One of the most common questions we get is “When is the best time to go to Disney World?” The obvious answer is – ANYTIME! Our expert travel consultants really can make any time of year work and give your family the opportunity to create more memories with less stress. Our consultants know the Disney vacation experience inside and out and will get to know your family personally in order to make suggestions and plans to create the most magical vacation possible. With that said, if you are totally flexible with your vacation schedule then we do have some thoughts about when you may want to consider planning your Disney World vacation.
Generally speaking, any time schools are NOT in session, Disney World will be busier than times when school IS in session. If the crowds are lower, that usually means that ticket and resort room prices are a little lower because of your basic supply and demand. You may want to consider the timing of popular school breaks such as Martin Luther King holiday weekend, President’s Day holiday weekend, Spring Break (keep in mind Spring Break weeks happen at varying times for schools in different parts of the country), summer break (although, in recent years, summer has become a less busy travel time), Veteran’s Day holiday weekend, Thanksgiving, and Christmas/winter holiday break. In addition to these popular school break times there are a few other events that occur at Disney World that your personal travel consultant will share with you as you narrow down your travel dates.
Let’s break down each month and look at pros/cons of visiting.
January – After a winter break, many families don’t want to pull their kids out of school again for a vacation. After the rush of the holiday break crowd fades out, January can be a nice time to visit. Keep in mind you’ll want to work around Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend and also take into account the runDisney marathon race weekend that happens every January. While you will be in Florida, it will still be winter. January weather can be a bit unpredictable. One weekend you’ll need a jacket and long pants where another week you may need shorts and t-shirts. Additionally, the slower winter months can mean that some rides and shows may be temporary unavailable due to refurbishments.
February – The weather in February can continue to be unpredictable, but a little less so than January. Similar to January, you’ll want to work around the President’s Day holiday and consider the runDisney Princess Race weekend that happens near the end of February. Race crowds tend to bring in some extra crowds, which you’ll notice mostly at EPCOT.
March – Early March can be a great time to visit. The weather is getting warmer and Spring Break traffic doesn’t usually hit until mid-March. That can give you a 1-2 week window of time to enjoy lower crowds and less expensive resort and ticket prices. Once you get to mid-March the Spring Break crowds will start to pick up and room and ticket prices will get a bit more expensive.
April – Early April is still Spring Break season through most of the country. How long Spring Break season lasts usually depends on when Easter falls each year. Many states (especially in the south) coordinate their Spring Break with Easter. If Easter is the first week of April, you may see Spring Break crowds dropping off by mid-April. If Easter is the last weekend of April then Spring Break crowds will be around from early March through the end of April.
May – May can be a wonderful time to visit the parks. Schools tend to get out for the year in very late May or June and many families don’t want to take the kids out of school right before the school year wraps up. If you visit the first few weeks of May you might hit a sweet spot of lower crowds and lower prices. May weather will be getting pretty warm, so you’ll want to take that into account when you decide on which week to visit.
June – Schools get out for the school year anywhere from Memorial Day through mid/late June. If you want to wait until your kiddos are out of school, then the earlier in June the better as crowds will pick up as more and more schools are released for the summer. Keep in mind that June is summer and summer in Florida brings warm temperatures.
July – It will be hot. There is no way around that. Expect a pop up rain shower almost every afternoon/evening. They usually don’t last too long, but they happen. July is also prime summer travel time so the crowds won’t be light. However, in the last few years we have noticed that the crowds in the summer aren’t as big as they were just a few years ago. One theory is that more and more schools are moving to a year round, or flexible school schedule that gives kids more/longer breaks throughout the school year. Families can then travel at other times of the year – leaving summer at Disney World just a little less busy that it has historically been.
August – Similar to July, August is hot. And, humid. And, also, hot. Early August will be similar crowds to late June and all of July. However, mid-late August is when schools will start up again, so that means the Disney World crowds will start to dip. If you are in a place where school doesn’t start until after Labor Day then you may want to take advantage of a late August visit. August is hurricane season and Florida does see its fair share of hurricanes, so you’ll want to consider that when making your plans. We always suggest getting a vacation protection plan to cover the cost of your trip in case of unexpected happenings such as hurricanes.
September – September is still active hurricane season and it will still be warm in Florida. However, most schools are in session and many families don’t want their kids missing the first few weeks of school. If September is a time that can work for your family then most weeks (after Labor Day) are a great choice for low crowds and lower prices.
October – Again, we are still looking at potential hurricanes coming to the Florida area, so remember to get your vacation protection plan. As we mentioned above, some schools are moving to flexible/year round schedules which means quite a few have built in a Fall break, or long weekend, in October. Historically, the first two weeks of October are the most common Fall break times, but in the past few years, the last two weekends tend to be long weekend crowds. October is a fantastic time to visit the parks with the Fall/Halloween decorations and special events, such as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party which takes place on select nights at Magic Kingdom. (updated 10/2020: Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party events are not taking place in 2020)
November – Once Halloween is over Disney kicks right into Christmas mode and you’ll find a lot of holiday activities, food, and events around the resort. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a popular event that takes place on select nights at Magic Kingdom throughout November and December (updated 10/2020: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party events are not taking place in 2020). Veteran’s Day is in November and some people make that long weekend a part of their vacation. Of course, Thanksgiving is also in November and that brings in a good amount of visitors. If you’re hoping to travel in November be sure to talk with your expert travel consultant to build your trip around the best days to visit.
December – There isn’t much better than being at the “Most Magical Place on Earth” during one of the most magical seasons of all! The holiday decorations, events, and food offerings make this a special way to get in the holiday spirit. The two weeks after Thanksgiving and before winter breaks begin can be a nice time to be at the parks. Mid-December will start bringing in the crowds that will be higher than any other time of year. The week between Christmas and New Years is the busiest week of the entire year and some parks have been known to reach their capacity limits because of the crowds. If you choose to vacation during this busy time of year you’ll want to talk with your travel consultant in order to come up with a plan that will allow your family to experience the most important things, while also setting expectations of your experience so you can make more memories and have less stress while on vacation.
There are pros and cons to every month of the year and our expert travel consultants will talk with you and get to know your family so that they can suggest a time that will work best for your schedule and your priorities. We work with you every step of the way. We will be there to help you choose your travel dates and then selecting the resort and ticket options that make sense for you. You’ll benefit from our consultant’s years of experience planning (and, visiting!) Disney parks and you’ll be ready for your vacation with a personalized plan just for you.
Are you ready to talk about your vacation hopes and dreams? Click the button and we can start talking about your options. Talking with us costs you nothing and you have zero obligation to book a trip right now. We can get the conversation started so you can make plans whenever you are ready!
