Value Season -- low crowds?

[RedSox68]

I'm sure this is somewhere in this forum, but I could not find it.

We are thinking of taking my daughter and friend to WDW next year for her birthday. We were thinking of sometime in March, April or early May.

I'd appreciate any heads up information as far as when the best time is to get good pricing (value) and the least crowds. I know to avoid any spring break or Easter weeks.

Thanks much.

 

[Bubblegum1286]

Disney's done a good job over the years of filling in the "gaps" in their seasons by adding things like the food and wine festival or the flower and garden festival. So even the down times aren't as low crowds as they used to be, but it's nothing compared to the crowds at Christmas. Generally, the low times are January- after New Years- thru February, and then most of September. Early March -before spring breaks hit- won't be too bad. I've been in April, and it wasn't the slowest time of year, but it also wasn't the worst, and you should check daily crowd calendars to see where the crowds are likely to be on each day. Just because it's considered a high crowd day doesn't mean it will be in every park. The food and wine festivals will draw more crowds to Epcot on certain days, whereas the Disney marathon will run through MK.

We're planning our next trip for September 2017 because I really want to experience Disney World during (alleged) lowest crowd times.

 

[minnie mum]

Have a look at this overview at easywdw.com:
http://www.easywdw.com/easy/disneybest/disney-world-calendar-of-crowds-cost-weather-events/

Josh does a good analysis of several factors you need to consider when planning your trip dates. Read through each month that you're interested. He'll suggest which weeks are the least crowded. And these also tend to be the least expensive- for that month. And please realize that least crowded just about never means UNcrowded.

 

[Kimly]

There hasn't been a slow season in over two years.

 

[CaoilinnsMom]

I am not sure when Easter is next year but I would stay away from the 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after. Usually late April and early May to mid May would be the best of the times that you suggested.

 

[RedSox68]

Thank you all. We've been many times before, but always in the Fall or at Christmas. I know there is a flower and garden show sometime during that time frame. When does the marathon run?

 

[RedSox68]

Is it true that WDW won't be offering free dining anymore?

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

It is hard to avoid Spring Break during those months. The Spring Break season starts the 2nd week of March and runs until the week after Easter. Now that DD is at the age where pulling her out of school for a vacation just isn't an option, we're resigned to doing more planning to combat more crowded parks.

Wow - just looked and realized how late Easter is next year. I would look at the 1st week in March or the last full week in April. May just starts getting so hot that I wouldn't enjoy it as much.

 

[RedSox68]

It is hard to avoid Spring Break during those months. The Spring Break season starts the 2nd week of March and runs until the week after Easter. Now that DD is at the age where pulling her out of school for a vacation just isn't an option, we're resigned to doing more planning to combat more crowded parks.

Wow - just looked and realized how late Easter is next year. I would look at the 1st week in March or the last full week in April. May just starts getting so hot that I wouldn't enjoy it as much.

Thank you! Yes, I just looked at Easter for next year and that skews everything. I know spring breaks are usually two weeks before and two weeks after Easter, so looks like next year early March or late February may be our best bet. You're right, I don't want to go when it gets hotter.

 

[AshleeH]

Low crowds are a thing of the past - you'll run into Spring Break crowds during just about any of those months, but as long as you avoid the weeks surrounding Easter, it will be tolerable.

 

[andiraye]

We've gone the last two Septembers. Two years ago mid-September and last year the week leading up to Labor Day. The ride waits were low and lots of rides - even rides like space mountain - were walk on before 11. We found ourself just tossing away FP's in two tier parks. We were also careful to use a crowd calendar and take advantage of rope drop so I'm sure that helped some. But I would never call the parks crowded at that time. However, it was HOT Labor Day week and rainy later in September.

 

[RedSox68]

Low crowds are a thing of the past - you'll run into Spring Break crowds during just about any of those months, but as long as you avoid the weeks surrounding Easter, it will be tolerable.

We went down for my birthday in December twice -- in 2008 it was a dream -- second week of December and no crowds. In 2014, however, it was overwhelming. The most crowds I have ever seen -- could barely get around in Epcot on any day. The least crowded day was Animal Kingdom, but we had never experienced such a volume, so now it looks like December at any time is not a good time

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Aside from possibly the 1st week or so of September, WDW is packed all of the time now. Even February was insane - ALL of the crowd calendars got it wrong & a lot of people were shocked. Honestly, the crowd levels seem to be getting dangerous...

 

[minnie mum]

Honestly, the crowd levels seem to be getting dangerous...

Uncomfortable? Yes. Unpleasant? Yes. Dangerous? No. The parks crowd capacity limits are set by the Fire Marshall (among others). When crowds reach those limits (and they do several times every year), the parks begin phased closures at the gates.

 

[WDWNY]

I usually go the week of Presidents Day, this year I went the 3rd week of January and the crowds were significantly lower. Hotels and flights were also cheaper then!

 

[RedSox68]

I usually go the week of Presidents Day, this year I went the 3rd week of January and the crowds were significantly lower. Hotels and flights were also cheaper then!

Was it really cold in January? I thought President's week was one of the high volume weeks. Thanks

 

[WDWNY]

It wasn't really cold in my opinion. We usually had short sleeves and a hoodie on during the day (just a t-shirt would of been fine for some of the days) and had a light jacket for the night. I remember one night it was 50 degrees and we were freezing but we went on Splash Mountain anyway because there was no wait. It was similar to the weather in February, I always need to add a layer at night. However, there was one year we went in February and it was FREEZING the entire trip and it wasn't pleasant.

 

[sharonabe]

Is it true that WDW won't be offering free dining anymore?

Chatter is they are doing all they can to "wean" us off it...fewer dates, more requirements, fewer resorts, fewer rooms within those resorts...and all those decreasing each year. You won't see free dining in the time frame you are talking about going, but you MIGHT see the Stay/Play/Dine offer if you can move to Jan/Feb as that has been an offer for the past couple years.

 

[RedSox68]

Chatter is they are doing all they can to "wean" us off it...fewer dates, more requirements, fewer resorts, fewer rooms within those resorts...and all those decreasing each year. You won't see free dining in the time frame you are talking about going, but you MIGHT see the Stay/Play/Dine offer if you can move to Jan/Feb as that has been an offer for the past couple years.

Is that the same as free dining (more or less)?

 

[sharonabe]

Is that the same as free dining (more or less)?

It's not as good of a discount as free dining, but it's better than nothing. It's some kind of combination discount on the room, tickets, and dining that's much harder to define.