Disney World Crowds in 2017
By Dave Shute
2017 CROWDS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
The chart lower on the page shows my forecasts for 2017 crowds by week at Walt Disney World.
Dates in it are the beginning of the week, and the forecast covers the recommended Saturday-Sunday 9 day stays.
(For 2018 Disney World crowds, see this, and for 2019 crowds at Disney World, see this.)
Crowd levels are ranked by week from 1-11 in the following way:
1: Lowest of the year
2: Lower
3: Low
4: Low-plus
5: Moderate-minus
6: Moderate
7: Moderate-plus
8: High-minus
9: High
10: Higher
11: Highest
HOW TO INTERPRET THE 2017 DISNEY WORLD CROWD CALENDAR
Dates are the beginning of the week.
As is the case in every good Disney World crowd calendar, the forecasts are about wait times on rides–not about how crowded the areas outside the rides might be.
The “low crowd” weeks–those colored green, and rated 1-4–represent the only crowd levels a family visiting for the first time, and unsure if it will ever return, should consider.
However, lower crowds, especially lowest crowds, do not always mean a better week. The lowest weeks are often best avoided by first timers who may never return because they are in the peak hurricane or the ride closure seasons.
The “moderate crowd” weeks–those in black and rated 5-7–have crowd levels I would not particularly recommend to first time visitors, though the crowds can be managed with careful planning. However, I’d go during such weeks myself with no hesitation, and think these levels are OK for returning visitors who don’t need to see everything and already know how to work Walt Disney World.
The “high crowd” weeks–those in red, rated 8-11–should be avoided by everyone. They aren’t, which is why they are so high.
MY DISNEY WORLD CROWD CALENDAR GOES UP TO “11”
The influence of the Unofficial Guide and TouringPlans.com has led almost all Disney World crowd calendars to top out at 10.
However, I’ve always thought that the really nastiest weeks of the year deserved an 11 for emphasis.
So, in homage to Spinal Tap, I assigned 11 to “highest.”
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!
185 comments
It seems a little odd that the crowds would be lower the week of 10/28…. Are the wait times for rides lower because of everything else happening for Halloween? How crowded would the park itself be around this time?
Catherine crowds are lower because few kids are on vacation.
Hey Dave! First week of February? 1-8. Super Bowl have any bearing on park crowds?
Nah, the Super Bowl cuts back on visits from locals that afternoon and evening, but not so you’d notice it.
For the 2017 calendar, I’ve notice a few discrepancies with other calendars so I’m hoping you could share your thoughts. The last week of Jan is listed as a very low crowd week, but I read somewhere about a cheer and football competition taking place The weekend of Jan 29th. Also, there is a cheer competition the weekend of Feb. 3/4 as well as March 4/5 and March 11/12. I would like to pick a low crowd week in the Spring but it’s proving difficult. We’ve been an September and the crowds were wonderfully low, but was hoping not to have to wait that long to go next year. Thank you!
Arie, the cheer competitions happen every year and have no impact on crowds. On an average day there’s more than 150,000 people on site. An incremental cheer competition disappears as a rounding error.
Hi Dave – I am trying to decide between taking our family the week of 1/21-1/28 or doing 1/28-2/4. We want the lowest crowds. What would you recommend?
Angela, see this for why I think the later dates will be better
Hi Dave~
We have planned our trip for March 4-10 2017. If I’m reading everything right, we should have lower crowds? Also, are most parks okay to go to any of those days or should we be looking at certain parks on certain days?
Thanks
Jeasica
Jessica, certain parks will be better or worse certain days–I can advise you on that as soon as Disney releases its schedule for March, which should be soon. So ping me back in a week, OK?
I defiantly will!!
Thanks.
I was just checking back to see of the calendars were out yet?
Thank a bunch
Jessica
I guess I should mention. What I tentativly came up with is….
AM on the 5th
HS on the 6th
MK on the 7th
Epcot on the 8th
MK on the 9th.
We want Magic Kingdom 2 days. So hoping I’m somewhat on right track:)
Jessica, great choices!!
We are visiting Disney Parks for a short 2 day/night stay with our tween & teenage children. This will be our third visit. We have to choose between 2 days during President’s Day week (Feb. 21-24) or 2 days the week after Easter (April 17-20). I had assumed February would be much more sane as far as crowds go, but now it seems that may not be the case. Which would you choose? Thanks you!
Stephanie, unless my forecast is wrong–it happens 🙂 –I’d give a slight nod to April. However, for returning visitors, a good plan beats high crowds every day, and since the dates are similar, you might pick on other criteria like weather.
Thanks, Dave! Hmmm…good plan: Arrive early, break for lunch, come back later in the day, is that still the gold standard? Weather: February looks dry and cool, April is wet and warmer? I’m not a fan of this new fast pass system. Use to be able to go all day and park hop, too! Now only 3 fast passes per day restricted to one park? The park hopper now seems like a waste of money. Do you have any advice on how to use the new system and park hop? Is it ever worthwhile? We are hoping for one day at MK and split 2nd day between HS and Epcot. Thanks again!
Stephanie, yes–the old approaches still work fine. To hop, book your FP+ in the park you mean to be in second.
Hi Dave,
Do you know when you will have your 2018 crowd calendar out? I am planning a trip to DW for early that year. I’m able to go anytime between the end of February and throughout the month of April. Easter falls on April 1 that year, so I’m looking for the best time with lower crowds, lower costs, and nicer weather. Thanks 🙂
Staci, it’ll likely be October before I get it out. But I can tell you now that the weeks beginning 2/24/18 and 4/15/8 and later into mid-May should be great. The second half of April will be the best combo of weather, crowds, and prices.
Staci –
I’m sure Dave will have a more exact answer. Just try to avoid week before and after Easter and you should have lower crowds.
Hi Dave,
We just started to plan our first Disney trip. We have have a really flexible schedule and we are going with two kids (3 and 5 year old). We would love to go for my daugthers 3rd b-day on 09/07 BUT it’s completly out of our plans just because of weather (high heat + huminity). We are thinking about October! We will be in Orlando probably for 5 days but our plan is to visit MK and AK only and I personally think that’s enough for 2 small kids for their 1st Disney trip. Anyways, I would like to know when in October is the best week for us! Good weather (not chilly) and lower crowd. And we will avoid MK on Saturday!!! Thanks in advance!!!
I forgot to mention about Columbus Day in the begining of the month and Halloween + possible chilly in the ending of the month. Should we go in the middle of October?
Hi! Great site. Thanks for all the helpful info.
So, traveling to WDW from April 5th through 11th. Trying to plan itinerary so I can book dining. I came up with this:
4/5: PM HS
4/6: MK
4/7:AK
4/8: MK
4/9: Epcot
4/10: MK
4/11: Home:-(
Yeah or Nay?
TIA
Hi Kristin, I can’t comment until the April calendar comes out, which should happen within a week. So check back, OK?
Steve,
We are trying to decided the best time to take our first trip. We were thinking either the week of Feb 5th or Feb 11th. Due to the low crowds but I heard that’s a Refurbishment time and I’m wondering if a lot of attractions would be closed. Another time frame we were looking at was Sept 9th or Sept 16th weeks but I heard the weather is a factor during that time. Which would you suggest as we will have 2 kiddos with us that don’t do really well in high humidity conditions.
Dandy, it’s not a lot of attractions–likely 3-6, 1 to 2 major, out of around 100. So I would do February. Between the two feb weeks, I’m not keen on the week of the 11th so would advise the week of the 5th.
Dave,
So you would recommend the week of Feb 5th.
What about Sept? The week of the 9th or 16th. For a return trip how is the weather during those times. Thanks!
Dandy see this–it’s about 2016, but the weather will be about the same!
Hi there! This is such a useful site thank you. We are from London and been saving forever for our first trip next year. We were thinking of last 2 weeks in August 2017, I understand it’s quite rainy and humid then but we are tied somewhat by the school holidays but maybe crowds should be lower if American schools are back then. Any idea what date they go back? Thanks so much in advance!
Caroline, there’s no single date–see this for how it worked in 2016. Crowds should be low the last week of August, but a little higher the week before.
Dear Dave:
we´ll traver from Argentina to spend the hollydays and one more week until january 8th. to WDW
The info we have in my country is that from jan 2nd. the crowds goes down (because of the begening of school). But at your callendar you show that the week from december 31st. to january 7th. the crowds are high.
We know about the marathon but other travellers say it don´t modify much the crowds.
Can you tell me why you considered high crowds all the week after new year?
Thank you in advance. We enjoy a lot your web.
Maria.
Hi Maria, see the explanation here.
Dave- we are planning our 3rd trip to WDW and struggling between the first week in June (4-10) and the week of Dec 17-23.
Our last visits were in Sept 2013 and June 2015. We’d really like to try December for the cooler weather and decorations, etc, but not sure we can handle the crowds. And our kids love the midday breaks at the resort pool.
We live in Houston so we can handle the heat, but a break would be nice… we don’t want to freeze either.
So conflicted, lol.
We understand how to use the crowd calendars but worried that the crowds would still be insane in December… so, swimming in June or the “magic” of Disney at Christmas?
Any thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Dave, I would save December for a time when you can do your trip in the first half of the month.
I got a bit scared about the President’s week crowds, but februrary was the only month my boss allowed me to take a full month vacation. I’m coming for the 7th time to the parks, but I do enjoy them moderately empty. I’ll be at Universal Resorts during the first week of februrary (which I’m glad to know it will be quite empty… but did you consider the Harry Potter Celebration event until January 31st?) and at Disney Word resorts a week before Presidents’ Day. Are you sure the week before won’t be impossibly crowded? Those graphics are amazing, thank you so much!
Yasakara, my crowd forecasts are for Disney World Saturdays-Sundays (nine days). Universal follows the same basic patter, but specific events (like Harry Potter) may change specific days at either place. The crowds the week before Presidents Day begin the Thursday before Presidents day.
Hi Dave! Your site is VERY helpful! Thx for all your effort and research.
Can you help me decide which week you think will be less crowded in 2017…the week of March 12th or Thanksgiving week?? THANKS!
Christine I think Thanksgiving will be a little better, but not enough to drive me to it, so I’d pick between the two based on other factors like weather and prices.
Thanks for the quick response. It’s near impossible to miss the crowds since we’re tied to school schedule. Booo! I would love to do Christmas week but since it’s craziness, gotta go for plan B.
Looking to take our 2 almost 3 year old between Jan 31 thru Feb 6, any suggestions on which parks on which days for that age? Also won’t be our last visit. Thanks! 🙂
Heidi, there’s not a ton for kids that age to do. A couple of days at MK, and maybe half days at Epcot, AK and HS, will suffice.
1/31 avoid Epcot
2/1 avoid MK
2/2 avoid Epcot
2/3 avoid MK and HS
2/4 avoid MK and AK
2/5 avoid HS
2/6 avoid AK
Hi, we are taking an extended trip to the Orlando area next year. Dates are 8/31-9/17. We plan to spend 6-8 days at Disney parks. Any suggestions on which days would be the best or which should be avoided? We plan to visit other parks/entertainment in the area, but everything else is being planned around our time at Disney.
Ashley, I won’t have any advice until Disney’s September calendar comes out, which will be in about three months.
Although you’d recommended April over June in answer to one of my previous queries, we’re going to have to go that first week of June due to scheduling challenges. Now we’ve got the D23 announcement that Avatar Land is opening “Summer of 2017.” First, do you think there’s any real possibility that “Summer of 2017” would actually be the first week of June? Second, if by some chance it is, what might be the overall effect on the crowds, not just the obvious ones at AK, but all over?
Jennifer, it should have little effect. When New Fantasyland–a much bigger deal–opened, it had little short-term effect. Also FWIW “summer” I think means “between June 21 and September 21”
That’s what I was hoping you’d say!!! Thanks again, and have a great Thanksgiving. 🙂
Leave a Comment | Ask a Question | Note a Problem