Florida - May, August or October?

[FrangipaniBlue]

Looking for advice from the wise world of MN.

I've FINALLY managed to persuade DH to do a holiday to Florida - yay!

We're pretty much decided on everything (going to do fly drive private villa) but can't decide on time of year!

Neither DH, DS or I are hot house flowers, once the temperatures get above 30 we're not happy. But similarly we don't like huge crowds either and this seems to be the trade off!!

So these are our options and pros/cons of each but I'm interested in the experiences of others....

May half term and the week before
ideal weather for us but I've heard it can be ridiculously busy, not just once US schools break up but because US schools tend to have trips to Disney/Universal at the end of term so lots of large groups of kids?

August
Quietest time of year but too hot and high risk of daytime rain. Unless someone can tell me we're guaranteed ride queues no longer than 30 minutes I think we may discount this one?

October half term and the week before
Ideal weather for us, I love the idea of Halloween and the Universal Fright Nights! Internet tells me intermediate level crowds. At the minute this is the one I'm favouring but can anyone who has actually been mid-October give me an idea of what the crowds are really like? What are ride times like?

DS will be almost 13 so not interested in the "characters" it will 100% be thrill rides and some of the shows aimed at older kids and adults.

I have been in all the months you are asking about.
Oct is the easiest in terms of temperature and busyness in the parks.
We went to Celebration on Halloween and looked at all the dresses up people and houses.

DS will technically be too young for the universal fright night. Not sure whether they check (but its ridiculously expensive)

October is the best time but if you only get a week school hols then do the week after half term not the week before since disney food and wine festival at Epcot means more crowds the week before.

DS will need adult tickets for both disney and universal.

I love in Florida. I haven't been to Disney in years so can't comment on the crowds, but May or October is much better for weather. August is just too hot. No way would I go to Disney in August or anywhere I had to be outside in Florida in August. October sounds like your best bet, but be aware that is still in hurricane season.

Live, not love but I suppose I do also love in Florida.

Disney also tend to shut one or other of their water parks around october half term

May is a good time to go, October you still risk very bad weather.

August is horrendously hot and humid and usually, very rainy.

In terms of queue times in October its difficult to say since I would never recommend anyone does universal without an express pass (which again pushes the price right up unless you say in one of the deluxe universal hotels where you get them for free - well worth doing just for the express passes). With express passes I'd say typically 15/20 mins although clearly longer for the very popular attractions like Gringotts, olivanders etc

Just for ballpark figures I have costed next october for Universal for four nights staying at Loews RP (solely for the free express passes) and its coming out at circa £2k.

We went over Christmas and it was brilliant. I took the kids out of school for the week before and it was perfect for us. not too warm and not too busy either. we left before the American holiday crowd descended. you could also go away boxing day for 2 weeks and it would be similar. I would never ever go in August. the thought of the queueing in that heat would really put me off.

If you can’t cope with heat then do not go in August. I would definitely pick October from those.

I did think about October being hurricane season but I'd heard the rain tends to come in more in the evening than through the day like August, is this right?

DS will technically be too young for the universal fright night. Not sure whether they check

This is what I'd need to check too @cloudtree, the website says "not recommended for under 13" but doesn't actually say not allowed, so I'd need to contact them first to check!

you could also go away boxing day for 2 weeks and it would be similar.

Yes also thought about this too @mummymeister as it's DS birthday first week in January so we could probably arrange it to be there then!

Disney/universal are busy whenever you go so you’ll need to expect long waits for rides at any time. It usually rains during the day during the summer but usually only for an hour or so late afternoon - don’t let that put you off. You can sit inside and get something to eat or go back and relax in your hotel room if it bothers you.
If you don’t like the heat then avoid August!!!!
Don’t worry too much about hurricanes either - unlikely to hit the middle of the state so you’ll be fine oh that front.
I’d say you should go in October- slightly cooler weather and lots going on for Halloween - Universal does Halloween Horror Nights which are awesome!!!

IMO the fright night isn't worth the extra money unless he's really into that stuff. You'll pay over £200 for a few hours in the parks but it wouldn't be nearly enough time to do the whole of universal so you'd end up buying the 14 day pass too on top of that (cheapest way) which is already nearly £750 for three of you.

Budget might not be an issue of course!

October is good-potential for a cooler day but generally great weather especially for tramping about the theme parks, not too busy either

I did think about October being hurricane season but I'd heard the rain tends to come in more in the evening than through the day like August, is this right?

No. In a hurricane or near one it will be raining night and day. With high winds. But parks would likely close if there is a hurricane threat.

Definitely October. We last went in October and it rained once for 5 minutes of our entire holiday. We did miss hurricane Matthew by a matter of hours though!

We go again this year but have pushed back to November so we get to experience Christmas this time around.

Universal's fright night can be very intense indeed for children under the age of 13 and particularly so if you are at all of a nervous disposition. There should be some stuff on youtube so that would give you an idea of what its like.

I would avoid that time of year altogether and would go in May instead.

I've been during the first 2 weeks of October and it was great, barely rained, and warm but not unbearable for my fair partner!
Ride queues weren't crazy, some rides are busier than others as they are newer etc., but make sure to make use of any fast passes etc. and sort some out for before you go for favourite rides.

Food and Wine Festival in Epcot Disney is good to try lots of different food, and if that isn't your thing just avoid that park, the others are better for rides etc. anyway.

I haven't done fright night before but I can imagine they'll be very busy, so again just make a note of favourite rides/horror houses rather than trying to fit everything in. Disney have an alternative 'Mickey's not to scary halloween party' as well if your 13 year old isn't allowed in, but that'll be more character-central and aimed at youngsters, so probably not your teenagers 'scene'.

To be honest when going during any school holidays there's going to be more crowds than outside school holidays, that's just a given. I doubt there is a magical non-queuing great weather time to go with kids, without taking them out of school for the whole time.

October is when we’ve always gone., fits with school,holidays, not as busy or as hot as the summer holidays plus you get all the Halloween stuff 🙂

I think you've all more or less swayed me to October (was waivering that way anyway!)

We are a family of Halloween lovers, it's on a par with Christmas in the Frangipani house and I've been looking at all the stuff in places like Old Town that we can do at night too

We have been twice in October and loved it.
Not to hot or busy, we didn’t get much rain at all.