Summer is almost here and everyone is thinking about vacation so I have to tell you what weeks in Disney are on my list of "when NOT to go."
July 4th week is number one. My family vacationed there during that week in 2001. On the Fourth, we had to get to the Magic Kingdom early because it was rumored that the park reaches capacity early in the day and then they no longer allow entrance. And that's exactly what happened. The temperature was well into the upper 90's, lines were extra long. We needed to stay for the 3 p.m. parade to watch my husband in the Boyertown Alumni Band march down Main Street in the parade. Well worth the heat and crowds to see :)
The week of Thanksgiving is another busy week in Disney with families taking advantage of the extra days off school so their children don't miss an entire week of school.
Another week I avoid Disney is the week of Christmas. While the weeks leading up to it are quite pleasant, I understand that week is at least as crowded as July 4th.
A lot of people say summers are crowded. I say it depends on when in the summer you go. I've been there in June, July and August and I'm headed back this summer again. I'm another parent who would prefer not taking the kids out of school for an entire week during the school year.
Last summer we were there at the end of June and it was not overly crowded. The crowds in early December were also bearable.
This year will be our third trip in the month of August and while I'll admit it is hot, we take advantage of the fact that many of the schools in the southern states are back in session in early August, freeing up the parks for us northerners.
Holiday weekends are another time to avoid since many locals go to the parks during that time.
The water parks are busiest on the weekends and the Magic Kingdom is busiest on Saturday, the day most people arrive and the park they usually visit first.