Updated Crowd Predictions

[DisneyWorldDreamin2008]

I've seen a lot of websites that are suggesting that there has been a shift in the park crowds over the last couple of years. They are saying that summer months aren't as busy as they used to be. We used to love going in September due to the free dining discount & very low crowds. Now with our schedules & strict attendance guidelines in our new city we are unable to go during that time. What is everyone's favorite time of year to go with moderate crowds?

 

[Shanti]

I've seen a lot of websites that are suggesting that there has been a shift in the park crowds over the last couple of years. They are saying that summer months aren't as busy as they used to be. We used to love going in September due to the free dining discount & very low crowds. Now with our schedules & strict attendance guidelines in our new city we are unable to go during that time. What is everyone's favorite time of year to go with moderate crowds?

Mid to late July.

 

[SarahC97]

We went the third week of July this year and were pleasantly surprised by crowds. It was much less crowded than our fall trips, just really hot.

 

[nutshell]

I also went in mid/late July. No problems with crowds, but it was hot and humid.

 

[madchatter]

Our Spring Break falls earlier than most at the beginning of March. That’s been a perfect time. Low crowds, good weather.

 

[DisneyWorldDreamin2008]

Our Spring Break falls earlier than most at the beginning of March. That’s been a perfect time. Low crowds, good weather.

Our Spring Break used to be the first week of March too & we loved that because not many people are out that early for Spring Break. For the new school year they have moved it to mid-March & crowds are significantly higher then.

 

[Alesia]

Early May. Or March or April as far from Easter as possible.

Late July or August is good too, but it's really hot and humid. But since you liked September, that may not bother you

 

[Magical2017]

January (not MLK weekend or during the marathon). We are leaving for a visit starting Monday due to school and work schedules.

 

[gap2368]

I look at the Disney hotels when they are the cheapest this tends to be the lest crowed time to go.

 

[Haley R]

Last week of February/first week of March, unless Mardi Gras is during that time.

 

[Sir Saint]

January (not MLK weekend or during the marathon). We are leaving for a visit starting Monday due to school and work schedules.

is marathon weekend that bad?

 

[cel_disney]

When are your school breaks? We travel during our April school break whenever it doesn’t overlap with easter and crowds are very manageable (again - need to not be easter) and weather is great!

 

[igrsod]

What about the first week that your kids are done school for summer break? I would think that might be less crowded and not as hot as July.

 

[LiveToTravelNicely]

Our last three visits to WDW have been in January/February. This year, we've moved back to September. If I couldn't go in September, I'd probably shoot for either first two weeks of May (between Spring Break season and summer) or late July/early August. We've decided that, while summer is really really hot, we prefer that over having to bundle up at least some (if not all) of the days we visited in January/February. We've experienced a lot of drizzly 50 degree days during that time. If you love sweatshirts and generally cooler weather, I'd recommend January/February. Like others have said, avoid holiday weekends. All of the times I've discussed are supposed to be moderate crowds or less.

 

[DisneyWorldDreamin2008]

We went the third week of July this year and were pleasantly surprised by crowds. It was much less crowded than our fall trips, just really hot.[/QUOTE

What about the first week that your kids are done school for summer break? I would think that might be less crowded and not as hot as July.[/QUOTE

When are your school breaks? We travel during our April school break whenever it doesn’t overlap with easter and crowds are very manageable (again - need to not be easter) and weather is great!

Unfortunately the only long school breaks we have are mid March for spring break & of course Thanksgiving week & Christmas...all incredibly busy time periods.

 

[LiveToTravelNicely]

I think I'd go with summer break. Seems there are two groups of summer breaks: 1) mid June-Labor Day (first weekend in Sept for our Intl readers) or 2) mid-May to mid-August. If I was mid june-Labor Day, definitely an August trip. If i was mid-May to mid-August, either before Memorial Day (last weekend in May) or after July 15.

 

[randumb0]

You should pick late summer

 

[DisneyWorldDreamin2008]

I think I'd go with summer break. Seems there are two groups of summer breaks: 1) mid June-Labor Day (first weekend in Sept for our Intl readers) or 2) mid-May to mid-August. If I was mid june-Labor Day, definitely an August trip. If i was mid-May to mid-August, either before Memorial Day (last weekend in May) or after July 15.[/QUOTE
Awesome, thanks for the advice. Late summer is what we have booked so we're sticking with that.

 

[_19disnA]

We like the Spring or Fall as the weather is cooler and we don't enjoy standing in lines when it feels like 100+ degrees! Disney is a place where lots of people vacation, so going when the weather is comfortable means more to us then how large the crowds are. Slower years might also relate to the general state of the economy as Disney is a rather pricey place to vacation. Many of those crowd prediction websites seem more like forecasting the weather, where they are as likely to get it right as wrong and you have no idea how they do their predictions. School summer vacation, holidays and special events are probably the busiest times.

 

[matt314hew]

I have only ever done disney in the summer (June/July) and after our last trip (first for both of our boys), we decided that we would not do a summer trip again. This year, we will be heading in September (I know it will still be hot, but less crowded). We also want to try out a time in February/March when kids are on a break at school.