Usually, due to my wife's work schedule, we have been forced to make our disney trips in either the summer or christmas break. But this coming school year (the one starting sept 2013), we will be able to choose any wednesday thru monday to go there. We'd fly out wednesday night, have 4 full days, and return monday. My question is, as far as crowds go, what is the best thursday-sunday to be there?
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When is the least crowded time
- Thread starter musketeer
- Start date
Nero the dog
Well-Known Member
I believe late September is one of the best times. Never been able to go then myself though.
RedDad
Smitty Werben JagerManJensen
There are lots of resources where you can find historical data on crowd levels. The week before and week after Thanksgiving week are typically low crowd times in my experience. Also parts of September, early December and certain times in January-Feb. Touring Plans has great info, but also check out this site which ranks the best and worst weeks to go:
http://yourfirstvisit.net/2010/10/04/a-when-to-go-to-walt-disney-world/
http://yourfirstvisit.net/2010/10/04/a-when-to-go-to-walt-disney-world/
jayhawkmickey
Well-Known Member
We've gone in mid September twice and early January this year and never waited longer than 30 minutes for a ride and most are 10 minutes or less if not walk on. A 15 minute wait for BOG for lunch, and we rode Little Mermaid three times in a row with no wait at 7:30pm. The longest waits were for the darn meet and greets my wife loves, oops was that out loud?
PrincessNelly_NJ
Well-Known Member
I've been the first week and it was wonderful. Longest we waited in line was 20 minutes for the Safari in AK. Everything was walk on. Even on a Saturday in Epcot!
Ginzuishou
Active Member
Some more discussion:
From going to Universal Studios the past few years, it's been my experience that the week after New Year's in January is a good time to go, up to and including mid January. The parks are still packed, but the wait times are very small to non-existent.
As far as Disney World, it's been awhile. When I went to Disney, I still did early January/mid January. I have never been disappointed.
From going to Universal Studios the past few years, it's been my experience that the week after New Year's in January is a good time to go, up to and including mid January. The parks are still packed, but the wait times are very small to non-existent.
As far as Disney World, it's been awhile. When I went to Disney, I still did early January/mid January. I have never been disappointed.
bethymouse
Well-Known Member
We tried Septemebr when the kids were in school ( 18-24) and it was just as crowded as ever.
There really is no time that it is "not crowded" anymore it seems. I blame all of those DISCOUNTS!
There really is no time that it is "not crowded" anymore it seems. I blame all of those DISCOUNTS!
luv
Well-Known Member
True dat!There really is no time that it is "not crowded" anymore it seems.
Texas84
Well-Known Member
Early December used to be great but that's changed. January can be depressing. Crowds are TOO low and attractions are closed. I've started to enjoy going in May after spring break and before school gets out. Not many are on vacation then. Weather is good and most everything is open. You also have Flower & Garden at Epcot.
luv
Well-Known Member
It's almost to the point now where you should just avoid the most crowded times, like Christmas and summer, and then just pick your dates. There really aren't the low-crowd, parks are dead, walk on everything times. They're just gone. A day or two, here or there...but they're more flukes than things you can count upon.
PrincessNelly_NJ
Well-Known Member
We tried Septemebr when the kids were in school ( 18-24) and it was just as crowded as ever.
I've heard late Sept isn't as good because thats when the F&W Fest starts and MNSSHP is still continuing.
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
Yep, no real quiet times like back in the day. I know its unfathomable to some but I remember days that we walked on Main Street on a Saturday mid-morning and it was almost like pre-park opening in-park breakfast population. Pretty sparse. Think of times kids are typically in school and that's your best bet. Disney has gotten skilled at filling the dead times so don't expect true emptiness.
Our last parks visit was mid-Sept. 2011. It was a lot busier than I thought it'd be. I'd call it medium not low attendance. But it's all relative. For someone accustomed to summer/holiday crowds you'll feel like its empty. For someone who knows what it's like to be there when its really empty it'll feel like the crowds have descended.
Our last parks visit was mid-Sept. 2011. It was a lot busier than I thought it'd be. I'd call it medium not low attendance. But it's all relative. For someone accustomed to summer/holiday crowds you'll feel like its empty. For someone who knows what it's like to be there when its really empty it'll feel like the crowds have descended.
draybook
Well-Known Member
Yep, no real quiet times like back in the day. I know its unfathomable to some but I remember days that we walked on Main Street on a Saturday mid-morning and it was almost like pre-park opening in-park breakfast population. Pretty sparse. Think of times kids are typically in school and that's your best bet. Disney has gotten skilled at filling the dead times so don't expect true emptiness.
Our last parks visit was mid-Sept. 2011. It was a lot busier than I thought it'd be. I'd call it medium not low attendance. But it's all relative. For someone accustomed to summer/holiday crowds you'll feel like its empty. For someone who knows what it's like to be there when its really empty it'll feel like the crowds have descended.
This is correct. Just the difference between September of 08 and 11 was amazing. In the 08 trip, even the MK was surprisingly empty. Peter Pan maxed out around 30 minutes on the days we were there.
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
Wish you could've been w/us January '04. It was awesome.
jw24
Well-Known Member
The general rule is that to avoid any major holiday period or long periods where children will be out of school. Don't just think the holiday rule only applies to big time holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, also consider other federal holidays like Presidents Day and also, religious holidays that are well-known to the public like Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur where some schools do close or some parents may pull their kids out of school, which may explain bethymouse's post as to why WDW was packed from Sept 18-24.
I haven't had the opportunity to visit WDW in a not-so crowded time myself but glancing at the calendar and everyone's posts, I'd go with January (Except New Years Day/Weekend, the dates of all the marathons, and the three day weekend of MLK Jr.s birthday) or February (Avoid going during Presidents Weekend and Valentines Day) or even early March, the first two weeks at most. But if cold weather is really a concern, April and May probably but avoid Easter and Memorial Day weeks. It's all subjective but it's my two cents.
I haven't had the opportunity to visit WDW in a not-so crowded time myself but glancing at the calendar and everyone's posts, I'd go with January (Except New Years Day/Weekend, the dates of all the marathons, and the three day weekend of MLK Jr.s birthday) or February (Avoid going during Presidents Weekend and Valentines Day) or even early March, the first two weeks at most. But if cold weather is really a concern, April and May probably but avoid Easter and Memorial Day weeks. It's all subjective but it's my two cents.