Best Months and Specific Dates to Visit Walt Disney World 2024 & 2025
One of the biggest deciding factors when planning a Walt Disney World trip is figuring when to go! While there is no time of the year anymore that Disney will be completely empty, there are certainly best times to visit Disney World.
You can avoid some of the most intense crowds of the year while also taking advantage of some of the best deals which often coincide with those less busy times. But this doesn't also mean you can't visit during some of the best celebrations of the year which include both Halloween and Christmas. Considering Walt Disney World is also located in Florida, you also want to consider large weather factors like hurricane season.
My guide to the best times to visit Disney World covers not just the best time of the year to avoid crowds but also the best times to visit to enjoy everything Walt Disney World has to offer with special events, holidays, and celebrations.
Cheapest Day to Visit Disney World
1-day tickets for Walt Disney World are on a tier system with a range of $109-$189 for a one park per day ticket. The price of this 1-day ticket will increase depending on the park (Magic Kingdom is always the most expensive) and time of year (think holidays like Christmas, etc.) so the time of year.
The lowest price for 1-day Disney World ticket in 2024 could be found in August and September. Animal Kingdom is usually the park with the lowest price of $109 per day with Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios costing $124 on the cheapest days of the year to visit Disney World. EPCOT falls in the middle with a cost of $114 per day.
If you want to upgrade to a 1-day park hopper then the ticket price will be a flat $183 per ticket for the cheapest day of the year at Disney World.
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Best Months to Visit Disney World
Here are some of the best times to visit Disney World broken down by our favorite months to visit. These choices reflect some of the lower crowded times of the year but also weather and festivals at EPCOT to consider.
January
January at Walt Disney World is a key time to visit if you are a runDisney fan! January is when the Walt Disney World marathon takes place which is January 3-7 2024. This is one of the largest runDisney events and it's a very popular event for runners and Disney fans. January 12th marks the start of the EPCOT Festival of the Arts which is one of the best new festivals at Walt Disney World. Plus you can usually find plenty of hotel discounts at Disney World (click here to see all current discounts) in January. This is also the coldest month of the year so if you're someone that is worried about Florida heat, this is a good time to visit. Read our guide to Walt Disney World in January.
For those visiting in 2025, these events will likely take place again around the same timeframe.
You can see our analysis of the best Disney World discounts available here.
February
February is a month that sees lower crowd levels before the busy spring break season begins. The only weekend to avoid in February is the third Monday of February which is President's Day weekend. As always, any three day weekend will bring extremely high crowd levels. The Disney Princess Half Marathon weekend will also run February 22-25 which will bring larger crowds. Read our guide to Walt Disney World in February.
February will offer mild weather and lower crowd levels even with some of the events taking place at Walt Disney World. The EPCOT Festival of the Arts continues until February 19th which will increase crowds at EPCOT in the evenings and weekends. This event features food, performances, and art from all around the world and from all different cultures.
For those visiting in 2025, these events will likely take place again around the same timeframe.
August
August is one of the best times to visit Disney World as this is one of the slowest months in the year. You will still get to enjoy the longer operating hours of summer along with all the other benefits of a summer visit without the higher crowd levels you may see in June and July. But keep in mind that the weather will be extremely hot, rainy and this is the beginning of hurricane season in Florida. Hence why some folks tend to avoid it! Read our guide to Walt Disney World in August.
But if you can handle the weather, the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival continues its run which is arguably one of the most popular festivals at EPCOT. You will see the Fall discounts at Walt Disney World beginning in August which can help offset the cost of your trip. If you're looking to avoid crowds and enjoy discounts, August is a great month to pick.
September
September is often called the slowest month of the year making it one of the best times to visit Disney World. If your priority is to avoid crowds then this is a great time to visit. You will also see some of the best discounts of the year fall during September which is another good reason to visit. Read our guide to Walt Disney World in September.
September does fall during hurricane season at Disney World so you will see an increase of rain and storms and there's always the slight chance of weather impacting your travel. Travel insurance or booking flights with refundable options is a great choice. The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival runs during September along with the Halloween season including Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party! Just because September is a slow month, doesn't mean there are not plenty of activities to enjoy.
November
November is a perfect month to visit when it comes to weather at Walt Disney World. The temperatures are still warm but not hot, the rainfall has begun to slow after hurricane season, and the holiday season usually kicks off in the first week. This is also the best month to visit if you want to enjoy the holidays at Walt Disney World but are nervous about navigating larger crowds. Just be sure to avoid Veteran's Day weekend as this will likely be one of the most crowded weekends in the month along with Thanksgiving weekend. Read our guide to Walt Disney World in November.
Best Days to Visit Disney World
While it can be hard to pinpoint the exact best date to visit Disney World, I can give a rough estimate for the best days each month. This isn't an exact science but you can get an idea of what days to focus your trip on. These dates would be the ones I would select if I was picking my own best times to visit Disney World.
Best 2024 Dates to Visit
- January: 8-10, 16-31
- February: 1-14, 26-29
- March: 1-7
- April: 22-23
- May: 1-9, 13-23, 28-31
- June: 1-13, 18-30
- July: 7-31
- August: 1-31
- September: 3-30
- October: 1-10, 15-31
- November: 1-7, 12-25
- December: 1-15
Best 2025 Dates to Visit
- January: 7-16, 22-31
- February: 1-13, 19-28
- March: 1-7
- April: 21-30
- May: 1-8, 12-22, 28-31
- June: 1-12, 17-30
- July: 8-31
- August: 1-31
- September: 3-30
- October: 1-9, 14-31
- November: 1-6, 12-25
- December: 1-15
These dates are all around prioritizing low crowd levels and holidays. Nothing is guaranteed but this can help give you an idea of how to plan!
Busiest Time to Visit Disney World
You can read more about the busiest time to visit Walt Disney World in our crowd calendar, but ultimately the good rule of thumb is to avoid holidays if you don't want to deal with crowds. This also includes holiday weekends which can sometimes be the busiest weekends the parks will see all year. Some of these weekends to avoid include President's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Labor Day, and Indigenous/Columbus Day.
Other times of year like Spring Break weeks during March/April, Thanksgiving week, and Christmas week also all draw big crowds.
Best Time to Visit Disney World Halloween
One of the best times to visit Disney World for Halloween is the month of September. This is one of the slowest months out of the entire year which also comes with a great offering of hotel discounts for guests. You can easily pull off a great budget trip to Disney World for Halloween if you travel in September. Just avoid Labor Day weekend! Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party runs throughout the entire month of September and you will see Magic Kingdom filled with Halloween decorations.
The weather may be the only consideration when it comes to visiting Disney World for Halloween. September is considered hurricane season at Walt Disney World so you might see an increase in rainy weather, storms, or other potential weather related issues. If your priority is to avoid bad weather then you might want to pick October for visiting Disney World for Halloween.
Best Time to Visit Disney World Christmas
If you're looking to visit Disney World during Christmas then there are some best times to visit to avoid crowds and have better weather. This is one of the best times of the year to visit Disney World as the parks go all out for the holidays! This is truly one of the best times of the year to visit, it's my favorite time to go personally!
If you are looking to avoid crowds, the earlier in the celebration you go the better. The seasonal celebration often begins after the first week of November and runs until the first week of January. If you visit before Thanksgiving, you will experience the lowest crowd levels during the holidays. After Thanksgiving the parks will increase in crowd levels, especially on weekends, as the holiday draws near and more locals are enticed by the Christmas decor.
Another tactic is to wait until after New Year's Day and catch the Christmas celebration before it officially ends during the first week of January.
Best Time to Visit Disney World Weather Wise
The best times to visit Disney World are often impacted by the weather in Orlando. One major concern for guests is avoiding hurricane season which is broadly considered to run from June to the end of November as part of the Atlantic hurricane season. However, it is more likely to see larger storms during August and September but it's possible by the end of October. This year the anticipated hurricane peak of the season is said to be September 10th. Now just because we talk about hurricane season in terms of hurricanes, doesn't mean Florida sees hurricanes nonstop that time of year. Hurricane season can also just mean larger amounts of rain and wind. So if you plan your visit anytime between June and October, you can expect to see rain.
If avoiding rain, storms, and high levels of heat is your priority then the sweet spot for visiting Disney World for great weather is usually March through May. April often receives the least amount of rain on average and the temperature range is between 75-85 degrees. This is perfect for enjoying the parks but also warm enough to still enjoy your hotel pool. October and November are also great for mild temperatures but you still might see a risk of a tropical storm in October. December through February runs the risk of colder temperatures but if you don't mind brisk temps then this could be a good choice.. especially if you want to avoid the heat.
I have been to Disney World during many different types of weather and regardless of what is happening, aside from the rare hurricane at Disney, you can have a great trip. I have been during the extremely rainy, hot summer months in July. I have also been in December when the freak 2022 cold front lowered the temperatures down to 30 degrees! To be honest, I would rather take the heat and rain over that! But it's all up to personal preference, just be aware if you're planning a trip in August or September to consider travel insurance just in case.
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Keep reading our blog to keep you updated on everything you need to know to prepare for a Disney Parks vacation! We have a team of writers working hard to keep you updated weekly on events in the parks and tips for navigating the magic. Subscribe to our free deals newsletter to receive helpful planning information, exclusive Disney deals, and access to the lowest priced Disney tickets anywhere. You can find more information on planning your vacation here:
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