When would you go if you were me

LindyWebb

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jul 15, 2013
I would love some input as I am having serious second thoughts about my planned WDW trip.

1. I am a teacher so cannot go during the school year (not complaining love my job)
2. My daughter plays rep hockey so spring break always falls during playoffs (she can't miss)

That leaves Christmas (a lul time for us in hockey world) or summer.

My plan was Christmas but it is scary to read about the craziness. Summer is also crazy, plus hot, hot hot!

I appreciate any advice/insight
 
If it were me, I'd do Christmas. Yes, there are crowds, but there is also CHRISTMAS! The decorations are wonderful and you can do the christmas party if you're into that. And the weather is SO MUCH BETTER. Just secure your FPs, rope drop, and manage your expectations. That's my opinion!
 
I'm also a teacher and have my own school aged kids, so we've only been at Christmas and in the summer. Christmas is definitely crowded but the weather is great and decorations are beautiful! We had a plan each day and never waited more than 30 minutes for anything. Summer is hot (we've been in June) but we were prepared for it (from Texas). I couldn't honestly tell you there was a huge difference in crowds, but again we had a plan and didn't wait more than 30 minutes for anything. For me, summer gives us more recovery time after returning home since Christmas is spent trying to squeeze in seeing family too.
 
I've done both, and I'd opt for the latest part of the summer that you can go. Longer park hours, crowds are high but definitely more manageable than Christmas or mid-summer. As megs1313 said, a big part will be planning and managing your own expectations.
 


Christmas would be my first choice.

If you have to do summer, choose the latest possible week you are able to go.
 
If you are ok with HOT, HOT, HOT summer is definitely less crowded. But, if I had to choose I would go again at Christmas in a heartbeat! I have only been once at Christmas and went to MK on Christmas Day! I absolutely loved it!! The crowds are expected so we went at rope drop and scheduled lunch at Crystal Palace to get a long break in. We went in knowing we were there for the experience, not for a lot of rides that day. Unfortunately, as a nurse we are not usually allowed to take vacations over holidays, so being there was a treat for me.
 
DW was a teacher, and I taught for ten years. We made Disney trips during spring break, summer, and fall break. Our favorite was definitely fall break. Apparently OP doesn't get that. Of her choices, I personally would go in the summer. Yes, it is very hot in Orlando in the summer, but it is very close to being as hot at home in Tennessee in the summer. So I would prefer to be hot at Disney over being hot at home. The crowds in the summer make the rope drop hour more precious. I don't think I want to see the Disney crowds at Christmas break. There are supposed to be many more people then than summer. I would be afraid of not experiencing many attractions--which is the main reason I visit Disney. (I say attractions rather than rides because some of the shows are key to the experience for me as well.) Whenever you decide to go, I wish you a magical vacation.
 


We went first week of June for our honeymoon. Didn't really have a choice on the week we went it being a honeymoon and all (besides moving the wedding). It wasn't too bad. It was hot, yes, but far better than July/August I'm sure. And it's at the beginning of the school vacations so people haven't quite mobilized yet. Some are, obviously, but I think July is a far busier month.

Dad's Guide corroborates this. End of August doesn't look too bad crowd wise either, right before kids go back to school. But being a teacher maybe you have in service during that time as you get prepped for the coming kids?

http://www.dadsguidetowdw.com/disney-world-crowd-calendars-2017.html
 
Christmas, for you, hands down. Two reasons...
  1. Your intelligence (You've already shown you are "smarter than the average bear" by seeking advise from the DIS community)
  2. Your willing to plan (It's March and you are already asking questions about crowd, you are way ahead of 95% of the roaming the streets on Main Street, USA)
Personal opinion, there is no better time than Christmas at Disney; The decorations, the atmosphere & the holiday. Yes the crowds are larger than normal, but if you plan, take advantage of rope drop and turn your patients up a notch or two, you'll be fine. Weather is beautiful in December.

Our family does Christmas at Disney every couple of years. We rope drop every morning until noon at the parks recommended by Touring Plans (another must for any Disney planner). Then back to the resort pool (nap), Disney Springs or to other hotels to see the decorations. Then back to a park or dinner with our Fastpasses, fireworks, resort, sleep, repeat.

Christmas Day last year, at MK for rope drop, only because one daughter just "had to be there for Christmas morning". Rode 7DMT, BTM, Space & Splash Mt, Buzz and Pirates, left the park by 10:15 am on our way to AK. Main Street was packed with the masses getting ready to stand in line. We rode EE 3 time in 30 minutes and AK felt empty. All owed to planning.
 
Ask yourself which bothers you more, crowds or heat/humidity? Also, xmas is a very expensive time, even more so than summer. Everything is more expensive. hotels, flights. We have been between xmas to New Years Eve, Spring Break, and Summer. Of those 3 times, Summer has been the least crowded. They all have different pros and cons. Would you be staying onsite? That could help with the crowds and FP+. Are you willing to have travel issues if flying during the winter? Would your length of stay be different during the 2 times, ie less time available during xmas break maybe? For us, we don't mind heat and we don't mind crowds, so anytime is a good time:)
 
You didn't mention what seasons you've already seen or how often you go (or if you've never been).

I personally like how disney changes season to season and we spent my entire life only seeing disney during the summer. a couple years ago when we finally had the chance to try fall, it quickly turned into lets do xmas also, then 2 years later we live here now to be able to do and see all the different things all different times of years.

So my answer is go the time you haven't been before. Enjoy how it's different.
 
I go every year with my DD26 and we've been going usually in early Dec or Nov for all the Christmas stuff, definitely our fave time! But, this year she's switched jobs and working at a school now. The bad part is we now have to go during summer for our week vacation and have to go in August now, so we'll be going 8/5-12. She has to be back by the 15th or I would have gone later hoping for better crowds and maybe even a smidge less heat and humidity. And June and July are out as she's getting married on the 9th of July.
I am grateful we can still go, but I really, really am dreading the heat and humidity! I don't do so well with it and we are definitely not rope droppers, we like to go mid afternoon and stay late, lol. May have to adjust some I guess, lol.
We are adding a small trip over Veteran's day weekend in Nov to get in a bit of Christmas and a party, and to use our AP's before they run out, so I am excited to still get in some Christmas with my fave dream castle lights! The castle is so beautiful when they have the icicle lights, one of my fave things and definitely worth seeing!
So, my advice is go at Christmas if you can, it's awesome! So beautiful and very magical! (And not that awful heat and humidity!). We've actually had pretty good weather the last number of years - warm during the day and cool at night, and not humid!
 
Christmas is so beautiful and the weather is great. If you have a plan and know how to dodge the crowds then I suggest going then.
 
Christmas for sure. Love the decorations and you can't beat the weather.
 
I agree, Christmas is definitely more scenic with better weather, but the crowds are insane. We have to go late August almost every trip due to another commitment. Yes, it's hot (sometimes brutal), but the southern US kids are back in school and the camps are done for the season, so the crowds are lighter. I've never heard of a park being closed for at capacity in August.

As others said, pick your poison, crowds or heat. We pick heat, but that's what's best for us.
 
I'd probably choose Christmas because of the decorations and weather. I go twice a year--first part of May and December--and both are fine weatherwise. I've never been on Christmas itself or the week leading up to it because of work so I can't tell you about the crowds, but I'd imagine the crowds would be similar, but much hotter in the summer. I went once in July and said never again. Just way too hot! But whichever you choose, you'll have a magical time. It's Disney after all. :flower1:
 
I would choose Christmas. We went this past June and we were miserable in the heat and it actually slowed us down. For us, the increased crowds is worth it to not be slogged in heat and humidity in the summer.
 
I hate the humid heat, but I hate crowds more. I'd pick summer with those two choices.
 
Thank you fellow Dis'ers!

Yes we have been twice at spring break. I am all about the RD and planning! I love all the advice. Many lean towards Christmas which is the direction I was heading. Looks like with lots of fast pass planning it works!

I haven't been with the new rope drop system so it will be interesting seeing if I like that way better or not.

I worry about summer mainly because we don't get the type of heat and humidity at home (north of Toronto). The summers get hot, but not Florida hot.

Thanks again for all the insight. Looking forward to planning not looking forward to paying!
 
It seems you made up your mind already but I'll vote for xmas time too. I can't deal with heat AND crowds. But I think I work better with crowds. I have been to Orlando too many times in the heat where I've been too hot to even take out my phone for pictures. I just wanted to get in a/c.

Have you thought about Disneyland in California? It can get crowded but the weather is beautiful.
 

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