Avoiding the parks during busy periods

Cazza and Livvie's Mum · Post by **Cazza and Livvie's Mum** » Jun Mon 30, 2008 4:00 am

My son (10) has been going through some websites and looking at 'best times to visit WDW' eg lighter crowds, cooler weather etc. He then said if everyone takes this advice and doesn't visit during the busy periods, then the quiet times will become busy and vice versa. I hope he's right! Then August will be just divine

jcodirewolf · Post by **jcodirewolf** » Jun Mon 30, 2008 9:00 am

Nope it doesn't work that way. The parks, while an international draw, still has a large population of Americans, and for that matter, East Coast.

Since most people can only visit the parks durning school holidays, and since in the US the schools, while not in lock step, generally have the same schedule (start in Aug, out for late Dec back in early Jan and out in June.) That is why spring is pretty much always busy. Some schools take their spring break as early as late February, and some it's almost May, the bulk of them are around Easter.

Aug is when the crowds tail off as schools start back up. Which means late Aug is better than early.

This also explains the peek in Nov durning Thanksgiving. Oct and Nov are quite (if you look at the rate calendar they are the lowest rate) then Thanksgiving week it jumps 2 categories to the second most expensive (the most expensive week is the week between Christmas and New Years.) And then on the Monday after Thanksgiving it drops right back down.

So there are several things you can use to gage the crowds. Look at offers Disney is running, the better the offer the lower bookings. Look at the rate schedule, the lower the rate the less people they are expecting. Subscribe to Touringplans.com.

johno

HakuOni · Post by **HakuOni** » Jun Mon 30, 2008 12:39 pm

i have to agree with jcodirewolf. because the dates are very reasonable and because they use common knowledge. just think when do kids usually go to wdw.

Hava magical day!

kcarts · Post by **kcarts** » Jun Mon 30, 2008 3:17 pm

If you're looking for cooler temps and lighter crowds, August is certainly not your month.

Here are a couple of links about crowds and weather.......

http://allears.net/pl/attend.htm

http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimat ... rom=search

jcodirewolf · Post by **jcodirewolf** » Jul Tue 01, 2008 7:34 am

As for weather there are basically two seasons in Central FL (I use to live in Gainesville, Go Gators.) There is the Hot and Humid season, and the Wet/Rainy season. Aug is Hot and Humid. In my opinion Central Fl is only habitable by humans between about Dec and March.

In the summer there is generally a 2:30-3pm thundershower, it has to do with the storm forms in the gulf and travels across Fl it gets to central Fl about that time. Those storms are normally pretty intense for about 10-15 minutes, then clear. (It doesn't fix the humidity it will be MORE humid after the storm.)

Here is the rate calendar

johno

Calypso · Post by **Calypso** » Jul Tue 01, 2008 9:02 am

Sadly, that logic doesn't work at Disney. Even when Disney offers free dining, those times don't become peak seasons. The #s go up a bit, and the table service dining is more difficult to get, but the crowds are still light.

Cazza and Livvie's Mum · Post by **Cazza and Livvie's Mum** » Jul Thu 03, 2008 7:01 am

My son (10) has been going through some websites and looking at 'best times to visit WDW' eg lighter crowds, cooler weather etc. He then said if everyone takes this advice and doesn't visit during the busy periods, then the quiet times will become busy and vice versa. I hope he's right! Then August will be just divine

Thank you for replying to this thread, it wasn't a serious thread, just passing on the innocence of a child's logic

We unfortunately have no choice but to visit last two week in August to fit in around school, but this year we are being slightly deviant and taking the kids out for almost 3 weeks in December (but not for Christmas, that would be madness).

jcodirewolf · Post by **jcodirewolf** » Jul Thu 03, 2008 7:37 am

Well I for one wasn't sure if you where posting it because you thought it was cute or looking for someway to explain to him why that wasn't the case. Also I noticed you said you where from the UK, and even if we do speak almost the same language *smile* there are things that are culturally different.

I know when we went to DLRP last summer, I was surprised at some of the behaviors I saw there. Like the Mobbing of the characters, I've never seen that at WDW.

johno

Cazza and Livvie's Mum · Post by **Cazza and Livvie's Mum** » Jul Fri 04, 2008 7:07 am

there are things that are culturally different.

I know when we went to DLRP last summer, I was surprised at some of the behaviors I saw there. Like the Mobbing of the characters, I've never seen that at WDW.

DLRP happens to be in France, NOT England (very different culture), you will probably find that the 'mobbing' was done possibly by some very rude and inconsiderate people who were'nt Brits but you have made the association 'European'.

metsofny · Post by **metsofny** » Jul Sat 05, 2008 2:29 am

I go in August, but the reason I go then is because It's the only time I can get off for a extended period of time.

jcodirewolf · Post by **jcodirewolf** » Jul Sat 05, 2008 9:02 am

Yes I lumped everyone that is in the United States of Europe errr...ummm... what is it? Oh yea the European Union

I was making the point that even though a lot of culture is shared between the US and Western Europe over 200 years things have drifted apart.

I have traveled quite a bit in Europe. In the mid 1990's I spent most of a year and half working out of Heidelberg Germany. And managed to get to France, Italy, Austria, and Hungry. Wish I'd had more time to do more traveling while I was there, but I was there on the company dime. So I had to work it in when I could.

johno