Best time to visit WDW

[ELG13]

We just got back from a week yesterday (literally) and I'm ready to book the next. We we're thinking November 2018 maybe the week after Thanksgiving? Crowds we're great when we were just there...10 min wait for pirates!!! We went the same time 2 years ago with similar waits so I'm nervous to change it but we want to go when it's a little cooler and after hurricane season...this year was just too stressful!
I'd also consider a spring trip before crowds are bad but I'm not sure good of times for that. We got the FDD this trip and even though it was a ton of food, I love having it bc it's one less thing to budget for. When I was playing with numbers it changed our price by almost $2000!!! So I'd like to try and get fdd again and i know flexibility is important with that. It seems that they usually have November days for it. We want to stay in the cabins again at ft.wilderness. Any suggestions/tips??

 

[yedliW]

We went the week before Thanksgiving a few years ago. That is another good time, you can usually catch the end of Food and Wine if you are into that sort of thing (we really aren't any more.. unless we catch a good band). The thing to keep in mind is it is full on into the Christmas Party schedule, so it is likely that 2 or 3 days of your week long trip MK will close at 6 on party days.

We like going the week after Labor Day, but as we saw this year, that is in the heart of hurricane season, and Irma forced us to reschedule. We are going to try again the first week of March. It is generally before most spring breaks start, so we should have relatively low crowd levels.

 

[Mander]

We always like to go January/February (avoiding holiday weekends and the marathon). The weather is cooler, rates are at their lowest, and crowds haven't been too bad.

 

[ELG13]

We went the week before Thanksgiving a few years ago. That is another good time, you can usually catch the end of Food and Wine if you are into that sort of thing (we really aren't any more.. unless we catch a good band). The thing to keep in mind is it is full on into the Christmas Party schedule, so it is likely that 2 or 3 days of your week long trip MK will close at 6 on party days.

We like going the week after Labor Day, but as we saw this year, that is in the heart of hurricane season, and Irma forced us to reschedule. We are going to try again the first week of March. It is generally before most spring breaks start, so we should have relatively low crowd levels.

The mnsshp are always going on when we go which is kind of annoying bc we like Disney at night but unless we plan our days around a night it isn't happening, we may not get that experience. This year we didn't . But truth be told, it was probably for the best. It didn't give us the opportunity to push the kids too late and make them overtired. Staying at ft.wilderness was great though bc getting back to the cabin for naps was a breeze.

We always like to go January/February (avoiding holiday weekends and the marathon). The weather is cooler, rates are at their lowest, and crowds haven't been too bad.

This is when we were originally considering but I don't know if I can wait that long to go again lol!! Has it ever been cold????

 

[Mander]

This is when we were originally considering but I don't know if I can wait that long to go again lol!! Has it ever been cold????

Not really- at least not any worse than sweatshirt weather after the sun goes down. I know there was a cold snap in January a few years ago where it got really cold but I don't think that's the norm. I live on the Canadian border though so pretty much any weather in the Orlando area is going to be better than at home!

 

[CLEtoWDW]

I was surprised how busy WDW was the last week of September. Then I found out that sourthern schools have a "fall break" that usually is during that time period. In the future I will try to avoid that time and go earlier in September. Our trip was originally scheduled for the week that Irma hit so this was a rescheduled trip.

 

[Goofyernmost]

To be more general the best time to visit WDW would have been 1989. But, never in the summer.

 

[John park hopper]

Best time to visit WDW ----when you have lots and lots of $$$$$$ or a rich relative who is taking you

 

[DisneyFreak]

January and February are best for cooler weather and USUALLY have lighter crowds.

 

[Bullseye1967]

We went right at Easter this year and that was crazy crowded, but we were surprised how empty the week after was. We could exit some attractions and get right back on.

 

[The_Jobu]

Off-season doesn't mean as much as it used to.

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

Best time to visit WDW ----when you have lots and lots of $$$$$$ or a rich relative who is taking you

You may be joking but I talked my sister and brother in-law into buying a DVC and they bought enough points so we can have a sister trip every March. I pay for the plane tickets she gets the room.

 

[Darth Figment]

I've been going every year for the past 5 yrs during the 1st week of Nov. The rides lines seem short , but the closer to the weekend all that changes of course.

 

[yedliW]

January and February are best for cooler weather and USUALLY have lighter crowds.

As long as you don't hit a marathon weekend.

You can always tell the people who just finished the race.. as they limp through the parks with their medals proudly displayed around their necks.

 

[ELG13]

Off-season doesn't mean as much as it used to.

Yes this I'm noticing. When we went spontaneously 8 yrs ago the first week of June it wasn't bad. This was before magic bands and fast pass + . You didn't have to make dining res 6 months out.. it was glorious! My husband thought I was crazy waking up at 430 to be on the phone at 5 our time to get dining reservations bit once he saw what it was like it clicked with him.
I can see us doing it for a few more years but once the kids are older I'm not so sure. I love it but I don't know if I can keep the rest of the family on the hook for that long. I literally had this most recent trip booked and planned for longer than my wedding!! We booked 18 months out to try and get a jump on things.
It seems that as long as you don't book it around school holidays it's ok. I didn't realize Columbus day was coming up so looking at wait times for Friday ( the day we left) through today it's crazy!!! Just for a single day school holiday! Pirates was a 10 min wait and little mermaid we have never once waited on.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

I went with my Dad and younger siblings Columbus Day weekend 2012. There were definitely crowds, but they weren't bad. I think Spring Break crowds are worse.

 

[ELG13]

I've been checking some dates in February and the room availability is weird....I want to stay in a cheaper place this time..I want to try and get a quick trip in Feb and then a week in November. Is there a list of events for 2018 I can reference when booking rooms? I think part of it is for a special they are running and it's saying no rooms available.

 

[Horizons '83]

We love going January and February. It can get cold, like it did in January of 2016 but it was fine by the time the sun came out, then it went to consistent 70's the rest of our trip. I'd rather have to bundle up and drink hot coco, then be blistering hot standing in line getting scorched. If you are staying on site, its also nice to have the campfire and smores!

 

[ELG13]

I'm hoping to squeeze a 3 night trip out..just trying to price different weekends ...Thursday through Sunday. They seem to be pretty similar this far.
If we are going to do 2 trips is it better just just get Florida annual passes? We were considering the silver pass.

 

[jimbojones]

Mid January is awesome, usually with minimal crowds. If I did not have to deal with kid's school schedules I would always go in mid January. No (or at least only short) lines and comfortable weather. The week after xmass/NYE was also been a good one for us in the past.