For anyone planning a Disney World vacation it is vital that you know and understand their "seasons." As with the rest of the world they do indeed have four distinct seasons, but Disney seasons are not based on climate. Rather they are based on statistics of vacationers’ habits and average attendance at the theme parks.

The four seasons are:

• Value Season • Regular Season • Peak Season • Holiday Season

Timing is the key to a truly enjoyable Disney vacation. Attending during the peak seasons means you will spend an inordinate amount of time in the long lines and will pay top dollar for everything. Consider each season and then plan accordingly.

Value Season

The value season can be broken into three blocks of time:

• January 1 through mid-February • All of September through the first week in October • Thanksgiving Sunday through mid-December

The very best of the three is after the Thanksgiving weekend up to the week before Christmas.

Attendance is the lowest during the Value Season because of school schedules and winter weather. Hotel rates will be lower and better deals are available from Disney than at any other time of the year. Also keep in mind that with smaller crowds, you will spend less time in lines, and have more quality time to enjoy the parks.

Winter in Central Florida can be warm or freezing – sometimes within only a few hours of each other. Come prepared.

Regular Season

What is known as the regular season is broken into two blocks:

• Mid-April through August • October through Thanksgiving Saturday

Summer is often the only time a family can plan a Disney World vacation. If that’s true in your case, the first two weeks of June and last two weeks of August will be the best choice.

Summer means not only larger crowds, but extremely hot days, and those pesky afternoon showers that seem to arrive like clockwork. A word of caution: if you have preschoolers or babies, avoid summer if at all possible.

Peak Season

Spring Break dictates the time of Disney’s Peak Season and it occupies one block of time:

• Mid-February through mid-April

Even though Spring Break draws incredible crowds (as does spring events of President’s Day week, Mardi Gras, and Easter) the weeks in early April usually have light attendance. March is the typical month for Spring Break. Factor these events into your pre-planning.

Holiday Season

This season means Christmas Magic at the Magic Kingdom with special decorations, shows, and activities. It takes in only one block of time:

• Mid-December through December 31

Many families have made Christmas morning at Disney World a family tradition. This, however, takes much pre-planning since most hotels fill up fast – both those on-site and off-site, and there will be few, if any, bargains.

If the Christmas magic is what you’re looking for, visit during the post-Thanksgiving Value Season. The breathtaking decorations are all in place, but the crowds and prices will be much lower.

Page 1 of 2 :: First | Last :: Prev | 1 2 | Next