Slow Season

DarkImage4

DarkImage4

Member
Original Poster
My wife and I were wondering, what is the absolute quietest week to visit WDW? We want to feel like we're the only ones in the park, able to walk onto any attraction we want with little to no wait. (This coming from frequent visitors during Spring Break and July)

What do you all think?
 
hpyhnt 1000

hpyhnt 1000

Well-Known Member
From my experiences, anytime in September is slow, and even October could be considered quieter than usual. Also, the weeks following New Years up to about the end of February are quiet as well. Granted, its hard to figure exactly what the quietest time to visit is, but if you want the parks to be "empty", these two time periods are your best bet.
 
primetime52

primetime52

Member
September and October have always been quietest for me, up until Halloween weekend, at which time the Holiday season starts.

Even Labor day weekend usually isn't very crowded, probably because most kids have just gotten back to school, so families usually avoid scheduling vacations so early in their childrens' school year.
 
smk

smk

Well-Known Member
What about the second week of January? I've never been then but it seems like it should be slow, after the Holidays and before MLK day when more people might visit. I know someone who visited in late Feb. this year and he said it was very slow, walked on most major rides.

I have been in September and early October and it is slow then too, MNSSHP is great fun. The weather is warm/hot but not miserable and the crowds are smaller than say....June.
 
C

catne

New Member
Well, a friend of a friend said...

A friend of ours went to school with one of the operations managers at WDW...our friend went during Thanksgiving last year, and met his buddy for lunch...while complaining about how ridiculously crowded the place was, the WDW manager-buddy told him the absolute quietest time to go is the first week of December, followed by any time in January after New Years Day. Said it's just about empty then...

So, take it or leave it...hearsay, of course.
 
Jerm

Jerm

Well-Known Member
Wilt Dasney said:
Here's an interesting page. It breaks down attendance by month for the resort, although I don't know how current or precise it is. Looks like September-December are your best bets, while avoiding Thanksgiving and Christmas.

http://www.disneyzone.net/attendance.htm
Click to expand...

I would not put any money on that chart. Sept and Oct have started to be VERY busy with the Free Dinning Program. I have gone almost every month and I am one to vote for early Jan after the new years events.
 
CLandrum

CLandrum

Active Member
I been the first week in Feb and the first week in Dec. Feb is allot less crowded and on the plus side it is not hot so I don't get tired as easily. We walked on to almost every ride longest wait was maybe 15 minutes. However it can get a little chilly so bring a hoodie or jacket. Bonus, it is value season then so it is a little cheaper.
 
disneydudette

disneydudette

Well-Known Member
Last year we went during the "lowest" weeks of the year... mid to late January (avoiding dance events and MLK weekend) and early to Mid September (after the labor day week crowds and before the MNSSHP crowds)...

Neither week was "dead"... nor "empty"... nor "slow" by any means... but yes, it's certainly slower than any other week in the parks for sure. A good portion of the rides had no more than a 15min wait and most E-tickets displayed 40+ waits. The walkways and areas were still really congested with people and there were definately crowds.

There's no longer "feel like your the only ones in the park" weeks in Disney anymore, especially with promotions like bounce back and free dinning and September.
 
natalia1681

natalia1681

New Member
I would have to say that September (anytime after Labor Day) is the best. I have been the last 2 years in September, both times falling during free dining. The majority of rides were still a walk-on with few being more than 15 to 20 minutes to wait. The year before we went in October. It was very uncrowded then, too.

2007 we went in January and February. The first week of January (after New Year's) was still packed. The Marathon was that weekend, but it was the most crowded I had seen in a long time. February was not as crowded, but still I would vote for September and October every time!:D
 
the-reason14

the-reason14

Well-Known Member
smk said:
What about the second week of January? I've never been then but it seems like it should be slow, after the Holidays and before MLK day when more people might visit. I know someone who visited in late Feb. this year and he said it was very slow, walked on most major rides.

I have been in September and early October and it is slow then too, MNSSHP is great fun. The weather is warm/hot but not miserable and the crowds are smaller than say....June.
Click to expand...

Me and my dad went like the 2nd or 3rd week of Jan this year, and it was packed. I was trippin, big time. I almost got confused thinking it was the summer, only how I knew better is because we had on jackets and stuff. But September I would say is good, went there last year, and it was great, by no means was it empty, but there were hardly no lines, and Id never experience that before at WDW, and it was great.
 
Kristamouse

Kristamouse

Well-Known Member
I have been the last four Sept and will be going this Sept and while they started very slow last year was def. more crowded. MNSSHP was also PACKED! We will not be atteneding the party this year so I won't be able to tell you about the crowds then. I noticed longer waits, some at 30-45 mins and crowded restruants, due to free DDP and croweded areas. Still not like June. Also the weather has be very hot on all of our tips. 07 was the hottest by far, we were d__________g into shops to cool off!
 
DizneyPryncess

DizneyPryncess

Well-Known Member
catne said:
A friend of ours went to school with one of the operations managers at WDW...our friend went during Thanksgiving last year, and met his buddy for lunch...while complaining about how ridiculously crowded the place was, the WDW manager-buddy told him the absolute quietest time to go is the first week of December, followed by any time in January after New Years Day. Said it's just about empty then...

So, take it or leave it...hearsay, of course.
Click to expand...

I can vouch for the first week of December being less crowded. We did all 4 parks, and it was very stress-free. We did all the holiday activities too, and even those were very good w/the crowds. The events were busier then the regular park hours, but not like I expected. If you ever want to see Disney at Christmas, go that week. It's beautiful!
 
KnK

KnK

New Member
For the past 10 years we have gone in first full week of Septemer. We get there the Saturday after Labor Day and say 10 nights.

We have been there during 9/11 and during a tropical storm. We have various degrees of saying how 'empty' the park is.

We love going during this time, crowds are next to nothing, many of the fast pass machines are not even operating. We rarely have to wait in line for rides. Free dining makes the resturants a little tough to get in, but overall a very slow pace.

It is not uncommon for us to get through all of MK (riding somethings twice) by early afternoon.

I've been during the summer months and will never be able to do it again.
 
Glasgow

Glasgow

Well-Known Member
We've been twice in Feb (2nd week) and once in Sept (2nd week) and it was definitely better in February .. plus the weather is great!
 
P

Philo

Well-Known Member
The second and third weeks in January we're very quiet for me last year but you still didn't get the feeling that you were the only one in the park (although the it was only ever a 10-15 minute queue with the odd random 30 minute).

My sister went at the end of September and said it was very quiet too.

The downside in going in the off-season is that more rides will be in refurb and there is a chance that one of the waterparks will be closed.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom