When do you think is the best time of year to visit WDW?

[hopetoseedisney]

I've searched the posts, and seen many regarding weather, holidays, crowds, and etc. Everyone had an opinion for the particular month.....but I'm still not sure. So, what would you recommend, and why? The things that are throwing me off are: weather (don't really want to worry about hurricane season, and don't want to carry winter coats either), holidays or special events (we don't care about these, but would prefer to avoid high traffic areas/times), and waiting in lines (I've read many different perceptions of how long people waited in line in some months, and others who say there was no crowd at all). We want to go in the value season, and we are looking at mid to late September or the week right before Thanksgiving. I need to make a decision before Monday because my dh has to put in for his vacation time. Thanks.

 

[JetMom]

If those are your choices, I would go with September. We usually go in early October and the weather is beautiful and the crowds are light. I think the crowds might start building the week before Thanksgiving.

 

[susy]

If I had my choice, it would be the week after Thanksgiving. Decorations are up, crows are low, weather can be iffy (cold, warm). It is usually comfortable, though.

 

[MichaelH]

Mid to late September is a good time. The crowds are not to bad since the kids are in school. The lines should to be to bad for the rides and the weather would be nice also.

However, I would not go the week before Thanksgiving. I would wait and go the week after. My wife and I have been a couple of times the week after Thanksgiving and it is great. We leave the Saturday after Thanksgiving and stay till the next saturday. If you go the week before, it will probably be crowded, because people usually get there the week before and leave the weekend after Thanksgiving. Another big plus about the week after Thanksgiving, as susy mentioned, the Christmas decorations are up.

Hope that helps some.

 

[DisneyVirginia]

Wow!!! Wish I could go in the fall, as I use to when my boys were small. The weather in October and early November is really beautiful. Do you want to go during the food and wine festival at EPCOT (October 18 through November 16)? That is a lot of fun. I would avoid Soap Opera Weekend in November (date not yet posted), unless of course you want to meet the daytime stars. For my tastes, WDW is a little chilly once December rolls around, but previous post is right on--Christmas decorations are wonderful, especially without the crowds. Have the best of vacations, what ever you decide!!!

 

[SpikeLover]

Early December...wonderful decorations, we've always had decent weather & the crowds are low.

 

[Princess49]

We've been there for New Years Eve, twice-- it's NUTS!!! And on New Years eve in epcot we were FREEZING!!!! I'm from NY & we had winter coats on WDW was sold out of gloves & hats- you couldn't even buy a blanket in Mexico or Norway...they were all out it was 30 degree...bbbrrrr!! I wouldn't go at that time although the decorations are beautiful & the holiday hours & events are fun! And we've been for Spring Break/ Easter time also nuts! You spend your whole day waiting for a fast pass time & waiting on other lines- even with PS you have to wait at restaurants- And it was very hot- I can't imagine FL in the dead of summer becuase early april we were ROASTING!....now I'll tell you this much- the opinion that I just gave you is a new one. I never realized how many people are there during the holiday times, that was when I could go because I teach and that was all there was to it. But this year I took two weeks off in January. We paid the same that we did for one week for two because the hotels & airfare were so much cheaper. We went on January 3, I think schools went back soon after. The parks were empty- where we had waited for 2 hours on a line you were literally running through. On some rides the CMs just asked if you wanted to ride again & you didnt even have to get off!! The weather was nice- in between I'd say- the mornings & evenings were chilly but the afternoons were bright & sunny. It was warmer in the parks than at the hotel- from the breeze of of the lake I suppose. But we did everything you could think of--- a hundred times!! We have a picture that was taken on main st in MK smack in the middle of the day & there is ONE other person in the picture- it's almost creepy One thing about this time of year is actually how FEW people there were- we did a bunch of character meals, for example Ohana at the POLY and it was really cute but we were one of maybe 5 families in the whole place so theres wasn't much for the characters to interact with- I think Goofy & Chip sat staring at my boyfriend for about 10 min because there was nothing else to do! I would really love to go back when there's more people. Another downfall about this time of year I'd say is that the parks aren't open as late, not that you need them to be, you could walk into MGM at 11am & do every attraction there in a couple of hours, but at by 7pm the only park open is Epcot & by 9 not even that, but this may be normal the parks are open till about midnight during the holidays. I loved it- we're going in September this time, not a ghost town, but not holiday time- we'll see about the weather. I would love to go the week after Thanksgiving but it's too much to take off of work- hey you never know maybe I'll convince by boyfriend to go again- we bought APs becuase of the length of our trip in JAN...that's why he said yes to this time maybe another before the year is up!!! Whenever you go- you'll love it- even with all the crowds- it was amazing- that's why we keep going back!

 

[jmminarik]

Originally posted by susy
crows are low, weather can be iffy (cold, warm).

But the dozens of gulls dive bombing the people with fries at the mcdonald's stand between Adventure Land and Frontier land makes up for the low crow volume.

Rule of thumb is that anytime kids are in school and disney's not running some promotion (like the soap thing) is a good time to go. We prefer early december for the low crowds and decorations (and low DVC point costs). We don't mind if it's too cool to swim...we usually have our own hottub.

Hope this helps,
Joe
p.s. Please don't feed the seagulls.

 

[Princess49]

Joe-- you are SOO right about the seagulls- In January...low crowds...I had an icecream bar in Tomorrow Land and I was walking under the TTA a seagull flew down & KNOCKED it right out of my hand, the icecream flewabout 10 feet before it landed! I jumped onto my boyfriend & of courseI start crying, as about 25 more of them flew to feast on my fallen snack! That was SCARY! (the CM whom I bought the bar from gave me another one, free of charge- I think she felt bad for me I was quite hysterical!)

 

[hopetoseedisney]

Uh-oh. Dh called and said the week he got off for vacation was October 13-17th........of course, it will end up being nine days total, but we're driving from Kentucky, so we will probably spend four days at the parks.....thinking of trying for tickets to MNSSHP....but not sure if it will be worth it...the week we are going they will have it on a Tuesday and Thursday....
did we pick a decent time for our trip??? I'm getting more excited as this is becoming more of a reality that we are really going for the first time ever....I feel like a big kid!!!

 

[FreshTressa]

YES YES YES!!!

That is my favorite time of year. The weather is too iffy in Dec. and january for me.

We went during that time and had perfect weather, it was during the food and wind festival, which was fun to watch. The lines were short, less than 5 minutes and no real need for the fastpass.

Only bad things I remember were the bugs, and the fact that some of the parks close early, AK as early as 5. But that kind of forced us to take it easy! Pack some repellant.

You are going to have a blast!!!!

 

[FreshTressa]

Hmm, was that slip on purpose??

I meant the food and WINE festival!

 

[hopetoseedisney]

Nope....not due to the food and wine festival, because we're first timers and didn't even consider the special happenings.....and besides, we don't drink. But, I'm glad to hear that the weather will possibly be nice. And, thanks for the tip about bringing repellant. I'll have to remember that because my dd is a mosquito magnet for some reason......and her bites get great big and red. Thanks.

 

[debbiebutcher]

We have just had our first visit ..first 2 weeks in January....perfect..its true that the weather can be a bit iffy...in terms of temps but the only rain we saw in 2 weeks was on NYE when we and thousands others were drowned at Epcot. Once NYE was over..and yep you have never seen anything like the crowds at Epcot...one hour queue for burger and chips..there was no one around..We too have pics of our boys at MGM with no one else in the picture..FREAKY...it was almost like a ghost town. We wanted to make our first trip special and being there for NYE made it so..but its fair to say that we wont do that again...now that we have experienced all the parks we are planning our next trip...easter 2004..I know the crowds may be up but we are not planning any park days...just other things like KSC and the coastal areas of clearwater etc...if anyone has any good recommendations I would love to hear them. We are planning a fly drive, travelling independently.