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What is the slowest time at Disney?
Posted: Mar Tue 22, 2011 2:05 pm
by kosmosworld
My wife and I always try to pick a "slow" time to go to Disneyworld. Usually no Holidays, Weekends, Summer, etc. The slowest that I've ever visited was around APRIL 27th (after Easter). There were hardly any lines. Are there any slow days "slower" than usual that anyone know of?
Re: What is the slowest time at Disney?
Posted: Mar Tue 22, 2011 3:01 pm
by Wizzard419
It depends on what you want to get out of slow times, if you just want no one there then probably mid Jan to feb is really slow. But they also then may have shorter hours for the parks and more closed attractions since that is when they do a lot of refurbishment.
I can't recall the timeframe I went in 08 but I remember it was after spring break season and before summer, the parks had summer hours (open early and close late) and the crowds were light for the majority of the time. Another week that apparently is really slow but has the long hours is the week or two before Thanksgiving week.
Re: What is the slowest time at Disney?
Posted: Mar Tue 22, 2011 3:05 pm
by theBIGyowski
Yeah it is pretty slow between Easter and the last week in June when Summer vacation starts. The crowds are fairly light from the last week in August all the way to Fall Break and Thanksgiving in November. Of course some days get more traffic and holiday weekends will have more people...but overall the crowds are manageable. Another great time to go would be early/mid December...before the week before Christmas. There will be hardly anyone there because school won't be out yet and most people who go in December will be going between Christmas and New Years. It gets slow again in January after the Marathon weekend as well.
If you want to go this year...try December 10-16. The crowds will be very, very low and you will get to experience all of the Christmas decorations, parades, and music.
Me? I married a teacher...so as long as she is teaching we will be stuck going during busy/peak times...when the rest of creation is there as well.

Re: What is the slowest time at Disney?
Posted: Mar Tue 22, 2011 3:06 pm
by kosmosworld
Wizzard419 wrote:It depends on what you want to get out of slow times, if you just want no one there then probably mid Jan to feb is really slow. But they also then may have shorter hours for the parks and more closed attractions since that is when they do a lot of refurbishment.
I can't recall the timeframe I went in 08 but I remember it was after spring break season and before summer, the parks had summer hours (open early and close late) and the crowds were light for the majority of the time. Another week that apparently is really slow but has the long hours is the week or two before Thanksgiving week.
Sound nice. We are planning that week before Thanksgiving. Usually, the long hours give away how busy it is going to be.
Re: What is the slowest time at Disney?
Posted: Mar Tue 22, 2011 3:10 pm
by kosmosworld
theBIGyowski wrote:Yeah it is pretty slow between Easter and the last week in June when Summer vacation starts. The crowds are fairly light from the last week in August all the way to Fall Break and Thanksgiving in November. Of course some days get more traffic and holiday weekends will have more people...but overall the crowds are manageable. Another great time to go would be early/mid December...before the week before Christmas. There will be hardly anyone there because school won't be out yet and most people who go in December will be going between Christmas and New Years. It gets slow again in January after the Marathon weekend as well.
If you want to go this year...try December 10-16. The crowds will be very, very low and you will get to experience all of the Christmas decorations, parades, and music.
Me? I married a teacher...so as long as she is teaching we will be stuck going during busy/peak times...when the rest of creation is there as well.

My wife & I were on our Honeymoon the week after the 16th. It was nice. But I heard since the dining passes have been given out, it's gotten a little busier.
Re: What is the slowest time at Disney?
Posted: Mar Tue 22, 2011 3:13 pm
by Wizzard419
I guess the reason they have really long hours the week (or two) leading up high traffic weekends is to just get things all up to speed.
Re: What is the slowest time at Disney?
Posted: Mar Tue 22, 2011 3:18 pm
by kosmosworld
Wizzard419 wrote:I guess the reason they have really long hours the week (or two) leading up high traffic weekends is to just get things all up to speed.
That is certainly good to know!
Re: What is the slowest time at Disney?
Posted: Mar Tue 22, 2011 5:45 pm
by disneygirl223
Sept. after labor day is when kids go back to school. When kids are there,
that means the lines to attractions are pretty long. You could go during
christmas break if you want to see more of the holiday parades and stuff.

Re: What is the slowest time at Disney?
Posted: Mar Tue 22, 2011 9:40 pm
by kosmosworld
disneygirl223 wrote:Sept. after labor day is when kids go back to school. When kids are there,
that means the lines to attractions are pretty long. You could go during
christmas break if you want to see more of the holiday parades and stuff.

That is a very good day. We went the day after labor day, last September. It was very nice.
Re: What is the slowest time at Disney?
Posted: Mar Tue 22, 2011 10:20 pm
by horizons1
Yep, I echo what everyone is saying. Late January (after MLK Weekend) is slow. So are the first weeks in November and the week after Thanksgiving.
Re: What is the slowest time at Disney?
Posted: Mar Sun 27, 2011 1:47 pm
by momeja
And early September. Dead and good weather, too.
Re: What is the slowest time at Disney?
Posted: Apr Mon 04, 2011 8:13 pm
by lonepalm
I LOVE going around the middle of May. I'm not saying it is dead, but the lines usually don't top 30-40 minutes for a lot of the major rides. I always go around May 14th (whatever the Saturday closest to that is) and stay for a week (I get out before Memorial Day). We notice a bit more foot traffic in the few days before Memorial Day if we are on an extended trip, but we love the middle of May...great weather and manageable crowds!
Re: What is the slowest time at Disney?
Posted: Apr Sat 09, 2011 4:12 am
by proudcanuck
I find the best 2 months for non busy times is May and Sept. Sept is usually the best as the kids have just returned to school.
Re: What is the slowest time at Disney?
Posted: Apr Sat 23, 2011 8:29 am
by rphillips14
The slowest time at Disney is the line for character greeting for Mickey and Minnie. Rightfully so, the character take their time with each child and that's good but if your deep in that line-Holy cow it moves really, really SLOW.
Re: What is the slowest time at Disney?
Posted: Apr Sat 23, 2011 8:38 am
by csquare77
I would agree September and even October. Though it seems like October is large group tour season.