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Original poster

Best time to visit Disney World

15 replies

LemonMuffins · 05/07/2018 10:16

If you've been, which of the school holidays is the best for visiting Orlando with children between 11-14 years old?

Christmas is not an option. Easter I believe has horrendous crowds but nice weather. Late August less crowds but wet and boiling. Are Easter and summer as bad as they sound?

That leaves half terms. Is a busy week enough time? 4 days WDW 2 or 3 days Universal? No option of tagging on extra days.

Looks like it'll cost the best part of £10k for 4 people for a week weeps

OP posts:
anxious62 · 05/07/2018 14:52

We are going in October but have two weeks off school then. I honestly wouldn’t do Easter.

£10k for a week sound lot. We are £7500 for three of us for two and a half weeks. 14 nights on side with free dining and then 5 nights club level at hard rock with universal tickets. That also includes flights.

schoty77 · 05/07/2018 22:21

We're also going later October/early November for two weeks. We went that time last year and while is was a bit rainy, it wasn't excessively hot. Longest lines were around 80mins, but most 30mins.

10k is far too much, we are paying that much all up and our trip includes a week in LA, a week in NY and flights onward to Auckland!

Musicalstatues · 05/07/2018 22:29

I wouldn’t do only a week if I were you, especially if this is your first visit. There is so much to do you will be completely overwhelmed. Is it an option to take the kids out of school for a week before or after half term?

We have been at many different times of year. Last year was our first year of trying to fit it in to the school holidays and we went for 3 weeks at the end of August/beginning sept. I have never known humidity like it, it was crazy. But it was manageable as long as you factor it in, make sure you have rest time etc etc. We survived it with a 5 and 2 year old and it would definitely be doable with older children.

This year we are going over the October half term and taking my eldest out of school for 2 weeks after as well. Naughty I know but we do like going for 3 weeks.

Anyhow, in summary I really wouldn’t try to fit it in to a week. I would either tack time on to a half term or go at the end of August and just prepare yourselves to be super hot!

Musicalstatues · 05/07/2018 22:30

Oh sorry, I just spotted you said no option for tagging on more days. In which case I would go with August.

Canshopwillshop · 05/07/2018 22:36

We went October half term and took the kids out the week before (didn’t get fined!). It was great both temperature wise and queue wise. The longest we had to queue without fast passes was 30 mins.,

EmmaStone · 18/07/2018 13:56

We always visit Florida over the Easter holidays. Yes it's busy in the parks, but you just manage around it. The weather is gorgeous, not humid, but still hot. Having said that, we don't usually spend long int he parks (a few days at most - many years we skip them altogether). This past Easter we did Disney and happened to be in Orlando over the Easter weekend. It was really crazy busy - the roads were busy, the shops were busy, the parks were busy. But we did what we wanted pretty much, made good use of Fast Passes and getting to parks early (or coming back to them late).

Personally, I wouldn't do August because of the filthy weather (I lived in Miami for 10 years - nothing would compel me to pay to go to Florida in August). Not only is the humidity disgusting, there's the storm risk - thunderstorms close the parks, and they can be a daily occurence in the summer.

A week would be totally exhausting if you're trying to tick it off your list - remember Disney has 4 parks and 2 waterparks alone. You just would feel you hadn't done it all to satisfaction. We tend to only stay in Orlando for a max of 4 days, that's usually enough. This year we stayed 6 days - it was a mistake and we really regretted not having longer in the laid back beach area we stayed in after.

Chrisinthemorning · 19/07/2018 07:36

We went this May and it rained and rained. Normally May is OK- the rain came early, but I wouldn’t go May again.

Lindtnotlint · 19/07/2018 07:46

October. No question. Weather, queues: both point to October. A week is fine if that’s what you can manage. (You don’t have to do everything)

KinkyDoritowithsparkleson · 20/07/2018 16:01

Always go August. The start is crazy, but fast passing and planning helps - we stay on site so get access to this early. I'm also booking stays in Universal to get express passes as the queues there get very large. Our approach is go early, back at hotel for afternoon and then out again on an evening.

I'm going late August this time in the hope that the crowds are a lot lower. It was very busy July-August last time. Not looking forward to back to school jetlag though!

In terms of weather, I've had mixed experiences, but it's never stopped us doing things. The storms tend to be late afternoon when we are back at the hotel. It is really hot but we are always inside for rides/queues/shops/restaurants with excellent air con.

In an ideal world, I'd go late September.

Juanbablo · 20/07/2018 16:47

We went in the Easter hols. One week of the hols and one week after. It wasn't too busy really. Weather was very good. It was fab. Around £10k for 5 of us for two weeks, that's flights, villa, car hire, Disney and universal and soending money.

ManyCrisps · 22/07/2018 23:51

I wouldn’t go for a week or even 2 weeks although I have in the past 3 weeks in August is good because the American kids are back in school so queues are smaller and it is the best amount of time for my family it allows you to take things more slowly as there is more time to do things however I would stay in a villa and hire a car which does help save money and so does taking flights with connections in the past I was able to get business class there and back for cheaper than economy direct. However if you do book a Disney hotel for the first night then you can get free magic bands and you can book all your fast passes at 60 days rather than 30 allowing you to get the more popular rides.

MakeLemonade · 22/07/2018 23:55

We’ve been at Easter for last two years and it’s been great, this year was much quieter than last as spring break had finished as we arrived. With fast passes and getting up early we only queued more than ten mins for one ride.

Giraffe31 · 23/07/2018 17:41

Isn't definately go in summer over Easter. If you can go in the second half of August some of the American kids have gone back to school by then so the crowds are a little lighter

HermioneWeasley · 23/07/2018 19:39

October you risk hurricanes

If you’re only going for a week, I’d probably go for feb half term

mariniere · 11/08/2018 21:15

Easter better than summer which is often extremely wet. The rain can be so hard you can't step outdoors - we were stuck in the Expedition Everest shop for 20 minutes once... summer is super busy too. If you plan it aggressively (!) you will get plenty of rides whenever you go.
I think a week is plenty but depends on you. We do Disney and universal but I don't bother with all the Disney parks each visit and can take or leave a water park, we do that elsewhere. It's enough for me. But some people I know love 2 weeks and chilling out in between. I prefer to spend the rest of the time outside Orlando.

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