Best time to visit in the fall?

[cruisehopeful]

I'm on the west coast and looking at booking trips to WDW over the next several (or more) years. For the most part, I'll be there in the fall. I'd like to hear what specific weeks/dates people prefer and why.

I like all the holidays. Not always a fan of air travel when there's likely to be delays. My husband is sober and most delicious food can give me a migraine, so Food and Wine holds zero value to us.

 

[pixiedust33]

I'm on the west coast and looking at booking trips to WDW over the next several (or more) years. For the most part, I'll be there in the fall. I'd like to hear what specific weeks/dates people prefer and why.

I like all the holidays. Not always a fan of air travel when there's likely to be delays. My husband is sober and most delicious food can give me a migraine, so Food and Wine holds zero value to us.

The most valuable information I can share with you as a west coast person, if you’re not aware, is that fall in Florida does not mean temperate fall weather. September is still peak summer temperatures and oppressively (dare I say, disgustingly) hot, and can remain quite hot and humid well into October. Hurricane season also lasts through November, with September and October being more likely to have storms.

That being said, heat doesn’t bother everyone! As someone who very much hates hot and humid weather, I’d say early November (avoiding Veterans day weekend) would be my preference personally in terms of both weather and crowds. If you’re into Halloween, I’d maybe also gamble on decent weather and go end of October.

 

[scrappinginontario]

If you can handle melt-your-face-off heat, the week of Labour Day is probably the least busy week of the year. That would be my choice.

If Christmas is your preference I’d try to go the first or second week of November. A bit cooler and less chance of rain.

 

[pixiedust33]

If you can handle melt-your-face-off heat, the week of Labour Day is probably the least busy eeek of the year. That would be my choice

LOL at the juxtaposition of “melt-your-face-off” heat and picking it as the best week of the fall. Respect to you Prime example of different strokes for different folks and picking what’s most important to you when selecting a time of the year!

 

[scrappinginontario]

LOL at the juxtaposition of “melt-your-face-off” heat and picking it as the best week of the fall. Respect to you Prime example of different strokes for different folks and picking what’s most important to you when selecting a time of the year!

You’re right! It’s definitely not for everyone!! As I have a teen we visit the last week of August as I don’t want to pull her from school so we’re very familiar with the oppressive heat. It’s not for everyone but we love the trade off of lower crowds.

 

[CarolynFH]

I’d go the week before Thanksgiving or the two weeks after Thanksgiving (i.e., first two weeks of December) for weather, crowds and Christmas decorations. But be aware that fall is becoming more and more popular (more crowded) every year. We prefer January (after Martin Luther King Weekend) into early February.

 

[japanese maple]

We went first week of December last year and was kind of our least favorite trip! It was cold. Like hats and gloves cold the whole trip. And believe it or not, too much Christmas for us.

We've been in April and May which was nice, but our favorite time is late fall around Halloween. This year we are doing end of October and first week November. Fingers crossed and knock wood no hurricanes, otherwise usually pretty nice weather.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We have had great weather during the last week of October. November can have nice weather, too. December can have very cold weather, which we had the first week of December in 2023 and 2024.

 

[sponica]

Since Disney fall starts in August, I'd pick which seasons trappings you're more interested in first. It's Halloween from mid August through Halloween, and then Christmas through the remainder of the year.

I think I preferred the weather in late september/early October than Christmas week. It was hot in September but not melt your face off hot and the humidity wasn't terrible. The year I went Christmas week, I remember wearing a hoodie most of the time.

 

[hes122]

If F&W doesn't interest you, there's usually that sweet spot between F&W and Thanksgiving.

 

[Headless]

We went first week of December last year and was kind of our least favorite trip! It was cold. Like hats and gloves cold the whole trip. And believe it or not, too much Christmas for us.

We've been in April and May which was nice, but our favorite time is late fall around Halloween. This year we are doing end of October and first week November. Fingers crossed and knock wood no hurricanes, otherwise usually pretty nice weather.

We were there first two weeks of December as well and not only was it cold it was still very busy when my naive self expected it to be a little quieter between those two holidays.


Wife and I currently live outside Seattle and have been going down every year for the past couple years. Like everyone has said fall in Florida is not fall here. it's hot. Every time I see someone posting from the west coast I suggest looking at Red eyes. it definitely isn't for everyone but I despise losing a day for travel because of distance and time zones. we land at 7-8am and are at the resort dropping our bags off and still making it for rope drop if we so choose. We treat it as an extra day (mind games to sweeten the deal) so do what we want in the the morning until the room is ready then relax/nap for the rest of the day at the resort before hitting it hard the next day, our '1st' day of the trip.

this last quarter of the year is a very popular and event filled time in Disney so you have to decide what you want to do/see. if Halloween or Christmas matters more will help decide on when. My wife and I have been bouncing from September to December and back for the past couple years. We love both holidays and honestly want to do both every year (I've only pulled it off once)

if it's fall and fall things you want to see/do then for me it's the first couple weeks of September. The parks don't feel as packed because school has just started and all the fall/Halloween things are in full swing. this would also be the time I'd personally pick if I was not planning on going for parties/decor/events and just happened to be scheduling this time of year.

If your more of a Christmas family despite our experience this past year with the temp (I actually liked how cool it was. Bought my first spirit jersey because I could actually wear it) I personally would schedule the first two weeks of December. all the holiday decor is up and all the after parties and during the day happenings are going.

 

[japanese maple]

We were there first two weeks of December as well and not only was it cold it was still very busy when my naive self expected it to be a little quieter between those two holidays.


Wife and I currently live outside Seattle and have been going down every year for the past couple years. Like everyone has said fall in Florida is not fall here. it's hot. Every time I see someone posting from the west coast I suggest looking at Red eyes. it definitely isn't for everyone but I despise losing a day for travel because of distance and time zones. we land at 7-8am and are at the resort dropping our bags off and still making it for rope drop if we so choose. We treat it as an extra day (mind games to sweeten the deal) so do what we want in the the morning until the room is ready then relax/nap for the rest of the day at the resort before hitting it hard the next day, our '1st' day of the trip.

this last quarter of the year is a very popular and event filled time in Disney so you have to decide what you want to do/see. if Halloween or Christmas matters more will help decide on when. My wife and I have been bouncing from September to December and back for the past couple years. We love both holidays and honestly want to do both every year (I've only pulled it off once)

if it's fall and fall things you want to see/do then for me it's the first couple weeks of September. The parks don't feel as packed because school has just started and all the fall/Halloween things are in full swing. this would also be the time I'd personally pick if I was not planning on going for parties/decor/events and just happened to be scheduling this time of year.

If your more of a Christmas family despite our experience this past year with the temp (I actually liked how cool it was. Bought my first spirit jersey because I could actually wear it) I personally would schedule the first two weeks of December. all the holiday decor is up and all the after parties and during the day happenings are going.

I was kind of shocked how crowded it was! Most crowded we had ever visited!

 

[Headless]

We were there the same time period two years ago and it was no where near as busy. in 24 I was lucky enough to go both in august and in December and there were days the winter trip felt as crowded as the august one.

 

[Disnsyncey]

The worst crowds we ever had was 3rd week in Oct....and my friends and I are normally 2nd half of the year people.....

I agree with the other folks, the week of Labor Day is AMAZING.....we went from Sat-Sat, and even Labor Day weekend crowds weren't that bad! I also like the weekend after Thanksgiving weekend......you get the Christmas decor and CP too!

 

[cattycat2]

Yes, I was in Disney from Dec. 9-14, 2024 and even AK was crowded with long lines....you read you probably won't need LLMP for AK, but that wasn't the case that day. You just never know how crowded it will be. Actually Epcot and HS were crowded as well! Having LLMP made it tolerable but I had a difficult time getting other rides....no availability.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I'm on the west coast and looking at booking trips to WDW over the next several (or more) years. For the most part, I'll be there in the fall. I'd like to hear what specific weeks/dates people prefer and why.

I like all the holidays. Not always a fan of air travel when there's likely to be delays. My husband is sober and most delicious food can give me a migraine, so Food and Wine holds zero value to us.

If you want low crowds and can tolerate the heat, early to Mid-September are some of the only times left in WDW that are consistently low crowds. Then, as September moves into October, you get Fall Break crowds and the entire dynamic at MK shifts during party season.

If you're talking about doing this several times in the coming years, I'd target one week to be the first week of December. That's generally the lightest crowd level you can get while still getting the full Holiday experience because Epcot's stuff only runs Thanksgiving to Christmas (where crowds just keep going up). Earlier than that in November you might get lower crowds, but no candlelight processional or holiday storytellers, which are really excellent Epcot offerings.

 

[beccasmom]

Early September is nice as far as crowds, but the weather is still pretty hot and humid. We have found early November and early December to be times that work for us. However, December can get chilly (and downright cold), so early November has been our sweet spot for the most part.

 

[imbelle]

I always notice a surge in the crowd levels when Jersey week hits. Just something to keep in mind if you're thinking early November.

 

[TCRAIG]

It’s called ‘Fall Frenzy’ at WDW for a reason…other than early Sept - expects crowds and long lines.

 

[mickeymom629]

We love the week that overlaps Oct - Nov. We have had beautiful weather, for the most part, the several times we've been there at that time. This year, my family doesn't want my grandkids to miss Halloween at home so we are looking for another week. We like January but that has become busy and the weather can be rainy and cold.