At a ski resort, it’s called a powder day. In diving, it’s a flat-calm day with 100-plus foot viz. It’s the perfect time to be at a destination, and for Orlando, that time is now.
For the last two weekends, we’ve been giving our annual passes at Disney World, Universal Studios and Seaworld a heavy workout. My verdict? If you want to minimize the amount of time spent waiting in line — and maximize your fun — plan to be here just after Labor Day.
For example, we were at Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure over the weekend to check out two new rides. There were no lines at the revamped Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls (a terrifying experience that I highly recommend) and only a short wait at The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride (my four-year-old loved it).
As a bonus, we got to watch Atlantis make a flawless takeoff from nearby Kennedy Space Center.
Ditto for the other two parks. We’ve walked on to Peter Pan’s Magic Flight at the Magic Kingdom (typically, there’s a long line at this popular ride) and you could ride Kraken as many times as you wanted at Seaworld a few days ago.
So here’s my advice: If you want a theme park all to yourself, come to Orlando. Now.
Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.
Elliott is consumer advocate 
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