BEST time of the year to visit Walt Disney World

[Disney Believer]

if you go during the peak times like summer vacations or Christmas vacations, the parks will be terribly crowded and rates for hotel rooms will be sky high.
So the best time to visit Walt Disney World should be:

Mid-November through mid-December (except the week of Thanksgiving) - special events are running, and the attendance is usually moderate. Expect crowds on Saturdays, especially at the Magic Kingdom. Disney’s resorts typically fill up early for all of December, but this doesn’t necessary translate into huge crowds during early December.

Second week of January through mid-February - This is one of the least busy times of year and hotel prices are lower. However, some rides will be closed for refurbishment at this time of year. Avoid any holiday weekends.

First three weeks of May. The weather is warm in May, but usually not unbearably so. Crowds and hotel prices are moderate. Memorial Day weekend will be more crowded, but often not as bad as you might expect.

Late August and entire month of September (even Labor Day weekend). It will be extremely hot, and this is peak hurricane season. Plan on taking afternoons off and visiting water parks. Crowds are low.

 

[KisstheGirl33]

I went during Marathon weekend this past January and it was great.
Very short lines for rides and beautiful weather. Although apparently it was "cold" - in the 60s. It felt great to this Philadelphian!

 

[cmoser]

I have been to Disney in May a couple times and loved the weather and it's the when they do their Garden Festival! It's also a little less busy. I also really enjoyed October when they do all the Halloween activities. They decorate everything so incredibly and it was lots of fun dressing up and going to Mickey's Not so Scary Halloween party!

 

[tommy44440]

After thanksgiving but before Christmas usually has dead crowds.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Visiting the waterparks can be a challenge in the afternoons in August due to the lightning and the storms.

I would recommend blocking out a morning if the waterparks are really important to you.

Swimming at the resort is easier to do because you can fit it in around the storms more easily.

 

[Off to Neverland 7]

We usually go late September early October. Crowds are moderate and tolerable. There's usually awesome discounts and packages available (free dining) that lure tourists during the slow period. Also, it's Food & Wine festival so that's a great experience as well.

Dancing our way over to our happy place - Jan/Feb PTR 2015

Disneyland Resort 1993-2000 Passholder 2004-2014 Caribbean Beach Resort July 2001 Paradise Pier Resort 2009, November 2014 Grand Californian April 2010 Pop Century Sept 2012, Sept 2013 Disneyland Hong Kong July 2013 Animal Kingdom Villas & Universal's Cabana Bay Sept 2014 Pop Century & Disney Dream Feb 2015!!

 

[JZCubed]

if you go during the peak times like summer vacations or Christmas vacations, the parks will be terribly crowded and rates for hotel rooms will be sky high.
So the best time to visit Walt Disney World should be:

Mid-November through mid-December (except the week of Thanksgiving) - special events are running, and the attendance is usually moderate. Expect crowds on Saturdays, especially at the Magic Kingdom. Disney’s resorts typically fill up early for all of December, but this doesn’t necessary translate into huge crowds during early December.

Second week of January through mid-February - This is one of the least busy times of year and hotel prices are lower. However, some rides will be closed for refurbishment at this time of year. Avoid any holiday weekends.

First three weeks of May. The weather is warm in May, but usually not unbearably so. Crowds and hotel prices are moderate. Memorial Day weekend will be more crowded, but often not as bad as you might expect.

Late August and entire month of September (even Labor Day weekend). It will be extremely hot, and this is peak hurricane season. Plan on taking afternoons off and visiting water parks. Crowds are low.

We enjoy going after Thanksgiving and before Christmas to enjoy all the holiday lights and decorations.

We also enjoy going in the Spring for the Flower & Garden Show in Epcot.

We have never attended Star Wars festivities in late Spring….because we love Flowers a bit more.

We will doing our first summer vacation around July 4th. Well, I went in Summer about 40 years ago…...

Too cold for us to enjoy a vacation in January/February….too cold at Disney & too cold for us to leave our dogs for fear of having them snowed into our mountain home.

And while some times of the year at Disney are very crowded, it is becoming more difficult to be there with low crowds, just lower-than-crazy crowded.