A Guide to Picking the Perfect Time to Visit Walt Disney World
Listen to this article instead of reading it:
With the recent scorching hot weather in Florida over the last several weeks, “when” to go to the parks has been on a lot of people’s minds. It is not unusual for clients to ask, “when’s the best time to go to Walt Disney World?” And I always find myself asking – well, are you talking about crowds? Are you talking about pricing? Or are you talking about the weather? Because, while those can line up sometimes, it’s rare and depending on which is most important to you, the answer is going to vary. Let’s take some time today in our Monday Magic article to break it down.
Weather
We’ll start with the weather, as it seems to be on everybody’s radar lately with the hotter than “you know what” temperatures in Florida. I mean it, the weather in August can be brutal and 2023 has been some of the hottest. If you’re a “just can’t stand the heat” kind of person, then, pay attention because this matters. Let’s break down what the weather is like January through December:
- January & February – weather in central Florida can actually be somewhat chilly. But it can also be warm. You’ll see a lot of dynamic variances from morning to night and it won’t be uncommon to start your day off with shorts and a hoodie, only to switch to shorts and a tee, followed by jeans and a hoodie at night. I mean it – temperatures at their norm can get down into the 50’s and maybe even high 40’s, so be sure to dress appropriately. And if it’s unseasonably cold, you can even rarely see below freezing.
- Early March to Mid-April – weather can still be a little chilly – especially with the rain. I’ve experienced 50’s in March and April and as high as 90’s. March and Mid-April you have to be prepared for anything – shorts, tees, hoodies, jeans, and everything in between. And definitely bring a spare pair of shoes.
- Late April through May – the weather starts to get warmer, but not hot. In fact, late April through May can be some of the best times to visit Walt Disney World from a weather perspective. Early May especially, which we’ll talk a little bit more about with crowd size. Sunshine, low humidity, and low rain make this a wonderful time to visit!
- June & July – now you’re getting into your stereotypical Florida weather – hot and humid and thunderstorms daily. I remember the first time I was planning a visit and I saw rain on every day of my trip, and I was so bummed. That is until somebody said “Casey, rain in Florida in the early afternoon is normal. It comes in, it rains for 30 to 40 minutes, and then it dries up.” That advice still holds true. Be prepared to get wet – seriously wet. But it only lasts for about an hour and then the humidity kicks back. June and July are not great times to visit if you don’t like HEAT.
- August to Mid-September – if you can’t handle June or July, then August is out of the question. Temperatures can get as high as 100 or more and with the heat index it can be up to 120 degrees. This is dangerous heat for elderly people and for young children. You have to stay hydrated, take plenty of breaks, and know that you’re going to feel like you’re walking through hot soup every day.
- End of September through October – the temperature begins to “cool” off, but it’s not like fall in the Midwest. I must stress this. It’s still going to be warm and temperatures can be as high as 90 every day with lows in the 60’s. There is still a lot of humidity and you are right in the middle of Hurricane season. This means your trip could be interrupted by a tropical storm or a major hurricane and you should take that into consideration when deciding whether to get travel insurance or not.
- November – November is an amazing time to visit Walt Disney World. You get the wonderful holiday decorations that go up around the parks, humidity has dropped, and temperatures get to a high of 80’s and a low of lower 60’s. Similar to May, November is a perfect time for a trip where you can experience the Florida sunshine without the Florida humidity.
- December – December is beautiful at Walt Disney World but there is a big difference between early December and late December. As you move later in the month, temperatures can start to dip again. And while during the day you can see 70’s – at night you can see lower 50’s. Be prepared with jeans, hoodies, and long sleeve shirts if you plan to visit, while also having a few tees and shorts packed just in case. Thank goodness the pools are heated!
My pick for the perfect months to visit are May (especially the first two weeks) and November. The weather is full of sunshine, you’re out of hurricane season, low humidity, and an overall comfort level of being in Florida without being overwhelmed with heat exhaustion.
Crowds
Another factor that determines whether somebody wants to visit is how crowded it will be. Unfortunately, gone are the days where there were definite crowd variances, and you could find hidden sweet spots of low attendance. The secret is out and even those can be crowded. However, you can still make some general predictions of when crowd size will be at its lowest. Here are some simple rules to follow:
- If school’s out, crowd sizes will be high. That bright idea you had about going to Walt Disney World on spring break or over the summer – well guess what!? Everyone had it. If school is out, you’re going to be visiting with tens of thousands of your closest friends. When picking a time to visit, consider going while school is in session. Be aware that different parts of the country have different back-to-school times too when making your decision.
- Special Events bring in higher crowds – Disney knows how to bring traffic in. And, special events do the trick. Epcot just about has a festival year-round now, except for June and July. Starting in August, you’ve got food and wine, then festival of the holidays, then festival of the arts, followed by Flower and Garden. That said, Halloween is a favorite among park guests, and the holidays -especially closer to Christmas – can be some of the busiest. In fact, the three busiest days at Walt Disney World are New Years Eve Eve, New Years Eve, and Fourth of July. You can always expect the parks to be at capacity during this time. Others include Thanksgiving, Christmas, Halloween, and any other federally recognized holidays.
- Weekends are Busier than Weekdays – this sounds like a no-brainer but plan your park days Monday – Thursday if you can. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are the busiest days in the parks as locals will often visit during these days. So if you can make these rest days or water park days you’ll find that it’s not as crowded.
- Sports Camps and RunDisney – Disney is a great place for high school cheer camps and sports camps. And, when they’re in town, while they have work to do, they also take a day or two at the parks. Be aware that often the Allstar Hotels (especially sports) can fill up with teens everywhere. Try to stay away when these are there as it can be quite crowded. The same is true for RunDisney events. Hotel rooms fill up fast and it can be very crowded in the parks and even along the roadways when RunDisney is in town.
So when is the best time to visit? Pick times when locals won’t be there and when kids are generally in school. January is a fabulous time to visit for less crowded parks (just stay away from MLK day). The same is true for February as long as its not mid-winter break. March and April can be tricky as you’re dodging spring breaks, but again, early May is wonderful. Kids are still in school, spring break is over, and the aforementioned weather is perfect. In fact, cast members refer to early May (before Memorial Day) as the slow period before the storm.
Stay away from June, July, or August if you don’t like crowds. A lot of Brazilian tour groups and overseas guests will visit during the summer and this can crowd the parks. September can be a great time to visit post-Labor Day as the Florida kids are back and school and local traffic has slowed down. October is nice too as many guests won’t visit because of Hurricane season. My personal favorite time to visit is November as the holiday decorations are going up but you don’t have the holiday traffic. But, after Thanksgiving, you’ll be visiting with tens of thousands of people because the holidays can be the busiest time to visit – especially over holiday break.
Cost
Cost is one of those moving targets. Disney uses dynamic pricing to determine how much it will charge its guests to visit. There’s really no good way to measure this except to say that the laws of supply and demand apply here. This means that if crowds are lower, costs are typically going to be lower too to get people in. But, this is often the least than ideal weather. January and February are great examples – costs are lowest during these two months, but you’re also dealing with colder than “normal” temperatures. Costs are at their highest during the holidays – because everyone wants to experience Disney at Christmas.
In my opinion, cost is the least effective way to determine when you should visit – because the difference between a peak day and a value day in the parks is only $20 to $30 per ticket. It is my recommendation to figure out a time that works best for you from a weather perspective and a crowd size perspective and then to work with your travel planner, like Magical Memories by Casey, to see if there are any special values, sales, or promotions that can be applied to save you money. And even if there is not now, there may be some later. A travel planner will always apply those savings to you when they come out.
Summary So when is the best time to visit Walt Disney World? The first two weeks of May are my personal favorite, followed by the first 3 weeks of November. In both cases, you have lower crowd size and ideal weather. From there, if you don’t mind walking down Main Street USA in jeans and a hoodie, check out all of January (except MLK weekend or during RunDisney) and the first half of February. If you want more specifics, please shoot me an email at caseywooley@mainstreetandmoretravel.com or visit www.caseywooley.com to fill out one of my planning blueprints and we c
Magical Memories by Casey 