We have always gone in January/February. This was our first year to go in September. The crowds in both times were good. Not too busy. This will be the last year that we can go in the "off season". Our son start Highschool next year and since it he will be taking classes that will start to go on his transcript we cannot take him out of school to go. I don't want to wait four years before going back, but I also don't want huge crowds. What would be a good time of year to go without being during the school year.
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Question for those that have been in all seasons
- Thread starter glingo
- Start date
The Pauper
New Member
I agree that the weather during Spring Break is more tolerable, but the crowds are pretty big during that time. Lots of families come down here thinking that they'll get their WDW vacation in before the big crowds of summer. If you absolutely cannot get here during the school year, I would suggest the first week of summer vacation for your school year. The crowds do grow and peak late-June through July and begin to taper off (relatively speaking) by August. The last week of summer vacation is similarly less-crowded. The only thing is that at the end of summer vacation, you are dealing with heat, afternoon thunderstorms, and the threat of hurricanes.
As you experienced, September/October is a wonderful time to visit here. While you will certainly see more crowded parks the first week of summer vacation than you just saw, you still shouldn't feel so crowded as to not have fun.
As you experienced, September/October is a wonderful time to visit here. While you will certainly see more crowded parks the first week of summer vacation than you just saw, you still shouldn't feel so crowded as to not have fun.
tigsmom
Well-Known Member
Once our kids got a bit older (in 6th grade) we stopped taking them out of school and either went during the summer or Spring Break. If yours happens to fall the week after Easter (ours does this year) then it is usually a good time, not too crowded & The weather is still nice (not too hot or humid).
Monty
Brilliant...and Canadian
- In the Parks
- No
Our Spring Break seems to hit a crowded time. I've been twice the week before the Labour Day weekend and have found crowds tolerable but the weather oppressively hot and humid and it's hurricane season, though we've lucked out both trips and only got some heavy rains this year.
krankenstein
Well-Known Member
I would say late May/early June. May is an absolute fabulous time to go because the weather is almost perfect and crowds are low. I would not go during Spring Break. According to Touring Plans, Spring Break has the second highest crowd levels behind Christmas - New Years (Yes, higher than the 4th of July).
happymom52003
Active Member
I think the answer to your question will depend on exactly when your spring break and first/last day of school is since these dates vary throughout the country. For example, our spring break is early to mid March, so the crowds are not too bad (compared to other school holidays and summertime). But if your spring break is over Easter, it will be very crowded.
If crowd level is your top priority for planning your trip dates, you should take a look at the crowd prediction calendar on touringplans.com. They have a reputation for being pretty accurate.
You need access to the current edition of The Unoffical Guide to WDW to access the whole year, or you can pay a small membership fee. It has been well worth it for us, especially since after our next trip we also will be working around school holidays and summer break to plan our trips because it will get harder to take our son out of school for an entire week.
If crowd level is your top priority for planning your trip dates, you should take a look at the crowd prediction calendar on touringplans.com. They have a reputation for being pretty accurate.
You need access to the current edition of The Unoffical Guide to WDW to access the whole year, or you can pay a small membership fee. It has been well worth it for us, especially since after our next trip we also will be working around school holidays and summer break to plan our trips because it will get harder to take our son out of school for an entire week.
yankspy
Well-Known Member
That is very true. I went last year in the second week of March and it was not bad that bad. However, the next couple of weeks after that were very crowded according to some trip reports.
krankenstein
Well-Known Member
I probably should've clarified this in my previous post. I am basing my information on when the school system I work for has Spring Break this year. It could be entirely different for your system. I really suggest you subscribe to Touring Plans or buy The Unofficial Guide (which gets you access to the full calender).
Cliffordsmon
New Member
Since the whole state of Oklahoma goes on spring break the same week it is difficult to find reasonable air fares to Orlando for that week unless your start very early looking for deals. I have found that Fall break is a good time unless your child is involved in Fall sports or band. It is a short trip but there are lots of different events that are happening that time of year such as the Food and Wine Festival and Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween.
We have also found that going as soon as school is out is also a good time. Most Oklahoma schools are out before the rest of the country and you beat the summer crowds.
August is also not too bad. Being from Oklahoma you are already used to extreme heat and humidity so Orlando is not so bad. You just need to open the parks, take the afternoon off and then find a park to close.
We have also found that going as soon as school is out is also a good time. Most Oklahoma schools are out before the rest of the country and you beat the summer crowds.
August is also not too bad. Being from Oklahoma you are already used to extreme heat and humidity so Orlando is not so bad. You just need to open the parks, take the afternoon off and then find a park to close.
Check when your Christmas holiday is- you might be able to go just after New Years or the Dec 15-20 range.
I don't know how long you usually go, but check and see if there is a Monday off in school for like a teacher's planning day. You might be able to fly down on a Friday afternoon and leave Monday.
I don't know how long you usually go, but check and see if there is a Monday off in school for like a teacher's planning day. You might be able to fly down on a Friday afternoon and leave Monday.
RiversideBunny
New Member
Instead of Spring Break, go in early June as soon as you get out of school.
Early June is not bad.
Good luck.
Early June is not bad.
Good luck.
ClemsonTigger
Naturally Grumpy
I think no matter what, you have to resign yourself to the visit being a bit different. More crowded, hotter.....
With that said, we've gone over spring break for a number of years now due in part to spring traing at WW of Sports for softball or lacrosse....anyway, these weeks lately have been either the week before or week after Easter...busy, busy times. We've still managed to have a great time making sure that all dining and activity reservations are made well in advance and making sure to hit the parks first thing in the morning. You need to be more regimented for these visits which may or may not match your style, but that is the best way to get a fair amount accomplished.
Depending on when school is out in the spring, you may have a window of a few weeks where the crowds and the true summer weather have not hit yet. Otherwise summers, are very hot, humid, plan on daily showers and follow a pace like I suggested for Spring break.
Each season has certain special charm and challenges.
With that said, we've gone over spring break for a number of years now due in part to spring traing at WW of Sports for softball or lacrosse....anyway, these weeks lately have been either the week before or week after Easter...busy, busy times. We've still managed to have a great time making sure that all dining and activity reservations are made well in advance and making sure to hit the parks first thing in the morning. You need to be more regimented for these visits which may or may not match your style, but that is the best way to get a fair amount accomplished.
Depending on when school is out in the spring, you may have a window of a few weeks where the crowds and the true summer weather have not hit yet. Otherwise summers, are very hot, humid, plan on daily showers and follow a pace like I suggested for Spring break.
Each season has certain special charm and challenges.
rsoxguy
Well-Known Member
The early Spring and late Fall are always good times to visit when considering crowds and weather. Trying to go during traditional school holiday times usually means that thousands of other people are doing it with you. It will be difficult to avoid crowds during those times as a result. In Florida, June not only begins a summer of freedom from school, it also begins the hurricane season. This means the start of muggy heat mixed with afternoon thunderstorms (one just shut down my power as I was typing). Have you ever considered the weeks surrounding Christmas? The crowds are not small, but the decorations and entertainment are second to none. It's always my favorite. I hope that you have fun planning no matter what you decide!
tigsmom
Well-Known Member
But if school isn't over yet, they can't go since the OP doesn't want their child to miss classes.
The week leading up to Easter is very busy, but we have been there the week after Easter and the place was very quiet. It really depends on when Easter falls, this year it is almost the middle of April.
We have done this in the past. Leave late in the afternoon on a Thursday and fly home late Monday. It's a quick trip, but you can get a lot done with careful planning. :king:
Instead of Spring Break, go in early June as soon as you get out of school.
Early June is not bad.
Good luck.
Again, that is if school gets out in late May or early June. Our schools don't close until the end of June.
DizneyPryncess
Well-Known Member
From someone who goes to Disney every year at Spring Break - I can say without a doubt that you should avoid going at Spring Break, especially anywhere near Easter. There may be a few weeks that have tolerable crowds, but for the most part, it's not great. I was there this past July, and found it better than Spring Break (still awful though.)
Try the latest you can go in August. Late August is a great time to go. or even early June. My late August trip (and early december) were the best crowds that I encountered.
Try the latest you can go in August. Late August is a great time to go. or even early June. My late August trip (and early december) were the best crowds that I encountered.
krankenstein
Well-Known Member
The school district I work for lets out late May/early June. I don't know when the OP's district lets out b/c it was not included in her post. To give information to her I have to make an educated guess as to when school would be out. Knowing when summer vacation starts for me, I based my suggestion off the information at hand.
BTW, I actually went the week after we got out last year (in May), crowds were very manageable.
It depnends on your school year. Where we live, school still starts after Labor Day. Because so many schools start in late August, we have found that the last week in August, while still hot as [bleep], has much smaller crowds than the rest of the summer. Similarly, if your schools start early but end around May 20, as I know some do, the week before Memorial Day is not bad.
Otherwise, it's trying to find a break that lines up differently than many other schools. My high school had the entire week of President's Day off many years ago, and the crowds weren't bad. Spring break is handled differently in different places. I've noted that the week before Easter is more crowded than the week after. If your school's holiday break lasts longer than others, you may have the first week in January free, which generally has lower crowds.
But might I offer another suggestion. If you can't work it out to go a less crowded time, change your expectations and the focus of your trip. You are WDW veterans, so you don't have to hit every attraction every trip. I went at Xmas about 5 years ago, and we decided we'd just spend a lot of time enjoying the decorations, seeing the special shows and parades (Holidays Around the World, etc.), looking for hidden Mickeys, enjoying quiet spots in the parks, etc. Each day we'd get fastpasses for a few major attractions, see shows, and selectively hit rides that had smaller lines at the time or were fast-loaders (TTA, JIYI, etc.). We didn't experience nearly as many attractions as we do on most trips, but we still had a great time. And when the crowds just got so bad that we needed a break, we would head to a hotel and look at the decorations there.
Otherwise, it's trying to find a break that lines up differently than many other schools. My high school had the entire week of President's Day off many years ago, and the crowds weren't bad. Spring break is handled differently in different places. I've noted that the week before Easter is more crowded than the week after. If your school's holiday break lasts longer than others, you may have the first week in January free, which generally has lower crowds.
But might I offer another suggestion. If you can't work it out to go a less crowded time, change your expectations and the focus of your trip. You are WDW veterans, so you don't have to hit every attraction every trip. I went at Xmas about 5 years ago, and we decided we'd just spend a lot of time enjoying the decorations, seeing the special shows and parades (Holidays Around the World, etc.), looking for hidden Mickeys, enjoying quiet spots in the parks, etc. Each day we'd get fastpasses for a few major attractions, see shows, and selectively hit rides that had smaller lines at the time or were fast-loaders (TTA, JIYI, etc.). We didn't experience nearly as many attractions as we do on most trips, but we still had a great time. And when the crowds just got so bad that we needed a break, we would head to a hotel and look at the decorations there.
yankspy
Well-Known Member
So I guess what we need to know from the OP is when is spring break and when do Oklahoma schools end for the year. If they end as early as May then I could see going then. I have been down in May and it was nice. I would do as others suggested and check out touringplans, especially if you wish to consider spring break because the crowd level changes every year depending on when schools decide to have spring break each year. Many schools change from year to year. I just prefer the spring because I would rather wait an hour for splash in seventy degrees than ninety.
