The Best Time to Visit Disney World in 2025 & 2026
When should you go to Disney World? Are there months that are superior and months you should totally skip at Disney World? What time of the year is the most affordable at Disney World? Or what about the most expensive time to visit Disney World? I am here to help you navigate all of these thoughts so you can choose the best time to visit Disney World for your family.
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So let’s get going!
Top months to Visit Disney World in 2025 or 2026
- January – Cooler weather, lower crowds, and the Festival of the Arts make January a great time to visit Disney World
- May – Earlier in the month you will find lower crowds and mild weather. Plus the Flower and Garden Festival is in full swing
- November – The Holidays are kicking off and its a great time to enjoy the Food & Wine Festival
Top 4 Most Affordable Times to Visit Disney World
- July/August/September – These month always have great discounts on tickets and rooms!
- January – A slower season means better rates! Just avoid the runDisney weekend
Most Crowded Times to Visit Disney World in 2025
- Thanksgiving Week – Its expensive, and crowded
- The week after Christmas – I would avoid this week unless it’s the only time you can visit Disney World. It’s VERY crowded and expensive.
- President’s Day Weekend – This sleeper holiday may surprise you as crowds tend to show up in full force for this weekend!
So now let me break down each month at Disney World with positives and negatives of visiting Disney World each month:
January
January has to be one of my favorite times to visit Disney World. The weather is cooler making the parks more enjoyable and it’s not a very rainy season. We’ve also been able to enjoy a few pool days in January (but I was chilly, my kids didn’t care!) I would recommend planning to visit after January 4th to ensure the holiday crowds are gone. And you may want to avoid the second weekend in January as there is usually a runDisney event which can make hotels at Disney World pricier than normal.
Festival of the Arts begins around January 17 and is one of the best festivals at EPCOT. It makes for another great reason to visit Disney World in January.
If I had to rank January, it would be in my top 3 months to visit the most magical place on earth.
February
Another really great month to visit Disney World is February. However you will want to make note of a few popular events to maybe plan around like President’s Day (oof it SO crowded) and Princess weekend (another RunDisney event). Besides that you will find February at Disney World to be quite pleasant at the parks and warm enough to swim in the afternoons.
March
If you are thinking about visiting Disney World in March, try and visit towards the beginning of the month to avoid any Spring Break crowds. However, I personally think Spring Break crowds aren’t too scary at Disney World. I would 100% take my family to Disney World in March because the weather is still pleasant and it hasn’t quite reached the rainiest season. Some of my best memories at Disney World happened the first week of March. I’m a happy girl when I can wear shorts and a sweatshirt and enjoy a hot coffee in the morning and an iced latte in the afternoons while at the parks.
April
April is when Spring Break is at its peak for Disney World. You will find the pricing to be higher for resorts and park tickets during April at Disney World. However, even with higher crowds I’ve had an excellent time at Disney World during my April trips. I would recommend budgeting for Lightning Lanes to make sure you won’t be caught in any long lines during your trip. I will say I did a Disney Cruise plus a short stay at Disney World this past April and absolutely loved everything about that trip. Another bonus is The Flower and Garden Festival will be going on at EPCOT which is fun for all ages.
May
May is a popular month at Disney World but you can find pockets of lower crowds since schools aren’t out yet. The only date that may get a little crazy is May 4th with Star Wars crowds at Hollywood Studios. The weather is getting warm to hot and I’d expect rain showers as it is Spring in Orlando. Early May is in my top 3 times to visit Disney World with my family.
Keep in mind crowds will creep up during Memorial Day weekend and stay a little high between then and mid to late June.
June
Summer has hit at Disney World! Temps may be high but Disney World tends to release great deals for tickets and rooms for summer vacations. I’ve noticed higher crowds in June vs July and August. Expect afternoon showers and high temps, so make sure to take time for afternoon breaks from the heat.
July
I’ve been to Disney World every July since 2022 and let me explain myself. The discounts are SO good. I’ve been able to travel to Disney World with the best discounts when it’s hot. There are ways to really enjoy this time of year at the parks and the crowds really aren’t bad at all. July 4th has even seen lower than average crowds the last 2 years. Just be prepared for rain showers and high temps. But really, it’s a great time to head to Disney World if you want to save money and avoid some of the higher crowd months.
August
August has been described as like the armpit of Summer in Orlando. It’s hot and muggy and can feel oppressive at times. Expect rain showers. If you can brave the heat and humidity you are sure to land a great deal and enjoy lower crowds. Just keep an eye out because this is when Food and Wine Festival starts at Epcot which can draw opening day crowds as well as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party which will make Magic Kingdom close at 6pm on select party dates.
I’ve personally been to Disney World in August and found it to be hot but the breeze made it enjoyable. I would go again in August for the deals.
September
Very similar to August actually expect you can plan for crowds around Labor Day. Besides that it’s a great month to visit for lower crowds and better pricing. This seems to be a popular month for DVC owners to use their points so if you’re planning on renting DVC point you will want to book that about 7 months out to guarantee you get the resort you want. If you’re booking direct with Disney you will have no issues finding a good room at a great rate!
October
Spooky season at Disney World is fabulous. The weather is still warm but doesn’t seem to be as rainy. But prices are going to be higher than summer months for tickets and resorts. I personally spent Halloween at Disney World in 2024 and trick or treated around the Crescent Lake resorts with my family and it is a core memory for all of us. We love the parks and were still able to swim as it was plenty warm outside. October is a popular month so expect higher crowds.
November
November at Disney World closes out my top 3 favorite months. I just love everything about Disney World in November. The resort transitions over the Christmas decorations and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party kicks off. The only downside is that after Veterans days the crowds creep higher and hit their peak the week of Thanksgiving. I’ve had good luck with moderate crowds before Thanksgiving but pricing will be higher than other times of the year. To me, the price is worth it for the better weather and Holiday cheer at Disney World!
December
December can actually be cold at Disney World, which is kind of nice! If you want to avoid crowds then you will want to avoid the week after Christmas as you will be met with the highest crowds of the year at the parks. Early to mid December can still be pleasant with moderate crowds. We experience pleasant weather at the parks and still were able to enjoy some time in the pools without being cold which was a huge win for my kids. I love December at Disney World but it is one of the more expensive times to visit the resort.
So what about Cheer and sports groups?
Really, I’ve gone multiple times during Cheer and sports competitions being hosted at Disney World and did not notice a huge difference in crowds. I wouldn’t personally plan my trip to avoid this if the dates work and pricing works. I would recommend maybe not staying at an All Stars resort during cheer and sports competitions just to avoid the bulk of activity since the athletes stay there.
