Least crowded month that you’ve been to WDW poll

[Julie Amber]

We've been going Labor Day week for about 10 years now. It's always served us well and not been crowded. However, last year, we were there for Dorian... and it was AWESOME!! No one was there. The parks only closed half a day for the actual hurricane, which never did hit us, and we totally walked on everything. We also hit Universal that week and were able to do everything in both parks in one day. Crazy!

 

[kathy884]

I picked May.

I've never tried September due to heat and humidity that is number 1 for least crowded in the poll at the moment.

For January, another popular choice and November, another popular choice, interestingly enough and unexpectedly, I have experienced really heavy crowed in the past two years that I tried these. The one November, many others who had to cancel because of hurricanes seemed to reschedule for our week and we experienced crowd level 8s and 9s per touring plans all week (5s, 6s and 7s were what the prediction was). The one January that I went (2019), early in our week we had light/moderate crowds (4s and 5s), but OMG we were there the weekend of some special NFL event and our day at the MK was a crowd level 10 per touring plans and felt like it too (20 minute waits even for things like People Mover and Carousel of Progress that almost never have waits). Thanks goodness for FP+ and long park hours, and we still enjoyed ourselves. (I was expecting lower crowds than we had both those times, and I'm just commenting that even with well intentioned plans and studying crowd calendars, you just never know.)

 

[midnight star]

Love January! Although you have find the sweet spot between marathon weekend and MLK day weekend.

We went this year the days following MLK day and found it to be great crowd wise. I don't think it was empty, but I wouldn't call them high crowds either. I would pick those days again. It was just so cold.

 

[Katie Dawn]

There needs to be a date limit on this since this has really changed over time.

Not sure you should vote if you're basing your result on a 1999-2013 visit.

Agreed. DH and I took a pre-kids trip January 3-12, 2010 and it was amazingly low crowds. It really spoiled us for the two trips we've taken since then. But I wouldn't tell you January is low crowds because it seems like that has Not been the case over the last few years.

October/Fall Break used to be a great time to go... But the secret is out about both January and October.

 

[yankeesfan123]

Agreed. DH and I took a pre-kids trip January 3-12, 2010 and it was amazingly low crowds. It really spoiled us for the two trips we've taken since then. But I wouldn't tell you January is low crowds because it seems like that has Not been the case over the last few years.

October/Fall Break used to be a great time to go... But the secret is out about both January and October.

Wasn’t that the “Florida freeze” back in 2010 that week? Crowds were massively low during that time. I don’t think locals left their homes.

 

[gryffindor]

We went this year the days following MLK day and found it to be great crowd wise. I don't think it was empty, but I wouldn't call them high crowds either. I would pick those days again. It was just so cold.

We were also there at this time. It felt very crowded to me compared to when we went in early December 2018. On that trip, I had pictures of my kid in front of the castle with almost no one in them. Not so on this trip. The crowds did get lower as the week went on. I agree though, it was so cold.

 

[vinotinto]

I agree that only data from the last year or so should be used. Also, the week matters:
Early May is not the same as late May/Memorial Day weekend.
Week after Labor Day is not the same as Labor Day weekend (unless there’s a hurricane).
Week before and after Thanksgiving is not the same as Thanksgiving.
Early December is not the same as late December.
January between marathon and MLK is not the same as those weekends.

People avoid bad weather. January is the coldest month. September is peak hurricane season. There’s a reason why those months come up.

In the last 12 months, we visited during Pres Day (Feb), March/April, Memorial Day weekend (May), July, August and Columbus Day (October). Out of those, August was the least crowded and had the most manageable lines.

 

[midnight star]

We were also there at this time. It felt very crowded to me compared to when we went in early December 2018. On that trip, I had pictures of my kid in front of the castle with almost no one in them. Not so on this trip. The crowds did get lower as the week went on. I agree though, it was so cold.

Interesting! This was our first time back (well, we had each been, but a long time ago). So we didn't have anything other months to compare to. But each day while we were there, we didn't have problems with bathroom lines, food lines, and the stand by lines we got in we waited less than 30 minutes in them. At the 60 day mark we also had no issues getting fastpasses for the headliners (although, I am not sure if fastpass is a good indicator of how crowds are). That whole week had short park hours, but it wasn't bad at all since we were able to get everything done. The weeks after that trip, I would check the app, and the wait times look horrendous compared to when we were there. I don't think i remember seeing that for January. It basically ensured me that I will not pick a February trip in the future lol.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

Non-holiday January 2009: Ghost town
Non-holiday February 2014: Moderately busy
Sping Break March 2015: Busy
July 4th week 2015: Moderately busy
Non-holiday January 2016: Moderately busy
Non-holiday July 2016: Not busy
Easter weekend April 2017: Moderately busy
Christmas week 2017: Very busy but not insane
August 2018: Moderately busy
Christmas week 2019: Very busy but not insane

 

[fancyfox823]

I can't remember which year, but one time we went about a week and a half after Thanksgiving. My husband rode Splash Mountain over and over again, there was nobody else in the log with him most times. It must've been 2009 when I was pregnant with our son, otherwise I would've been on there with him as well! Probably the least crowded we've seen it.

 

[doubtingthomas6]

We've been in late January and mid September and they were basically the same as far as crowds go. If I had to choose one, I'd pick January bc the weather was basically perfect.
You just have to be careful bc you do have a few major crowd spikes in January you wont want to get mixed up in.

***Very close to this however was late April. I havent really seen it mentioned. Late April seems to be a spring break/Easter hangover period where the crowds go from a level 10 to a level 2. The weather is hot but not too hot like you get in the summer.

I am affraid that with the virus having shut everything down that people are going to be itching to go once it reopens. So I personally dont think we'll see a low crowd season for a long time once they reopen.

 

[DisneyJColeMom]

I am affraid that with the virus having shut everything down that people are going to be itching to go once it reopens. So I personally dont think we'll see a low crowd season for a long time once they reopen.

My fear as well. The virus is an unprecedented game-changer and no idea what to predict. Im not seeing October mentioned a lot? How is October? How was October 2018 & 2019?

 

[CastAStone]

My fear as well. The virus is an unprecedented game-changer and no idea what to predict. Im not seeing October mentioned a lot? How is October? How was October 2018 & 2019?

Depends when in October. General Disney World rule is that if kids are out of school, it’s very busy. Only exception is Labor Day (which is before school starts for half the country). So Early October before Columbus Day has been alright. Columbus Day is insane. Later in the month it’s busy but not crazy.

One wrench in the last couple years is more and more districts moving “fall break” away from Columbus Day weekend. It’s definitely increased the crowds other October weekends.

 

[DisneyJColeMom]

One wrench in the last couple years is more and more districts moving “fall break” away from Columbus Day weekend. It’s definitely increased the crowds other October weekends.

I never knew fall break was a thing? I have an elementary school kid but never heard of that.

 

[CastAStone]

I never knew fall break was a thing? I have an elementary school kid but never heard of that.

It just depends on the state and even the district. I grew up in the Buffalo/Niagara area and all the suburban districts were all on one schedule and the cities of Buffalo and Niagara Falls had a totally different set of breaks at totally different times with totally different names.

 

[pooh2001]

We like 2 weeks after Easter, before Mothers Day
So we are planning the last few days in April into the first few days of May, 2021
If there is a COVID-19 vaccine

 

[Boopuff]

The last few years we've gone the first week of December. (before the cheer thing starts) Found most of the parks pleasantly calm. My very fave day was one morning DH went golfing, DD and I went to AK (rope drop time) the park was very, very empty. We had the best time! (it was rather chilly that day)

 

[IndyToThere]

Wife went with a couple of her girl friends this past early Sept 2019 and said it was very low on crowds. Most rides were walk-on with no or less than 5 min wait. The longest wait (the latest Star Wars ride that was available at the time) was 45min which is really good for a top tier ride that had just opened. That time of year is beginning of the school year (or at least very early in the school year), so most parents won't be pulling kids out of school (I stayed home with my school-age son that week).
Only downside is the heat is still very much there. They experienced a bit warmer than usual weather that week (they had July/Aug heat that week) and were dripping sweat whenever they were outside. But the short lines (or no lines) really helped.

 

[nkereina]

We've been at several different times during the year. September and January were comparable, but I seem to remember late January/early February being the best in terms of crowds. It was the week before the Super Bowl when we were there. The key is to avoid the marathons and holidays during this time.

The downside to September is that it can be brutally hot and rainy. The downside to January is that it can be downright cold. Both times will see an uptick in closures and refurbishments, because they are considered to be low crowd periods. Low crowd times also mean shorter park hours. In January, it also means shorter daylight which can be rough when temperatures are colder. Also, pool time in January may be few and far between. All that said, we prefer the cooler temperatures to the monsoon style rainfall, so we'd still go with January over September.

 

[DisneyJColeMom]

Hows the last 2 weeks of April, first week of May? If Easter breaks are earlier in April I mean. And how is weather around that time?