The Best and Worst Time to Visit Walt Disney World
The single most important factor to having a successful vacation versus a miserable one, is when you visit. This issue often goes overlooked but can have drastic effects on your experience. Walt Disney World can look like a completely different place depending on what time of year you arrive. This article will provide you with the best times to visit WDW and also the worst periods to plan your vacation for.
To begin, the first of the "best" times to visit Walt Disney World is mid-November through mid-December (except the week of Thanksgiving). During this period, the weather is usually on the cooler side but very enjoyable, the Christmas decorations are out, special events are in swing, and attendance is medium. You should expect crows on Saturdays, particularly at the Magic Kingdom but they will not be overwhelming. Next, a good time to visit is the second week of January through mid-February. The weather can be a bit cold but it is manageable and this is one of the least busy times of the year. In addition, hotel rates are cheaper. Some rides might be down for maintenance and the Walt Disney World Marathon along with holiday weekends can cause crowd increase. Third, the first three weeks of May offer nice warm weather and moderate crowds and hotel prices. Memorial Day at Walt Disney World will be more crowded but not horrible. Late August and the full month of September (including Labor Day weekend) will have low crowds. However, it will be very hot and there is the highest chance of a hurricane at this time. It is suggested that you visit a water park in the afternoon. WDW hotels normally have their absolute lowest prices at this time and Disney offers free dining packages during this period. Finally, any special events that are of significant interest to you are great times to visit.
Conversely, there are four particular bad times to visit WDW. One obvious one is December 26th-31st. This is the single most crowded and expensive time to visit. Crowds start getting worse around the 20th and only grow larger through the New Year. Next is mid-February through mid-April (or later, depending on when Easter is that year). The Easter and the following week are the second busiest times of the year at Walt Disney World. Keep a special look out for days like President's Day. Big crowds, high prices, and expensive airfares are the norm. Midsummer (June through early August) is also extremely crowded, hot, and humid. If you have to go during this period, go to the parks early in the morning and to a water park in the afternoon. As is to be expected, the fourth worst time to visit are on any large holidays such as Thanksgiving week, and any three-day weekends.
In conclusion, if you have the choice, simply visit during the best times to visit and avoid the crowd ridden periods. Your stay at Walt Disney World will be so much cheaper and more enjoyable if you simply choose a better time to go. Do not let this factor destroy your vacation.