When is the Best Time to Travel to Disney World?

When is the best time to visit Disney World?

When is the best time to travel to Disney World? There are many things to consider when deciding the right time to take your trip so it can be difficult to answer that question. What is great for one family may not work for another. Ultimately, it may come down to what works for your family, and the great news is that Disney does a fantastic job of making sure there are magical moments any time of year. I always suggest people start with asking themselves a couple of questions –

Are you traveling with kids? If so, are you willing to take them out of school or should we work around their school schedule? This generally narrows it down quite a bit. Crowd levels are almost always lower when kids are in school and it isn’t around a holiday or long weekend.

What type of weather would you prefer? Florida weather is generally hot, but there are times of the year where hot takes on a Whole. New. Meaning. So, if you want to avoid the brutal heat, I always suggest avoiding summer and early fall.

Are there any festivals, special events or activities that you have heard about that interest you? Think: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Food and Wine Festival, one of Disney’s Marathons, etc. If so, we can make sure to come up with options that coincide with these events.

In addition to these questions, there are a few tried and true notes broken down by month that may help you in your decision making process.

January
January starts to bring in some Marathons that continue usually through April– so if that is your speed, choose one of those weekends! This is also when the International Festival of the Arts starts at Epcot. The weather can be on the chilly side in the evening but great for those who don’t like the heat all afternoon! The crowd levels in January seem to be lower than many of the other months, plus for the first week or so, you'll still be able to enjoy the holiday decorations.

February
February starts the month as “off-season” but quickly turns busy around Presidents’ Day and Valentine’s Day. The weather can still be a little chilly. Crowd levels at the beginning of the month are usually pretty light. But you’ll also have the benefit of catching the end of Epcot’s International Festival of the Arts.

March
March signifies the beginning of Spring Break season which can be known to bring in the CROWDS! March usually has pretty mild weather so that is always a plus! Plus, this is usually when Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival begins.

April
I love April for Disney World! You just have to be smart about the week that you go. As long as you avoid the weeks leading up to and following Easter and spring breaks that may occur at the beginning of the month, the crowd levels are reasonable. If it falls around Easter, it is quite the opposite – very busy! Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival also continues through April. Weather is usually warm enough to swim but not summer hot!

May
Since many kids are still in school, May can be a great time to visit Disney. The humidity does start to creep up as the month goes on. May is usually when Disney starts many of their summer festivities, and if you travel in the beginning of May, you’ll still get to experience the Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot.

June
June is hot, humid and overall pretty rainy. The first half of the month sees lower crowds than the 2nd half (usually) because many schools are still in session at the beginning of June. If you are going to go during the summer, my pick would always be early June.

July
Have I mentioned hot and humid? 4th of July will bring heavy crowds but you do get to enjoy special fireworks! This is a popular month for families that are planning around sports seasons and school schedules. You will definitely want to pack your shorts and tank tops in July.

August
August is going to bring you more hot and humid weather. August also brings in more stormy weather. I keep mentioning the heat but the great news is that Disney does a great job of having many activities and rides that are indoors to get a break from the heat. Most years, Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival and Halloween events start towards the end of August and run through October.

September
September offers Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival alongside some major heat! September usually has lower than average crowd levels which is a big plus!

October
October is very popular for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival (both are amazing!). The weather usually cools down from September but it can still be pretty warm.

November
As long as you avoid Thanksgiving week, you will get to enjoy some Christmas activities and decorations depending on when you come in November and usually mild weather and lower crowds! This is also the month when Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party starts.

December
I L-O-V-E December! If you choose to go over Christmas break though – be prepared for the heaviest of crowds. But if you choose to go earlier in the month you get to enjoy lower crowd levels. You can also enjoy Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party! Weather can be cold or hot – even in the same week! Plus you still enjoy Christmas decorations! Have I mentioned that I love December at Disney?!?!

To start planning your trip, contact your On The Road Travel agent! You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.