Hello everyone, I hope you are having a great day so far! Today I’m continuing my series of posts all about planning a Walt Disney World vacation, and today I’m talking all about the WHEN. When is the best time to go to Walt Disney World? I’ll be talking about a few different things you should probably take into consideration when book your trip. The crowds, weather, and any special events that might be going on. Today’s post is going to walk you through each month of the year, talking about everything going on each month to help you decide when you should go. Okay, Let’s get started!
January
- Festival of the Arts starts at Epcot, where special food, concerts, and art exhibits are available around World Showcase!
- Weather is definitely cooler in January, so bring some warmer clothes!
- Marathon weekend is near the beginning of the month, and hotels are usually booked with runners! There are 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Full Marathon races happening in the mornings, so beware of road closures and crowds
- With the exception of race weekend, crowds are generally low
- Because the crowds are lower, refurbishments are generally done during this time
- With the Christmas season coming to an end, they have to take down the lights on Cinderella Castle, which generally means there’s going to be an unsightly crane in all of your pictures.
February
- Festival of the Arts continues at Epcot (see above)
- Still cooler weather, however there can be warmer days (I’ve experienced both in the same week on a previous trip!)
- Princess Half Marathon Weekend usually the third weekend in February, there’s a 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon
- refurbishments are happening because it’s not as busy
- low crowds with the exception of race weekend
- training all around, the most annoying tends to be bus drivers
- The crane will still be up, and in all of your pictures (I do believe they put it down at night)
March
- Flower and Garden Festival start at Epcot! Beautiful character topiaries are placed around the park, and food booths are located around World Showcase where you can purchase sample size food. One of the most beautiful times to be in Epcot!
- spring breaks start, so crowds increase in March
April
- Flower & Garden Festival continues
- spring breaks continue, and crowds are generally higher in April than March
- Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend depending on how Easter falls is usually the third weekend in April. With 5K, 10K, and a Half Marathon, expect that weekend to be busy.
May
- Flower & Garden Festival wraps up at Epcot
- crowds dip back down again
- temperatures increase, and Florida storms start rolling through. Bring rain gear and know that the storms don’t last very long. If you are in the parks make the most of it, because the rain will drive people away!
- “normal parks”, with normal background music and no holiday decorations
- May is one of my favourite times to be in the parks!
June
- In June schools are out in some states, so crowds are going to increase.
- You can definitely expect summer temperatures and humidity, check out this post for some tips to help you stay cool!
July
- summer crowds and temperatures again
- expect crowds for July 4th
- Magic Kingdom does special fireworks July 3rd and 4th, you might want to watch them from The Polynesian!
- at Bay Lake Tower the is a lounge for DVC members, but July 3rd and 4th you must be staying at Bay Lake Tower to access it.
August
- summer crowds and temperatures again
- Fall decorations go up!
- Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party starts at Magic Kingdom: a special ticketed event where you can dress up and trick-or-treat around Magic Kingdom. There’s a special parade and fireworks, plus character meet and greets
- Food & Wine Festival starts at Epcot, with sample sized food from around the world, cooking seminars, and a special concert series.
- Galaxy’s Edge opens August 29th- It’s going to be BUSY!
September
- crowds go back down as kids go back to school (but not in 2019 because of Galaxy’s Edge)
- Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party continues
- Food & Wine Festival continues
October
- busier crowd as fall breaks happen in October
- cooler temps (still hot though)
- Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party continues (expect Halloween night to sell out)
- Food & Wine Festival continues
- Halloween night is busy in any of the parks!
November
- Wine and Dine Half Marathon weekend is usually the first weekend of the month, there’s a 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon, again expect this weekend to be busy.
- Christmas decorations go up, and Christmas music surrounds Magic Kingdom
- Food & Wine Festival ends
- Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party starts at the beginning of November in Magic Kingdom. Like the Halloween Party it’s a special ticketed event that has special stage shows, parade and fireworks, plus treats. If you are going around the holidays, I would suggest going to the party if you can swing it! Check out this post for some tips.
- Thanksgiving week is going to be busy! Avoid that week if you can.
- another one of my favourite times to be in the parks!
December
- Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party runs for the first half of December. Closer to Christmas you can see the parade in Magic Kingdom during the day.
- Crowds reach their peak between Christmas and New Years. Avoid these dates unless you want to be packed in the parks, or not be able to get in at all after the park reaches capacity
- Magic Kingdom does BIG fireworks for New Year’s on Dec 30th and 31st
- Again, at Bay Lake Tower only DVC members staying there can access the Top of the World Lounge on December 30th and 31st.
Obviously if you are only able to travel during the summer or school breaks then that might be your only option. But, knowing what you are dealing with is going to help you have a great time. There’s really no bad time to visit the parks, and it will always be magical!
If you’d like to hear more about choosing when to go to Walt Disney World, check out the video below!
What’s your favourite time of year to visit Walt Disney World? Let me know in the comments below!
Other Planning posts:
Your Guide to Walt Disney World Transportation
When Should Your Visit Walt Disney World? (you’re here!)
Thank you so much for joining me today! And if you have any questions, leave them in the comments!
