When to go?

[ClemmyIndyBambi]

I have to cancel my December trip. I'm so frustrated right now with my job. When I was hired I was told one thing by my "main" boss that would allow me to be gone at the beginning of December. Now, my boss (who is under the person who told me I could do the thing that would allow me to be gone), has told me no. She doesn't know I already had permission from her boss to do it, but I don't want to cause drama because I'm hoping to get a full-time position here in the future. I never had it in writing, and I wanted it in writing from my boss, clearly I should've just asked the person who told me yes to begin with. But, it's a common practice so I thought nothing of it. The worst part is I'll make less working this job (it's a contract job for 4 months) than my trip would even cost. So... no more December trip. No more celebrating Christmas at Disney. No more ADR's that I spent forever fighting for... ugh. Anyway, now we're going to shift the trip to spring/summer 17. I can go anytime between May-August. I've gone in August in 07 and July in 08, and I did not like the heat or the crowds. I've not gone in June since 98, but I don't remember it being miserably hot. I don't think I've ever gone in May. So if you had this window to go, when would you go? What's going on during this time that might be fun to see (since I won't get to see Christmas stuff)?

 

[Alesia]

I would pick May over any other month of the year. I would go as early as possible, but even late May is great.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I would pick May over any other month of the year. I would go as early as possible, but even late May is great.

Butting in to say that's awesome about late May. Once my kid reaches middle school we are going to start going end of May-early June.

 

[mister morrow]

I would go late August or May.

late August (last week) is very light crowds, but very hot.

may is the perfect time; the crowds aren't too bad, if you go the right time you won't see any lines above 60. Also it's not too hot and not too cold

 

[Cynister]

I love May. It is probably my favorite time to go, particularly early May because it generally isn't super hot yet, you get F&G, & crowds are lower.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

The most uncomfortable trip - heat wise - I ever took was in early MAY. I've gone in every month except June. By August, I'm acclimated to heat. May heat and crowds threw me for a loop!

If OP doesn't like heat, I'd advise going earlier.

In Spring, Epcot has the Flower Festival. If you've never seen it, it is worth seeing. At the other end, September has the Food and Wine Festival, but also heat and hurricane season.

All seasons have pros and cons. Spring typically offers ideal weather! The spring holidays get crowded- especially the two weeks around Easter+ higher prices. If you can manage late night hours, then even more crowded times of year aren't a huge deal. If you are all about rides, only rides, and can't/won't stay up late, then parts of spring may be a bit too popular for you. When crowds go up , MK hours get extended.

But spring is popular for a good reason. It offers nearly ideal weather!

After a drab winter, sunny days and greenery are just wonderful. Even outside of Epcot's garden festival, all of WDW is beautifully landscaped! To me makes spring one of the best times to visit.

Always though...WDW prices are a balance between: holidays, expected crowds, weather. If the week you want is expensive- anticipate one of those being true. If the week you want is inexpensive- there's a reason.

 

[clutter]

The most uncomfortable trip - heat wise - I ever took was in early MAY. I've gone in every month except June. By August, I'm acclimated to heat. May heat and crowds threw me for a loop!

If OP doesn't like heat, I'd advise going earlier.

In Spring, Epcot has the Flower Festival. If you've never seen it, it is worth seeing. At the other end, September has the Food and Wine Festival, but also heat and hurricane season.

All seasons have pros and cons. Spring typically offers ideal weather! The spring holidays get crowded- especially the two weeks around Easter+ higher prices. If you can manage late night hours, then even more crowded times of year aren't a huge deal. If you are all about rides, only rides, and can't/won't stay up late, then parts of spring may be a bit too popular for you. When crowds go up , MK hours get extended.

But spring is popular for a good reason. It offers nearly ideal weather!

After a drab winter, sunny days and greenery are just wonderful. Even outside of Epcot's garden festival, all of WDW is beautifully landscaped! To me makes spring one of the best times to visit.

Always though...WDW prices are a balance between: holidays, expected crowds, weather. If the week you want is expensive- anticipate one of those being true. If the week you want is inexpensive- there's a reason.

Was that 2003? I've never experienced heat like that since, and I've been in June, July, August. I think you can just hit a heat wave anytime, just like you can hit a cold spell in the winter (and I've had that happen, too!).

 

[mshanson3121]

This is just me, but if you had already had permission to do this, and you've already got things booked etc... and you're actually making less money doing this contract than your trip would cost you - I'd be doing everything I can to go on the trip. I would have a meeting with the two bosses and discuss it, that's not creating drama, that's just having a grown up conversation. There's no harm in at least trying, and a lot to be gained.

 

[ClemmyIndyBambi]

It looks like May

This is just me, but if you had already had permission to do this, and you've already got things booked etc... and you're actually making less money doing this contract than your trip would cost you - I'd be doing everything I can to go on the trip. I would have a meeting with the two bosses and discuss it, that's not creating drama, that's just having a grown up conversation. There's no harm in at least trying, and a lot to be gained.

If it was a job I did not care about I probably would. I've told bosses before I'd quit if they did not let me go to WDW. The only thing is that the contract overall is worth a lot of money. It's just specifically this part of the job (that is the reason I can't go) that's not worth much money. It's kind of complex to explain, but it's a contract job in education and the reason I have to stay is because the semester is not technically over, even though I'm done with everything prior to leaving, except this one thing that was added on (that I agreed to prior to realizing it would prevent me from going). I don't want to say too much, because I don't want my boss to read my post (and figure out who I am) and think I'm complaining, because I'm really privileged to have the job in the first place. There are people in my field who are unemployed with PhD's so I don't want to risk losing opportunities. Especially, because I want to see if I can get a full-time position there in the future. I am waiting to cancel for a few months, because I am holding out hope I can think of a way to bring up this subject and find a way to make it all work out in the end.

It looks like May is a popular choice. I've never been to Flower and Garden. What is the heat and humidity like in May? Can anyone give me a comparison to the crowds of September or October? That's been when we've been typically going for the last few years.

 

[Candycane83]

OP, I'm in the same boat as you (booked hotels and ADRs and ready to go in December but may have to cancel to due a personal issue). Don't feel too bad. It's an important job and wdw will still be there for the next trip. My next plan is to go in May as well!

 

[Thing2008]

I went during late September 2009 and it had to be the best trips I have ever taken. All rides had a literal 5 minute wait ALL day. I was such a great experience we got to do all the rides at MK. Sadly we only stayed two nights so we couldn't experience anything else on property but it had to be the same all over.

 

[DexLabDeeDee]

I've been in May twice, both times early May. I've been in Sept many many times. It's usually hot in May compared to what is going on in the Northern states but cooler than Sept. I think it just seems hotter because we are coming off of the cold cold months.

I would say that the crowds in May are comparable to Sept. Maybe a little heavier. And I've heard that, like Sept, they start to get heavier as the month goes on. But nothing like Spring Break or summer.

I'd go for May for sure. In fact, I'm also going early May 2017. Flower and Garden is really great. Lately I've heard reviews that the food kiosks are better than Food and Wine.

Good luck with still trying to make Dec. Maybe an opening will present itself and you can somehow get out of working!

 

[Cynister]

It looks like May


If it was a job I did not care about I probably would. I've told bosses before I'd quit if they did not let me go to WDW. The only thing is that the contract overall is worth a lot of money. It's just specifically this part of the job (that is the reason I can't go) that's not worth much money. It's kind of complex to explain, but it's a contract job in education and the reason I have to stay is because the semester is not technically over, even though I'm done with everything prior to leaving, except this one thing that was added on (that I agreed to prior to realizing it would prevent me from going). I don't want to say too much, because I don't want my boss to read my post (and figure out who I am) and think I'm complaining, because I'm really privileged to have the job in the first place. There are people in my field who are unemployed with PhD's so I don't want to risk losing opportunities. Especially, because I want to see if I can get a full-time position there in the future. I am waiting to cancel for a few months, because I am holding out hope I can think of a way to bring up this subject and find a way to make it all work out in the end.

It looks like May is a popular choice. I've never been to Flower and Garden. What is the heat and humidity like in May? Can anyone give me a comparison to the crowds of September or October? That's been when we've been typically going for the last few years.

I've been during different times in May & there's typically a big difference between early May (1st week or 2) vs mid-to-late May. Early May is very pleasant typically in the low-to-mid 80s. Nights are typically in the 70s but can get enough for a sweatshirt in the high 60s at times. Crowds are not bad at all (maybe a 4-5 out of 10) unless you're at F&G on a weekend & then it is high. Late May is hotter. It will be high 80s & I've experienced low 90s then too. The increase in heat increases the likelihood of a regular afternoon thunderstorm. They don't last terribly long though. Nights will be in the high 70s-low 80s. Humidity is there but not as bad as July -August.

 

[ClemmyIndyBambi]

Well.... I am now getting excited about a May trip. I'm thinking May 8-16, with a split stay between the Contemporary and Boardwalk. I'm trying to decide if I should just cancel my December trip, and not hold out hope December may miraculously happen, so I can use the money I've put into that for the May trip. It also gives me more time to save, so the trip can be even more special.

 

[Silvermist999]

Another vote for May! All four of our trips have been in mid-late May. We love the warm/hot! temps because often times it's still cool/rainy where we live! Also, we've been so lucky to have nothing more than a brief shower a couple days out of all our trips. It's mostly sunny and dry, I'll be sad when we won't be able to go in May since we won't want to take our kids out of school in the higher grades.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

We have been in May several times - the earlier in the month, the better the crowds and weather. You'll have a great time.

 

[Magical2017]

May sounds nice. My work schedule has me off during the summer as well as the month of January. Since DH refuses to go again during the summer months, that leaves January. We try to find a holiday that is paired with a teacher professional development day to minimize the time our kids are out of school. This year we are traveling with friends. Everyone said they would rather wait in line in cool weather than hot weather. It has always been much warmer at Disney in January than at home so it feels like spring to us, even if it is 40 degrees. We have been lucky and the kids have been able to swim on both January trips.