Best Time to Go to Disney World [Guide for the 2025 Season]

Best Time to Avoid Crowds at Disney World

Walt Disney World is the single most visited vacation resort on the planet. And with a typical annual attendance of more than 58 million people, you should expect to encounter crowds on any given day of the year. Sorry – this is just a fact.

However, there are certain times of the year with fewer crowds. So, if you think the best time to go to Disney World is when there are fewer people to contend with, here are a few tips.

When Is Disney World the Most Crowded?

Generally, you can expect the crowds to be higher during school vacation weeks, holidays, weekends, and the summer season. In particular, the crowds swell around Spring Break, Thanksgiving week, Christmas, and holiday weekends (i.e., MLK Holiday, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day).

You can also expect the park to be busy right after a new section/land or attraction opens (such as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge). Some parks even have days of the week that are generally better or worse than others (see Best Days to Go To Magic Kingdom).

When Is Disney World the Least Crowded?

Disney World theme parks are usually less crowded from January 2nd until Presidents’ Day weekend (the third Monday in February) — but watch out for the Disney World Marathon Weekend and MLK weekend. You can also get a break from crowds between Labor Day and Thanksgiving week and during the time between the week after Thanksgiving and the weekend before Christmas vacation week.

There are also some lighter non-vacation weeks in the late winter/early spring. But it goes without saying that Disney World is less crowded when families are busy with school and work and more crowded during school breaks, holidays, and weekends.

When Is the Best Time to Visit Disney World in 2025?

Avoid long lines during the least busy times at Disney World in 2025:

• January 2-7
• January 21 – February 13
• February 19 – 28
• April 24 – May 23 (weekdays are best and not too close to Memorial Day weekend)
• May 30 – June 1
• June Sundays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays (only if you must go during summer)
• Late August 15-31
• September 1 – October 5 Weekdays (except Labor Day)
• October Weekdays (beginning and end of the month)
• November Weekdays (not including Thanksgiving week or Wine & Dine Half Marathon)
• November 30 – December 6
• December Weekdays (not including the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s Eve)

We have specific day-by-day Disney World Crowd Forecasts on our Crowd Calendar page to help determine the best time of year. (We have a Disneyland Crowd Calendar, too!)

Disney theme park tickets are sold via a surge pricing model – ticket prices rise daily as the demand increases, and some parks are more expensive than others. Disney insists that this policy was instituted as a mechanism to even out the crowds throughout the year. But despite this new ticketing model, the normal seasonal patterns remain in play for the most part. So you’ll still need to factor in crowd levels when you’re planning your Disney Vacation.

Best Weather for Visiting Disney World Park

Florida is known as the Sunshine State. But while everyone loves the sun, most people dislike the heat and humidity that often accompany the Florida sun. Rain showers and thunderstorms are commonplace at Disney World during the summer months, and there’s even a remote chance of a hurricane from June through October.

That said, Disney World experiences really great weather for most of the year. The best time to go to Disney World Resort is spring and autumn. Temperatures tend to be warm yet quite comfortable for walking around the park. Humidity levels are lower than in the summer, and the UV index remains relatively safe.

And for the record, winter isn’t so bad either. Summer is the only season that is routinely unpleasant because of the heat and humidity.

Spring at Disney World

The Spring season is short, but it’s gorgeous this time of the year. With its vibrant flowers and blooming, aromatic trees, spring is a wonderful season to go to Disney World. Low temperatures range up to around 82°F with moderately low rainfall and relative humidity of around 50%. The sun is strong for at least nine hours per day, giving you plenty of daylight hours to enjoy the park.

Autumn at Disney World

The Autumn season is near perfect at Disney World. It, too, is a short season, but it’s well worth a visit during this stretch between Labor Day and Christmas. Granted, the start of fall may be on the warm and humid side as summer drags on, but the rest of this time frame experiences crisp air, mild to warm temps, and lower rainfall. Visitors will still have up to 8 hours of full sunshine. Then evening and nighttime temperatures often drop enough for a jacket or sweater.

Winter at Disney World

Don’t let the name scare you off because winter isn’t so bad at Disney World. In fact, it has quite a few things going for it. The average high temperatures are typically in the low 70s, and rainfall is less common than in other seasons.

In addition, humidity is usually around 59%, and the evenings cool off considerably. However, winter suffers from a few drawbacks, including fewer daylight hours, less incentive to jump in the pool because of the cooler temperatures, and the park grounds aren’t as lush and beautiful.

Summer at Disney World

Walt Disney World’s summer is its longest season because it extends from May through September. On the surface, it may seem like the perfect time to visit the park. School is out, there are roughly 14 sunlight hours each day, and the theme parks usually have longer hours and more entertainment offerings. But the major downside is the heat. Mid-day temperatures often reach over 90 degrees, and some days are even over 100 or 110!

High humidity is also a factor, with an average of 61%. Then there’s the rainfall; Disney’s average precipitation is 6.4″ during the summer months, and July and August normally experience 13 days of rainfall.

With that said, if pools, water parks, longer park hours, and more entertainment are your top priorities, summer may be the best time to visit Disney if you don’t mind the summer crowds.

Cheapest Time to Visit Disney World

Disney Theme Park Ticket and Hotel Prices

The cost of Disney World vacation packages fluctuates throughout the year. As far as nightly Disney World Resort Hotel pricing goes, the hotel rates increase during peak periods (like school vacations and holidays) and decrease during the slower, off-peak times of the year.

This variable pricing policy is also in effect for theme park tickets. As demand for tickets increases, the price of theme park tickets also increases.

Disney World Theme Park Ticket Tiers

When Disney first introduced its variable ticket pricing model, there were three tiers of single-day theme park tickets: value, regular, and peak days.

That now seems like a distant memory. Tickets now have several price points that vary from day to day and from park to park (with Animal Kingdom usually cheapest and Magic Kingdom most expensive).

2025 base ticket (one day at one theme park) price ranges:

• Animal Kingdom: $119-$164*
• EPCOT: $129-$184*
• Hollywood Studios: $139-$184*
• Magic Kingdom: $144-$189*

*NOTE: November and December 2025 ticket prices aren’t yet released; historically, they have had some of the highest prices of the year and might exceed the ranges listed above.

Pick your days wisely, and you will save money! It’s always best to go to Disney World when there are fewer crowds. You usually pay less for theme park tickets and hotel stays and have shorter lines.

Multi-day theme park tickets work differently than single-day tickets. With multi-day tickets, the more days you purchase, the less you will pay per day.

2025 multi-day ticket price example (One park per day, starting July 1, 2025):

• 2-Day Ticket: $167+ per day
• 3-Day Ticket: $164+ per day
• 4-Day Ticket: $157+ per day
• 5-Day Ticket: $141+ per day
• 6-Day Ticket: $124+ per day
• 7-Day Ticket: $109+ per day
• 8-Day Ticket: $99+ per day
• 9-Day Ticket: $90+ per day
• 10-Day Ticket: $83+ per day

You might notice that the per-day pricing starts dropping significantly at the five-day mark.

Of course, dining and lodging costs will greatly add to your overall expenses. So, an extended stay – just to spend less per day on tickets – is not a money-saving strategy. However, it’s important to note this theme park ticket policy because most people spend more than a single day at Disney parks.

If you can afford it, we recommend Visiting Disney World for an entire week and experiencing at least one day at each theme park. There is so much to see and do!

Disney World Resort Hotel Rates

One thing that hasn’t changed is the rate for children under 3 years old. They are admitted for free into any of the four theme parks and two Disney water parks. Children ages 3 – 9 pay a slightly reduced rate (typically about $5 less than the adult prices). Kids 10 and up pay the normal adult prices. We should also point out that most Disney World restaurants offer a children’s menu with lower prices.

Disney World Hotel Prices

There are more than two dozen official Disney resort hotels on the property. Walt Disney World Resorts are categorized into three tiers: Value, Moderate, and Deluxe. Disney Value Resorts are the least expensive tier, followed by Disney Moderate Resorts as the middle tier, and Disney Deluxe Resorts as the most exclusive and costly.

Like theme park tickets, hotel prices vary based on the time of year. With so many variables in play — room type, location within the resort, location of the resort itself, view from the room, amenities, time of year, and even day of the week — it’s very difficult to provide a single price range for a stay at a Disney Resort Hotel. But the same general rules we give for tickets apply to hotels, too; if it’s a more popular time of year, hotel prices will be higher.

2025 Hotel starting prices (All Star Sports, Standard Room

The graph above shows sample starting prices for a stay in a Standard Room at All Star Sports (a Disney Value Resort). Those regular “heartbeat” spikes you see represent increased prices around every weekend. You can also see that the prices, in general, are higher during the more popular times of year and lower during the less-crowded times. You’ll pay less than $120 on most January weeknights; the same room costs nearly $240 during spring break. December 2025 rates are not yet announced but will likely be the highest of the year.

This pricing model is generally in place at all Disney Resorts. You can literally save hundreds of dollars per night just by changing your dates; even changing from a weekend to a weekday might save you between $50 and $100.

Perks of Staying at Disney Resort Hotels

Staying at any one of Disney’s hotels is more convenient because of the free Disney World transportation to and from the parks. It’s also more cost-effective when you consider all of the extra perks you will receive, and you’ll be able to make your dining and Lightning Lane reservations before non-Disney guests. You can also create a Disney payment plan to pay off your trip in installments.

There are tons of non-Disney resort hotels in the Orlando area. Most of them are adequate and cheaper than many of Disney’s offerings. However, when you add up all of the perks offered to Disney Resort guests, we think the benefits greatly outweigh the extra cost. Stay at a Disney World Resort and be close to the action! See our Disney World Resorts Comparison page for suggestions.

Holiday Festivals and Seasonal Events

January

January can be one of the quietest months of the year at Disney World because the holiday vacation crowds are gone, and cool temperatures keep people away. The high temperatures only reach 70 degrees during January. If you don’t mind the frosty early mornings and chilly evening temperatures – and the risk of Disney’s water parks being closed – then January may be the best time to go to Disney World. The pools are still heated, and the cheaper off-season rates and shorter lines make them worthy of your consideration.

January events include:

• Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
• EPCOT International Festival of the Arts

February

With the exception of Presidents’ Day week, Disney World in February usually experiences a rather slow month. Off-peak pricing is in effect for non-holiday weeks. If crowds are a major concern, then February is a decent choice so long as you avoid the school vacation week (Presidents’ Day week). February might lack some of the beauty and excitement that other months at the park have — but it’s also a favorite month for locals precisely because of low crowds and cooler weather.

February events include:

• Disney’s Princess Half-Marathon weekend
• EPCOT International Festival of the Arts

March

March experiences heavier crowds because of Spring Break, Bike Week, and Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival. However, the good weather begins to appear in March, and the water parks re-open during the first half of the month.

March events include:

• EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival

April

April at Walt Disney World is characterized by heavier Spring break crowds and milder temperatures. Spring Break season and the Easter holiday are especially popular times to visit Disney World, so we would avoid these periods if possible. Temperatures rise to the mid-80s, and the flowers and trees are in full-bloom mode.

April events include:

• RunDisney Springtime Surprise weekend
• EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival

May

Crowds moderate during the month of May because the spring break season is over, and there are no “major” holidays or summer vacations. Memorial Day causes a brief blip in crowd levels but the impact is nowhere near the levels seen at Christmas or even President’s Day. Although it’s spring and the flowers are still in full bloom, the weather feels more like summer, with temps reaching into the 90s. Thunderstorms are common occurrences during the afternoon.

May events include:

• EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival

June

The summer season kicks off in June. While the first half of the month sees fewer crowds, the latter half experiences heavy traffic as students are off on summer break. Single-day ticket prices increase as the crowds swell, but the parks have extended hours and more shows and activities to even out the lines. June has long days of sunshine and hot weather, so come prepared with your sunscreen. This is a good time of the year to visit the water parks! (See our Blizzard Beach vs. Typhoon Lagoon page)

June events include:

• EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival (some years)

July

Most people associate July with family vacations, so it’s no surprise that it is Disney’s peak season. Florida is sizzling hot during July, and temperatures can reach 100+ during the afternoon with lots of humidity. Rain and thunderstorms are also common. The good news is that the theme parks have extended hours. So you may want to hit the air-conditioned attractions, eat your meals, or head back to the pool during the hottest times of the day while experiencing the main attractions during the mornings and early evenings. Prices are typically higher during the summer months, so don’t expect to find any deep discounts.

July events include:

• Fourth of July fireworks at Magic Kingdom and EPCOT
• EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival (some years)
• EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival (some years)

August

The Disney World weather can reach extremes during August, one of the hottest months of the year. You can beat the afternoon heat by seeking shelter at air-conditioned attractions and shows, restaurants, AMC movie theatre (Disney Springs), water parks, and Disney resort pools. Crowds are heavy for most of August, but the parks do thin out (a little) as kids return to school towards the second half of the month. However, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival help to draw visitors during the latter half of the month. Like July, it’s a hot, humid, wet, and crowded time to go to Disney World.

August events include:

• Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party begins in mid-August
• EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival (most years)

September

Early September at Disney World is still hot, but temperatures do moderate slightly as the month wears on. While it is the peak of hurricane season, storms usually don’t cause major impacts to central Florida. The latter half of September is one of the best times to go to Disney World because the weather is decent, and lines are manageable since most kids are back to school. Hotel rates and park tickets are also lower. In addition, EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party are in full swing. September is a great time to visit Disney World!

September events include:

• Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
• EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival

October

The afternoons are still hot, but the evening temperatures drop considerably during the month of October. Disney’s parks are decorated for autumn, and most evenings showcase Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party events. The EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival is still going strong, and the crowds are moderate. October may be the best month to visit Disney World!

October events include:

• Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
• EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival

November

November would be an excellent month to visit Disney World if it weren’t for the crowd swell during Thanksgiving week. But if you avoid this week (and weekends around the holiday), you will experience pleasant weather, relatively short lines, and a festive holiday atmosphere. Cast Members are decorating throughout the month, but most of Disney’s Christmas holiday decorations are up by early-November. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party kicks off, and guests can enjoy many holiday events during the month.

November events include:

• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
• EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival
• RunDisney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend
• EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays

December

Disney’s theme parks are festively decorated in December, and holiday-themed events happen daily throughout the month. December is a popular time to visit Disney World because most people love the holidays and most children are out on school holidays. As a result, the beginning of the month experiences slightly lighter crowds, but the latter half of December is among Disney World’s busiest times of the year.

December events include:

• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
• Epcot International Festival of the Holidays
• Special New Year’s Eve fireworks displays at Magic Kingdom and EPCOT