499 responses

  1. Elise
    January 1, 2023

    We were hoping to go in the last two weeks of august – but I see that is peak hurricane season. What practical impact does hurricane season have on our trip? Is it likely that it would rain every day, or they the parks would be closed? We were planning on staying for about 12 days so that we had a number of rest days between the busy park days.

    Thanks!
    Elise

    Reply

  2. emily
    May 7, 2019

    hi , many thanks for interesting and formative reading, cheeky question if you don’t mind, visting the parks all Disney/universal from sept 28 through to oct 10th 2019, we have a chance to bring forward our dates to sept 7th through to sept 21 2019, would this be any different crowd wise or is it best to stick to later dates, many thanks in advance

    Reply

  3. Colleen
    March 21, 2019

    Hi, just stumbled on your website and I can’t wait to read through it. I’m wondering whether you can help me and my husband identify the best time to go.

    We have 3 children, 4, 6, and 9. We are planning to pull them from school so we can go whenever is best. We have a friend who will rent us his DVC points for a very low price so we are planning to stay at a DVC resort. I have been to Disney many times as a child, and one time as an adult with my husband, but that was 18 years ago. My kids have never been and it will likely be at least 4 years before we do it again, if we do at all.

    Our top priorities are low crowds somewhat reasonable weather. We do not want to go in sweltering heat. We definitely want to do it in 2020. What are your top 3 picks?

    Reply

    • Dave
      March 21, 2019

      Hey Colleen, take a look at this. It is my draft ranking of the weeks in 2020, in order, but mostly ignoring weather.

      Heat can be pretty horrible from mid-May through September. It can be cold from November into March. So that leaves October and April as the best weather! See this for more on weather at WDW.

      Reply

  4. Mimi
    November 18, 2018

    We are planning to visit WDW May 25 – Jun 1,2019. What’s your best guess on how bad the crowds may be?

    Reply

  5. Sam
    September 1, 2018

    WDW is worldwide destination – I’m sure you have more international visitors than Floridians but you insist on using local holidays in you calendar. I have no clear ideas when Thankgiving, Presidents Day and Memorial day are – though I would guess that Thanksgiving is near Christmas and is Memorial Day like Armistise day?
    We can only go in either early April or late July – which is better?

    Reply

    • Dave
      September 1, 2018

      Luckily for my millions of readers, I am not that stupid. US holidays–except spring break–are largely consistent across the nation, and so my holidays cover the ~80% of WDW visitors who are US based. When I address a specific year, I give the actual dates–see for example, the table on this page.

      I cannot answer your question unless you give me more precise dates–e.g. the year.

      Reply

  6. Jennifer
    March 20, 2018

    Hi there! We will be coming from AZ next year and would plan to take advantage of time off school in October (fall break) and stay for two weeks, with 7-10 days in the parks. I have 4 kids who will range in age from 6-18 at that time. How bad are “moderate” crowds? Will we still have fun and get to do everything with so much time available? How many days would be best?

    Reply

    • Dave
      March 21, 2018

      Jennifer, which part of October are you targeting? The first half is worse than the second. Frankly, with wise choices of which park to go to which days,and good park plans including judicious use of FastPass+, you will be fine. See this and its daily links for an example.

      Reply

  7. Joanna
    February 2, 2018

    Hi there! We just got back from a trip to Disney World (1/27 – 2/2) and it was so much more crowded this year than it was last year this same week (last week of January). Do you have any idea why? Is the end of January now one of the more popular weeks to visit? Already thinking about our next trip!

    Reply

    • Dave
      February 3, 2018

      Hey Joanna, crowds that week have indeed been going up the past couple of years, and seemed to spike up this year. No one knows precisely why, but I’d guess it’s the combination of the Pro Bowl, Festival of the Arts, and the Harry POtter weekend at Universal.

      Reply

  8. Josh
    January 12, 2018

    Ok, I see that the first full week in November is not a time to go but how bad is it? We had planned to go the 2nd week but our family members have tied us down to the 1st week. We are torn because we want to go with family but also want the best experience since spending the money. Thanks

    Reply

    • Dave
      January 13, 2018

      Josh, with 1. good daily plans and FastPass+ selections, and 2. good choices as to which park you go to which day, you can have a fine visit then! Check with me in a few months on the which parks which day question

      Reply

  9. David
    December 27, 2017

    Dave,
    The first week of Dec. is pop warner week. Since the parents and kids will be doing the football thing during the day my thinking is the crowds in the parks should be less. The value resorts will be filled by them and that means less people in the parks. Is my thinking correct? However with that said, I heard that the first two weeks of Dec. was very crowded this year 2017. Thanks, David

    Reply

    • Dave
      December 29, 2017

      David, the DIsney hotels are almost always full-they run 85-90% occupancy. In a set of parks that average 150,000 people a day, the folks related to Pop Warner just don’t make much difference in the parks.

      Reply

  10. Marie Donatto
    December 7, 2017

    We are thinking of taking our Foster Sons age 1 and 5 to Disney World sometime this month. Can you tell me when the best time to go is between December 17th and January 4th as far as how crowded it is and expensive?

    Reply

    • Dave
      December 8, 2017

      Marie, crowds will start to get wild starting 12/21 or so and will be very bad through your January dates. Unless you buy one-day tickets, ticket prices will be the same the entire period. If you were planning a Disney World hotel, prices get quite high 12/15 and go up to their highest level of the year on 12/22. They go down 1/2. However, the hotels are likely largely booked already.

      You are also late to pick your Fastpass+, which become available 30-60 days ahead of time depending on where you are staying…

      Reply

  11. Kelly B – Destinations In Florida
    September 15, 2017

    Hi Lance, – This is Kelly B, from Destinations in Florida. Even when Disney resorts are at capacity, if all guests went to the parks you would still be under half full. That other half of crowds are from off property resorts and locals.

    Also if you are looking for exact dates and length of stay, it may show no availability. Disney is wanting to fill up certain dates, usually week stays. So sometimes it means playing around with actually check in dates (Maybe the 27th over the 26th) or length of stay 6 nights instead of 5 or 7.

    If you decide to change, the very last week of Jan, first few days of Feb gets my vote.

    Reply

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