coastermaniac Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 ^ From where I live, that's correct; I'm not sure about Florida schools though. So late August and if I can't do that go early June? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeemerBoy Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I spent all my school years in Florida, and I can't ever remember getting out before the 12th of June. Perhaps that's changed? I'm not sure. Regardless though, early June can *sometimes* help avoid the oppressive heat and humidity of mid to late summer Florida. Thinking deeper now, if I had to choose in your position, I'd pick the first week of June, and late August would be my second choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernierocker Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I think what a lot of people have already said is that no matter when you go in the summer, it is going to be crowded and hot. You will need a gameplan going in, but be willing to have some flexibility in your plans, because Disney crowds are getting harder to predict. Â Here is what I do: Â 1) Get a park hopper! This way if you go to a park and it is too crowded, you are not stuck at that park all day! 2) Avoid parks that have morning EMH like the plague. (If you are staying at a resort hotel, and have to do this, be prepared to leave that park late morning for another one, as the park will get extremely crowded) 3) Do not go to Magic Kingdom on a Monday! 4) Be at the parks about 30 mins - 1 hour before rope drop. 5) Go to the more popular attractions first thing in the morning to stay ahead of the crowd. Use Fastpasses and ride the less popular rides as the park gets crowded. 6) Take afternoon breaks (another benefit of the park hopper) and return to the parks in the evening. 7) If you want to do sit-down dining, you will need to make your reservations as soon as your window to make them opens, especially if you want to eat at Le Cellier, Character Dining, or some of the other more popular choices. Â The main point I am trying to make is Disney is crowded the majority of the year, but with the right gameplan, you can still get everything you want done and have a great time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 A lot of schools seem to be trending to earlier dismissal now and earlier back to school then when we were kids. I'd say from what I've seen that schools are going back the 2nd or 3rd week in August and are then out by Memorial Day. Â Another thing to consider is who will be at the parks. I love sharing the parks with the British tourists and you'll see a lot more of them in early September since they still have more that 'traditional school year'. In June you'd probably see a lot more American kids and families that got out early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastermaniac Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 ^ I am for sure going to get a park hopper. You mentioned not going to Magic Kingdom on a Monday; I've heard other people saying things like that as well. Why are there certain days to not go to certain parks? Do statistics actually show that certain parks are in fact more crowded on certain days of the week? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I just got an email stating that animal kingdom will no longer be offering the evening extra magic hours. They will be adding more morning extra magic hours in it's place. Â Not sure why they are doing this, other than it may effect the animals. Â It also does not say when this will go into effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernierocker Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 ^ I am for sure going to get a park hopper. You mentioned not going to Magic Kingdom on a Monday; I've heard other people saying things like that as well. Why are there certain days to not go to certain parks? Â As someone mentioned already in this thread, the majority of people go to Magic Kingdom as their first park. And out of those people, the majority have their first park day on a Monday. There are recommendations for which day to go to a park out there, but it doesn't always hold true due to numerous factors already mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moinab Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I would go with the first week of June over the end of August. It's a bit of a toss-up, though. Duval County (northeast FL/Jacksonville) schools are in session until June 10th. I wouldn't agonize over which one to pick, though - go with whatever works best for you. The crowds shouldn't be hideous, either of those weeks. Â As stated above, avoid EMH parks, get to the park for opening (no need to be early, unless you want to see the opening "show,") and be flexible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nay Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I was there early June last year, and it was still super hot, but crowds were manageable. Another tip - If you have no interest in seeing Fantasmic, don't go to DHS on a day that it is scheduled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastermaniac Posted March 2, 2011 Author Share Posted March 2, 2011 Ok, so I have a pretty good idea of when I want to go. Now it's just where to stay... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastermaniac Posted March 2, 2011 Author Share Posted March 2, 2011 Are there any Disney hotels cheaper than the All-Star Resort hotels? I can't seem to find any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Pop century is the same price as the all stars, but IMO, much nicer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernierocker Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 ^^Those are in the "Value" category of the resort hotels which are the lower priced hotels. If you want to stay on property and get the resort "benefits" then those are the cheapest ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastermaniac Posted March 2, 2011 Author Share Posted March 2, 2011 If you want to stay on property and get the resort "benefits" then those are the cheapest ones. Â Resort benefits as in like extra magic hours and such? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socalMAN123 Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 From my experience staying at WDW, the EMH were hands down the most overrated aspect of our visit there. Super crowded and just no fun to deal with all of the crowds. Of course, it might have changed since my visit in 2005 (and it probably has) but I do remember the EMH not being worth it at all. The meal plan however has to be one of the best deals I've ever gotten at any visit to a theme park ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastermaniac Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 ^ I did EMH in 2007 for Epcot and it was alright; kinda crowded but not horrible. What's the meal plan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahecht Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 From my experience staying at WDW, the EMH were hands down the most overrated aspect of our visit there. Super crowded and just no fun to deal with all of the crowds. Of course, it might have changed since my visit in 2005 (and it probably has) but I do remember the EMH not being worth it at all. The meal plan however has to be one of the best deals I've ever gotten at any visit to a theme park ever. Â I disagree on the dining plan being a great deal. Although you save money over paying for those meals individually, you end up paying way more and eating way more food that you would've otherwise. Â As an example, on my 10-day trip we ate breakfast in our hotel room most days to save time (bagels, cream cheese, lox, and PB&J that we brought with us), had 7 Table Service meals, 16 Counter Service meals, and about 6 snacks. We brought granola bars from home and we never purchased sodas (water is free and caffeine leads to dehydration in that sort of heat), although we did buy alcoholic drinks on 3 occasions. Including the price of the breakfast food and granola bars we purchased in advance, we spent about $30/person each day including tips. There is a thread of money-saving Disney dining advice at http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1947248 Â The "Quick Service Dining Plan" would've been $35/person each day but we would've had to skip the Table Service meals and alcohol or pay for them out of pocket. The Regular dining plan would've been $46+tips/person each day (probably around $51/person each day with tips) plus the price of alcohol. Either one would've been more expensive. Â Also, don't forget that there really is no such thing as "free dining", as you have to pay full price for the room and tickets to get it. Given that there are regularly 30% off codes offered for rooms (especially if you're willing to sign up for AAA, which will pay for itself in this case) and discounted tickets available, the difference in price between getting "Free" dining and not getting it can often be more than the price of just paying for the dining plan out of pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastermaniac Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 So you're saying that I shouldn't get a meal plan and I should just buy food on my own? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moinab Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastermaniac Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 Alright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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