etc.

 

[stinkpickle]

I'd pick October.

 

[wareagle57]

October is the only correct answer. Since you said you don'd mind crowds I would have considered saying Christmas if you hadn't mentioned the travel costs. But October gets you the best of both worlds. Between price, heat, and crowds - you normally are only going to be able to pick 1 with a teacher's schedule. The fact that you get 2 and a half of those is great.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

I'm a teacher, which means we can only go to WDW at the most crowded times of the year. So, my question to all of you is....what do you think is the BEST of those busy times?

Info: We have no kids (yet). Just two adults with lots of energy (at Disney anyway) who love utilizing EMH (both morning and night), Disney food, and touring HARD with just a short afternoon break. Epcot is our favorite park, and especially WS.

Considerations:
Crowds - We are really used to crowds because we had DLR passes for 5 years and were locals. When we went to WDW in mid-June 2010, we heard lots of people complaining about crowds, but we thought it wasn't crowded at all. However, we obviously don't LOVE crowds...lol.

Heat - We have a hard time with FL weather, which is why I would be REALLY hesitant to go in the summer again. When we went in June 2010, it was rough - 95+ every day. We live in high heat, but that humidity is killer, and we just aren't used to it coming from CA. We loved it when we went in May 2013 and was less humid, rained less, and was no higher than the 80s.

I think heat is a bigger consideration than crowds, for what it's worth.

Price - We stay on property and fly from CA. Flight prices and hotel prices are a big concern, and are MUCH higher at holidays (especially Christmas!)

Options:
1) My October break, which is always the week before Columbus Day.

2) Thanksgiving week

3) Christmas (I have 2 weeks like most schools)

4) Spring break - I always have 2 weeks - the weeks before and after Easter

5) Summer - I'm out mid June until early August.

Opinions? Thoughts?

p.s. Please don't remind me of how wonderful off season is. I know. We went one year in May when I taught at a year round school. That's as "off season" as we'll ever get, and it'll never happen again. lol.

Thanks!

I'm a teacher too, and I'm totally jealous that you get a week off in October(I get nothing), a week off at Thanksgiving (I get 2 days) and 2 weeks at Spring Break (I get 1 week).

I took 2 days off and went for a long weekend (left Wed after school, had Thus, Fri, Sat, Sun, came back that night) the first weekend in December. That was probably the best trip weather and crowd wise. June and July were crowded and HOT! Week after Easter was pleasant weather wise, but was crowded. However, I did everything I wanted to do using rope drop, EMH, FP+ and touring plans. The level 10 crowds were really a non issue!

October would be awesome though!

 

[CynBeth]

Thanksgiving!!!