Ask the Disney Geek > 15/08/2006
Welcome to Ask the Disney Geek section. This section is a partnership with our friends at DisneyGeek.com. If you have a question about Walt Disney World Resort, let us know and we will pass the question onto to our Disney expert
- Who are you and what is DisneyGeek.com?
- How far are the parks from each other?
- What are the best times of the year to go?
Who are you and what is disneygeek.com?
Disneygeek.com started way back at the dawn of internet time, 1994, as Jason's Disney Facts & Opinions and then in 2000 we became disneygeek.com.
I have been to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando 15 times.
The site started off as a guide to the Disney parks here in the States. We focused on Walt Disney World since it was my favorite place to go on vacation and on Disneyland since we live in Southern California and the park is a only 70 miles away. As time went on and internet technology evolved the site has grown into what you see today. We have several columns, park guides and large pictorial sections that take you on virtual walks through the park so you can experience the park as we do and see it through our eyes.
I have been to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando 15 times, and for the past several years I have had an Annual Pass and spend in the neighborhood of 20 days there. I do not claim to know everything, but I do know quite a bit and have quite a bit of experience at the parks and really do enjoy sharing this knowledge with people.
How far are the parks from each other?
Walt Disney World is an extremely large place, its 43 square miles and encompasses the four main theme parks, 2 water parks, over a dozen resorts, six golf courses, a nighttime entertainment complex, shopping, dining, and not to mention all the infrastructure to support this including parking lots, roads, backstage facilities, etc... Getting around the property involves some time and effort and your choices range from busses, to monorails, to boats and everything in between.
Here are some rough distances and times to help you reference how long it takes to get from place to place.
For a better overview I would recommend using Google Earth and taking a look around the property. I have created a list of favourites that includes all the WDW parks, as well as the resorts and some of the recreation places so you can see the relative distances and paths. Click here for my Google Earth WDW Places file.
What are the best times of the year to go?
A tough question to answer! It really depends on what your looking for and what your tolerance levels are. So here is a rough list with some suggestions:
- Best Weather (defined by mild temperatures, not a lot of rain): November/December and March/April seem to be the most mild months of the year. The summer weather in Orlando is hot, humid, and thunderstorms blow through almost every day. This leads into Hurricane season in August/September/October. January and February are a bit unpredictable and can be a little on the cool side. In May it starts to warm up for the summer.
- Least Crowded: The crowds dwindle as Fall approaches and then pick up again for the Holidays and stay fairly constant give or take through most of the winter. There is another lull in early spring as long as you avoid the Easter Holiday.
- My favorite time of year to visit is December because Disney really goes all out for the Christmas Holiday and the decorations and holiday spirit really bring the parks alive.
- Cheapest time of year: This is during hurricane season, September/October as well as in the Spring there is usually a value season.
