Disney World Itineraries
By Dave Shute
WALT DISNEY WORLD ITINERARIES BY ARRIVAL WEEK
This page provides below links to Walt Disney World itineraries by arrival week. Each itinerary includes links to daily guidance and a to-do list.
Itineraries are released or updated as Disney releases its calendar—which it currently usually does weekly, providing it for about the next ~2 months.
Note: I have released a new itinerary that among other things flips the days of Crystal Palace and Chef Mickey’s–so in it Crystal Palace is Thursday and Chef Mickey’s Wednesday. This new itinerary is the “Bluey Aware Itinerary.”
DISNEY WORLD ITINERARIES BY ARRIVAL DATE
- For a March 28, 2026 arrival date, use the Bluey-Aware Itinerary (or the older one if you’ve already made dining reservations)
- For an April 4, 2026 arrival date, use the Bluey-Aware Itinerary (or the older one if you’ve already made dining reservations)
- For an April 11, 2026 arrival date, use the Bluey-Aware Itinerary (or the older one if you’ve already made dining reservations)
- For an April 18, 2026 arrival date, use the Bluey-Aware Itinerary (or the older one if you’ve already made dining reservations)
- For an April 25, 2026 arrival date, use the Bluey-Aware Itinerary (or the older one if you’ve already made dining reservations)
- For a May 2, 2026 arrival date, use the Bluey-Aware Itinerary (or the older one if you’ve already made dining reservations)
- For a May 9, 2026 arrival date, use the Bluey-Aware Itinerary, but swap Tuesday and Wednesday in both your itinerary and your To-Do List, as Magic Kingdom closes early Wednesday March 13
- For a May 16, 2026 arrival date, use the Bluey-Aware Itinerary
- For a May 23, 2026 arrival date, use the Bluey-Aware Itinerary
- For a May 30, 2026 arrival date, use the Bluey-Aware Itinerary
For later arrival dates, use the Bluey-Aware Itinerary for planning, but come back here ~60 days before to double check.
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286 comments
We are going 10/7 to 10/14. What day would be the best for the Halloween parade with it being Columbus day weekend. Thank you.
Andrea, I’m assuming you mean the Halloween Party, as that’s the only way to see the Halloween parade. Don’t know for sure yet. Check with me after the October calendar comes out–it should in a couple weeks.
We arrive on Thursday 26th March 2015, we have 2 children aged 8& 10 we are booked in at discover cove on April 5th, we have Orlando f o flex passes so c z n do disney and universities would also like tom do Kennedy space center can you suggest an itinerary we are staying for 2 wks off site probably in Kissimmee.
Rachael, the flex passes don’t cover Disney…See this.
That’s one of the busiest times of the year at Disney World. If you decide to get tickets for it too, see this.
Dave,
Thank you for your website and the information 🙂 I am starting to look into a trip in May of 2016 arriving late Thursday May 19 or on May 20th by lunch. We have avid Star Wars fans in the family and would like to incorporate a Star Wars weekend into out trip; rough idea 7 days ie leaving before Memorial day crowds. Do you have any suggestions re itineraries re this and any other suggestions re Star Wars weekends; boy 10, girl almost 8 and boy 3; first trip for kids. Thank you.
Beth, sorry to say that Disney changes so often that I won’t have a firm point of view until the May 2016 calendars come out–about 6.5 months before…
Hi Dave – We’re arriving August 12th and leaving August 20th. We’ll essentially have 7 full days. I know the week we’re arriving is a busy week but the following week crowds will thin out significantly. We’ll either stay at a family property in Kissimmee or at the Sheraton Vistana Villas on International drive. My family consists of me, my husband, a 3 year old and a 7 year old. What itinerary would you recommend? And also would you recommend hotel stay or the Kissimmee stay? Thanks!
Hi Dave, we are staying on a Wed thru Monday this June due to work schedules. We are staying at Saratoga Springs and are arriving before lunch on Wed. and plan to hit the park right away. We have our dinners planned for late evenings so we can freshen up after the long summer days. I have attached our meal schedule below. Do you think it will be feasible to get to these dinners and breakfast based off of where we are staying in a timely manner? We will start at each of the 5 parks as early as possible starting with Epcot when we arrive.
17Jun2015 O’hana @ 9:30 pm Dinner
18Jun2015 Be Our Guest @ 8:10 am Breakfast
18Jun2015 50’s Prime Time Diner @ 8:00 pm Dinner
19Jun2015 SciFi Dinner Theater @ 9:00 pm Dinner
20Jun2015 Tony’s Town Square @ 8:30 pm Dinner
21Jun2015 Tusker House Character Breakfast @ 8:20 am Breakfast
21Jun2015 Garden Grill @ 7:45 pm Dinner
We will also try to plan our park visits around certain parades that we want to see. Any thoughts on that? We want to make sure we don’t miss the electric parade. Thanks in advance for your time and for having this great site!
JJ, you’ll have to check, but several of these should still be available, others will have booked up months ago.
On “how to do a park visit,” suggest you look at my recommended itinerary.
Also, if you haven’t learned about FastPass+ yet, read this, as you are well into your 60 day window and need to book those ASAP.
Hi! We are checking in to Pop Century on November 14th 2015 but won’t arrive until late in the day and are leaving the morning of November 20th 2015. My husband my daughter (age 4) and I will be going for the first time. We have the free dining plan (we upgraded from the quick service) and 6 day ticket with park hopper. I’m wondering what you think is the best itinerary for our family of 3. Any advice would be much appreciated…. Including what you think are best time slots for dining
Thank you!
Kelly
Kelly, with a child that young, if this is the first of several visits, you could focus entirely on the Magic Kingdom–e.g. 2 or 3 mornings, and afternoon, an evening. Epcot is typically dull for kids that age, and there’s a half day to do at that age at each of Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.
11/14 avoid all but AK
11/15 avoid Epcot and HS
11/16 avoid MK
11/17 avoid Epcot
11/18 avoid AK and MK
11/19 avoid Epcot
For special dining with youngsters that age I am a big fan of lunch (or a very late breakfast–e.g. after 10.30.) Early breakfast wastes the time right after the park is open–the least crowded times of the day–and dinner can make the day too long/over-scheduled, served to a cranky tired youth…
Hi Dave,
I seem to have lost where I posted my first comment. We are a family of 7 travelling with princess obsessed 3 and 6 year old. We will be checking in at Caribbean Resort on October 27 and out on Nov. 3. Below is my itinerary based on your suggestions, could you let me know if I botched up the dates. We are also interested in purchasing tickets for Mickey’s Halloween party, could you recommend which day would be best? Thank you so much in advance!
10/27 – Animal Kingdom
10/28 – HS or offsite legoland
10/29 – HS or offsite legoland
10/30- MK
10/31 – Epcot
11/1 – MK
1/2 – Epcot
Olivia, this looks good! The Halloween party on 11/1 is your best choice!
Hi Dave, I was lucky enough to get Cindy lunch and Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for my daughter for Black Friday. However, we have not gotten to the parks at opening before (so I don’t know what it is like), and I am somewhat worried we won’t make it to the appt on time. The boutique appt is at 9:10 (and they want us there at 8:55). It seems to me that we need to be there by 8 AM at the gate–however, I see lots of info about how many hoards of people try to enter then, and also that there is some delay for the opening show. What time do you think we need to be at the gate? We are driving so don’t need to rely on the bus schedule. It is also possible to make all this later, as I see that there are still Cindy lunches at later times that day. What do you recommend? I would personally love to try to be there at rope drop, although no one else in my entourage agreed last time, and we usually showed up everywhere around 9:30-10.
Update: I was able to change my boutique appt to 10:40, and move the Cindy to 1:30. But now I have another question: we want to see the Festival of Fantasty parade. If we emerge from Cindy shortly before it, will we still be able to see it (on Black Friday)? I understand that the floats are very tall so I’m hoping my kids would still be able to see. Otherwise maybe we could have another family member who’s eating an earlier lunch reserve a spot. How early? Thanks!
Jane, MK isn’t bad that Friday, as so many will have been there on Thursday. If you have time, make your way towards Frontierland after you finish Cindy and plan to see the parade from there. Personally I’m not keen on having one person reserve a spot unless there’s a disabilty issue or such…
Nobembert 21 – November 28, 2015
Which parks will be the busy on which days
best day to see magic kingdom
Heather, the week that includes thanksgiving is quite crowded.
11/21 avoid HS and MK
11/22 avoid HS
11/23 avoid AK
11/24 avoid Epcot
11/25 avoid AK and MK
11/26 avoid MK and Epcot
11/27 avoid AK
11/28 avoid MK and HS
Hello Dave,
Nobembert 21 – November 28, 2015 I will be at Walt Disney- Orlando
Which parks will be the busiest on which days?
What day will be the best time to visit magic kingdom?
Hi Dave,
First off, I love your site, I’ve been using to help plan my Disney vacations for the better part of three years. It’s the best! We are planning for a week and still debating between April 16 or April 23 as our arrival date. I’ve heard package prices will be released later on this month. Do you know how long after that the park calendars will be available? I’m curious to know what days in each park will be the best!
Chelsea
Hi Chelsea and I’m so glad the site is helping!!
2016 prices reportedly will be out in around ten days.
But the park calendars come out month by month, not in a pile for the year. So the January calendar will be out soon, February in mid-July, March in mid-August, and April in mid-September.
Hello,
love your website; thanks for all the great tips and info.
I know that you have likely addressed this somewhere but I am having trouble finding it.
What is the reason for recommending a Saturday-Sunday schedule? I will be traveling with 2 young children for a first (but not last) visit and would prefer to go Tuesday-Tuesday (slightly shorter and different arrival/exit dates). The flights are cheaper mid week and it works better with our work schedules. Any thoughts?
Hi Mary!! Only because it fits simply into a traditional “week off of work.” Tuesday to Tuesday is just fine too!!
We are going to Disney October 28-Nov 1st 2015 and I am clueless as what to do. We purchased the 3 day park hopper pass. We will drive down Wednesday and arrive around 1-2pm so that evening we want to just go to downtown Disney and walk around and eat dinner. We also purchased the mickeys not so scary Halloween passes for Thurs evening. What do you recommend we do on Thurs/Fri/Sat? We have a 1 year old and 8.5 year old boys. We are not staying on a Disney resort, but we are staying 10 min from Disney.
Kristin, there’s not much at DTD of interest to the kids. In your shoes, I’d go to MK on Weds afternoon and evening (booking FP+), and take Thursday off until 4p (you can enter with your party tix at 4P.) The 30th avoid AK and Epcot, so make it an MK or HS day; the 31st avoid HS and Epcot–so likely make in and AK day.
Dave we will be in the MK on November 10 and 13 and possible the 14. Is there a afternoon parade?
Mike, the Magic Kingdom has its afternoon parade every day.
I seen on the Dibb website for fast passes and everything is unavaible for that parade. We used it last year and there was plenty of FP for it and now all it shows is unavailble for all dates.. Thanks Dave
Mike, for a while now FatsPass+ for the afternoon parade has booked up quickly
Hi, Dave. Found your site recommended on Steve’s Military Disney Tips. Great sites, both. We are a large group ranging in age from 2 to grandpop. Arriving dinner time on Nov. 3rd, leaving on the 12th. Planning to go to MVMCP on the 10th, with military tix, so will take the early part of that day to rest. Would like to see one of the concerts at Epcot that is showing on the 7th, 8th and 9th. Can you recommend which parks to visit on which days? We have 4-day hoppers.
Hi Diana and thanks!!
11/4 avoid AK and MK
11/5 avoid Epcot
11/6 avoid AK and Epcot
11/7 avoid all but AK
11/8 avoid HS and Epcot
11/9 avoid MK
11/11 avoid AK and MK
When is the best time to book a trip for April 2016. Should we wait or book now
thank you
Helen
Helen, see this.
Please count me among the chorus of voices singing praise for this incredibly useful website. Practicality aside, it has served as my inspiration for designing a once-in-a-lifetime vacation experience for my daughter and me. The handy companion book you co-authored, The Easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit, has also proven to be an enormously valuable planning resource. Kelly with Destination in Florida, your recommended travel agent, booked my Disney World reservations and is assisting with itinerary planning. You could say I’m “all in” when it comes to following your guidance. My dilemma is that we’ll be arriving mid-afternoon on Friday, April 15–a day early–but we must depart Sunday, April 24 before Animal Kingdom opens, so we would miss the last half day. How would you move things around so we could get it all in? Will you please give me a nudge in the right direction? Thank you for all your help. I very much appreciate it.
Russ, thanks a million!!
First make sure to swap First Sunday and Weds. Then on Friday do what’s written for First Saturday.
Then do what’s written for Tuesday on Saturday the 16th (hoping to maybe stay later than it suggests, just in case the new show Rivers of Light is open by then), and do what’s written for Second Sunday on Tuesday.
Hi Dave. I left the last post. I’m not trying to hide or be coy, I just hit the “Submit” button too quickly before entering my name. Thanks again for your help,
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