Summer Months - Lighter Crowds!???

LadyDiznee123

DIS Veteran
Joined
Mar 2, 2015
Hello fellow DISers:

I was just reading another post where it was noted that Summer crowds these days are now the lighter crowds. I was a 90's old-head who would never go in the Summer. My husband and I went back to back for 4 years during the last week of Oct, into the first week of November (97 98 99 00). Mainly because it was our anniversary week, but also because going in the fall meant cooler weather, less crowds, less expensive... everything I found out the hard way in 2015 that the crowds were simply a year-round thing now. No low-crowd season. In any event, in 2017, I mastered the crowds via my own personal rope-drop to fireworks strategy and had the time of my life. Getting set to do it again come November this year. Now, I also do understand that LOWER crowds does not mean there is no crowd, just perhaps less than the fall crowds. (the MNSSHP and Food and Wine fest were new when we were going in the 90's). So it was a culture shock when I returned in 2015. I have always told myself that there'd have to be a gun to my head for me to ever book a Disney trip for Summer. I often give Disney advice to friends, and I am so used to telling people to never go in the Summer if you can help it. So now this is not true???

Anyway, can anyone please enlightened me. What are your experiences? Who amongst you were at WDW last June, July, Aug in 2017??? Please share your experiences. I would so much appreciate it. I don't care much for heat, but for more manageable crowds, I may indeed consider a Summer visit. Never been in the summer before. Just how small are these SMALLER crowds. And do any of you disagree with this smaller crowds report.

Thanks in advance!
 
We went Aug 17, July 16, and Nov 15 l (wine and dine weekend) and all three were pretty much equal crowds wise. Although I have heard fall has gotten busier the last few years.
 


It's always crowded. There is no more slow time. Summer is brutally hot and it's hurricane season. July is lower crowds, many reports have been that after the fourth is a good time to go. It will not be slow and you will have to deal with the heat. Now with the opening of toy story land and the new stuff coming, it will be more crowded than ever IMO no matter when you go.
 
Still crowded in late August but nothing like the "busy" periods. We go this time of year because its usually less crowded but not so much anymore.
 


Did July 4th week last year. Definitely the best in terms of crowds than the other times we traveled last year. Also the cheapest too from a resort rate perspective, which allowed us to make it a longer trip. So double bonus.

It's still crowded of course - you can never avoid crowds. But you see it manifest itself in small ways. More ADR and FP options on the fly. The "rope drop advantage" lasts 1.5-2 hours, not 45 minutes-1 hour. Weather can sometimes help clear things out in a way that may work to your advantage (of course it can also just make you wet and stuck somewhere too). Longer park hours, fewer rides under refurb.

We don't mind the heat, so that doesn't bother us all that much. We just adjust with more resort/poo/rest time when needed.

It's not all candy canes and lollipops of course, but I'm generally a late June / July / August fan.
 
Always went in the fall in October or during Spring Break in March. Last summer, did a surprise trip at the end of July. Crowds were not bad and less than what we had seen in March in 2015, 2013, and 2011. We did rope drop most days and with most parks closing at 9pm or 10pm most nights, we stayed all day at the parks. Did not see any large groups, no cheer groups, no South America groups, no teen groups at all. Stayed at Pop Century. We only had rain 1out of 9 days and the heat was not too bad either. All in all, I’d do it again for a late July trip.
 
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lol I have been there for 115 real feel temps...when we walked out of our hotel room, the humidity basically knocked us back in to the room. Good times!

LOL! We were there one Aug and there was a heat wave believe it or not. So it was hotter than the usual surface of the sun hot. It was so hot that on the news they were telling people to stay inside, that it was not safe to be outside. I don't even remember what the heat indexes were. Then a hurricane was spinning around in the Atlantic heading for FL. Fun times.
 
I think the big difference now is DAH, because it gives summer a real shot at being special. If you plan on two of them in a week in lieu of regular park tickets and get there as soon as they'll let you in, I think summer becomes much more advantages than any other time of the year. 7 to midnight or 1 is a pretty good day at MK, especially when the last three hours are very limited crowds.

I went in July 7-10 last year and it was fine. Did an EMM and then a full MK day, an AK/ HS day and an Epcot day. Then a waterpark as we were leaving. Pretty good days. This year we're doing a DAH in late June and July 2-4 (they didn't offer DAH until I had already booked). I think there's a good vibe that comes with it being hot -- like it's the way it's supposed to be. But I grew up in Orlando before moving out west, so I might be biased.

All that to say, i think the summer's a fine time to go. It'll be hot, but it'll be fully staffed and the place was built with heat in mind. You'll have a great time -- but if you can work on a DAH or two, it'll be better.
 
I definitely know that morphed into a busy season. But didn't know that Summer had morphed into a less busy season. I'll see what the others have to say!
Thanks!
 

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