Disneyworld Best Times
 

I booked a trip to Orlando for 2/26 - 3/5.
I just heard there will be a very large Pittcon convention held (23,0000) during that time. Sounds like it will be very crowded taht week and rates may increase.
Would I be better off changing my vacation to 3/12 week?

My family has always gone to Disneyworld in mid March. The weather is perfect 70 - 80 degrees. The crowds in Disney are very workable. Have a great time.

IMO, 3/12 will be filled with tons of spring breakers. The best time to go would be a week or so after Easter until June when schools get out.

I was wondering when most schools have spring break this year. I thought it would be late March.

Spring Break is different across the country. Typically, there is a region of the country on spring break at any given week during March.

This is not what you were asking, but I've heard great things about DisneyWorld the week after Thanksgiving. It's not crowded and it's all decorated for the holidays.

In Ohio alone, some schools are out the second week of March, some the 3rd week and some the last week. Then you have the college kids...they take day trips from Daytona or wherever. Disney World in March is no picnic, unless you love crowds and lines...

The best times to go to WDW, in my experience (we do not have children, so we do not go during any school recesses) After Spring Break up till mid May. We sometimes go the week before mother's day and it is wonderful. Also the weeks before Thanksgiving - and After thanksgiving up till mid december. The christmas decorations are out the week before Thanksgiving. If you plan your trip around the last few days of the Epcot food and wine festival, you will get the best of both as the christmas decorations go up the day after the festival-and the weather is nice too:)

I lived in Orlando for 18 years and had friends and relatives working at Disney throughout that time. I can assure you that the least crowded times are 1/10 to 3/1, 4/14 to 5/15, 9/10 to 11/15, and the first two weeks of December.

Disney is always crowded!!!! 23,000 people are a lot of people though! Easter is late March this year. Our school has the week after off. I am sure there will be many schools out the week before and after. If you can wait until mid April, I think you would have great weather and less people.

Our schools in Massachusetts break April 18-22 - Florida is starting to look good if lots of people have their break in March! Do any other states break in April or are most people in March?

Is anyone familiar with the Pittcon convention?
Maybe if it has been held before in Orlando someone can tell me if this is really a good time to avoid the area.

Your question came at the perfect time! I booked a trip for my family (7 of us) awhile ago. We chose to leave 2/8 and return 2/15 ~ it's considered by WDW a "value season". Great! Cheap. Unfortunately, my mother was admitted to the hospital yesterday and we now have to postpone. I've checked with WDW directly and they said other times that are good are: After April 15 until around mid-June when schools are let out and again August 28-October 4. The other times suggested are after Thanksgiving & b/4 Xmas. I think we'll try for early May. Not sure what the Pittcon conv. is, but that extra 23,000 may be too much! Enjoy!

My inlaws live in Florida so we have made countless trips to WDW over the years. We have found that early Oct is a great time to go. No wiggle room for kids...they are all back in school by then, and the weather is great, provided Mother Nature is behaving (hurricanes). The next best time to go is late spring, but keep in mind it gets really warm much earlier there and the humidity goes up right along with it. A 3rd choice would be this time of year. The weather can be great, but this is winter even in Florida, and it can be rainy and cold, but fortunately it doesn't last long.
Do keep in mind that Orlando is made for conventions. If not Pittcon it will be someone else. If not one huge group it may be several smaller groups, but I think trying to avoid conventions is an exercise in futility. Just stay on the grounds if at all possible to get a head start in the morning, take a break in the afternoon when the crowds peak, then go back in the evening. Most of all, HAVE FUN!

You will be in peak crowd time. Easter this year is 3/27 and most schools have the wek before or the week after Easter off. Most of March is usually crowdwd, due to Spring Break/Easter recess. It changes every year with the date of Easter.

Our local schools start the 2nd week of August and have 3 breaks. The first is a 1 week fall break in mid-October, a 2 week Christmas break, 1 week spring break usually the first week of April and they get out before the end of May. Some other schools in nearby cities are on year round schedules starting late July and ending mid-June with 3 week fall,winter,spring breaks.

While Disney may be less crowded in February or November they also shorten their operating hours so you have less time in the parks.

If you aren't going to change your dates, you might want to get the Birnbaum book on WDW. It gives hints on crowds on certain days and strategies on how to avoid them. We used the information to help us pinpoint our "must see" attractions and rides and which days were the best. Have fun!

Spring breaks are all over the place... most schools in our area only have two days off around the Easter holidays and that's it. Others, especially if they are in college towns -- follow the local college spring break schedule. So nothing typical here! I would say go in February or early May!

School is out here for the summer around the 20th of May and back to school around mid August.