These are always the most common questions asked – “When is the best time to go to Disney?” “When is it super crowded?” “When are the parks empty?”
The parks are never empty. Even when they are closed they are full of people milling around making everything perfect. But there are definitely times to go that are better than others.
Look, it’s Walt Disney World and there is never a bad time to go! But you want to know what to expect for the time of year that you are planning your trip so you can work around crowds and not be disappointed.
Some small notes: For the lowest crowds possible, avoid holidays and try to visit during the week.
Winter Disney World Crowds
Florida winters are nothing like real winters. The months of January, February, and March have very mild weather and some of the lowest crowds during the year! If you have flexibility on your vacation dates, winter is the perfect sweet spot.
The weather fluctuates from mid-50s to high 70s with low to moderate humidity. In other words, it is about as perfect as Florida can get! Dress in layers. Layers are your friend.
Now, let’s talk crowds: After the thrill of the New Year is over people seem to go home and let their credit cards cool down after the holiday rush. Manage expectations here, Walt Disney World is one of the most popular destinations in the world, so the parks will never be empty.
We have found that even after the pandemic, January, February, and March have the lowest crowds in Disney World.
Spring Disney World Crowds
Spring is a beautiful time in Disney World. The flowers are blooming and the sun is shining. Temperatures hover around the high 80s. Many people love to take their kids during the week of Spring Break. Read that again.
Many people love to take their kids during the week of Spring Break.
It seems that every Spring Break across the country is different so assume the week of Easter, the week before Easter, and the week after Easter as being very very crowded.
With more crowds, that also means more cost since Disney has adopted a “demand” ticket pricing system. If you can avoid pretty much the entire month of April, do it.
Other dates to avoid in Spring are the weekend of Mother’s Day and Memorial Day. These weekends tend to see bigger crowds.
Summer Disney World Crowds
Summer is a very popular time to come to Walt Disney World since the kids are out of school for Summer vacation. Oftentimes people who are not from the southeast visit thinking they aren’t bothered by heat or humidity. Florida heat is no joke. It’s totally doable, but you need to be prepared!
Hop into a super hot shower with your clothes on and then stand there with a hot hair dryer blowing in your face after. That’s Florida. You will be wet, you will chafe, and you will sweat off all of your makeup.
Temperatures in the summer can reach 100 degrees with very high humidity. Take breaks, drink water, and follow these tips to have the best day ever –
Here are some hot weather tips:
- Avoid the color gray. Splash a gray shirt with water…. That’s why.
- Cooling towels are awesome
- Alternate indoor rides and outdoor rides
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! There is free ice water all over the parks!
Summer also brings in the rainy season in Florida. Expect it to rain every afternoon for 1-2 hours. Either wear crocs and treat it as a fun splash pad or book a lunch reservation in the early afternoon.
You can still have a great Disney vacation if it rains every day!
Summer does bring bigger crowds to Walt Disney World, but we recommend you purchase Genie+ for your stay and you will have fewer issues with wait times. We recommend making a list of the top 3 things that you want to do in every park and then everything else is just gravy!
Fall Disney World Crowds
Fall is another great time to visit Walt Disney World. You still have the residual heat of the summer but the rainy season is over. Temperatures in September are still in the high 80s, but start to drop in the evenings in October.
We found the weekday crowds to be very minimal and on days where there was Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Magic Kingdom is DEAD during the day. We were able to walk on most rides, so having to leave by 6:00 was no big deal.
There are also no major holidays in September, and October only has Halloween. Halloween isn’t an overly crowded day in Walt Disney World either, because those that want to celebrate Halloween in Disney are looking more for the specially ticketed event, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, to do their trick-or-treating.
Parks like Magic Kingdom are also dressed for the fall and all of its colorful glory. Magic Kingdom is decorated with pumpkins, leaves, and all of the pumpkin spice treats.
Holiday Crowd Levels at Disney World
November and December are unique months in Disney. It is Christmastime, and easily the most beautiful and magical month of all! Of course, the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas are very very busy. But you can celebrate those holidays just outside those weeks without insane crowds! We promise!
We recommend using the Genie+ service during the holidays and staying in a Walt Disney World Resort that offers extra magic hours to its guests.
The sweet spot for crowds is the second week of November and the second week of December. Even on the weekend you can do everything you planned and experience the full holiday magic.
The weather is perfect in November and December! Temperatures are mild in the 70s and the humidity is low. Wear your hair down and actually wear your Spirit Jersey that you bought!
Everyone should experience Walt Disney World at Christmastime because it is truly magical! The parks are decorated, Santa is visiting, and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is in full swing. With so many holiday options, there is something for every family.
I am a mother of three that has refused to grow up. Adulting is for the birds, so I go to Disney World every chance I get for that magical escape from reality. I believe that Haunted Mansion is the best ride in all of the Disney Parks, and I am fervently in team Happily Ever After for fireworks spectaculars, (sorry, not sorry, Enchanted). Finally, I hope I never grow tired of skipping down Main Street, USA, and my dream come true would be “friends with” the Fairy Godmother in my old age.
