Selecting the most effective week of this 12 months, 2025 or 2026 on your Walt Disney World journey is difficult, particularly when dates are restricted attributable to college breaks or work schedules. This information was designed with that in thoughts, sharing our favourite instances to go to and worst ones to keep away from within the subsequent 2 years primarily based on crowd ranges, wait instances forecasts, seasonal occasions, climate & extra. (Up to date June 14, 2024.)
Our intention right here is to mix the most effective quantitative and qualitative features of our greatest & worst months useful resource with our 2024 Walt Disney World Crowd Calendars and distill that right down to one thing approachable and actionable. The animating thought right here is that the overwhelming majority of vacationers aren’t visiting for a single day or a particular full month, however reasonably, for five days to every week. Except for “holidaymakers” from the UK, few households are doing greater than 10 day journeys and most non-locals are doing greater than a single day or two.
As such, a sensible planning useful resource shouldn’t simply take a look at particular person days or full months, however full week or longer date ranges that supply instances to focus on and others to keep away from. Enter this Walt Disney World crowd predicting and planning useful resource for now by 2025!
When mixed with our regularly-updated Finest & Worst Days to Do Every Park at Walt Disney World, this ought to provide definitive recommendation for choosing dates. This narrows down the week, after which that gives what it’s worthwhile to know to decide on when to go to every park. It’s nonetheless extra of a “educate an individual to fish” reasonably than the “give an individual a fish” mentality of crowd calendars, however it additionally ought to show extra correct and helpful.
This considers quite a lot of subjective variables (defined in every advice) along with our evolving expectations about Walt Disney World’s attendance. It’s weighted closely for crowd ranges and is backed by historic wait instances knowledge from the the final two years, plus 2018 and 2019 (2020-2021 have been anomalies, in order that they’re discarded accordingly).
Ought to this be well-received or deemed helpful by readers (reasonably than one other overwhelming crowd useful resource), the eventual aim is to increase this to rank each single week of the 12 months. There are two causes I didn’t begin by doing that. First, the submit can be a lot, for much longer and would’ve taken me significantly longer to put in writing and analysis.
Second, the standard of wait instances knowledge isn’t equal all through the calendar. That is one thing mentioned beneath, however there are inconsistencies and anomalies past simply 2020-2021. A variety of this has been resolved, with summer time remaining the most important wild card–hopefully that falls again into acquainted developments throughout June and July 2024.
With that mentioned, we do periodically replace these dates to replicate altering attendance patterns, low cost releases, or particular occasion bulletins–all of which might change crowd developments. For the newest replace, we’ve shifted some September journey dates round in gentle of ticket offers. Walt Disney World has launched the Florida Resident Uncover Disney Ticket, which is legitimate by September 28, 2024 with an advance park reservation. Extra important is the 4-Park, 4-Day Walt Disney World Magic Ticket, which is legitimate by September 22, 2024 and does not require reservations.
In combing by the wait instances knowledge, final 12 months’s variations of those offers (with totally different finish dates) induced crowds to peak of their last weekend. These are “use it or lose it” tickets, so there’s at all times a last-minute rush like that–particularly on Fridays by Sundays (weekdays aren’t impacted practically as badly). Throughout that last weekend of validity, crowd ranges have been 8/10 with a mean wait time of 44 minutes. Earlier that very same week and within the weeks earlier than, crowd ranges have been 1/10 with a mean of 27 minutes. That’s an enormous distinction.
Accordingly, we’ve shifted our fall low season advice from September 21-29 to September 23-30, 2024. Notice that this nonetheless means visiting in the course of the house stretch of the Florida resident ticket deal, however that sometimes doesn’t have as large of an impression as most people ticket deal. (If final 12 months’s knowledge is any indication, the primary few days of October also needs to be improbable.)
With that mentioned, our advice is partly a qualitative one, with the hope that later in September means the potential for higher climate. If crowds are your key consideration, September 3-13, 2024 will certainly have decrease wait instances. Traditionally, these dates are the slowest stretch of the 12 months–and that ought to stay true in 2024 as that window is sufficient earlier than the tip of the ticket offers that it’ll keep away from the last-minute scramble to make use of these.
Along with this shift, we’ve added extra 2025 and 2026 dates. These are, with out query, much less dependable than the 2024 dates. That’s as a result of Walt Disney World hasn’t launched any offers or all blockout calendars for 2025 or past, and college calendars aren’t but obtainable for 2026.
These variables have a major impression on crowd dynamics, which we noticed occur in the course of the Spring Break 2024 season. Past that, there are evolving components which were leading to heavier attendance for a lot of dates so far this 12 months. (See What’s Inflicting Greater Crowds at Walt Disney World in 2024?)
With that in thoughts, when reductions are launched by Walt Disney World, crowd ranges enhance or lower, or different main adjustments happen, we ship out e mail notifications. To obtain these, subscribe to our free e mail e-newsletter. This gives you a good suggestion of what issues are like ‘on the bottom’ at Walt Disney World, in addition to what to anticipate sooner or later.
With all of that mentioned, let’s dig into the information and different variables to rank the ten finest weeks and 10 worst weeks to go to Walt Disney World within the subsequent 2 years–that means dates in 2024, 2025 and even some in 2026…
Worst Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World in 2024, 2025 & 2026
Winter Break (January 1-5, 2025; January 1-4, 2026) – We fondly bear in mind visiting Walt Disney World round New Yr’s Eve over a decade in the past. Crowds have been bonkers within the days between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve, however so too have been hours. You possibly can do Further Magic Hours beginning at 7 am and depart by 9 am, sleep in the course of the center of the day, then return from 11 pm till 3 am. It was fairly the sleep schedule, however it labored effectively. Then, as soon as New Yr’s Day arrived, the parks have been useless till Marathon Weekend runners arrived nearly every week later.
Occasions have modified, and anybody nonetheless anticipating a vacation hangover or serene begin to the 12 months is in for a impolite awakening. It’s nonetheless true that the parks are quiet to start out the New Yr. However that lasts all of ~4 hours on New Yr’s Day. After that, crowds enhance and could be worse than the center of the vacation season attributable to colleges nonetheless being on break, lifting of AP blockouts, and early-arriving runDisney followers.
All main college districts contribute, however the greatest components are locals. Winter college breaks are nothing new–I bear in mind my college at all times being out of session till after my birthday–so the equation has not modified there for the nation as a complete. What’s totally different is the native inhabitants, which has completely exploded within the final decade as extra households with college age youngsters transfer to Central Florida. Anticipate these New Yr’s crowds to solely worsen within the years to return until Walt Disney World adjusts AP blockouts and adjusts ticket and resort charge charts upwards.
Presidents’ Day (February 14-23, 2025; February 13-22, 2026) – For the final couple of years, the week of Presidents’ Day has ranked as one of many worst weeks as measured by common wait instances. This isn’t simply that vacation alone, but in addition college districts that use it as a proxy for mid-winter break or their “ski weeks” in addition to runDisney Princess Half Marathon bookending the vacation.
This explicit week is even worse when it coincides with Mardi Gras, making it extra seemingly that colleges within the South can even have winter breaks. In each 2024 and 2025, Mardi Gras won’t coincide with Presidents’ Day (the vacations happen one week aside as an alternative), successfully diluting the crowds. It’s thus doable that this week received’t find yourself being among the many worst 10–that basically relies upon upon how spring break play out.
In 2026, Mardi Gras is again to occurring throughout this similar week. That may imply it’ll nearly actually be one of many 10 worst weeks–and presumably prime 5. No matter Mardi Gras, it’s standard for winter breaks and thus selecting sunshine over ski slopes, making it an easily-identifiable week to keep away from that’s predictably dangerous even when it’s not among the many absolute worst.
Spring Break (March 23-30, 2025; March 22-29, 2026) – That is the instance we talked about on the prime about AP blockouts and offers having the ability to flip the tables on crowds. Over the last two years, the week of Orange County’s spring break was among the many busiest of the season and nearly on par with Easter. This 12 months, blockouts have been extra aggressive and a Floridian ticket deal ended (by design) simply earlier than Orange County went on Spring Break. Because of this, the week was not busy in any respect–it might’ve been a good time to go to.
It stays to be seen whether or not Walt Disney World will stick to this method in 2025 (not to mention 2026) or overcorrect and trigger the pendulum to swing arduous again within the different route, making this a ‘worst week’ once more. For now, we’re going to tentatively shift this every week later, after the AP blockouts finish in March 2025. However that advice may change on the premise of extra ticket offers.
That is in all probability the secure transfer. Central Florida college districts have early breaks relative to the Midwest and Northeast, and people vacationers plus lesser blockouts makes it seemingly that week shall be very busy–with out regard for the rest. Orange County’s break may nonetheless be busy, however as 2024 taught us, it’s far much less of a positive factor if Disney clamps down on reductions for Floridians and blockouts.
One factor to remember right here is that there are tons of of faculties round the USA (and doubtless past) which might be out of between mid-March and mid-April. In mixture, they’ve a huge impact on crowds. Except there’s a freak anomaly (like 2024!), all of those weeks are going to be some extent of very busy–even when they don’t make this listing.
Easter (April 11-20, 2025; March 30 to April 6, 2026) – It is a pretty secure prediction 12 months in and 12 months out, no matter what else occurs. In actual fact, you possibly can in all probability (precisely) predict at present that the week main as much as Easter shall be busy in 2028 or 2054. Easter week has been the busiest of spring break season for so long as we’ve been masking Walt Disney World, though mid-March when Orange County is out has come shut a few instances (blockouts make that unlikely sooner or later–see above).
Ultimately, it doesn’t actually matter which of those spring break weeks has greater crowd ranges. That’s nearly fully educational, an fascinating factor to observe for these of us who obsess over crowd developments and attendance patterns. The underside line for many planners taking a look at this from a sensible perspective is that late March by late April shall be very crowded.
Summer season Peak (July 4-13, 2024; July 3-12, 2025) – Summer season trip season is the place probably the most uncertainty exists with regards to Walt Disney World crowd calendars. It is because there was zero consistency in attendance patterns for June and July within the final a number of years. That was true as soon as once more final 12 months, when Fourth of July ended up being one of many slowest stretches of the 12 months, to our shock.
Barring future curveballs, our expectation is a return to regular subsequent 12 months. Free Eating and different promos have returned (Free Eating strikes the needle on crowds barely, however it has a a lot greater impression on ADR availability), and ticket offers are already out that don’t blockout Independence Day. The one drawback is figuring out what, precisely, is regular for summer time since we haven’t had an affordable baseline in no less than 5 years. Our expectation is attendance steadily rising from mid-June, peaking across the starting of July, and steadily lowering thereafter by early August.
The secure cash is on the worst of crowds coinciding with Independence Day, however this isn’t a positive factor. The 2 weeks earlier than or the 2 weeks after may truly see heavier attendance and better wait instances. This prediction thus has the bottom diploma of certainty; avoiding that whole month window is advisable. When you have no selection however to go to throughout summer time, goal for early to mid-June or early to mid-August for the “finest” crowds, however perceive that there are air quotes round finest for a motive.
Columbus Day (October 11-19, 2024; October 10-18, 2025) – There’s ample motive to imagine that this received’t truly find yourself being among the many worst 10 weeks of the 12 months. It ranked #9 final 12 months, however that occurred as summer time crowds plummeted prematurely.
If this does grow to be a standard summer time season, the aforementioned weeks in June and/or July may bump this out of the “prime” 10. If it’s one other slower summer time, the week-plus round Columbus Day may simply crack the highest 10. It’ll additionally usher ultimately of the low season, and begin of a 3-month stretch of elevated crowds…minus a number of main lulls that make our ‘better of’ listing!
Nonetheless, it’s an identifiable pink flag proper now. Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day is a proxy for a lot of fall breaks, and that ends in an inflow of tourists to Florida. The sooner time this 12 months may also depress turnout, as some potential guests may be spooked by storm season or still-hot climate. Others shall be lured by the center of Halloween season.
Vacation Hijinks (November 4-11, 2024; November 7-14, 2025) – This one at all times catches folks abruptly. It’s what occurs when two or three “holidays” collide–should you depend the runDisney Wine & Dine Half Marathon and Jersey Week as holidays. In the course of the latter, roughly 73% of the Backyard State descends upon Walt Disney World.
The actual vacation right here is Veterans Day, which is at all times a “sleeper” vacation for crowds–in that it’s under-discussed however a surprisingly excessive quantity of presidency employees, college students, and others do have the day without work. We’ve been warning about Veterans Day crowds for years, because it has been nearly on par with Thanksgiving some years. It’s an extended weekend that may have an outsized impression on crowd ranges.
This is among the greater adjustments with our newest replace, as we’ve dropped Halloween from this listing. For the final two years, Walt Disney World has had below-average crowd ranges on and round Halloween–it’s not college or work break for most individuals, and doesn’t materially impression attendance in consequence.
With all of this mentioned, confidence within the predicted dates is low for November 2025. Except for Veterans Day, we don’t know when the runDisney race or Veterans Day will happen. So pencil on this window as one to keep away from, however anticipate these exact dates to vary.
Thanksgiving (November 22-29, 2024; November 21-28, 2025) – Nearly any Walt Disney World fan is acquainted with the crowds of the ultimate three weeks on this listing. They’re hardly a secret or shock, and are predictably busy 12 months in and 12 months out. These weeks nonetheless catch some informal guests abruptly, as there are persistent city legends that the vacations are quiet as a result of “everyone seems to be at house with their households.” Clearly, that’s hogwash.
Providing a bit extra perception right here, Thanksgiving week crowds are usually worst the Sunday by Tuesday earlier than Thanksgiving earlier than a comparative lull on late Wednesday and early Thursday. (These time frames are nonetheless dangerous, simply not the risk degree midnight crowds of the prior 3 days.)
Friday and Saturday are wildcards; often each are very busy, however not at all times. (We’ve formally eliminated Saturday from the above dates to keep away from as a result of it was downright pleasant final 12 months. We’d advocate erring on the facet of warning and avoiding it in 2024-2025, however that’s now not important.) The Sunday after Thanksgiving has been uncrowded for years, making that an ideal first day within the parks.
Christmas (December 19-25, 2024; December 18-25, 2025) – The arrival of Christmas week crowds are very dependent upon the day of the week of Christmas. On account of its timing final 12 months and this 12 months, the week after (between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve) noticed or will see the worst of the crowds.
In 2024, the week main as much as Christmas will as soon as once more surge–more likely to greater ranges than we’ve seen within the final a number of years. It’ll be the identical story in 2025, which implies that in each of these years, the weekend earlier than hand received’t truly be that dangerous, though it’s on our listing.
Regardless, all of those second-half of December dates are very, very dangerous and more likely to see 10/10 crowd ranges. However not all 10/10 days are equally busy. Some are far worse. That’ll in all probability be the case with the ~7 days earlier than December 25 in every of the following 2 years.
New Yr’s Eve (December 26-31, 2024; December 26-31, 2025) – It’s the identical story right here. The week main as much as New Yr’s Eve is sort of at all times 10/10 on the gang calendar, and would seemingly be extra like 15/10 if the size allowed for that.
For those who have been to position a guess on the busiest weeks of 2024 and 2025, the good cash can be on this week. Doesn’t essentially imply it’ll have the worst wait instances given the uncertainty of constructing predictions 1-2 years into the long run, however it’s the odds-on favourite of claiming the crown.
That is nearly at all times the #1 worst week of the 12 months. The timing of Christmas and New Yr’s Days in 2024 and 2025 does forged some extent of doubt on that, however actually, not a lot. The week of New Yr’s Eve will seemingly proceed its run because the busiest week of the 12 months for the following a number of years.
Finest Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World in 2024, 2025 & 2026
The listing of finest weeks to do Walt Disney World this 12 months and in 2025-2026 is much less exact and extra subjective. Partially, it is a byproduct of many of the worst weeks crowd-wise being readily identifiable on the premise of college breaks and holidays. So objectivity there may be simpler.
Against this, there are wider home windows for a number of the decrease crowd dates; in consequence, we slender these to our favored time frames primarily based on subjective issues. With that in thoughts, let’s dig into our rundown of the most effective weeks at Walt Disney World in 2024 to 2026…
Mid-January (January 12-18, 2025; January 11-16, 2026) – That is one other change for 2025-2026. Prior to now, we’ve really helpful late January whereas noting that the month is basically quiet after the vacation breaks finish, apart from the Martin Luther King Jr. Day vacation weekend. This leaves three totally different weeks which might be probably good choices for decrease crowds in January.
Prior to now, all of these have been nearly equally good. That wasn’t the case this 12 months, because the week earlier than MLK Day was the most effective by a slight margin over the week after, and a major quantity over the week following that. With the shifting of the WDW Marathon we’re anticipating that to be the case once more in 2025, however it may change for 2026 relying upon Marathon dates.
Regardless, each weeks ought to be superior to late January or early February as Snowbirds and South American tour teams begin arriving. They’re not the one teams to lookout for, as cheer/dance competitions and conventions additionally contribute to crowds. All of these issues are extra seemingly later in January or February. Pageant of the Arts additionally will increase ‘appears like’ crowds at EPCOT, however it’s an ideal occasion you received’t need to miss.
Earlier than or After Mid-Winter Break (February 2-13, 2025 & Early or Late February 2026) – It’s just about the identical thought right here. Not like some vacation weeks, there isn’t a gradual decline earlier than or after mid-winter break (Presidents’ Day/Mardi Gras). It’s abrupt on each ends. The gang ranges within the first half of February 2025 could possibly be near on par with January. Maybe barely greater attributable to youth sporting occasions, conventions, and South American tour teams.
The explanation there’s a discrepancy between 2025 and 2026 is Mardi Gras. It coincides with mid-winter break in 2026, however not 2025. Mardi Gras could not look like an enormous deal to you, however as a result of proximity of Louisiana to Florida it very a lot is. As such, avoiding the dates main as much as March 4, 2025 is advisable. This implies early March isn’t a good time to go to in 2025 (however it’s in 2026).
Throughout the board, February may have greater crowds than January, however the former is extra interesting for some Walt Disney World trip planner as a result of chance of higher climate and fewer refurbishments. Nevertheless, you’re additionally sometimes going to overlook out on the EPCOT Pageant of the Arts (#1 occasion of the 12 months at EPCOT), until you go to earlier than Presidents’ Day.
Early Spring (March 8-13, 2025; March 1-8, 2026) – That stretch is definitely what prompted this submit, as early March was a candy stretch of gentle climate and low crowds main as much as the beginning of spring break season, with most parks having 1/10 to three/10 crowd ranges throughout this week in March. Then, like flipping a change, attendance surges nearly in a single day with the beginning of spring break.
It is a prime tier time to go to because of the gentle climate, EPCOT in bloom, and low crowds. It’s the calm earlier than (and after) the storm, and there are solely a handful of weeks that we’d rank greater from each a quantitative and qualitative perspective. This shall be an particularly improbable time in 2026 (and realistically, the prime dates may prolong till March 13, 2026–however we’re taking part in it conservatively since spring break schedules aren’t out but).
The date vary is shorter in March 2025, which is because of Mardi Gras on the frontend and Orange County’s spring break on the backend. Truthfully, we in all probability wouldn’t mess with this stretch in 2025 until doing a 5-day journey. Whereas the core days of that week ought to be fairly quiet, there’s an opportunity of spillover crowds initially or finish. (On the plus facet, there ought to be one other lull in late February 2025–after Presidents’ Day/Mid-Winter Break however earlier than Mardi Gras.)
Submit-Easter (April 27 to early Could 2025; April 12-26, 2026) – For each of those weeks, we’re basically wanting every week or two after Easter. Often, crowds die down within the week instantly after the vacation, however there are nonetheless some colleges with breaks then. The week following that’s often when the slower season arrives.
The added advantages listed below are (often) spring climate and decrease costs. There’s no assure of both, although, as summer time climate can happen 10 months of the 12 months in Florida and it’s doable for costs to stay elevated even after Easter. Each are unusual, although, making this an ideal possibility should you’re searching for the optimum dates between spring and summer time college breaks.
Spring & Summer season Shoulder Season (Could 3-11, 2025; Could 2-10, 2025) – In wanting on the wait time knowledge, the primary full week of Could is often the slowest of the month. Not by a large margin, and the next week is usually higher. In actual fact, all the month earlier than the Memorial Day vacation weekend is often fairly good, and reliably uncrowded because it’s the shoulder season between spring break and summer time trip. (Even Memorial Day isn’t that dangerous by vacation requirements.)
Crowds alone can be the tiebreaker with all else being equal, however climate is one other variable to have in mind. Earlier has a greater likelihood of being milder, with much less of an opportunity for excessive warmth and humidity. As icing on the cake, costs are higher and we’ve tended to search out higher low cost availability throughout this earlier Could window.
Mid-September (September 23-30, 2024; September 13-21, 2025) – For those who’re perplexed by the over 4-month hole between the final really helpful week and this one, we’re going to imagine you’ve by no means visited Florida in the course of the coronary heart of summer time season. Or, maybe you like alternating having the ability to fry an egg on the sidewalk and afternoon showers that final lengthy sufficient to drench your already sweat-soaked garments, however are too quick to chill issues down.
Really, that is an objectively “solely okay” decide. In our monitoring of the information, wait instances have bottomed out between the day after Labor Day and the next Saturday most years. We’re not speaking about wait instances for the month, however for all the 12 months. For those who’re selecting dates with a data-driven mentality, September 3-13, 2024 is your finest guess. The identical will nearly actually maintain from true for 2025, 2026, and so forth.
Along with the above dates, early October is commonly very fascinating–crowds have been low for the final couple of years. This 12 months, that may be roughly October 1-4. Nevertheless, we hesitate to incorporate these dates within the “official” advice as a result of they’re a wild card. Walt Disney World loves scheduling main conventions this time of 12 months and it’s moving into fall break season. In 2019 and earlier, early October was not a good time to go to. The parks may return to that baseline in 2024 and 2025…or not. It’s a big gamble which will or could not repay!
Not even the low season opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was sufficient to drive crowds. Ditto the Free Eating promotion, which is again for 2024; that may make eating places busier and ADRs extra aggressive, however has much less of an impression on wait instances and total attendance ranges, particularly within the early fall low season (it’ll be worse in July and December). This window is predictably uncrowded due to college going again into session and the climate being a deterrent.
With that mentioned, all the month is low season and delaying every week maintains low wait instances whereas enhancing your odds of higher temperatures and fewer storms. We expect that’s value an additional one minute in line (actually, that’s the distinction), however the reality is that warmth, humidity, and hurricanes are a big gamble anytime from early August by late October. For those who’re on the fence about this tradeoff, see Is It Nonetheless Value Visiting In the course of the Early Fall Offseason at Walt Disney World? for a better dialogue of climate vs. crowds.
After all, if the parks shut for a hurricane, wait instances drop all the way in which to zero! Technically, that makes for the most effective crowd situations of all…however that’s in all probability not what you keep in mind should you’re visiting Walt Disney World within the fall. Nonetheless, it’s one thing we will’t assist however level out, as there’s at all times that danger. It’s nonetheless statistically low, however inform that to everybody who has been burned by closures in the previous couple of years.
Nonetheless, these planners who would like to belief the numbers ought to transfer their journey ahead by every week or two. Those that like low crowds however would reasonably hedge their bets on the qualitative facet of issues ought to stick to this week, and even think about delaying another week. Early October remains to be good as long as you’re out of city earlier than the Columbus Day crowds uncover Walt Disney World.
Submit-Columbus Day (October 20-31, 2024; October 19-31, 2025) – It is a decrease diploma of confidence suggestion, and also you actually may be higher off with the week encompassing Halloween and first few days of November. Based mostly on the previous couple of years, each of those weeks are surprisingly good. I used to be truly mildly and pleasantly stunned by that when combing by the information, because it wasn’t fairly what I anticipated.
For years, standard knowledge was that October was an ideal month to go to–a candy spot of low crowds and good climate. That ceased being true a few decade in the past, and was pushed largely by an uptick in conventions enterprise and the Free Eating promotion. Except for fall break and the aforementioned vacation, it appears to have resumed being true–no less than to a point–within the final 3 years. After all, that stretch hasn’t precisely been regular, therefore the low confidence on this suggestion.
The tradeoff is taking the better gamble on crowds than late August by September is the smaller gamble on climate. (All of those dates are the “coronary heart” of Halloween, which begins in mid-August.) Costs are additionally greater for these journey dates. And once more, you’re playing on climate to a point even with this week–Hurricane Nicole induced a closure in early November!
Pre-Thanksgiving (November 16-22, 2024; November 15-21, 2025) – The ultimate three suggestions are additionally the highest three picks for our favourite weeks of the 12 months to go to. Truthfully, if we weren’t purposefully making an attempt to unfold out the alternatives to realize better selection, one other week in the course of the vacation season may be added right here.
You would possibly discover that the window shifts for November 2024 and 2025, which is as a result of timing of Veterans Day and Thanksgiving as in comparison with the final two years. It’s additionally more likely to be a greater set of dates subsequent 12 months than it’s this 12 months from an attendance perspective. Qualitatively, each an ideal by way of typical climate and seasonal occasions–Christmas is way and away our favourite time of 12 months at Walt Disney World.
The one draw back to those dates is that they’re early within the vacation season earlier than the entire resorts are decked out for Christmas and previous to the beginning of EPCOT’s Pageant of the Holidays. Nonetheless, the opposite 3 parks shall be decked out for Christmas, as effectively a few of EPCOT–you simply received’t have the meals cubicles, storytellers (International Santas, for lack of a greater time period), or Candlelight Processional.
Submit-Thanksgiving (December 1-8, 2024; November 30 to December 7, 2025) – That is our #1 week of all the 12 months at Walt Disney World. That’s been true for ages. Again once we lived within the Midwest, our annual Christmas journey often began the Sunday after the vacation. (Even once we have been nonetheless in class, we used to skip a pair days to make it an extended weekend journey!)
If I needed to guess at which week of the 12 months we have now spent probably the most minutes in Walt Disney World since 2007, it might be this one. In all probability by a fairly vast margin. We completely love the week after Thanksgiving.
We’ve got our time-tested method right down to a science, flying into Orlando on Saturday and truly doing our first day within the parks on Sunday. We begin with Magic Kingdom in the course of the day, because it’s sometimes a Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion evening–the primary in over every week. Meaning shorter hours in Magic Kingdom, and smaller crowds in consequence. For that very same motive, do not attend that MVMCP. There’s pent-up demand from everybody nonetheless round from Thanksgiving who didn’t have the prospect to attend earlier. As a substitute, do the Thursday evening occasion.
All the pieces about this week is nice–the climate, post-holiday lull in crowds, pricing, and the total slate of Christmas season leisure. We joke that this was Walt Disney World’s “second-best stored secret” after Disney Trip Membership, which is to say it was a secret in title solely since so many individuals knew about it. Nevertheless, attributable to Pop Warner transferring to Common and different variables, that’s as soon as once more true. That is our prime advice, and it’s not even a very shut name.
Pre-Christmas (December 9-15, 2024; December 8-14, 2025) – As might be evident, that is merely the week after that. It has the entire similar qualities as our #1 week, however with a few important variations. First, crowds are beginning to enhance by this level. Households who need to be house for the vacations are extra inclined to time their journey on the midpoint between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Locals and different Annual Passholders who’re topic to blockouts squeeze in visits to savor the spirit of the season earlier than they don’t have the choice.
Second, costs are getting greater. They’re nonetheless not at peak season ranges, however they’re about 15-25% greater than the earlier week. That’s true for park tickets and resort rack charges, and likewise more likely to be the case for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion and Lightning Lanes, as effectively. All of that provides up, and makes the center of December noticeably worse than the candy spot after Thanksgiving, however this nonetheless ranks very extremely, all issues thought of.
In the end, that’s a rundown of the highest 10 weeks of the 12 months and the worst 10 weeks at Walt Disney World for all of 2024 and 2025. As you would possibly’ve gathered by studying the entries, there are good and dangerous home windows that stretch past what’s lined on this listing–it is best to be capable to deduce most of these primarily based the rundown above.
With that mentioned, we nonetheless hope to increase this listing to a useful resource rating all 52 weeks at Walt Disney World by later this 12 months. After some tumultuous instances, attendance is lastly returning to acquainted patterns…for probably the most half. It’s too tough to do this with any diploma of credibility for Summer season 2024, however hopefully we’ll be capable to draw extra definitive conclusions about June and July 2025. So keep tuned!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about motels on our Walt Disney World Motels Opinions web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Opinions. To economize on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys submit takes a novel take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Trip Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the most effective place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces it’s worthwhile to know!
Your Ideas
Do you agree or disagree with our Walt Disney World week rankings for now by 2026? Are there any months you assume are higher or worse than we have now them ranked? Any particular ideally suited weeks that you simply’d advocate folks go to Walt Disney World? Different dates to keep away from the parks in 2024 or 2025? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
