Best time (ie. quietest) to go to WDW?

For all us disney planners/dreamers ; I thought it would be fun to list what times of year you found the parks to be quietest, or trips most memorable.

Here are mine in order of quietest to busiest:

1. third week in September — pretty hot and humid, but lines were non-existant even during a free dining year, even at MK (of course that was 2005 just after Katrina!)

2. first week in November — we've done that twice. The first time was relatively quiet and walk-on. The second time, five years later, Jersey week was in full force and it was busier but still quite manageable. What is it with the US and school holidays - how many weeks off do they need?!

3. third week of April — our busiest experience so far. It wasn't an Easter month, but those Northeastern school holidays caught up with us again. I've never been during peak seasons, but those NYers and NJers were complaining that it was mighty busy. I knew I was in trouble when they extended restaurant hours for our stay! ; Still, in retrospect, not that bad but definitely felt we needed a vacation after the vacation which we never felt during our previous stays.

What's your best times?

 

Well our first trip was in the middle of January. ; There were no crowds, or at least hardly anyone, but I think it might have had something to do with it being so cold. We did have to get a few fast passes, but it really wasn't bad at all. ; Then we went in the third week of March. ; Again it wasn't too bad at all. ; I don't remember there being too many crowds. ; The next time was for our honeymoon in May and that was the third week as well. ; It was pretty hot and it was busy, but nothing that you couldn't handle with a bit of planning. ; Out of all the trips, that was definitely the busiest. ; Then we went the first and second week of December last year. ; I couldn't believe how dead it was. ; It was the occasional crowd here and there, but it was nice to walk around the parks and not have to push our way through.

Most memorable...they all are!! ; First trip...well it was the first trip, second trip Sean proposed, third was our honeymoon and Fourth was Mousefest. ;

 

Good to know. I'm actually contemplating that time for next year. (Don't tell my DH ; ) It seems less disruptive on the girls to take them out a week before the break than it is later in the Spring.

 

Jan of '86 very quiet.

Last 2 weeks of Aug '05 & '06. Folks in the parks but no huge crowds.

March '06 March break very busy but manageable crowds during the week. Planning, fast pass strategy and getting an early start really helped.

March '08. Week before US March break began but it was the Toronto area March break, again very quiet.

We always avoid the parks if we can on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays.

 

I have to agree completely. ; The week before our Ontario March Break was excellent. ; No major crowds, no big lines!!!

 

We once went during the 2nd week in December. ; It was very quiet - a lot of the rides had short waits, if any. ; The weather was great. ; All you needed was a sweater in the mornings and evenings. ; The great weather (not too hot or humid - mid 60s to low 70s during the day) and short lines really made the trip enjoyable. ; The sit down restaurants were not jammed packed and it was easy to find a seat in the counter service restaurants. ; Everyone was relaxed and had fun. ; We could pick the locals out and they could spot us like a sore thumb. ; We were the ones wearing the shorts, t-shirts and light windbreaker jackets and the locals were wearing flannel winter jackets, hats and gloves! ; ;D

 

Hi,
We have always gone in the first couple of weeks in Dec, usually around the 5th-19th and its so great, the parks are extremely quiet and as you say no queues at all.

 

I have been mostly in Jan & Sept. Have also been in Oct. My next trip will be in Dec for Mousefest. Lets hope for small crowds.