[rlander]

o.k. Here's the story. We have gone to WDW pretty regularly over the past few years. We have gone in 2000(ASMu), 2002(ASMo), 2003(WL) and 2004(PORS). Everytime has been in June. Our best trip was in 2003 when we stayed at the Wilderness Lodge. I think because of the easy transportation to the MK, but mostly because it was such a beautiful place. Anyway, here's the problem. Every year when we go in June the crowds are HUGE!!! I still have bad memories of last year waiting for the bus only to see it get full and having to wait for another one. I also have bad memories of the parks being so crowded by 11am that I felt like leaving WDW and going back to work to get peace and quiet. The bottom line is, I don't ever want to go back to WDW in the summer months. I would rather never go again if it meant going in the summer with the huge crowds. The dillema is, my wife refuses to take the kids out school for a week. During the school year when the kids are off for holidays, everyone flocks to WDW. So my questions is, what do we do? Is the end of summer just before school starts less crowded? When is the best time to go and not have to miss school? Help!!!!

[BDavis932]

Our school lets out on May 25th and we leave that day! The last week of May isn't too bad (much better than spring break crowds!!). We've never been during mid-June through August, so I can't compare, but from what I understand, it's much better at the end of May. This trip we are staying through June 3rd, and crowds are still light during those first few days in June. When do your kids get out of school?

[rlander]

My kids get of school on June 3rd and go back on August 29th.

Last year we went the day after they got out school which was June 7th.

[MissDisney]

Jeff... our best trips have always been in late May -- we usually would go the week before Memorial Day Weekend, and so we'd come home on that holiday Saturday. The crowds were always light, and the EC flower event is in full swing. It was always an easy trip with good weather... can you change to that week?

[rlander]

MissDisney,
That sounds like a great time to go. That will be the kids last full week of school. I can't imagine anything too exciting going on. They are not at the age were they take final exams.

[disneyguy]

I would pull the kids out of the last week of school, if you can talk DW into that.

Do you have any weird holidays off?? We get a winter break(thats when we always go), and we are the only ones that get that entire week.

[karliebug]

We usually go around Aug.12-20 right before school starts for us. This week is a little less crowded because most Florida schools start around the 8th so there aren't as many Floridians in the parks. We rarely wait for anything very long if you take advantage of fastpass and extra morning hours. It is extremely hot during this time, however.

[BuzzLightyear]

If you are looking to talk you DW into pulling the kids out of school. A little more time spent at Epcot is a real learning expierence??
I know what you are going through, check out my sig, went a few times during the summer, but once we started going in May we have made it an annual event.
I pulled the kids out of school the past 3-years with no ill effects.
Good Luck!

[Dana]

Jeff -
this year Halloween falls on a Monday. We all know the kids don't do much in school that day. Perhaps your wife is willing to compromise and pull you kids out the FRiday before and the Tuesday after. They will only miss work on two days. You can leave on Thursday after school. Sounds like a winner to me...so much so that I am doing just that. DD is going to be in 6th grade next year and I don't want to pull her out for 5 days, so I am taking her out for three. We are leaving early Thursday (one day missed), Friday is an "in service day for the teachers so she missed nothing, Weekend, then Halloween is Monday and a half a day (not really a missed day), they are off the Tuesdayday after Halloween for All Saints, and we are coming home on Wednesday (third missed day). Ask her really nice.

[rlander]

Dana, no such luck. Even though my kids go to Catholic School, they do not get off school for All Saints day.

I think the end of August might be the best thing. That will my kids summer break with a bang!!!

[disneymom]

My husband refuses to go when it is crowded so we have to pull the kids out of school if we want to go. The problem is that my two oldest kids are in 8th and 9th grade. We feel they are too old to miss a week of school. We are only taking our two little ones on our next trip. It is hard leaving the older ones at home but we try to something special for them when school is out. We are taking a cruise next December and we decided we will take the older two out for two days. I hope it wont hurt them too much.

[brumcg]

Jeff,

In a similar boat... I'm assuming that being in a Cincy Catholic school, the spring break is the week after Easter which is a terrible time for crowds. I've heard that the first week in June is actually supposed to be pretty good for crowds... So you might want to try that last week in August like you were thinking.

Like your wife, my wife and I won't take our kids out of school. We've thought about doing 'mini-vacations' when the kids get a couple of days off and packaging with a weekend, but it sounds too hectic for my tastes.

[dznygrl]

Jeff, my first suggestion would be definitely take the kids out of school for that last week if you can. I think that week would make a HUGE difference in crowds. If you can't convince DW of that, then your next best choice is going to be RIGHT before they go back to school. The end of August thins out a little bit before the Labor Day crowds, and while it would probably not be as good as the end of May, I think it would be significantly better than June.

I understand not wanting to go back--ever--if it means going during those crowds. That is how I began to feel about DLR after being there during summer crowds. I was like, "No way Jose! Not happenin' ever again!"

But don't give up hope. I think you've got 2 very good opportunities for a very AWESOME WDW trip!

[bethishooked]

Normally, I wouldn't take my kids out of school either, but when my son's best friend, who is going through cancer, wanted us to go with them to Disney in September, we automatically said yes. They were only back to school a couple of weeks, so it wouldn't affect finals or anything. It was a great experience. The crowds were next to nothing. We were able to walk right up to all the rides. I sent a letter to the teachers giving them the opportunity to assign their homework prior, during or after the kids got back. All teachers chose to have them make up their homework after. Within a week of getting back, the kids were all caught up in school, and didn't miss a beat. Then think of all the wonderful memories they had, rather than the stress of crowds. Well, we are on our third trip next week to pulling the kids out of school. Good memories are more important that good attendance.

[rlander]

Originally Posted by bethishooked

Good memories are more important that good attendance.

This was exacty what I told my wife. I got a look of disgust. She feels I am putting fun before education. It is hard to convince her that we only have 8 more years of childhood and then they are adults forever.

Bruce, yep. Our Easter break is the same time as the big crowds. We thought about jamming in a long weekend, but like you, I can't see having a good time.

I looked at flights, hotels at WDW and I think Aug 13-19 is a good time for us. This will give the kids the weekend to rest up and start back to school on the 22nd.

Hopefully the crowds will be less and this strange feeling of never wanting to go back will disappear.

Thanks all!!!