I’ve recently published the first draft of the weeks of 2014 ranked in order of how good they are for a family on their first visit to Walt Disney World, and who may never return.
This page explains how they are built.
HOW THE 2014 DISNEY WORLD WEEK RANKINGS ARE BUILT–AND WHY THEY ARE A DRAFT
Basically, I chunk up the weeks of the year based on certain criteria, and then sort within each chunk based first on crowds, and then, within the same crowd level, prices.
Both the 2014 Disney World crowd calendar and the 2014 projected price seasons will be revised in the summer of 2013–when better information will be available for both. Since the week rankings are built on them. this may result in week ranking changes as well.
“WEEKS TO AVOID” IN 2014 AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
The worst chunk for first time visitors who may never return is the ride closure season—early January to shortly before President’s Day.
There’s some great weeks among the affected seven 2014 weeks for returning visitors, but for those who may be on their only visit ever, times when terrific rides are commonly closed are to be avoided, and show up at the bottom of my list.
The next-worst chunk is the weeks with high crowds—nineteen summer, spring break, and holiday weeks. These show up next to last—sorted, as are the ride closure weeks, first on crowds, and then on prices.
These two chunks together I class as “Weeks to Avoid.”
Taking out these two chunks leaves about half a year’s worth of low to moderate crowd weeks.
2014 “WORSE WEEKS” AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
From these, the first chunk taken out is the 7 peak hurricane season weeks.
Like the ride closure weeks, there’s some great options among these for returning visitors, but the (admittedly low) risk of vacation disruption from hurricanes leads me to downgrade these for those who may never return.
This leaves 19 low to moderate crowd weeks that are in neither the ride closure season nor the peak of the hurricane season.
The worst rated of these 19 weeks are in the chunk of 5 weeks with moderate crowds.
These two chunks together I class as “Worse Weeks.”
2014 “RECOMMENDED WEEKS” AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
That leaves 14 weeks with low crowds which are in neither the peak hurricane nor ride closure seasons. These weeks are this site’s “Recommended Weeks.”
They are divided into two groups—those in the Christmas program season and those outside of it.
The 3 Christmas program weeks are top-ranked; the remaining weeks are then sorted as usual based first on crowds and then on prices.
MORE ON WHEN TO GO TO WALT DISNEY WORLD
- For when to go to Walt Disney World, see this
- For the next best dates, see this
- For the best and worst times to visit, see this
- For 2012 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
- For the 2012 Week Picker, see this
- For 2013 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
- For the 2013 Week Picker, click here
- For 2014 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
- For forecasting crowds at Walt Disney World, see this
- For the 2012 Crowd Calendar, click here
- For the 2013 Crowd Calendar, click here
- For the 2014 Crowd Calendar, click here
- For seasonal pricing at Walt Disney World, see this
- For 2012 price seasons, see this
- For 2013 price seasons, click here
- For projected 2014 price seasons, see this
- For weather at Walt Disney World, see this
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