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2024 & 2025 Disney World Crowd Calendar (best times to go)

2024 & 2025 Disney World Crowd Calendar (best times to go)

Planning a Disney World trip for 2024 or 2025?

You’ve come to the right place. Our easy-to-use Disney World Crowd Calendar will help you avoid long lines, so you can have more fun on your Disney vacation.

Here’s what you need to know:

When are the best times to visit Walt Disney World in 2024 and 2025?

We know you are probably eager to dive in to check on those predicted crowds, so let’s start off first with our big graphics (please note there is one for 2024 and one for 2025), and then we will go into more detail for both years, month-by-month, down below.

GRAPHIC: The best times to visit Walt Disney World in 2024

Here’s our current predictions for how the crowds will look if you plan to travel to Disney World in 2024:

Disney World 2024 Crowd Calendar

Note: Our ‘best times to visit’ below are a mix of times of the year when you’ll have either low crowds OR good weather. Due to Disney’s strategy of filling the cooler, quieter periods with special events and competitions, finding a time that offers both low crowds and ideal weather has become more challenging than in the past.

WDW Top Picks for Disney World in 2024:

  • January 16-31 (light to moderate crowds, but you’ll have cooler temps)
  • February 1-9 (light to moderate crowds, but you’ll have cooler temps)
  • May 6-23 (light to moderate crowds, but it will likely be hot)
  • August 5-29 (some of the lowest crowds of the year, but it will be hot)
  • September 3-19 (some of the lowest crowds of the year, but it will be hot)

2024 brought about a bunch of changes, including the end of Park Pass reservations for date-based tickets (which covers most guests aside from Annual Passholders) plus, we’ve also seen the long-awaited return of the Disney Dining Plan. And we can’t forget the highly anticipated Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opening (exact date still unknown).

GRAPHIC: The best times to visit Walt Disney World in 2025

And here’s how its looking for 2025:

Note: Our ‘best times to visit’ below are a mix of times of the year when you’ll have either low crowds OR good weather. Due to Disney’s strategy of filling the cooler, quieter periods with special events and competitions, finding a time that offers both low crowds and ideal weather has become more challenging than in the past.

WDW Prep School Top Picks for 2025:

  • January 21-31 (moderate crowds, but you’ll have cooler temps)
  • February 21-28 (moderate crowds, but you’ll have cooler temps)
  • May 5-22 (light to moderate crowds, but it will likely be hot)
  • August 5-31 (some of the lowest crowds of the year, but it will be hot)
  • September 1-30 (some of the lowest crowds of the year, but it will be hot)

Looking ahead to 2025, we’re expecting to keep seeing some familiar patterns when it comes to crowds. All signs point to the fact that summers could possibly continue to be a less busy than they used to be, while January might pick up the pace and get busier. Also, October will remain a popular time for families to visit due to the increase in the number of schools hosting Fall Breaks.

2024 Disney World Crowds Month by Month

Ready to book a trip for 2024? Here are our month-by-month predictions:

April 2024

  • April 1-7 – heavy crowds continue due to the Easter holiday
  • April 8-17 – moderate crowds return
  • April 18-21 – even though there is the runDisney Springtime Surprise race, expect the crowds to remain moderate
  • April 22-30 – moderate crowds finish up the month, even with a couple of cheer and dance competitions happening
April crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for April:

  • The Easter holiday falls on March 31 in 2024, which means the first week of April will see an increase in crowds.
  • The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival transforms Epcot into an array of color. Make sure you set aside some time to check out the topiaries there.
  • Storms (especially midday storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan midday breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.
  • Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the April crowd calendar.

May 2024

  • May 1-5 – moderate crowds across all of WDW, and heavy crowds at Hollywood Studios for May the Fourth
  • May 6-10 – lighter crowds return for a few days
  • May 11-12 – weekends (especially Saturdays) are typically a bit busier as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap
  • May 13-17 – light to moderate crowds
  • May 18-19 – weekends (especially Saturdays) are typically a bit busier as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap
  • May 20-23 – light to moderate crowds
  • May 24-31 – moderate crowds return, with the busiest days being around Memorial Day
May crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for May:

  • The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival transforms Epcot into an array of color. Make sure you set aside some time to check out the topiaries there.
  • Storms (especially midday storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan midday breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.
  • There are a few special limited time celebrations taking place this summer, so be sure to check those out.
  • Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the May crowd calendar.

June 2024

  • June 1-30 – moderate to heavy summer crowds, with Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays being a bit heavier than the other days of the week
June crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for June:

  • Storms (especially midday storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan midday breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.
  • June is also the start of hurricane season. Consider trip insurance if planning a vacation during this time. 
  • Epcot construction finally wraps up, plus there are several limited-time celebrations happening. Check out what’s in store for Summer 2024 at Walt Disney World.
  • Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the June crowd calendar.

July 2024

  • July 1-7 – heavy summer crowds as guests travel to WDW for the 4th of July
  • July 8-31 – moderate to heavy summer crowds, with Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays being a bit heavier than the other days of the week
July crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for July:

  • Weather has always been a factor when planning Disney World trips, but the temps and humidity in July can be particularly brutal.
  • Storms (especially midday storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan midday breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.
  • July is also during hurricane season. Consider trip insurance if planning a vacation during this time. 
  • This is typically the month where we see the Food & Wine Festival begin.
  • There are several limited-time celebrations taking place across Walt Disney World in 2024.
  • Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the July crowd calendar.

August 2024

  • August 1-4 – moderate crowds that get lighter as the month goes on and more kids return to school
  • August 5-9 – light crowds
  • August 10-11 – moderate weekend crowds
  • August 12-29 – some of the lightest crowds of the year, with Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays being a bit heavier than the other days of the week
  • August 30-31 – crowds pick up a bit before the Labor Day holiday
August crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for August:

  • Weather has always been a factor when planning Disney World trips, but the temps and humidity in August can be particularly brutal.
  • Storms (especially midday storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan midday breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.
  • August is also during hurricane season. Consider trip insurance if planning a vacation during this time. 
  • The International Food and Wine Festival will be in full swing over at Epcot. Whenever possible, we recommend that you avoid Epcot on Thursday – Sunday (especially in the evenings).
  • Look for Halloween entertainment to begin at Magic Kingdom, including the very popular Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
  • Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the August crowd calendar.

September 2024

  • September 1-2 – peak Labor Day crowds
  • September 3-19 – some of the lightest crowds of the year, with Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays being a bit heavier than the other days of the week
  • September 20-23 – light to moderate crowds return for a few days
  • September 24-26 – light crowds
  • September 27-30 – moderate crowds return as we start ramping up to the busy Fall Break season
September Crowd Calendar

Things to keep in mind for September:

  • September is typically a great time to travel to Walt Disney World as school is usually back in session in most areas, but it is before any Fall Breaks have the chance to bring heavy crowds.
  • Halloween entertainment continues at Magic Kingdom, including the very popular Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
  • The International Food and Wine Festival will be in full swing over at Epcot. Whenever possible, we recommend that you avoid Epcot on Thursday – Sunday (especially in the evenings).
  • Weather has always been a factor when planning Disney World trips, but the temps and humidity in September can be particularly brutal.
  • September is also during hurricane season. Consider trip insurance if planning a vacation during this time. 
  • Storms (especially midday storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan midday breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.

October 2024

  • October 1-3 – moderate crowds as Fall Breaks begin
  • October 4-9 – moderate to heavy crowds
  • October 10-14 – peak Indigenous Peoples’ Day crowds
  • October 15-31 – moderate to heavy crowds for the rest of October, with the busiest days on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays and towards the end of the month as guests arrive for Halloween and the runDisney Wine & Dine Half Marathon
October crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for October:

  • The growing popularity of Fall Breaks in schools means that October is far busier than it used to be.
  • Halloween entertainment continues at Magic Kingdom, including the very popular Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
  • The International Food and Wine Festival will be in full swing over at Epcot. Whenever possible, we recommend that you avoid Epcot on Thursday – Sunday (especially in the evenings).
  • Weather has always been a factor when planning Disney World trips, but the temps and humidity in October often surprises guests visiting from cooler climates.
  • October is also during hurricane season. Consider trip insurance if planning a vacation during this time. 
  • Storms (especially midday storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan midday breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.
  • Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the October crowd calendar.

November 2024

  • November 1-3 – heavy crowds due to the runDisney Wine & Dine 1/2 Marathon
  • November 4-6 – moderate to heavy crowds for Jersey Days and early Veterans Day visitors
  • November 7-11 – heavy crowds for the Veterans Day holiday
  • November 12-22 – moderate to heavy crowds in the days after Veterans Day and before Thanksgiving
  • November 23-24 – heavy crowds begin arriving for the Thanksgiving holiday
  • November 25-30 – peak Thanksgiving crowds
November crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for November:

  • Veterans Day and Thanksgiving are both popular across Walt Disney World, which means to expect heavy crowds if visiting then.
  • Christmas events usually kick off at Magic Kingdom, look for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party to start this month.
  • Food and Wine Festival at Epcot wraps up this month.
  • The Epcot Festival of the Holidays typically begins the day after Thanksgiving and continues through the end of December. 
  • Even though November typically begins a gradual cool off, storms (especially mid-day storms) and high heat and humidity can still be a factor, so plan accordingly.
  • November brings the end to hurricane season. Consider trip insurance if planning a vacation during this time. 

December 2024

  • December 1-20 – heavy crowds with Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays a bit busier (although early December used to be known for light crowds, that is no longer the case as many people travel to WDW to check out the decorations)
  • December 21-31 – peak holiday crowds
December crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for December:

  • Although early December used to be known for light crowds, that is no longer the case as many people travel to WDW to check out the decorations. If you are traveling during this time, expect it to be busy.
  • Christmas events continue over at Magic Kingdom, look for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party to run until the week of Christmas.
  • The Epcot Festival of the Holidays typically begins the day after Thanksgiving and continues through the end of December. 

2025 Disney World Crowds Month by Month

Dreaming of taking a Disney World vacation in 2025? Here are our month-by-month predictions:

January 2025

  • January 1-5 – very busy time as people use their days off from work/school to vacation at Disney World for the holidays
  • January 6-12 most schools are back in session during this time, but you can still expect moderate to heavy crowds due to the extremely popular runDisney Walt Disney World Marathon
  • January 13-16 – crowds lighten up a tiny bit before a big dance & cheer competition and the busy Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday
  • January 17-20 heavy crowds descend on Walt Disney World as guests visit for both the long holiday weekend and the UCA College Cheerleading & Dance Team Nationals
  • January 21-30 moderate crowds for most of the rest of the month
  • January 31 – slight uptick in crowds due the UDA National Dance Team Championship
january 2025 crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for January:

  • There are a few holidays and special events sprinkled throughout this month that have historically drawn large crowds. If at all possible, try to avoid traveling over those.
  • The weather in January is some of the best of the year. We recommend you pack layers, but be prepared for comfortable days and cooler nights and mornings.
  • The Epcot Festival of the Arts is one of the shorter festivals, but it is definitely worth checking out.
  • Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the January crowd calendar.

February 2025

*Note: These events are estimated dates and may change after official schedules are released.

  • February 1-2 although February used to be relatively slow, look for the entire month to be busier than years past, starting with moderate crowds due to the UDA National Dance Team Championship
  • February 3-7 slight dip in crowds before things pick up again for another weekend cheer competition
  • February 8-9 look for this weekend to be busier due to the UCA National High School Cheer Competition
  • February 10-12 – small pocket where the crowds will likely decrease a bit
  • February 13-20 – very heavy crowds due to the combination of a cheer/dance competition*, Presidents’ Day weekend, and the start of the runDisney Princess Half Marathon
  • February 21-24 – moderate crowds over the weekend as the runDisney Princess Half Marathon wraps up
  • February 25-28 – moderate crowds to wrap up February, increasing some towards the end of the month for the start of another cheer/dance competition*
February crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for February

  • The Epcot Festival of the Arts is one of the shorter festivals, but it is definitely worth checking out.
  • The weather in February is some of the best of the year. We recommend you pack layers.

March 2025

*Note: These events are estimated dates and may change after official schedules are released.

  • March 1-2 busy weekend due to a dance/cheer competition*
  • March 3-6 moderate crowds for the first part and middle of the week, with overall levels increasing the closer you get to the weekend
  • March 7-9 heavy crowds due to a dance/cheer competition* and the start of Spring Break
  • March 10-31 heavy crowds Spring Break crowds
march crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for March:

  • Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the March crowd calendar.

April 2025

  • April 1-6 heavy crowds to start out the month due to Spring Break and the runDisney Springtime Surprise
  • April 7-11 moderate crowds return for a few days
  • April 12-20 – heaviest crowds of the month due to the Easter holiday and school breaks
  • April 21-27 – expect this week to be just slightly less busy than the week before due to the holiday and school breaks
  • April 28-30 – moderate crowds return for the end of the month
april 2025 crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for April:

  • Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the April crowd calendar.

May 2025

*Note: These events are estimated dates and may change after official schedules are released.

  • May 1-5 moderate crowds kick off the start of the month due to a dance/cheer competition* with heavy crowds likely at Hollywood Studios for May the Fourth
  • May 6-9 lighter crowds expected during the middle of the week
  • May 10-11 weekends (especially Saturdays) are typically a bit busier as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap
  • May 12-16 lighter crowds expected for much of the week
  • May 17-18 weekends (especially Saturdays) are typically a bit busier as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap
  • May 19-22 lighter crowds expected for much of the week
  • May 23-31 moderate crowds return as school years start wrapping up, with the busiest days being around Memorial Day
may 2025 crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for May:

  • The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival transforms Epcot into an array of color. Make sure you set aside some time to check out the topiaries there.
  • Storms (especially midday storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan midday breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.
  • Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the May crowd calendar.

June 2025

  • June 1-30 – moderate summer crowds, with Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays likely being a bit heavier than the other days of the week as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap
june 2025 crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for June:

  • Storms (especially midday storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan midday breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.
  • June is also the start of hurricane season. Consider trip insurance if planning a vacation during this time. 
  • Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the June crowd calendar.

July 2025

  • July 1-3 – moderate summer crowds
  • July 4-6 – heavy summer crowds as guests travel to WDW for the 4th of July
  • July 7-31 – moderate summer crowds, with Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays likely being a bit heavier than the other days of the week as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap
july 2025 crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for July:

  • Weather has always been a factor when planning Disney World trips, but the temps and humidity in July can be particularly brutal.
  • Storms (especially midday storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan midday breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.
  • July is also during hurricane season. Consider trip insurance if planning a vacation during this time. 
  • This is typically the month where we see the Food & Wine Festival begin.
  • Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the July crowd calendar.

August 2025

  • August 1-4 – moderate crowds that get lighter as the month goes on and more kids return to school
  • August 5-8 – light crowds
  • August 9-10 – moderate weekend crowds as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap
  • August 11-31 – some of the lightest crowds of the year, with Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays being a bit heavier than the other days of the week as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap
august 2025 crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for August:

  • Weather has always been a factor when planning Disney World trips, but the temps and humidity in August can be particularly brutal.
  • Storms (especially midday storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan midday breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.
  • August is also during hurricane season. Consider trip insurance if planning a vacation during this time. 
  • The International Food and Wine Festival will be in full swing over at Epcot. Whenever possible, we recommend that you avoid Epcot on Thursday – Sunday (especially in the evenings).
  • Look for Halloween entertainment to begin at Magic Kingdom, including the very popular Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
  • Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the August crowd calendar.

September 2025

  • September 1-30 – some of the lightest crowds of the year, with the days around Labor Day being a bit more crowded. Also, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays will likely have slightly heavier crowds than the other days of the week as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap.
september 2025 crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for September:

  • September is typically a great time to travel to Walt Disney World as school is usually back in session in most areas, but it is before any Fall Breaks have the chance to bring heavy crowds.
  • Halloween entertainment continues at Magic Kingdom, including the very popular Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
  • The International Food and Wine Festival will be in full swing over at Epcot. Whenever possible, we recommend that you avoid Epcot on Thursday – Sunday (especially in the evenings).
  • Weather has always been a factor when planning Disney World trips, but the temps and humidity in September can be particularly brutal.
  • September is also during hurricane season. Consider trip insurance if planning a vacation during this time. 
  • Storms (especially midday storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan midday breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.

October 2025

*Note: These events are estimated dates and may change after official schedules are released.

  • October 1-3 – crowds start increasing as Fall Breaks begin
  • October 4-5 – heavy weekend crowds as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap
  • October 6-9 – a slight dip in crowds during the middle of the week before things get very busy
  • October 10-20 – heavy Fall Break crowds
  • October 21-24 – a slight dip in crowds during the middle of the week
  • October 25-26 – heavy weekend crowds as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap
  • October 27-30 – a slight dip in crowds during the middle of the week
  • October 31 – heavy crowds for the Halloween and runDisney Wine & Dine* weekend
October 2025 Crowd Calendar

Things to keep in mind for October:

  • The growing popularity of Fall Breaks in schools means that October is far busier than it used to be.
  • Halloween entertainment continues at Magic Kingdom, including the very popular Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
  • The International Food and Wine Festival will be in full swing over at Epcot. Whenever possible, we recommend that you avoid Epcot on Thursday – Sunday (especially in the evenings).
  • Weather has always been a factor when planning Disney World trips, but the temps and humidity in October often surprises guests visiting from cooler climates.
  • October is also during hurricane season. Consider trip insurance if planning a vacation during this time. 
  • Storms (especially midday storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan midday breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.
  • Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the October crowd calendar.

November 2025

*Note: These events are estimated dates and may change after official schedules are released.

  • November 1-2 – heavy crowds for the Halloween and runDisney Wine & Dine* weekend
  • November 3-5 – moderate crowds before Jersey Days and Veterans Day visitors
  • November 6-11 – heavy crowds due for the Veterans Day holiday
  • November 12-14 – slight dip in crowds before the weekend
  • November 15-16 – heavy weekend crowds as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap
  • November 17-21 – moderate crowds before Thanksgiving guests arrive
  • November 22-23 – heavy crowds arrive for the Thanksgiving holiday
  • November 24-30 – peak Thanksgiving crowds
November 2025 crowd calendar

Things to keep in mind for November:

  • Veterans Day and Thanksgiving are both popular across Walt Disney World, which means to expect heavy crowds if visiting then.
  • Christmas events usually kick off at Magic Kingdom, look for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party to start this month.
  • Food and Wine Festival at Epcot wraps up this month.
  • The Epcot Festival of the Holidays typically begins the day after Thanksgiving and continues through the end of December. 
  • Even though November typically begins a gradual cool off, storms (especially mid-day storms) and high heat and humidity can still be a factor, so plan accordingly.
  • November brings the end to hurricane season. Consider trip insurance if planning a vacation during this time. 

December 2025

  • December 1-5 – moderate crowds as many people travel to WDW to check out the decorations
  • December 6-7 – heavy weekend crowds as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap
  • December 8-12 – moderate crowds as many people travel to WDW to check out the decorations
  • December 13-14 – heavy weekend crowds as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap
  • December 15-17 – final days for moderate crowds before holiday travelers start arriving
  • December 18-25 – heavy holiday crowds, increasing the closer you get to December 25
  • December 26-31 – peak holiday crowds
December 2025 Crowd Calendar
  • Although early December used to be known for light crowds, that is no longer the case as many people travel to WDW to check out the decorations. If you are traveling during this time, expect it to be busy.
  • Christmas events continue over at Magic Kingdom, look for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party to run until the week of Christmas.
  • The Epcot Festival of the Holidays typically begins the day after Thanksgiving and continues through the end of December. 

When is Disney World the LEAST crowded?

Typically, the least crowded times at Disney World tend to be:

  • Mid-May: There aren’t any holidays during this time, and not as many families travel in the final weeks of school.
  • Mid-August through most of September: This is when most American kids are back in school, and there are fewer vacationing families. The weather in Florida is also typically very hot and humid, which can deter some guests.

When is Disney World the MOST crowded?

As you can imagine, holidays and long weekends see the heaviest crowds at all tourist destinations, and that includes Walt Disney World. Basically, any time school is out of session, Walt Disney World will be busier.

Look for the parks to be the busiest around these dates. That includes the days before and in some instances, the days after, too:

  • New Year’s Day (January 1)
  • Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday (3rd Monday in January)
  • Presidents’ Day/Washington’s Birthday (3rd Monday in February)
  • Spring Break (especially last 2 weeks of March)
  • Easter (both the week before and the week after typically have increased crowds)
  • Independence Day (July 4)
  • Indigenous Peoples’ Day (2nd Monday in October)
  • Veterans’ Day (November 11)
  • Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November)
  • Christmas week through January 1

In addition to all of those, keep in mind that the weekends are almost always busier than the weekdays, with mid-week (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays) being less crowded than Mondays and Fridays.

What month at Disney World is the BEST?

What month is the best month to visit Walt Disney World depends on what your goals are:

  • August, and September (excluding holiday weeks) are historically the least crowded. Especially if you can avoid the weekends, this time of year typically sees some of the lowest crowds.
  • January and February have the best weather. This time of year has cooler temps and way less rain. You may need a jacket in the morning or evenings, though.
  • Late August and September are best for fall decor and Halloween activities. Late August and September are historically way less crowded than October, making them the better options if you are going for the fall decor or Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.
  • December is best for holiday decorations and festivities. All parks and resorts will be decorated, Festival of Holidays will be happening, but it will likely be crowded.

When is the best time to visit in Walt Disney World for holiday decorations?

Lots of people like to travel to Walt Disney World to check out the holiday decorations. In the past, the time between the end of Thanksgiving and about the middle of December would be perfect for that.

However, over the past several years, we’ve seen the crowds during that time period steadily increase to the point now that what used to be a relatively slow time of the year, has become quite busy.

If you’d like to visit Walt Disney World to see the holiday decorations, there are still some days that are better than others. Just keep in mind that even though they are “better”, they will likely be busier than what you might have experienced over the same days in years past.

2024

  • November 15-22, 2024 (moderate crowds, holiday decorations are out, but the Festival of the Holidays will not have begun yet at Epcot)
  • December 2-20, 2024 (moderate to heavy crowds, holiday decorations, Festival of Holidays will be happening)

2025

  • November 17-21, 2025 (moderate crowds, holiday decorations are out, but the Festival of the Holidays will not have begun yet at Epcot)
  • December 1-5, 2025 (moderate to heavy crowds, holiday decorations, Festival of Holidays will be happening)
  • December 8-12, 2025 (moderate to heavy crowds, holiday decorations, Festival of Holidays will be happening)

What happens if the parks are busier than anticipated?

Although we have years of experience putting these crowd calendars together, occasionally something happens (like a surprise announcement from Disney) that can throw off our predictions. But don’t panic!

Even though heavier crowds may sound scary, that doesn’t mean that your trip will be ruined.

To help navigate it all, we have a few resources to share, including complete guides for using Disney’s Genie+ system, which we have personally found *extremely* useful at keeping waits to a minimum:

In fact, we recommend all guests visiting Walt Disney World spend some time looking through those guides – no matter how busy the parks are expected to be.

Will the new stuff at Universal affect the crowds at Disney World?

If you haven’t heard, Universal is getting a lot of new and highly anticipated stuff in the upcoming years, and we do expect many people will be scheduling trips for those openings.

And, since it isn’t unusual for people to want to pair both a Universal trip with a Walt Disney World trip, we would not be surprised to see an uptick in WDW crowds when the Universal openings happen.

How does a crowd calendar work?

Crowd calendars have been a staple for many people planning Disney World vacations, but exactly what do they do?

Simply put, crowd calendars are predictions for just how busy the entire Walt Disney World Resort will be on any given day.

If you are a repeat visitor, it can be easy to want to compare crowd levels from previous trip dates to future trip dates.

But, that won’t work.

Typically, aside from what we saw in 2020 and 2021, more people are going to visit Walt Disney World year-over-year.

So, keep this in mind:

When looking at crowd levels, please remember that you can’t compare this year to last year, or any other year for that matter. What we consider “heavy” crowds now will likely look nothing like the “heavy” crowds from years past.

And, most importantly – when we predict that crowds will be “heavy” or “light”, we mean that on those dates the crowds will be heavier or lighter when compared to the rest of the year.

Which park should you visit on each day of a Disney World trip?

In addition to the yearly information above, we also publish monthly crowd calendars that include refurbishment and closure information, park and entertainment hours, plus the dates you’ll need to know for booking Advanced Dining Reservations.

When planning your park days, the goal is to visit the park with the lowest predicted crowds.

The monthly calendars are easily customized to display the exact information you need for all 4 parks:

  • Magic Kingdom
  • Epcot
  • Hollywood Studios
  • Animal Kingdom

Plus operating information (hours, refurbishments & closures, etc.) for:

  • Disney Springs
  • Blizzard Beach
  • Typhoon Lagoon

We recommend you use the information on this page to guide you as you select your travel dates, and then use the monthly crowd calendars linked below each month to help you plan your individual days.

How do opening and closings affect crowds at Disney World?

As you can imagine, anytime something major opens or something popular closes, the crowds in the parks are heavily impacted.

In general, the parks where the attraction or show is located will see the largest impact, but it isn’t unusual for all the parks to see a temporary surge in crowds.

So, keep this in mind when noting the crowd levels above.

Crowd levels are fluid from year to year. What was considered “moderate” in years past is not the same thing that is considered “moderate” now; it is simply “moderate” when compared to the rest of the current year.

Do runDisney races and sports competitions make Disney World more crowded?

During the slower times of the year, you’ll often find that Disney World hosts lots of competitions.

If you are planning to visit during the time of the year that a cheer, dance, or other sporting event competition is taking place, we recommend trying to avoid booking a room at one of the host resorts. The primary host resorts are typically all 3 of the All-Star Resorts (All-Star Sports, All-Star Movies, and All-Star Music).

There is also sometimes some overflow into the moderates, primarily Caribbean Beach and Coronado Springs, however, the main impacts (like crowded buses and busy food courts) are guaranteed to be felt at the 3 All-Star Resorts.

Does that mean you will never find competitors in the other resorts? No. But you’ll definitely find them in the ones listed above.

runDisney races, on the other hand, tend to bring in far greater crowds that stay at all levels of resorts and since the competitions occur outside the normal park operating hours, the impact is more wide-spread. That doesn’t mean a trip will be ruined if a race is occurring while you are there, it is just something to be aware of.

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Are crowd calendars a thing of the past?

For a long time, Disney World crowd trends were relatively easy to predict.

It was never an exact science, but years and years of near-monthly visits paired with giant spreadsheets and databases of wait times did help us, with at least a decent amount of accuracy, predict how we thought things would go.

In our opinion, Crowd Calendars aren’t a thing of the past, but they are going to look different.

School schedules have been changing. Remote work is a thing, making it easier for families to travel during traditionally off-peak times.

Choosing those “best dates” just got a lot more nuanced, and things we’d never thought we’d have to consider are a new reality.

But – even though things definitely will look different, there are still times of the year that are less busy than others.

If you’re just starting to plan a trip between now and the end of 2024, you should first read our free Walt Disney World Vacation Planner to make sure you don’t miss anything that could mess up your trip.

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When do you plan to visit? Any questions about our Disney World crowd calendar?

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments, but please don’t ask us to compare to crowd calendars from other sites. We’ve explained the reasoning behind our calendar here and won’t be commenting on how other sites do things.

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Heather Thomas

Christine Smith

Friday 27th of October 2023

It may not matter too much, but Mardi Gras is February 13th this year.

Emma Bridgeman

Friday 20th of October 2023

Your crowd calendars are so useful! When will your calendar for 2025 be out? Thanks!

Shannon Albert

Monday 23rd of October 2023

Glad the info is useful! 2025 will likely be out in May/June of 2024.

Michelle E Barthlow

Saturday 23rd of September 2023

If you could pick any 10 days/nights between May 25th and July 27th, what dates would be the best? Unfortunately, we can't take our daughter out of school anymore like we always used to do.

Barbara Sofer

Tuesday 12th of September 2023

We--grandparents, one parent, two boys 11 and 13, are landing from abroad and driving directly to Epcot on September 26. We won't get there until the noon. What would you recommend vis a vis Gene+ and Lightening Lanes?

Shannon Albert

Friday 15th of September 2023

Would recommend buying it and starting to book from home and while you're traveling. Buy an Individual Lightning Lane Selection for Cosmic Rewind so you can pick a time to ride and consider getting Standby Skipper because it can book your Lightning Lanes even when you don't have access or want to be on your phone.

Emine

Tuesday 29th of August 2023

What does moderate mean? How long are waits with a moderate crowd? I'll be there on Jan 8th, 2024.