By the co-author of The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit 2020, the best-reviewed Disney World guidebook series ever.

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2022 Weeks to Visit Walt Disney World, Ranked in Order



By Dave Shute

For the 2023 version, see this

OVERVIEW: THE BEST TIMES IN 2022 TO VISIT WALT DISNEY WORLD

The rankings that follow are designed for first time visitors who do not know whether or not they will return.

For visitors on a return trip, less concerned about ride closures or the peak of the hurricane season, the later January, early February, later August, and September weeks would be ranked much higher. All weeks good for returning visitors are marked in green at the far right of the image below.

The rankings are in calendar order in the image above. In the discussion below, for each category, they are in rank order within that category.

These week rankings are based on my 2022 Disney World Crowd Calendar, on Disney World’s 2022 resort hotel price seasons, and on Disney World’s 2022 ticket price calendar.

Other factors are key as well–the Christmas season, ride closure season and hurricane season in particular.

(For more on how I build these rankings–although it’s old, it still is how I do it–see this.)

RECOMMENDED 2022 WEEKS AT DISNEY WORLD, RANKED IN ORDER

The nine recommended weeks that follow are the best weeks to visit Walt Disney World in 2022 for first tie visitors who may never return. They are lower-crowd weeks that are not in the peak hurricane or ride closure seasons.

I divide them into two groups–the first group is weeks during the holiday season, and the second group weeks the rest of the year.

Among the four holiday season weeks, the first two have the full holiday program, and the second two some of the holiday program.

  • 1: 11/26/22
  • 2: 12/3/22
  • 3: 11/12/22
  • 4: 11/5/22 should be around #20

I made an error in this material. Jersey Week 2022 begins 11/5/2022, not 10/29/2022. That means that the week I have listed as #4 is actually ~#20 (with the worst days being 11/10 through the weekend) and the week I have listed as #19 is actually around #5. I am so sorry…

Weeks 5 through 8 are mostly in the same 2022 post-Easter stretch, and share lower crowds, moderate prices, and (especially in weeks 5 and 6) nice spring weather. The first three are  in calendar order, as the weather is better earlier in this period, with humidity and rain arriving sometime in mid- to later May. Week 8 is the week that begins just after the last spring break crowds, and may see some crowding over its first weekend.

  • 5: 4/30/22
  • 6: 5/7/22
  • 7: 5/14/22
  • 8: 4/23/22 

Week 9 is the last good week before spring break, is more expensive than weeks 5-8, and may be substantially cooler than them

  • 9: 2/22/22

This completes the weeks in 2022 that are recommended for first-time visitors to Disney World who may never return.

2022 WEEKS I’M NOT SO KEEN ON

I made an error in this material. Jersey Week 2022 begins 11/5/2022, not 10/29/2022. That means that the week I have listed as #4 is actually ~#20 (with the worst days being 11/10 through the weekend) and the week I have listed as #19 is actually around #5. I am so sorry…

Weeks 1o-19 all have moderate crowd levels, with different prices and weather. I don’t particularly recommend moderate-crowd weeks for first time visitors, but if you have to pick one, with good plans they are quite manageable. They are also fine for returning visitors.

As always I rank these weeks first by crowd levels, then by resort hotel prices, then by ticket prices.

However, the levels I use for “resort hotel prices” is based on the simple average across all three resort types, so a week with high prices at the values, low at the moderates, and moderate at the deluxes would be evaluated the same as a week with low prices at the values, moderate at the moderates, and high at the deluxes.

So you might want to dig into the specifics (presented on the chart) to pick the best week for you based on where you are staying.

Weeks 10-12 are the lowest crowd of this moderate crowd group, with varying prices

  • 10: 6/4/22
  • 11: 5/21/22
  • 12: 12/10/22

Weeks 13-16 will be a bit busier than weeks 10-12

  • 13: 6/11/22
  • 14: 10/22/22
  • 15: 10/15/22
  • 16: 2/26/22 

Last in this group are its highest-cr0wd weeks

  • 17: 5/28/22
  • 18: 3/26/22
  • 19: 10/29/22 should be around #5

Weeks 20-28 have one thing in common: while low or moderate crowd weeks, they all occur during the peak of the hurricane season. Hurricanes are rare and even more rarely affect a Disney World vacation, but for first-timers who may never return, why not just avoid the risk? For returning visitors, though, the low-crowd weeks that can be found among this group can be wonderful times to visit.

These peak hurricane season weeks are ranked in order of first crowd levels, and within the same crowd level by resort hotel prices, then ticket prices.

Weeks 20-23 have some of the lowest crowds and lowest ticket prices of the year, and weeks 20 and 21 also have low hotel prices.

  • 20: 8/20/22
  • 21: 9/3/22
  • 22: 8/27/22
  • 23: 9/10/22

Week 24 has slightly higher crowds (but still low), moderate hotel prices, but very low ticket prices

  • 24: 9/17/22

…and Week 25 is similar but with slightly higher crowds and slightly higher ticket prices

  • 25: 9/24/22

Weeks 26 to 27 are the moderate-crowd weeks in this hurricane group.

  • 26: 8/13/22
  • 27: 10/1/22
  • 28: 8/6/22

2022 WEEKS TO AVOID AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

There’s two groups of weeks to avoid in 2022: high crowd weeks and weeks when some rides are often closed.

The first group, ranked 29-45, should be avoided because of crowds that traditionally range from high to unbelievable.

This group includes much of the summer–later June into early August. It also includes the busy March and April spring break weeks beginning 3/12/2022, and the holiday weeks—President’s Day week, the weeks before and after Easter, Columbus Day week, Thanksgiving week, and the weeks around Christmas.

See the table above for exact rankings within these lousy weeks.

The next group includes the January and early February 2022 weeks when rides are often closed for repair or refurbishment—weeks 46-52.

Some of these weeks have among the lowest crowds and lowest prices of the year. However, this is the peak time for ride closures at Walt Disney World, especially the January weeks.

If this may be your only family visit, why go when you know likely a few of the best of Disney World will probably be closed?

 

 

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18 comments

1 Nikki { 01.01.22 at 1:00 pm }

HI! Your site is awesome. Thank you for your hard work.
Quick question, are the weeks to visit 7,8, and 9 correct dates they seem to list the year 2020 instead of 2022, but are the dates correct?

2 Dave { 01.02.22 at 10:23 am }

Hi Nikki, I fixed the years–those are the correct 2022 weeks, with my idiotic typo labeling them as 2020! Thanks

3 Peter { 01.14.22 at 1:29 pm }

Hi Dave, your site is so helpful! We’re contemplating our first visit with our kids (ages 10 and 7) after delaying a trip in the early pandemic. We’re trying to decide between weeks 7 and 10, and while I know crowds will be a bit higher in June, I feel like the deciding factor may be the Guardians ride and Fantasmic. Based on your experience, when do you think the opening dates for these will be announced?

4 Dave { 01.16.22 at 3:07 pm }

Peter, Disney World will use Guardians to drive attendance, and their marketing will be focused on it. So I’d expect an announcement at least 2 months before opening. Fantasmic may have much less advance notice, although job advertisements for casting will provide some early warning.

5 Peter { 01.14.22 at 4:36 pm }

Ugh, I meant “Dave, your site is so helpful!” (dies of embarrassment)

6 Dave { 01.16.22 at 3:05 pm }

Peter I edited your comment to protect the innocent!

7 Eric { 03.03.22 at 11:38 am }

Hi Dave, it’s been a while since I’ve asked a question! Things are just a touch different 🙂 I’m thinking of booking a trip for Dec 2022. We’ve never done the Xmas party (really, the last of the bucket list). Two questions: 1) I wanted to price Wilderness Lodge but WDW site shows unavailable. I wonder if it’s truly sold out or has it been closed since COVID? I tried calling but had to hang up after 10 min on hold.

2) Probably a crap shoot of a guess but do you think sales will come out for an early Dec arrival? Prices for other hotels are bonkers right now.

Thanks in advance!

8 Dave { 03.03.22 at 12:57 pm }

Hi Eric! It is definitely open–I stayed there a couple of weeks ago. I doubt it is sold out already, more likely to be a tech issue. I would not bet on a deal being out for then–I hope so, but would not bet on it. I hope the Party is back next year, but that’s another open question..

9 Carolyn { 06.06.22 at 10:39 am }

Hi Dave,
When do you expect to publish the 2023 rankings?

10 Dave { 06.08.22 at 1:41 pm }

Hi Carolyn!

I have not yet started them, so several months from now. If you have some questions, I’ll certainly give you my current thoughts!

11 Carolyn { 06.09.22 at 4:51 pm }

Thanks, Dave. I was just wondering about April. Easter is April 9th and I was wondering about the week staring the 16th.

12 Dave { 06.11.22 at 10:05 am }

Carolyn, I think that, except for the first day or two, that should be a fine week. All spring breaks except some northeastern ones framed around Patriots Day will be done by April 16, and those last aren’t enough to move the needle!!

13 Tracy { 08.15.22 at 8:35 am }

Hello! You have Jersey Week listed as 10/29. I have read elsewhere that the convention is 11/10-11/12. Would that mean Jersey Week actually begins 11/5? I am asking bc we will be there beginning 10/28 and I need to mentally prepare myself if I made a drastic miscalculation:(

14 Dave { 08.18.22 at 12:33 pm }

Oh Tracy, I did indeed mess this up somehow. I am so sorry!!! Thanks for pointing it out and I will make some quick edits shortly

15 Tracy { 08.20.22 at 7:42 pm }

Thanks Dave! I know some people say Jersey Week is an urban legend but I can confirm its a real thing. Satin Yankees bomber jackets as far as the eye could see ?

16 Michael Angelo { 09.03.22 at 11:28 am }

Hey Dave, it’s been a very long time since I’ve emailed you. Haven’t been to the parks in a couple of years. I hope you are well. I’m thinking this Sept finally getting there. The second week of Sept seems to be the best week. What say you? Any days to avoid?
Mike

17 Kristy { 01.19.23 at 4:18 pm }

Do you have a 2023 weeks ranked yet?

18 Dave { 01.22.23 at 11:31 am }

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