Trying to avoid the crowds

[denisem5]

We're planning our 1st family vacation to disney for 2015. I want to avoid the crowds as mush as possible. We're looking to go the 2nd week in May or 2nd week in September. I would like to know which month has less crowds. Thank you

 

[Aliceacc]

This should help: http://www.easywdw.com/category/disneybest/besttime/

 

[denisem5]

Thank you

 

[Aliceacc]

Sorry I don't have any real advice; we're both teachers so we go over the summer

 

[denisem5]

We have 3 girls 20, 17& 8 so we'll be taking them out of school/college. I'm afraid this will be our last family vacation together just the 5 of us so I want to try and do as much as possible. That's why I thought it would be best to go when there is less of a crowd.

 

[Lincolnshire]

Not what you asked, but: Would 2nd week of May conflict with your college kid's finals? That's right when mine always were.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Are the 17 and 20 year ok with missing HS and college? We pulled our older DS though middle school. but no way could be miss a week in HS and collage would have been even more impossible. Both of those weeks are good crowd wise if you can make it work for the kids. We have yet to find a great time with HS/collage age kids. We did our last trip together the 1st week of January before he went back to school and it was quite crowded. The last trip, collage DS had to miss.

Other ideas might be Fall breaks or a long MLK week-end or the first week everyone is out for summer, or the last week before they go back to school in the fall. Good luck. Not judging you pulling the kids, but just reflecting what we have not been able to do.

 

[denisem5]

My oldest last class is May 6th. So our plan was to leave may 10th. The HS student gets out the very end of May so it shouldn't interfere with her finals either. My oldest doesn't get a fall break and the HS student is my step daughter and lives an hr away so her spring break is different than ours. This is probably the hardest part of planning this trip. Trying to get a date that works for everyone.

 

[denisem5]

Thank you guys for all the advice I'm so ready to start planning our trip!!

 

[kohlby]

Sept will likely be hotter, more humid, and more rainy - and chance of hurricanes. But, I would wager a guess that the crowds will be lower. There are schools that get out at the start of May around here - though far more don't until mid-May. I would think that Sept will be low crowds and the week in May you're considering would be low-to-moderate crowds as long as you're staying away from Star Wars weekend and not getting into the third week of May.

MLK weekend has much higher crowds. And though I think Sept is your best bet for lower crowds, I wouldn't do it if meant pulling both out of school. I'd go with May and enjoy the lower crowds at the start of your week and have a plan to deal with any higher crowds at the end of your week.

Make sure the child who will miss school checked with the school/district. There are some very strict ones - like my state will not graduate a child who misses 5 days(block scheduling) of school in one semester in high school unexcused. (Vacations are unexcused. Even illness is unless there's a drs note. This is a state law, so our public schools don't have wiggle room). Even if your state isn't strict, pulling for high school is a major thing, even when finals are not involved. I would have not wanted to miss a week of school at that age. So discuss it with the child too, not just the school. Otherwise, go as soon as the high school year ends. It will be moderate crowds, not high then, as many kids are still in school in June.

 

[footballmouse]

We've gone both weeks that you're looking at. Either week will be fine. In Sept. you've missed the crowds and in May, you're getting there before the crowds come in. Last Sept we didn't do rope drop at any park, got to each one around 10 am and didn't really need any fast passes. We walked on a lot of rides. EE, RnR & ToT we would get off and get right back in line maybe waiting 2 turns.

I think both were comparable for the weather. I know Sept is more of a chance for hurricanes but we had very little rain if any going early Sept.

Last time we went in Sept free dining was offered, can't remember if it's offered in May.

 

[SWofDisorder]

We usually go at the end of September for F&W, MNSSHP and my birthday. All I can say is that is has been so hot and humid. We had to go get beer at noon in Epcot to try to stay cool. I don't when the best time to go is but we now try to avoid the high temps.

 

[jess1662]

We've gone both weeks that you're looking at. Either week will be fine. In Sept. you've missed the crowds and in May, you're getting there before the crowds come in. Last Sept we didn't do rope drop at any park, got to each one around 10 am and didn't really need any fast passes. We walked on a lot of rides. EE, RnR & ToT we would get off and get right back in line maybe waiting 2 turns. I think both were comparable for the weather. I know Sept is more of a chance for hurricanes but we had very little rain if any going early Sept. Last time we went in Sept free dining was offered, can't remember if it's offered in May.

This has been our experience in September too (we have been 4 times in Sept)

 

[brockash]

Sept will likely be hotter, more humid, and more rainy - and chance of hurricanes. But, I would wager a guess that the crowds will be lower. There are schools that get out at the start of May around here - though far more don't until mid-May. I would think that Sept will be low crowds and the week in May you're considering would be low-to-moderate crowds as long as you're staying away from Star Wars weekend and not getting into the third week of May.

MLK weekend has much higher crowds. And though I think Sept is your best bet for lower crowds, I wouldn't do it if meant pulling both out of school. I'd go with May and enjoy the lower crowds at the start of your week and have a plan to deal with any higher crowds at the end of your week.

Make sure the child who will miss school checked with the school/district. There are some very strict ones - like my state will not graduate a child who misses 5 days(block scheduling) of school in one semester in high school unexcused. (Vacations are unexcused. Even illness is unless there's a drs note. This is a state law, so our public schools don't have wiggle room). Even if your state isn't strict, pulling for high school is a major thing, even when finals are not involved. I would have not wanted to miss a week of school at that age. So discuss it with the child too, not just the school. Otherwise, go as soon as the high school year ends. It will be moderate crowds, not high then, as many kids are still in school in June.

Out of curiosity, what state do you live in? I want to be sure we never move there and let my extended family know as well. Most everyone I know take their kids out of school for a week or so each yr, so for us this would really be a deal breaker.

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

I am a college student. We are taking a trip to WDW this upcoming Sept (10-16). It is MUCH easier to miss classes towards the beginning of a semester (ie: Sept) than the end (ie: May). May is bad news, this is when they will have final exams!

I would opt for early September and make sure they discuss the absences with the professor on the first day of class AND follow up with an email to the professor. Also make sure they do any work due BEFORE hand as professors will typically accept early work but will rarely (only in cases of health emergencies) accept late work.

 

[denisem5]

My college students last class will be May 6th so our plan is to leave on the 10th. The other 2 won't get out till June 1st. We have all year school here. Our schools are also flexible about taking them out for a vacation. My girls hardly ever miss school and they're honor students so I'm not worried about them missing a week of classes. I will make sure my HS student will not miss any finals. I just know that we probably won't go back for a few years so I want to enjoy our time together not fighting the crowd or heat. Thanks for everyone's help I think we have decided to go in May