What determines when YOU visit WDW???

[daannzzz]

My first trip to WDW I picked to go in the first part of May after reading guide books and online boards because I wanted to go when there wasn't any chance of it being cold but it wasn't super hot yet. It was 96 every day and locals said that was abnormal for May!!! (Subsequent trips have mostly show this to be true). I wanted a time when it wasn't going to be really crowded and since no children were involved we didn't need to go during a holiday. It is my favorite time to go, particularly for the Flower and Garden festival. I have done one trip in January (to cold at night) and one in August which was kind of like my very first trip!!!.

 

[dvc guy]

We have 2 school age children and we usually go over Christmas week. I thought there would be more Christmas week people. They show up ever year.

We are DVC members so we are at WDW about once a year. We love to get out of the cold and the energy & buzz is great at that time. We are never in a hugh rush to see that next ride, because we willl be back. The late park hours are great and I have to drag the kids out as they yell for one more ride on SM.

 

[Blueberry]

Now the kids are grown and gone it is my work schedule that determines when we go..DHs schedule is much more flexible than mine and there are certian times of the year no time off is allowed....

We like to go in Sept, December or very early May...

 

[Ecdubfan]

We have found the last week in August to be very amenable for travelling. Still summer yet much lighter crowds. Schools here don't go back until the day after labor day. We have been willing to take the kids out of school too, but as they age we will likely limit that behavior. Anytime that an opportunity presents itself, though, we hid to WDW. So far we have travelled to WDW in July, August, Feb, March, and May.

 

[mazzarafe]

My 2 DD's are still in elementary school (K, 4th) so we can take them out of school without much trouble. I always ask DD's teacher for work and all they've had was a few math pages and always a journal of her trip for the class to enjoy. Now that DH is teaching 3 nights a week we have to go during his modules as he calls them. We have gone the first week of December twice and love that time of year. The decorations are breathtaking. This year DH only has Christmas week off, so we are going down from December 18-23 to get back in time for Christmas.

 

[Local_Girl]

Though I had gone years before a few times during the spring, summer and fall, our first time as a family with DH, DS and DD was 6 years ago when the kids were toddlers...in early May. The heat and humidity were oppressive that trip--so much so, that I don't remember much of anything else! It took me 5 years to convince DH to go back to WDW! Our second trip was last Nov/Dec. The weather was cool, the crowds were non-existent, and being off-season, the rates were reasonable. We loved it! This year we are returning in December! We really like the cooler weather and the lower crowds, even though this time we may be there during part of Christmas week.

 

[Minniespal]

We have always went in July or August but this year we are going in October and November so that we can do MNSSHP and F&W Festival.

 

[kdibattista]

If it's offseason, we're there!!!! Normally the week after Labor because it has been described as the least crowded week of the year but we wanted to see the Christmas lights without the crowds so we are going mid December this year. I would take ride closures, shorter hours and iffy weather over crowds anyday!!!! We have always been fortunate with the weather and closures though.

 

[goofyernmost]

When my kids were in school, I would go in late February during our northern mid-winter school vacations.

Now that they are grown and married I go in late February/early March to get out of the northern winters.

Some people go in the off season so it won't be hot...I go in the off season so it will be hot, comparitively! Also I find that time if year, even though it is off season, is busier then other off season times. I like the feel that something is happening and the crowds are just big enough to make it feel that way.

 

[eleanor]

WE are retired and usually go when I cant stand the cold anymore. This year it was the end of Mar. for 2 weeks. WE also like to go the first week of Dec. I love the christmas decorations. Summer is never an option. It is our best weather of the year.

 

[PrincessAurora]

Off season of late October - February, early March. They are the only times I have free and want to beat the heat, higher prices and the major crowds.

 

[heart4dis]

so we are choosing the time that (according to all the guidebooks and DisBoard experts) is the least crowded: the time between T-giving and Christmas. When deciding between that time and the Fall, we chose Dec. for the weather (less chance of rain).

I tell people we homeschool so we can go to WDW whenever we want (LOL). Obviously as you see below, our children have not gone yet. This will be their first trip (ages 7, 8, 10, 11).

 

[ncbyrne]

Our kids are grown and now our grandkids are just the right age for WDW trips. The timing of our trips, depends on who is going. If it's just DH and me, we like to go in early May, or the week after Labor Day. I like September better, because most people who take their kids out of school, don't do it just when school begins. If we take the grandkids, we go during school vacations.
We won't go in the dead of winter, because Typhoon Lagoon is a MUST!

 

[Emy'sMom]

DH & I love to go in the Fall (Sep or Oct). We honeymooned in WDW in October '91 and we've taken DD to WDW every year in the Fall since she was 3. We are going again this October but DD (6 now) will miss 3 days of First Grade (she has 2 days off for a Fall Break). The school district we are in now is pretty lenient when it comes to days missed for vacation. However, we are building a house in a school district that is VERY strict about missing school for vacations. We will be moving in November so this is the last year for Fall vacations for a while. This new school district also has a 2 day Fall Break so we can always do a long weekend trip I guess.

DH & I have discussed it and we are going to try WDW in the summer next year. Because of work schedules we'll probably go either mid to late June or last week of July. We'll give it a shot and see how it goes.

Debbie

 

[tc]

We love September. Our kids are grown, so we don't have to worry about school breaks. September is still hot enough to know you're in Florida, but there are no crowds. We took our kids Jan 1-7 this year, but would have rather been there when it was warmer. I aslo missed the regular music, as they were still playing Christmas music. I didn't like that after Christmas. We also buy AP's, and like to hit two trips on one pass. After this September (3 trips on one AP), we will not go again until May 2005. I want to see the Flower and Garden show at Epcot and it will be our 25th Wedding anniversary. I am already dreading the long 20 months between trips.

 

[snowsdad]

We went in October 2001 to beat the crowds and heat, but fell in love with MNSSHP and F&W Festival (and the golf tourney for me). I think DD5 now thinks of Halloween as a Disney holiday, she might be very disappointed to "just" go trick-or-treating at home!

 

[candykisses]

We would rather visit during the fall months, but our oldest son can't be out of school for two weeks. We have started going in August.

 

[Spartan]

Our son just turned 3, so for us we pick pretty much any time of year we want. We used to do mostly September trips, and spending lots of time in the water parks with no crowds was great, but having the parks close when it was still daylight always bummed me out. We're doing our second early December trip this year, and hope we can get at least a little pool time. When our kid(s) get older, we'll probably start planning around them and see how the summer or Xmas week work out. Until then, we'll enjoy the low crowds and cheap(er) prices.

 

[DisneyShack]

With pre-schoolers, our WDW vacations are during times of the year when attendance is low. Our last trip (which was first with the kids) was in May. We are planning to go back next December. I like touring the parks at ease and taking a mid-day break.

When the kids get to school age, things will change and we will adjust - anything to keep going to WDW!!!

 

[DisneyShack]

BTW -- Spartan I assume you are an MSU grad. I graduated from State in 90.