Whatever happened to value, regular, and peak?!

[DrummerAlly]

Whoa, so now that we've successfully conquered a local park with my 3 year old special needs daughter, we are starting to plan our WDW trip. Whatever happened to the three seasons?! My brain just exploded trying to pick a week! We need to go during low crowds, mild weather, and lowest prices.

Based on MouseSavers, it looks like my only "value season" options are January 19-Feb 11 or Aug 16-Sept 10? Do I have this right? My fear is that late January will be too cold (I'd prefer day time temps in the 70's, 80's or 90's). How are the crowds at this time? Early September sounds great, but I don't want to wait an entire year to go!

We've taken 10+ trips to WDW over the past years but haven't been since my daughter was born. I'm overwhelmed with all of these changes! Who thought it was a good idea to make 20 rate seasons?

 

[MickeyMomV]

Well.... The short answer? Over the past 5 years crowds have been increasing, prices have been going up, discounts have been shrinking, and the ability to predict crowds has become harder and harder. What it has really come down to is holiday time and non-holiday time. Holiday being any national holiday or school holiday, those times will be busy. All other time will be less busy.

My best recommendation is to pick a time where the weather fits your vacationing style and just go.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Its getting harder and harder to decide. Just can't get away from the crowds anymore. Now instead of finding a "low crowd" season you can count on you go hoping that the weeks you go its less than being predicted. The really crazy crowded weeks have now extended and everyone gets to do less in the time they have , even with a good plan in place. Until Disney builds more to disperse the numbers the parks will continue to become more difficult to enjoy. Jan - Feb dates will be windbreaker, jeans wearing time, Aug - Sept dates, warm and more chance of inclement weather.

 

[Kate Alan]

I usually travel in late January/early February. It does tend to be chilly in the morning, then warms up during the day. The crowds have always been very manageable.

Unfortunately the old days where there were clearly delineated crowd levels seems to be past us...it has just increased across the board.

 

[R W B]

Like the others have said, too many people go now to have as large of value seasons as previously. Another price hike or two might help with that some lol.

 

[dreamfinder]

WDW has done a good job of attracting guests during what had been slow periods. And they like money, so it's been a constant cat & mouse game to get more money from guests who exploited loop holes. Since guests used to book trips where they checked in the last possible cheap day to get that rate for their whole trip, WDW changed to daily pricing. And then once daily pricing was in play, they now had the ability to bump up prices for times when more people who be there. Supply & Demand capitalism at it's best.

 

[boilerpicc]

Good luck! We tend to go during September. The crowds are not bad, and the weather is plenty warm (upper 80's/low 90's). One warning about the September value season. That date range includes Labor Day weekend. Avoid that weekend. The past several years, there have been lots of people in the parks on Labor Day weekend. Starting on Labor Day, the crowds drop off.

 

[DrummerAlly]

Thanks everyone. I'm not surprised by everything you guys said, it's roughly what I expected. I can't say I blame WDW, they're a profit making business after all. We live in Massachusetts and when I go on vacation to a place with palm trees, I want to be wearing shorts and a tank top. We honeymooned in WDW in mid July and the weather was beautiful. (I realize, that's insane). I think maybe I'll avoid Jan/Feb for the weather. I was hoping that there was a low/value time in April or May before schools get out.

 

[Kate Alan]

Thanks everyone. I'm not surprised by everything you guys said, it's roughly what I expected. I can't say I blame WDW, they're a profit making business after all. We live in Massachusetts and when I go on vacation to a place with palm trees, I want to be wearing shorts and a tank top. We honeymooned in WDW in mid July and the weather was beautiful. (I realize, that's insane). I think maybe I'll avoid Jan/Feb for the weather. I was hoping that there was a low/value time in April or May before schools get out.

I'm also a Massachusetts resident, lol, so I feel your pain there! I was stubborn last time I went in early February and went in a tank top and shorts, which was fine most of the day - but I froze in the mornings to the point I ended up buying a hoodie to wear. I agree, if I'm around palm trees, I better be dressed for that, not dressed as though I'm going to relive the blizzard of '15!

 

[s&k'smom]

I was just emailing my TA about trying to find some discounts and she said she (in 8 years) this is the worst discount availability she has ever seen.

 

[Minthorne]

Massachusetts here too !

I'm also a Massachusetts resident, lol, so I feel your pain there! I was stubborn last time I went in early February and went in a tank top and shorts, which was fine most of the day - but I froze in the mornings to the point I ended up buying a hoodie to wear. I agree, if I'm around palm trees, I better be dressed for that, not dressed as though I'm going to relive the blizzard of '15!

 

[kparn]

I'm an Alabama girl, so I never like it cold. (cold to me is 50-60 degrees and very cold is below 50 degrees) I went for a short girl trip in February 2014 from the 20-23. There were 6 of us staying at Saratoga Springs. We swam our first day and wore shorts the entire time. The weather was great and the crowds were not terrible either.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

I've never found it to be too cold to wear flip flops, shorts, and a polo...I watch the Florida and southern locals wear sweatshirts and coats when it drops below 60 degrees...which to me is basically the average "summer" up here in the Michigan tundra...I'll grab a sweatshirt when I head to the parks or DTD at night, but I've never been cold there except for one unusal week in December a few years back when it hit 38 degrees a couple mornings....