Category — a. When to Go to Walt Disney World

(A slightly different version of this first appeared in WDW Magazine.)

People who haven’t been to Walt Disney World or Central Florida sometimes think that it is consistently sunny and comfortably warm year-round.

Well, it isn’t. Summer days are typically stiflingly hot and humid. But while winter rarely sees snow, or (more common, but still rare) temperatures below freezing, there’s so much variability in winter temperatures that a visit then may be loaded with perfect days or full of shivers.

Officially there’s just two seasons in Orlando, the dry season from October through mid-May, and the wet season the rest of the year.

But below, I divide the year into four seasons, based on common and consisted weather patterns.

For convenience, they have the traditional labels—but because they are about Orlando, they don’t match the astronomical date of the season! For example, “Fall” below is not September 22 to December 21—it’s the latter three weeks of October!

WINTER AT DISNEY WORLD: November through March

Orlando is dryer—with less rain and less humidity—these months. Temperatures on average are cooler, but are also highly variable.

Typical highs are in the 70s, but highs in the 30s are not uncommon, and record lows are below 20. December, January and February are the coolest and most variable of these months.

• Best for: those seeking to avoid the heat and humidity of summer.
• Worst for: those for whom extended time at the pools and waterparks is an essential part of their trip—there’s too much variability to be sure of lots of great warm days.

SUMMER AT DISNEY WORLD: Mid-May through September

During this time of year Orlando is hot, wet, and humid.

High temperatures are typically around 90, and show little variably year to year. High humidity makes the heat tougher to bear, as it limits the ability of sweat to cool the body by evaporating. June through August is the worst. You’ll see more comfortable days before and after–particularly in May but also sometimes in later September.

Brief late-afternoon thunderstorms are common, happening almost every day, and multi-day storms are possible.

The hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30, but it has a clear peak from late August to early October.

When the heat and humidity are at the upper end of their typical ranges, it can be so uncomfortable that you don’t want to leave your room. The common approach to summer is to hit the parks early and late, and stay out of the mid-day heat.

• Best for: Those for whom extended time at the pools and waterparks is an essential part of their trip; those willing to risk hurricane-related disruptions to take advantage of late August and September low crowds and prices
• Worst for: those made miserably by heat and humidity, or those not willing to risk hurricane-related travel disturbances

SPRING AT DISNEY WORLD: April and early May

April and early May bring the best mix of warm, dry, but not too hot or humid days. (The summer rainy season can start as early as the first week of May but much more typically begins late in the month.)

In years with an early Easter—pushing spring break crowds into March and early April—the second half of April is one of the absolute best times to go to Orlando, from the combined perspective of crowds and weather. The late Easter in 2014 makes these dates unwise.

• Best for: Visitors seeking to balance comfort both in and out of the pools
• Worst for: Visitors who prefer much cooler or much warmer days

FALL AT DISNEY WORLD: October except the first week

The peak of the hurricane season ends in early October, and after that October weather is almost as nice as in the spring.

Later October is a little warmer and wetter than April, with some continuing small risk of hurricanes, but still a favorite of many.

• Best for: Visitors seeking to balance comfort both in and out of the pools
• Worst for: Visitors who prefer much cooler or much warmer days

MORE ON DISNEY WORLD WEATHER

• Weather and When to Go
• High Temperatures Year Round
• Average Rainfall by Arrival Date
• Hurricanes
• Tornadoes
• Chance of Winter High Temperature Over 75
• Pool Days November through February

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OVERVIEW: SEPTEMBER 2014 AT DISNEY WORLD

This page reviews September 2014 Walt Disney World crowds, prices, deals and discounts, weather, and operating hours; adds a few other notes; and ends with week by week summaries.

September combines low crowds with low prices, and typically also has a great room rate and free dining deals as well.

This makes it a great month for returning visitors.

But it has lousy weather, combining continuing summer heat and humidity with the peak of the hurricane season, making me not so keen on the month for first time visitors who may never return.

[Read more →]

OVERVIEW: AUGUST 2014 AT DISNEY WORLD

This page reviews August 2014 Walt Disney World crowds, prices, deals and discounts, weather, and operating hours; adds a few other notes; and ends with week by week summaries.

There are no great August times to visit Walt Disney World.

The beginning of the month, while inexpensive, is crowded, hot and humid. Crowds moderate over the month, but by the time they hit tolerable levels late in month, the peak hurricane seaosn has arrived…

If I had to go in August, for first time visitors who may never return I’d pick the week beginning 8/9.  While crowds are still moderate this week, it faces less hurricane risk than later, less crowded dates.

If I knew I could return–or was a returning visitor–I’d pick the week of the 23rd–trading off the (slightly higher) hurricane risk for low crowds.

[Read more →]

PEAK 2013 CROWDS WILL BEGIN DECEMBER 21

At the end of this week the 2013 holiday crowds will begin to slam Walt Disney World.

Crowds will be a mess through January 1, 2014–and not that great the rest of that week either. There won’t be any real slow-down until Saturday January 4.

Multi-hour waits will be common on the best-loved rides (waits crossed 3 hours at times last year), senior managers will be bussing tables, and park closures are possible.

Yes, there will also be a wonderful Christmas program and fun stuff on New Years Eve, but all in, because of the crowds and waits, this is a lousy time for a Disney World vacation.

But for the hundreds of thousands of you who will be there then, here’s some thoughts on how to make the best of it!

DEALING WITH THE HOLIDAY CROWDS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD [Read more →]

OVERVIEW: JULY 2014 AT DISNEY WORLD

This page reviews July 2014 Walt Disney World crowds, prices, deals and discounts, weather, and operating hours; adds a few other notes; and ends with week by week summaries.

Because pretty much every US school kid is on break in July, July overall is the most crowded month at Walt Disney World.

Prices begin the month OK at the deluxes and moderates, and high at the values. Moderate and value prices stay at this level all month, but at the deluxes prices drop to low levels on July 13.

Weather is miserable all month long.

There are no good weeks in July, but the later the visit the better–especially if you are staying in a deluxe.

[Read more →]

I’ve now published the first iterations of the key material to use in picking your dates for a 2015 visit to Walt Disney World.

This includes the first drafts of

• 2015 Weeks to Visit Disney World, Ranked in Order
• 2015 Disney World Price Seasons
• 2015 Disney World Crowd Calendar

These are drafts, and will be revised in the summer of 2014 if needed:

• The 2015 price seasons are projections based on recent Disney World practice. The real scoop won’t come out til this summer–likely June.  I’ll update these then.
• The 2015 Crowd Calendar will be revised at least once, in the summer of 2014.  I update it such every year around then, as by then almost all of the 180 or so public school calendars tat I track are out.
• And because the 2015 Week Rankings are highly influenced by crowds and prices, any changes in those may result in changes to the week rankings.

But til then, these tools are as good as you will find anywhere to help you shape your Disney World 2015 plans!

MORE ON WHEN TO GO TO WALT DISNEY WORLD

• For when to go to Walt Disney World, see this
• For the next best dates, see this
• For the best and worst times to visit, see this
  • For 2014 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
  • For the 2014 Week Picker, see this
  • For 2015 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
• For forecasting crowds at Walt Disney World, see this
  • For the 2014 Crowd Calendar, click here
  • For the 2015 Crowd Calendar, click here
• For seasonal pricing at Walt Disney World, see this
  • For 2014 price seasons, see this
  • For projected 2015 price seasons, see this
• For weather at Walt Disney World, see this

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