Looking at Florida for 2010

[dom282]

What is the best time to go to Florida in 2010 pref when the americans are in school so the parks will be quieter and when there are no hurricanes? Please help as ain't ever been to USA before.

[steph_goodrum]

Hi Dom and welcome to the forums.

I would guess the first part of your question is going to be dependant on if you have school age children and are tied to school hols. If not then I would say May and October are both good times (not that there are any bad times) as the weather is usually pretty settled and you don't get the afternoon rainstorms that often occur in the summer. After an hour or so it's usually evaporated so it's not a big deal and is a good time to plan to eat if you are in the parks. The US schools generally break up early June so it should be fairly reasonable in thee parks.

As to the hurricanes,they are nigh on impossible to predict IF there will be any that season, its officially 1st June -30th November but most years there is not a great deal of activity. 2004 was exceptional, something like a once every 400 year event, cant remember the exact figure, but it's given many people a false impression and they fear that they will step off the plane and be greeted by a hurricane. It's like any tropical country you visit there will always be the possibility of inclement weather but if you were to survey people who have been to FLorida I would hazard a guess there are more people who say they have been many times and never been affected than those who have.

[dom282]

In May would be a tidy time to go when all the school chidren are in school so the parks will be not so busy. Any other info you think we need to know, im planning a trip for 2010.

[ShirleyD]

Hi Dominic, welcome to the forum

I would agree May and October are great months in Florida, with warm weather and low humidity. Avoid the end of both months if you want to avoid the school holidays though. Early June is also great if you like the warmer weather. If you want it really quiet and are looking to get great deals from the airlines, mid November to mid December can be recommended and this time is also great for Christmas shopping [msnwink]

[Fourdents]

I usually go to Florida in November - early December. I find that in early December you get the Christmas feel at the Parks and in the shopping malls. [msnsmile]

[AshleyLodge]

A lot depends on how you feel about temperatures and what you want to do. We have just returned and the weather would have been a bit on the warm side for us in the afternoons (around 30 degrees but we are wimps!) if we had been wanting to be active outside, but it was wonderfully warm mornings and evenings and we had breakfast and dinner outside every night. It was also very quiet in the parks and restaurants.

We usually go later in the year November/December and enjoy the contrast in the weather from the UK and can enjoy being outside during the day. However, at that time of the year you do need to take some warm layers for the evenings as it is possible to get a cool spell. Again this is a fairly quiet time of the year except around Thanksgiving towards the end of November.


Lynne

[Val]

Hello,
I would agree with Ashley Lodge, we also have just returned and the humidity was high this year, personally I would say unusually high as we have been before at this time of year and not experienced such high humidity, but the parks and restaurants were lovely and quiet.
October and May weather are lovely, but USA schools often start their vacation towards the end of May so parks become busier and October is UK half term, but end of October into November is usually a good time.

Hope this helps

Val

[steph_goodrum]

Val in Kent our half term breaks are last week in May and last week in October so it may be busier then.
Feb/March is also a good time as long as you check when US Spring Break is, we usually have a "make, do and mend week" around this time, when hubby and I go over and make sure everything is well with the villa and have usually had really good weather. Last year it was warm enough to swim every day. (didnt go at that time this year as we had been at Christmas.

[mistert]

After Thanksgiving and before Christmas tends to be quieter & as Florida Rose says you get all the Christmas feeling, as the parks start getting decorated ready for Thanksgiving.

My co-owner is out in FL at present and last week the parks were very quite. He got to go on Kraken 5 times - as well as doing other things! - @ Sea World last week.

But just after Easter can also be not too busy.

[Pegasus928]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by mistert
After Thanksgiving and before Christmas tends to be quieter & as Florida Rose says you get all the Christmas feeling, as the parks start getting decorated ready for Thanksgiving.

My co-owner is out in FL at present and last week the parks were very quite. He got to go on Kraken 5 times - as well as doing other things! - @ Sea World last week.

But just after Easter can also be not too busy.


[/quote]

We found exactly the same with Kraken when we went for the last 3 weeks in May.
However we did find that the other parks were just as busy as any other time of the year when we have been. Each time we went to either of the UNiversal parks we seemed to encounter a large amount of School kids, all walking around en-mass in their specially made t-shirts. We assumed that this was some sort of end of year treat for those that had done well throughout the school year, so would anticipate the same sort of crowds every May.

Kenny