Planning a trip to Disney World can be an exciting yet daunting task, especially when it comes to choosing the best days to visit each park. Crowds, wait times, and weather are all important factors to consider when planning your perfect Disney vacation.
However, with a little bit of research and planning, you can ensure that you make the most of your time in the parks and enjoy a magical experience.
In this article, we will explore the best days to visit each Disney park, the least busy day of the week at Disney World, and some hacks for picking the slowest times at Disney World. Let’s get started!
Best Time of the Year to Visit Disney Orlando
- August
- September
- February
- January
- May
- October
- November
- March
- December
- April
- July
- June
If you’re planning a visit to Disney World in Orlando, you might be wondering when the best time to go is. Here’s a list of the best times to visit, ranked from best to worst:
For those planning a trip to Disney World, the timing of your visit can have a significant impact on your experience. While each month has its own unique pros and cons, August stands out as the best month to visit for a variety of reasons.
August
First and foremost, August is one of the least crowded times of the year to visit Disney World. With most families having already taken their summer vacations, the parks tend to be less crowded in August, allowing for shorter wait times and a more relaxed experience. This is especially true during the weekdays when many families are back to school and work.
Furthermore, August is a great time to visit for those looking to save money. As it falls during the off-season, prices for hotels and tickets tend to be lower than during peak times. This can make a big difference for families on a budget, allowing them to stretch their dollars further and enjoy more of what Disney World has to offer.
September
September is another great time to visit Disney World. The crowds are still low, and the weather is a bit cooler than in August. Plus, Epcot hosts the International Food and Wine Festival during this month, which is a must-visit for foodies.
February
February is a good time to visit Disney World if you’re looking for cooler weather and lower crowds.
If you’re planning a trip to Disney World, consider visiting before Presidents Day weekend. The month of February is typically a quieter time to visit the park.
Additionally, if you plan your visit early in the month, you’ll get to experience Epcot’s latest festival, the Festival of the Arts.
January
January is another good time to visit Disney World. The crowds are low, and you can enjoy the cooler weather. Plus, Magic Kingdom usually has its Christmas decorations up until the first week of January, so you can still enjoy the holiday spirit.
May
May is a good time to visit Disney World before the summer crowds arrive. The weather is warm, but not as hot as in the summer months. Plus, Epcot hosts the International Flower and Garden Festival during this month, which is a great time to see the park’s beautiful floral displays.
May is typically a slower month for Disney World compared to April and the summer months. However, it is not the slowest time of the year to visit the park.
October
October is a popular month to visit Disney World because of Halloween. The crowds can be slightly higher, but you can enjoy the park’s Halloween decorations and special events.
November
November is a good time to visit Disney World before the holiday crowds arrive.
My favorite time of the year to visit Disney World is August and October-December for the decor and extra events.
The weather is mild, and you can enjoy the park’s Thanksgiving decorations and special events.
Make sure to aviod Thanksgiving Day week.
March
March is a popular time to visit Disney World because of spring break. The crowds can be higher, but you can enjoy the park’s Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot.
The end of March is one of those busy times of the year at Disney World but it is also when I see the Disney water parks open.
December
December is a popular time to visit Disney World because of the holiday season. The crowds can be very high, but you can enjoy the park’s Christmas decorations and special events.
If you’re looking to get into the holiday spirit, Disney World is a great destination to consider. However, you might be wondering about the crowds.
As a general rule, the crowds tend to increase as you get closer to the holidays in December. That being said, the first two weeks of December typically have lighter crowds at Disney World compared to the later part of the month.
April
April is a popular time to visit Disney World because of spring break. The crowds can be very high, so be prepared for long lines and wait times.
July & June
July and June are the worst time to visit Disney World because of summer vacation. The crowds are at their peak, and the weather is hot and humid. If you must visit during this month, be sure to stay hydrated and take advantage of the park’s indoor attractions.
Busiest Weeks at Disney World
Now that we know when Disney World’s least crowded days will be let’s identify the busiest time of year at Disney World. These are not the best times to visit Disney World if you’re looking for low crowds and minimal waits.
- Spring Break (March through April)
- Thanksgiving week
- Christmas and New Year’s Eve
The dates between March and April for Spring Break, Thanksgiving week, and Christmas and New Year’s Eve are undoubtedly the busiest times to visit Disney World. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid these weeks if you are looking to avoid crowds.
If your schedule does not allow you to visit during the least crowded months, do not let this dampen your spirits. You can still plan your trip by considering other factors such as weather, special events, and more.
Hacks For Picking the Best Days To Go To Disney World
You have your Disney budget planned out, and you are about to make your reservations. Good times! Congratulations!
But your planning does not stop there. You want to make sure you get the most enjoyment out of your time. You need to get the most bang for your buck! You should know when are the best days to go to the Disney parks.
Trying to avoid crowds can be a priority during vacation. It’s also a good plan to get the most enjoyment out of your visit to Disney’s many marvelous parks.
There are many tools at your disposal that, with some time researching, will tell you the best days to visit the parks on your itinerary. Disney’s Crowd Calendar is the best, but as I said before, it requires some legwork on your part.
Why don’t you let me save you some precious hours? Read on! I will walk you through the best days to visit the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and Epcot.
I do the work for you! You can’t beat that.
So, let’s start with the smallest park on the list first–Disney’s Magic Kingdom.
What is the Best Day of the Week To Go To Disney’s Magic Kingdom?
One of the most quintessential parks in Disney’s arsenal is the Magic Kingdom. This is the park everyone wants to visit as soon as they arrive in Florida. Can you blame them? The iconic Disney castle sits at its center.
As I said, it is the first place everyone wants to visit after they check-in for their stay. Those staying the week with their families tend to arrive in Florida on Monday. Those just making a quick weekend jaunt to Disney normally check in on Friday.
After everyone settles in, they tend to head over to the Magic Kingdom. Therefore, I would highly recommend that you avoid visiting this park on Mondays and Fridays. Let’s not forget Saturday. The influx of locals visiting the park for the day makes for a more crowded environment and not one of the best days to go to the Disney parks.
According to crowd calendar information, Tuesdays and Thursdays are good times to visit the Magic Kingdom. There is consistent data for smaller crowds these days.
If you want, or have, to go on a weekend, try to reserve your time on a Sunday. Data shows smaller weekend crowds on this day. Yes, it is still very busy, but not as crazy as the crowds on Friday and Saturday can generate.
What is the Best Day of the Week To Go To Disney’s Hollywood Studios?
Let’s talk about Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This is Disney’s third-largest park. Recent additions to this attraction have boosted interest and crowd size!
What attractions, do you ask? Well, Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge, of course!
Hard to plan a trip to Disney without visiting this park. With the new attractions creating such a large buzz, it is necessary to know when to go.
Weekends are currently drawing the largest crowds and wait times. This makes sense when you consider the local interest in Hollywood Studios’ new offerings.
Mondays are great since everyone tends to head to the Magic Kingdom on that day. Wednesdays and Fridays look pretty decent, too. If you’re going on the weekend, try Saturday instead of Sunday.
It is necessary to note that Hollywood Studios hosts events, like Early Theme Park Entry., that may conflict at times. Please be sure to keep these in mind.
Oh, if I am planning your trip, don’t worry. I already have you covered. 😉 I know all the best days to go to Disney parks.
What is the Best Day of the Week To Go To Disney’s Animal Kingdom?
What is Disney’s largest park? Animal Kingdom, of course! There is so much to do and see!
With the fairly recent addition of Pandora, crowd sizes have grown. Let’s not forget the ever-popular Flight of Passage attraction and its pull of visitors. It’s a good thing that the park is big enough to accommodate the masses.
Everyone loves something new and different to explore at the park. This could make weekends pretty busy. There is still enough local interest to draw folks in from neighboring communities.
If you are planning a weekend retreat, I would recommend you visit Animal Kingdom on Sunday and leave on Saturday to the larger crowds.
If you are visiting during the week, just about any day will be a good choice. My recommendation is to visit on Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday for the smallest crowds.
What is the Best Day of the Week To Go To Disney’s Epcot?
OK, so you want to check out the World Showcase at Epcot and grab some tasty eats. Maybe you just need to check Future World off your bucket list. Either way, there are certain days you can make it through these attractions without extraordinary wait times.
Epcot is a huge park and is able to handle most crowds that visit. The World Showcase can get pretty full at times, though. According to crowd calendar data, Monday and Wednesday are the best days to visit Epcot.
The park hosts the Festival of the Arts, Flower and Garden, Food and Wine, and Festival of the Holidays. This normally takes place on the weekends. Unless you are attending one of these events, these are not the best days to go to the Disney parks.
Epcot also offers Early Morning Magic Hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This draws many crowds into the park and maybe good days to avoid, if possible.
What is the Least Busy Day of the Week at Disney World?
Mr. Disney gave us one of the greatest gifts by creating Disney World. It encouraged imagination. It educated us on the different cultures of our world. It exhilarated us with its imaginative thrill rides. It allowed us to be a child no matter how old we were.
After checking all the data on individual parks, we came up with a pretty clear picture of how crowds visit each location. So, what is the least busy day at Disney World?
I would have to say Wednesday, with Tuesday coming in a very close second.
Now, there are some exceptions to this. When planning your trip, make sure to keep in mind special park festivals as well as Morning Magic Hours. These increase crowd size but are still wonderful to attend if you never have.
Don’t forget to take advantage of Value Season pricing. Check out this post for more information on those times.
Which Disney Park is the Least Crowded?
Now that we have broken down what days are the best to visit Disney parks let’s talk a bit about the least busy park in general. While all the parks attract millions of visitors a year, some draw less than others.
I’m going to start with the busiest. Attracting over 20 million people each year, the Magic Kingdom holds the crown as the most visited Disney park.
Coming in a distant second are Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. Each of these parks tends to draw around 12 million adventurers every year.
For a while, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios were the least busy and offered the best days to go to the Disney parks.
With the introduction of Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios and Pandora at Animal Kingdom, both parks gained a bit of momentum. While they never grew to the size of the Magic Kingdom (how could they?), they did manage to bring visitor numbers up to par with their sister park, Epcot.
I imagine that once the newness of Pandora, Toy Story Land, and Galaxy’s Edge wears down, park visitation will decrease to normal levels, and they will once again be the least visited of Disney’s parks.
Until then, the big three, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios, tended to be the least crowded of Disney’s parks.
Keep in mind that special events will affect the number of visitors to all the parks. Keep an eye on the crowd calendar, or get in touch with me. I can help you navigate and coordinate your reservations and plan the trip of your dreams!
Visiting Disney World in the Winter and Fall
Have you ever visited Disney World during the summer? If so, you might have experienced scorching heat that feels like standing on the surface of the sun. But here’s some breaking news for you – there are certain times of the year when you may need to wear a jacket at Disney. Not only is the weather pleasant during these times, but it’s also one of the least crowded seasons at Disney World!
If you plan on visiting Disney World during the months of November, December, January, or February, it’s advisable to pack a jacket or a few sweaters. Although Disney has made arrangements to turn up the heat inside most of their buildings, temperatures outside can be quite chilly, especially when waiting for a nighttime show. However, it’s worth noting that December is often a busy month for the parks, but the holiday festivities at all Central Florida theme parks are truly unmatched.
Disney World is a great place to visit during the fall and winter seasons. During these times of the year, the crowds are typically smaller, and the weather is cooler, making it the best time to visit Disney World.
Visiting Disney World in the Summer and Spring
If you’re looking for a less crowded time to visit Disney World, consider planning your trip during the spring months of March and April. During this time, the weather is typically mild and comfortable for wearing t-shirts, but it’s always a good idea to bring layers.
However, if you visit during May through September, expect hot and humid weather with a higher chance of rain. While the end of May can offer lower crowds, it’s generally one of the slowest times to visit due to the weather conditions.
When planning a trip to Disney, it’s important to keep in mind the various special events that take place throughout the parks. While some events may attract larger crowds, they are still well worth attending.
For instance, the Flower and Garden Festival that takes place during springtime is something that we highly recommend. This festival runs until summer, and during this time, you can experience some of the slowest times at Disney World.
Best Day To Visit Disney World FAQ
Q: What are the best days to visit Disney World?
A: The best days to visit Disney World are usually weekdays, specifically Tuesdays through Thursdays. Avoid weekends and holidays if possible as they tend to be busier and more crowded.
Q: What time of year is the best to visit Disney World?
A: The best time of year to visit Disney World is typically August, September, January, and February.
Q: What is the least crowded time to visit Disney World?
A: The least crowded time to visit Disney World is usually during the first two weeks of December, or during the last week of August through September.
Q: What is the busiest time to visit Disney World?
A: The busiest times to visit Disney World are during the summer months and holiday seasons, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.
Q: What should I do if I have to visit during a busy time?
A: If you have to visit during a busy time, try to arrive at the park before it opens and take advantage of the Early Theme Park Entry. if you are staying at a Disney resort. Also, make sure to use the Genie+ system to skip the lines for popular rides.
