Summer Months - Lighter Crowds!???

[LadyDiznee123]

For Summer,I always advise Guests who are not familiar with The 15s and therefore don't know how they will "react" to them, that they may want to avoid July and go with June or August.

Good to know. August might be the ticket!
Thanks!

 

[LadyDiznee123]

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.

Okay. This sounds more like what I've known it to be. I forgot about hurricane season. I've always been thankful for going AFTER that time period. There there is the heat. And Yes, I'd known since 2015 that slow seasons were now dead. And you are right about the new openings. There are bound to be bigger crowds. Just taking notes in my head now!

 

[LadyDiznee123]

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.

Thanks!

 

[Shanti]

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 in July 2015 and July 2016 and had great experiences. Our late July 2016 trip, in particular, had very, very low crowds.

 

[LadyDiznee123]

The last several weeks have not been busy and if this summer is like the last few, it shouldn't be bad at all...just hot and humid.

Thanks!

 

[LadyDiznee123]

and like to lay down on Main Street for reasons unknown to everyone else.

Rofl. No. This I cannot have. lol.

 

[Shanti]

I am pretty sure they mean the mass amount of South American teenage tour groups who chant and like to lay down on Main Street for reasons unknown to everyone else.

We've spent two different July weeks at WDW and have never seen tour groups lying down on Main Street or doing loud chanting at the parks.

Not saying it could never happen, but it's by no means a common experience in July.

 

[Wdw1015]

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.

And we all know how important it is to get the correct amount of “poo” time

 

[LadyDiznee123]

Always went in the fall in October or 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.

I think, from the posts I am reading thus far, is that while there is indeed no such thing as a SLOW CROWD SEASON anymore, crowds are no longer SUPER INSANE in summer anymore, because all of the seasons are just as crowded. The crowds are spread out throughout the entire year. It seems that summer has slacked off a bit, while, of course still crowded. I have mastered crowd management via my RopeDrop To Fireworks strategy, and I plan out everything - most of which goes as planned. My concern is hurricane season and heat.

Based on these responses, I'm going to continue on my my Autumn dates. I know what to expect from them now, and I know how to manage my time. This time I will be doing just a short trip from NOV 15TH to NOV 19TH... just calling it my SDD / Hollywood Studios trip (although I will have park hoppers for all five days, and will enjoy the rest of the other 3 parks). What I did grow tired of was the FW FESTIVAL and their crowds. When I went last year, my last day was on the FIRST DAY - AFTER - the FW fest. And WS was a joy to walk around in. I thought it would be great for my Epcot day (I've really had enough of FW FEST), and it's the week BEFORE thanksgiving week (my last day will be that Monday though). But as someone else said, now with the opening of TSL, I may see little change in the crowds... perhaps even more. But, I'm okay with that. I just wanted to be able to compare and know what I was working with. Thanks to everyone for their responses!

 

[Shanti]

And we all know how important it is to get the correct amount of “poo” time

 

[LadyDiznee123]

We went in July 2015 and July 2016 and had great experiences. Our late July 2016 trip, in particular, had very, very low crowds.

Thank you Shanti!

 

[Shanti]

I think, from the posts I am reading thus far is that while there is indeed no such thing as a SLOW CROWD SEASON anymore, crowds are no longer SUPER INSANE in summer anymore, because all of the seasons are just as crowded. It seem that summer has slacked off a bit, while, of course still crowded. I have mastered crowd management via my RopeDrop To Fireworks strategy, and I plan out everything - most of which goes as planned. My concern is hurricane season and heat.

Based on these responses I'm going to continue on my my Autumn dates. I know what to expect from them now, and I know how to manage my time. This time I will be doing just a short trip from NOV 15TH to NOV 19TH... just calling it my SDD / Hollywood Studios trip (although I will have park hoppers for all five days, and will enjoy the rest of the other 3 parks). What I did grow tired of was the FW FESTIVAL and their crowds. When I went last year, my last day was on the FIRST DAY - AFTER - the FW fest. And WS was a joy to walk around in. I thought it would be great for my Epcot day (I've really had enough of FW FEST), and it's the week BEFORE thanksgiving week (my last day will be that Monday though). But as someone else said, now with the opening of TSL, I may see little change in the crowds... perhaps even more. But, I'm okay with that. I just wanted to be able to compare and know what I was working with. Thanks to everyone for their responses!

I think you should go whenever you want to go, and if that's autumn, you'll have a great time.

Just for the record, though, I will state that we have experienced truly low crowds in July. Not just "less terrible" crowds, but "where is everyone and why don't I need a FP for this?" crowds. Late July 2016 was the slowest we'd seen WDW since January 2009.

 

[anneboleyn]

We've spent two different July weeks at WDW and have never seen tour groups lying down on Main Street or doing loud chanting at the parks.

Not saying it could never happen, but it's by no means a common experience in July.

Well now you have just jinxed yourself and you will be constantly stepping over them on your next trip lol

 

[Shanti]

Well now you have just jinxed yourself and you will be constantly stepping over them on your next trip lol

Nooooooo!

 

[LadyDiznee123]

I think you should go whenever you want to go, and if that's autumn, you'll have a great time.

Just for the record, though, I will state that we have experienced truly low crowds in July. Not just "less terrible" crowds, but "where is everyone and why don't I need a FP for this?" crowds. Late July 2016 was the slowest we'd seen WDW since January 2009.

Thanks Shanti.
I'm definitely noting all of this info in my head now. What I do know now is that the thought of a Summer visit will no longer send me into a terror. It's okay. But I like to avoid the hurricane season and the heat. And at this juncture, I'm sticking to my November dates. I've never had bad weather. But I wanted to hear from others that indeed, crowd-wise, it's no different than any other time of year!

 

[halfpintpeggy]

What I did grow tired of was the FW FESTIVAL and their crowds.

We are right there with you! SOOO over the seemingly never ending F&W Festival!

 

[Animal]

I think you should go whenever you want to go, and if that's autumn, you'll have a great time.

Just for the record, though, I will state that we have experienced truly low crowds in July. Not just "less terrible" crowds, but "where is everyone and why don't I need a FP for this?" crowds. Late July 2016 was the slowest we'd seen WDW since January 2009.

July 2016 was slow because of the 2016 Rio Olympics and the freefall of the Brazilian Real. The Brazilians chose to go to or watch the Olympics instead of Disney World. The Real has recovered somewhat, but it's still historically weak. I would expect fewer Brazilians than, say, 2014 or 2015, but more than what was observed in 2016.

 

[LadyDiznee123]

We are right there with you! SOOO over the seemingly never ending F&W Festival!

I know. Enough already.

 

[DizneyMommy]

Ok wait, I still want to know what the 15’s are. For real!

 

[DaisyDuck001]

Hi Daisy! How are you!?

Good! How are you?