Walt Disney World is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. More than 17 million people visit the Magic Kingdom each year! And although a surprising number of people choose to honeymoon in Disney World, it is safe to say that the vast majority of those visitors are families with children. Taking the family on a pilgrimage to see the Mouse is practically an obligation! With a bit of advance planning, a Disney World vacation can be a joyous experience for everyone. However, too many families are overwhelmed by the size and complexity of Disney World, and find themselves standing in an endless series of long, hot lines wondering when the fun is going to start. Drawing on my experience both vacationing at Disney with my family, and planning dozens of Disney vacations for my clients, I am beginning my Travel Advice posts with some of my favorite Disney World planning tips. I'm going to start with one of the most basic considerations - the best time to visit Walt Disney World.
There are a number of different things to consider as you decide when to plan your Disney vacation. Let's consider a few of the most important ones.
Crowds
I am told that there once was a golden age, long before I started taking my family to Disney World, when there were whole months during which you could visit Disney and find almost empty parks, walk onto attractions with no lines, and dine at any restaurant without a reservation. Alas, those days are no more! While there is no "perfect" time to visit Disney World, if avoiding crowds is important to you you should definitely consider planning your trip at certain times of the year.
Because most families prefer to schedule a trip to Disney World when school is out of session, the busiest times of year are invariably during school vacations. The very busiest times at Disney are the week between Christmas and New Years, and the two weeks before and after Easter. This doesn't mean that you can't enjoy a vacation during those weeks, particularly since Disney extends hours and adds lots of special events at those times. However, you will need to plan ahead and decide what is most important to you, and not try to see and do everything in the parks. Do what you can and enjoy the atmosphere! Other very busy times of the year are the 4th of July holiday, the week after President's day, and Thanksgiving.
The summer months are also a very popular time to visit Disney World. The busiest months are mid-June through late July. If you would like to plan a summer visit, but want to avoid the heaviest crowds, try to schedule your vacation when some schools are in session. Southern schools typically have their summer vacation from late May to early August, while schools in the Northeast are dismissed in mid-June and return in September. Both late May and late August are good times to visit Disney World, and late August also typically has some of Disney's best discounts of the year!
If you want to visit during the Spring Break period of mid-February through mid-April, just try to avoid the busiest weeks around President's Day and Easter; you will still encounter larger crowds during these months, but with smart touring decisions it shouldn't be overwhelming.
If you have young children, or don't mind taking your children out of school for a few days, you can plan your visit for the lowest crowd periods of the year. If you avoid Martin Luther King weekend, early January through mid-February have the lowest crowds of the year; if you don't mind the possibility of cool temperatures that's a great time to tour the parks. Another good time to visit is the first 2 1/2 weeks of December - the crowds are low and the holiday decorations and parades are up and running, so you can have the best of both worlds! Finally, September and early November are also periods with lower crowds.
If you can't avoid going during the busiest periods, do your homework or use a Disney-certified travel agent to help you plan your time (I provide itinerary planning free of charge to all of my Disney clients). Get to the parks early, don't try to overdo things, and enjoy all the extra entertainment that Disney provides during those months - and have a great time!
Weather
As you can see from these photos from our family vacations, weather in Orlando can vary quite a bit, from
very hot, humid and sunny:
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| Disney in August |
to wet and rainy:
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| A rainy June day at Epcot |
and even occasionally quite chilly:
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| Bundled up for a chilly day in January |
It's good to be prepared!
If you really hate hot and humid weather, you should definitely avoid Disney from late May through early October. However, most people can tolerate a visit during those months as long as you keep hydrated, take frequent breaks in air-conditioned attractions, shops and restaurants, and avoid touring during the hot afternoon hours (that's what the pool at your resort is for!). You can get rain during any month in central Florida, but the rainiest months are June-September. Finally, while freezing temperatures are quite unusual in Orlando (although they do happen occasionally), you can encounter a cold snap any time from December through February.
The best months to visit if you are looking for moderate temperatures and low rainfall are March through May, and late September through November.
Cost
The most expensive times to visit Disney are also the most popular times: the week between Christmas and New Years, Easter week, and the spring break and summer months. So if you can find a way to visit during the less crowded months, you can also save quite a bit of money on your vacation. During the recent economic downturn, Disney has been offering excellent deals on packages during much of the year; however, there are indications that this will not be the case in 2012. You will find the best values during late August and September, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and during the month of January.
Special Events
There are special events scheduled throughout the year that may lure you to Disney. Here is a list of some of those events:
January - Disney's Marathon Weekend
May - Epcot Flower & Garden Festival
June - Star Wars Weekends at Disney Hollywood Studios
October - Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
November - Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
December - Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
Visit the following links for more information about special events at Walt Disney World:
For general information:
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/
For information about Disney Marathon Weekend and other running events at Disney World:
http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/sports/rundisney
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| Running a Half Marathon thru the Magic Kingdom |
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| Epcot Flower & Garden Festival |
When planning your vacation, you need to balance all these different considerations with your family's work and school schedules. Knowing what to expect and planning ahead gives you what you need to have the best Disney vacation possible.
I hope this is helpful! My next Travel Advice topic will be enjoying Disney at every age - from babies to grandparents and everything in between! In the meantime, next week I will be live blogging from my family's trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras.
Have a great week!
Kira Gartner
Blue Sky Destinations
kira@blueskydestinations.net
267-481-2930
