2nd guessing Sept Dates...

[johnw]

I have learned a lot from asking so many questions and I really appreciate it. We have our dates set for Sept 2016 about the 3rd week. Reason we picked this date is there's no major things going on and everyone is back in school. But as I read more and more about weather patterns I am not liking the words possible hurricanes for the month and rain almost every day. How long is the average storm in the afternoons? I was alo thinking about going in late Jan but living in michigan we worry about lots of snow and plane delays in the winter. Thanks. John

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

We are generally end of August people, and the weather isn't all that different than mid-September.

Yep, it rains most every day. The storms tend to be short, and are hit and miss. So, it may rain in Epcot, but not at MK. Or it may rain at MK AND Epcot, but AK stays dry. Usually by the time you do an indoor show or meal, the rain has passed. So far (knock on wood), we haven't had a full day of rain in August yet.

Yep, it is hurricane season. I figure that Disney is the safest place to be, even in a hurricane. Orlando is well inland, and direct hits are rare. Even if so, Disney's buildings are secure, and they have generators. The parks will close for a day, but that's about it.

I figure (like you said) that every time of year has plusses and minuses. September is still a fairly slow time, so that's a big plus. The weather is a bit of a minus, but not enough (I don't think) to change a trip.

That being said, we've been in May, October and January as well, and all of the trips were good. Our worst weather was October by far.

[Itchy]

We are going again this year the week of Labor Day. We have found that Monday ( Labor Day ) Magic Kingdom is the busiest park. The rest of the parks are busy but a lot more manageable.

The rest of the week we usually walk in with little wait for the rides.

As for rain it comes and goes but with poncho's we do not let it slow us down.

As for hurricane we were there between hurricane Charlie and Francis in 2004 and the parks were up and running at 100%. We left as Francis was about to make landfall and we were not affected by the storm itself but we were caught up in the traffic of those trying to get out of Florida before the storm hit. Both of these storms did hit Orlando.

I would say go for it Disney has your back..

Hope this helps..

[Sylvia]

I agree with all that has already been mentioned. I've been in WDW many times during hurricane season. In all the years, I've only been there for one major storm. I was staying at Shades of Green when Hurricane Charlie hit central Florida. The weather was very rough, but Disney had everything under control and insured that everyone was well-informed and safe. The day the storm was due to hit, Disney announced that the parks would close at 1 PM, and Disney Transport made sure that all guests were able to get back to their resorts as quickly as possible. At Animal Kingdom, the keepers, vet staff and other essential CMs were with the animals for the duration of the storm.

After the stormed passed, Disney started clean-up efforts throughout the property.

They day after was a beautiful, sunny day and the gradually started opening the parks. The only exception was Animal Kingdom, which stayed closed for a couple days to allow the animals to settle down. It was amazing seeing all the downed branches, flattened poles, and other "cosmetic" damage from the storm throughout the property.

I never felt that I was in any danger from the storm, and wouldn't hesitate to go back in August/September. This year, I'll be in WDW 27 August through 11 September, with ponchos ready every day, just in case. No matter where you are if it rains, you'll always be able to find a place to stay dry.

[chefmickey3]

I would not change your plans especially this year. With the unfavorable hurricane conditions, it is unlikely you will get a hurricane in central FL. It will likely rain each afternoon but that keeps the heat at bay. When it doesn't rain in the summer, it can get horribly hot. We travel in the summer every year and love it! Enjoy the pools, maybe go to one of the water parks. The crowds should be low so you may have heat but not as many people to annoy you. Flying in winter is iffy and our one trip in January was a near disaster. I would travel in September.

[cspenc28]

We go every year in September, and will until my son starts school...which is still a few years away. We love it, yes it rains, but not all day, and even if it does rain, you can still do pretty much everything, just throw on a poncho and go. Hurricanes really aren't too much of an issue, since Disney is inland...but if something does happen, Disney has every contingency plan possible in place. We don't travel too much by plane in the winter for the exact reason you mentioned, if MD gets hit with snow, and the airport is closed, we'd be stuck.
I wouldn't change your dates, September is an amazing time of year to go.

[vicster]

This will be our 15th year going in September and we love it!

[JanetMegan]

One interesting thing that has changed with Sept is the GA "Fall Break". We have quite a few counties that start school super early (as early as Aug 3rd this year) and those kids all get a one week break mid-late September. With it being only one state away it's a very popular location for local families to spend that week in WDW. A couple of neighbors have already expressed disappointment over lack of ADRs and FP+ for the 2015 "Fall Break" week...

[NJGIRL]

I am going mid Sept for the first time (we have been there the last week in Sept and the weather was fine). I picked that date to avoid the Food and Wine and to go before it gets chilly. After I bought the plane tickets I started to second guess myself because of the weather also. While planning I never thought about the heat and rain because here in NJ Sept we usually have nice weather. I dislike Florida in the summer, hate being wet, and should have put more thought into it before booking the airfare. lol

We are leaving in three weeks.......I will let you know how we do.

[NJGIRL]

That being said, we've been in May, October and January as well, and all of the trips were good. Our worst weather was October by far.

That's funny, we feel October is the best time of the year to go. We have gone in March, April, May, June, August, Sept, Oct, and Nov. August was our least favorite time because it was so hot. This just goes to show you everyone has different likes and dislikes...what makes something favorable or unfavorable. It's good to get opinions but only you know what is most important to your family.

[CanadaLovesDisney]

September is our preferred time to go! It was the best weather we have experienced there yet and we have been differing months throughout the years. Only thing we experienced one September were these black flying ants! They were big enough to swat away but they were all over! Still the best time of year to go!

[faline]

Only thing we experienced one September were these black flying ants!

I'm guessing you're talking about the love bugs. Some seasons are worse than others - sometimes they are barely noticeable; other times, they really are everywhere. They can be a nuisance but they are harmless to people!