Category — a. When to Go to Walt Disney World

OVERVIEW: MAY 2011 AT DISNEY WORLD

This page reviews May 2011 Walt Disney World crowds, prices, deals and discounts, weather, operating hours, and ends with week by week summaries.
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2012 WEEKS TO VISIT WALT DISNEY WORLD, CONTINUED

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For the first page of 2012 weeks to visit Walt Disney World, ranked in order, see this.

2012 WORSE WEEKS

The remaining 2012 weeks are not recommended—but still presented in order: [Read more →]

Hey–are you looking for

• 2014 weeks to visit, ranked in order?
• The 2014 Week Picker?
• 2015 weeks to visit, ranked in order?

If so…click the links!

OVERVIEW: 2012 WEEKS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

This site recommends arriving at Walt Disney World one of the first three Saturdays after Thanksgiving.

If you can’t go then, presented below are the weeks of 2012 in order of best to worst.

There are two pages of 2012 Disney World week rankings. The page you are on has recommended weeks. The second page has the rest of the weeks of the year. [Read more →]

EASTER 2011 AT DISNEY WORLD

2011 Easter crowds (and prices!!) at Walt Disney World will hit a very high peak in the week beginning April 17 2011, and be almost as high for most of the week beginning April 23, 2010.

Try your best to avoid Walt Disney World during these two weeks.

For specific Easter events at Walt Disney World–ranging from where to find the Easter Bunny at Disney World to Easter Sunday services at Disney’s Contemporary Resort–see this page on TheMouseForLess.com.

For off property Easter services, see this for places of worship near Walt Disney World.

At Walt Disney World itself, typically Easter services are held in the Fantasia Ballroom at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Mr. and Mrs. Easter Bunny greet kids at the Magic Kingdom, and Epcot has Easter Egg hunts. 

In addition, many Walt Disney World resort hotels hold “candy scrambles” Easter morning.

Check with your resort when you check in for more details.

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OVERVIEW: WHEN TO GO TO WALT DISNEY WORLD

Most years, I recommend arriving in Walt Disney World either one of the first three Saturdays after Thanksgiving or one of the first two.

In 2022, I recommend arriving one of the first two Saturdays after Thanksgiving–11/26 or 12/3.

See Next Best Dates if you cannot go on these dates.

WHY GO TO WALT DISNEY WORLD THEN?

“Here’s a tip for avoiding the crowds. The entire world over, two of the best weeks to go anywhere are the first two weeks of December. The weather is good in most places and attendance is almost always low. At Disneyland and Disneyworld in particular, the first two Wednesdays of December are often among the three or four lowest days of the year.”

Buzz Price, Walt’s Revolution: By the Numbers

Crowd levels* are the first factor to consider in timing your Walt Disney World trip.

Here’s why: daily attendance at the Magic Kingdom, the signature park at Walt Disney World, varies from fewer than 20,000 people to more than 60,000, with more than 90,000 heard of at Christmas. The park has a total hourly capacity of approximately 40,000 people–that is, the attractions can deliver about 40,000 rides per hour.

Consequently, on a day with 60,000 visitors, it will be hard for you to average more than one attraction every 90 minutes or so. Multiply this by the number of attractions in the park and it could take you more than 50 hours to enjoy everything at the Magic Kingdom. The attractions themselves take about 7 hours to enjoy; the other 40 or so hours will be spent waiting.

On the other hand, if you go to Walt Disney World during a low attendance period, you can enjoy an attraction at the Magic Kingdom every 20-30 minutes, reducing your total Magic Kingdom time to less than 15-20 hours, and your waiting time down to 8-14 hours.

Multiply this effect over the other three other theme parks at Walt Disney World and you can see how you can save literally days of waiting in line by going during a low attendance period. This allows you to

• Spend fewer total days at Walt Disney World, easing budget and schedule issues
• While seeing more of the best of the parks
• Taking more breaks from the parks, and, all in
• Having a less stressful, more satisfying experience

Other factors to think about in setting your date include seasonal pricing, the hurricane season, ride closures, and special events.

Given this, late November and early December is the best time to visit.

Crowds are low, hotel and ticket prices while varied are OK, especially the first of these two weeks, the hurricane season is over, few rides are closed, and magical special Christmas events and displays are everywhere.

See best and worst times to visit if you cannot go in late November/early December.

*But not the lowest crowd periods–these are low for good reasons: the peak of the hurricane season, and ride closure season, both of which should be avoided by first time visitors who may never return.

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OVERVIEW: APRIL 2011 AT DISNEY WORLD

This page reviews April 2011 Walt Disney World crowds, prices, deals and discounts, weather, operating hours, and ends with week by week summaries.
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