Offsite Hotels Follow Disney's Seasons

(Short Excerpts From the Book)

     Disney has four seasons just like the rest of the world. The only difference is that they aren’t labeled winter, spring, summer, and fall. Disney’s seasons are Value, Regular, Peak, and Holiday. The seasons are also not evenly spread throughout the year. They are not determined by weather or temperature, but rather by typical consumer vacation habits and attendance to the parks.

Value Season

The Value Season is broken up into 3 blocks of dates:
     - January 1st thru mid-February
     - September thru first week in October
     - After Thanksgiving weekend thru mid-December

     It is the cheapest time to stay off property and typically has the lowest average attendance during the year.  These dates are cheaper due to school schedules in the fall and the colder weather/school schedules in the winter.

     If you have a flexible schedule it is highly recommended to look at going during these times. Not only can you stay on and off property at a cheaper rate, but also you will find better deals and more of them from Disney and others during this time than any other time.

     A plus to going during these times is that this is not only a money savings plan but also a time savings plan. With less people in the parks, you will wait in line less and be able to see and do more during your stay.

Regular Season

The Regular Season is broken up into two blocks of time:
     - Mid-April thru August
     - October thru November

     Surprisingly, the summer months are considered to be a regular to moderate time of the year for the parks. Rooms at the resort will be discounted a little during this time, but there are typically not a lot of deep discounts from Disney. If the season is moving slowly they will, however, kick in some last minute deals in order to stir some guests to come.

     If you plan on going during the summer months do take the heat into consideration. In February and March the heat and humidity can get anyone flustered and overheated. The heat in June, July and August can be a little too much to handle. Take the necessary precautions to ensure that everyone is hydrated and protected from the sun.

     Even though this is the Regular Season, it is very crowded at times. The crowds will vary from day-to-day and from park-to-park, but expect crowds and lines to be there on most days.

     The Fourth of July, Halloween, and Thanksgiving are days and weeks that you might want to avoid if you don’t like crowds. The Fourth of July is supposed to have one of the biggest attendance numbers in the parks for the entire year. Most of the time the park entrance gates will close before noon due to capacity limits. Halloween celebrations are held throughout the last week or so of October.

Peak Season

The Peak Season is primarily centered around Spring Break. This Season is just one block of time.
     - Mid-February thru Mid-April

     This time of year is considered to be the most crowded time of the year, but I think that it is also a hit-and-miss time of year. Some days you need to hold onto your kids for dear life in order to stay together. Other times there is hardly anyone around. You can be assured that at some point during your vacation you will encounter a lot of people.

     Some good things about bigger crowds is that the parks tend to have longer hours, more rides are open and more shows and special things are planned. Some of the older rides are open just for the big crowds. Opening all of the rides during the slow seasons does not make economical sense.

     Holidays to keep in mind are President’s Day Week, Mardi Gras, and Easter. The week after President’s Day week tends to be very light as do weeks in early April. Most schools tend to have Spring Break during the month of March.

Holiday Season

The Holiday Season is just that- the holiday season.
     - Mid-December thru December 31st

     This can be a very tough time to get a hotel. Many families have made Christmas morning in the parks an annual tradition. The hotels will fill up fast in and out of the resort.

     Disney does a number of special things during the Holiday Season. There is the Osborne Festival of Lights, a special version of Country Bear Jamboree, and many other festive things to see and do.

     As a warning: It will be crowded and it will be moderately cold. During the week before Christmas it might not be too bad, but on Christmas Day thru New Years Day, it will be crowded.

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