Best Time For Low Crowds

[GeorgiaHoo]

So thinking about a trip in 2024 for 2 adults. We absolutely would like to go when crowds are low(ish), and we don't have any restrictions on when we can visit. That said, I also don't want to go when it might be cold (we've had a February trip or too that was no fun because of the cold), so January-March is probably out. I also won't go in July-August because of the heat. I recall that September used to be a recommended month for lower crowds but is that still true? So maybe late September into October? Or sometime in April? Early December might be ok--though cold the Christmas vibe is awesome. Thanks all.

 

[morrik5]

We go around mid-last week of April and the weather is usually good and the crowds OK.

 

[rangerxenos]

My favorite time to go is the first week of December, my last few trips the weather has been beautiful, mid 70s to low 80s and almost no rain. And the Christmas decorations are beautiful in all the parks.

There doesn't seem to be a time when it isn't busy, but I find the crowds are manageable most early December trips. We go with a plan, and get to the parks early and stay until close, sometimes taking a mid day break, sometimes not.

Supposedly early September and early January are good times for crowds, but September weather is normally horribly hot and humid, with heavy rain mid afternoon most days, not my idea of fun. Early January the weather is a pot shot. We just got back from a trip near the end of February, and it was very warm, it hit 90 (new record for February down there!) a couple of days. Not what we were expecting, that's for sure!

 

[sc05]

My favorite time to go is the first week of December, my last few trips the weather has been beautiful, mid 70s to low 80s and almost no rain. And the Christmas decorations are beautiful in all the parks.

There doesn't seem to be a time when it isn't busy, but I find the crowds are manageable most early December trips. We go with a plan, and get to the parks early and stay until close, sometimes taking a mid day break, sometimes not.

Supposedly early September and early January are good times for crowds, but September weather is normally horribly hot and humid, with heavy rain mid afternoon most days, not my idea of fun. Early January the weather is a pot shot. We just got back from a trip near the end of February, and it was very warm, it hit 90 (new record for February down there!) a couple of days. Not what we were expecting, that's for sure!

Love to hear this! We’re bringing our boys for their first DW trip (they’ll be 4 y.o. and 18 months when we travel) the Sunday after thanksgiving and staying for 9 nights. Can’t wait!

 

[VAtink]

For post pandemic trips can only speak for September and January. Of the two I would pick January over September. Crowds seemed much much lower in January, and the weather is so much better! Even the end of September it is super hot and humid, January was pretty much perfect, in the 60s and 70s during the day (one day in the 80s!) and upper 40s - 50s at night. Crowd-wise, the later in September you get the more crowded it gets. This past September was the most crowded I've ever seen it, it was nuts, and we go every year this week. Found out afterwards that some school systems now have their fall break the last week of September, so I assume that impacted the crowds this week. So yeah, if I had the choice I would definitely pick January!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Last week of April into the first week of May.
Early Dec.
Week of Halloween if Halloween is early in the week.

I'm going to jump on the "late Feb weather was beautiful" bus also, but if you hit around President's Day it is godawful crowded. That was the best weather I've hit in FL, lovely temps (highs in the upper 70s-low 80s) w/ almost no rain!

 

[nw6675]

You'll hear from many there are no low crowds now so my advice is research your dates well considering things like holidays, marathons, unconventional school breaks like Jersey week, fall breaks, etc. First week of Dec now really busy. A favorite for DVC members and the ability to have holiday decorations, cooler weather, etc. We go mid May or first week in Dec. May is pretty hot so we prefer Dec.

 

[stephnerninnie1984]

It feels like Disney is ALWAYS busy. There's always a race, competition, schools somewhere in the country/world on a break, etc. PLUS all the people making up for their lost trips that were cancelled during the shut down. THAT BEING SAID, weekdays are less crowded then weekends. September/October is still MISERABLY hot. (I live here, I know). My favorite weeks to go are the first week in March (before spring break crowds), first 2 weeks in May (before Summer madness and weather is a bit milder then summer time), and the first 2 weeks of December (after Thanksgiving but before Christmas crowds.) I feel like these weeks tend to be a little slower crowd wise BECAUSE they are so close to big school breaks that people usually aren't trying to keep their kids out of school during those times.

 

[Upatnoon]

So thinking about a trip in 2024 for 2 adults. We absolutely would like to go when crowds are low(ish), and we don't have any restrictions on when we can visit. That said, I also don't want to go when it might be cold (we've had a February trip or too that was no fun because of the cold), so January-March is probably out. I also won't go in July-August because of the heat. I recall that September used to be a recommended month for lower crowds but is that still true? So maybe late September into October? Or sometime in April? Early December might be ok--though cold the Christmas vibe is awesome. Thanks all.

So thinking about a trip in 2024 for 2 adults. We absolutely would like to go when crowds are low(ish), and we don't have any restrictions on when we can visit. That said, I also don't want to go when it might be cold (we've had a February trip or too that was no fun because of the cold), so January-March is probably out. I also won't go in July-August because of the heat. I recall that September used to be a recommended month for lower crowds but is that still true? So maybe late September into October? Or sometime in April? Early December might be ok--though cold the Christmas vibe is awesome. Thanks all.

I suggest some time from after Easter in April through May.

Early December if you want Christmas decor.

 

[holden]

Now low crowd times anymore, but crowds were ok during the last week of April last year.

 

[Epcot Forever Forever]

*right* after Labor Day is the lowest crowd level of the year, and it’s consistently considerably lower than even the rest of September, which is still the slowest overall month. But Not a week later. Not two weeks later. That’s too late. The Tuesday-Sunday after Labor Day.

And Labor Day is *by far* the least crowded holiday weekend of the year. So if you want to make it a week, just tack that on.

It will be horrendously hot. It will be disgustingly humid. Unless there’s a hurricane, which there has been that week at least 2 of the last 5 years. It’s the most likely week scientifically for Orlando to get hit by a hurricane.

So pros and cons. But it will be very low crowds (by 2023/2024 standards).

 

[rhenkt]

First week of May.

 

[jolene63]

Our school district has a fall break at the end of September. It is VERY hot that time of year too.

 

[xipotec]

late Jan early Feb

Late August early sept.

 

[2vets]

Whatever time you are looking at, be sure to cross-reference the runDisney schedule to avoid. They’ve increasingly filled in some of the previously not-so-busy times. They don’t impact all of the parks but can cause crowds at specific times/in certain areas and there can be road closures.

 

[beccasmom]

I would recommend late April (after spring breaks and Easter) and early December. We are okay with September, but it is still hot. Early December can be cold or delightful (70’s) …we have experienced both.

 

[Tonberry]

I know you said that August is out because of the heat, but September and early October heat is pretty much identical to August heat. Mid August through mid September (minus Labor Day weekend) are the lowest crowd days we've seen at WDW.
Early December has some of the best weather, but has gotten very crowded over the past few years. We've been going this time for 20 years, and every year just gets busier.
If this is when you want to go, I'd suggest beginning your trip a week and a half after Thanksgiving, as more and more people seem to be piggy-backing their vacation time directly after Thanksgiving.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

Thanks all! About what I expected.

 

[RoseGold]

IMO, the biggest difference is going to be weekday vs weekend. The weekdays are much, much less crowded.

I would do September, because it's difficult to skip school at that time, and weather seems to be what you want.

Pretty much all of March and April are someone's Spring Break.

 

[bgda24]

So thinking about a trip in 2024 for 2 adults. We absolutely would like to go when crowds are low(ish), and we don't have any restrictions on when we can visit. That said, I also don't want to go when it might be cold (we've had a February trip or too that was no fun because of the cold), so January-March is probably out. I also won't go in July-August because of the heat. I recall that September used to be a recommended month for lower crowds but is that still true? So maybe late September into October? Or sometime in April? Early December might be ok--though cold the Christmas vibe is awesome. Thanks all.

I think January/February tend to be slower months. That being said, we love to go between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The decorations are up immediately after Halloween and it truly feels like Christmas.