May at Disney World

May at Walt Disney World starts off with low crowds that pick up for the busy summer travel season, which unofficially kicks off Memorial Day weekend.

Here’s what you need to know:

Is May a good time to visit Disney World?

While Memorial Day crowds can be heavy, the days before and after typically aren’t bad since not all schools are out by then. The beginning of May is also a good time to visit and if you can plan a trip before most schools are out you’ll find the crowds to be quite manageable.

There are all kinds of reasons to love Disney World during May. Here are some of our favorites:

Why we love May at Disney World

• The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival continues. You can find a range of food and beverage offerings, the Garden Rocks Concert Series, and gorgeous topiaries.
• The weather in May at Disney World sees comfortable temperatures at the beginning of the month. But, be warned that temps can creep into the 90s towards the end of May. This also means rainy and storm season is approaching.
• The beginning of May is a good time to visit and can be enjoyable crowd-wise.

But while there is lots to enjoy about May at Disney World, there are a few other things you should know:

• Memorial Day is busy, plus schools start to release at the end of May. Make sure you have a plan so that you aren’t spending all your time in line.
• While the temps in May aren’t anywhere near those July and August temps, there can be hotter days (with rain).
• Storms (especially midday storms) could also occur, so we highly recommend you plan midday breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.

Is Disney World busy in May?

The beginning of May doesn’t usually see high crowds, but as schools begin to let out at the end of May and with Memorial Day (a busy holiday weekend) falling towards the last weekend of the month, crowds will vary.

There are mainly moderate crowds before the peak summer season, with comfortable temperatures and special events, like the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, attracting visitors.

During busier times of the year, Disney does try to improve guest experiences by doing a few things to help keep the lines down. Although they never officially announce anything, these are the things that we’ve noticed that do help:

• Expanded capacity at attractions. Some attractions (like Space Mountain or Toy Story Mania, for example) have multiple “sides”, and during busier times of the year, Disney will operate both sides, which can help keep those wait times down.
• Staffing. When the crowds are heavier, Disney increases their staffing levels across the entire resort. That means more staff at restaurants, at Guest Services, working security and transportation, etc.
• Fewer refurbishments. Whenever anything is closed (either for a refurbishment or even if an attraction simply goes down), all those people who may have been in line are now out in the park or waiting in line for a different attraction. Disney aims to complete as many major, scheduled refurbishment projects as possible by May. Yes, some things may still be refurbished during this time – but if at all possible, they try to get as many things done before Memorial Day and schools release.

Although Disney can make adjustments to keep the lines manageable, they can’t control just how busy the parks look and feel. During busier times of the year like May, walkways and paths in the parks may be full, Quick Service locations remain busy for longer, and the crowds for nighttime shows will be heavier.

We don’t tell you that to scare you, but to prepare you. May is not the time of year to just wing it. Spending even just a few minutes on a plan for your Disney World trip will make all the difference.

Here are the dates we are predicting will be the busiest in May:

• May 6-7 – weekends (especially Saturdays) are typically a bit busier as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap
• May 8-25 – light to moderate crowds, with Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays being a bit heavier than the other days of the week
• May 26-30 – peak Memorial Day weekend crowds

Planning for Disney World in May

PARK HOURS | PRICES & DISCOUNTS | SPECIAL EVENTS | WEATHER | WHAT TO WEAR | REFURBISHMENTS & CLOSURES | WHAT’S NEW | TIPS

May Walt Disney World Park Hours

Disney publishes its park hours about 75 days in advance, but those hours can (and very often do) change.

Note: This used to be about 180 days in advance, but since the reopening, they have transitioned to a roughly 75-day window.

As the dates get closer, it isn’t unusual for Disney to tweak either the opening or closing times. And during especially busy times of the year, they may change both.

That means to avoid having your plans sidetracked, you’ll definitely want to keep checking the park hours – including while on your trip.

When it comes to park hours – in general – the heavier the crowds, the longer the parks will be open during the day. Of course, that also means that the parks will be open fewer hours of the day during less busy times of the years.

In May, that means that you’ll typically find the parks open longer over Memorial Day. 

Read More:

• Guide to Magic Kingdom Park Hours
• Guide to Epcot Park Hours
• Guide to Hollywood Studios Park Hours
• Guide to Animal Kingdom Park Hours

Prices and Discounts for May at Disney World

If you are looking for a good deal, May is a pretty good time to find one.

Disney doesn’t offer discounts to be nice, they do it to fill hotel rooms and for them. Since early May is typically a less busy time of the year, that means you can often find good discounts for those dates.

Special Events at Disney World in May

Epcot International Flower And Garden Festival

Epcot never looks more lovely than during the Flower and Garden Festival, which means May is the perfect time for a visit to this iconic park. 

Taking place in the spring (and sometimes early summer) this festival brings dozens of larger-than-life topiaries as well as plenty of food and drink options inspired by all things botanical. 

Weather in May at Disney World

Even though May isn’t even officially “summer” yet, you can expect it to be warm and even hot.

During May, the temperatures will range from lows in the upper 60s to highs in the upper 80s.

And, by the end of the month, expect those highs to creep into the 90s.

May is also the start of the rainy season. The further into the month you go, the more likely you’ll run into the typical midday showers that central Florida is known for.

We recommend that you come prepared with ponchos, multiple pairs of shoes (in case one pair gets wet), and umbrellas just in case.

Can you swim in May?

By May, you’ll find that the pools will be one of the most popular places to be.

In addition to the pools at the resorts, Disney’s 2 water parks will also see their attendance numbers increase.

If swimming is a must-do and you are worried about the crowds, consider starting your day at the pool and head to the parks later in the day.

Most people reverse that plan which means the pools can get quite busy by the end of the day.

What to wear in May at Disney World

When packing for Disney World in May, most people will be comfortable wearing whatever they typically wear in the summer (shorts, capri pants, etc.).

One place where you might get cold, however, is inside some restaurants and attractions.

And in fact, even during the hottest months we keep a light jacket in our park bag because coming out of the sun into an air-conditioned space is sometimes too cold for our liking.

If you’re the kind of person that finds sitting under the AC to be too much, you might want to consider tossing in a light jacket, too.

Refurbishments and closures

While routine refurbishments aren’t typically scheduled in May, you’ll likely still run into a few attractions that are closed.

What’s new at Disney World in May?​

At this time, no major new attraction, restaurant, or show is scheduled to open in May.

Tips for Disney World in May

• The sun can be quite intense, even if the temps aren’t, so don’t forget to wear your sunscreen.
• Keep checking for discounts. Even if you’ve already booked discounts can still be applied.
• Memorial Day crowds can be heavy, but the days before and after typically aren’t bad since not all schools are out by then.
• The beginning of May is a lovely time to visit and if you can plan a trip before most schools are out you’ll find the crowds to be quite manageable.

What order should you visit the parks?

Depending on the length of your trip, here’s how many days we recommend for each park:

When it comes time to decide which days are best for each park, here are some general things to keep in mind:

• Hollywood Studios was once easy to do in a half day, but now a full day is typically recommended, especially if you want to ride all the headliners and catch some of the shows.
• Magic Kingdom is the most popular park overall. It is also the park most first-time visitors think of when they think “Disney World”. Saturdays and Mondays are the busiest, with mid-week typically the least busy.
• Epcot hosts nearly year-round festivals, and those festivals are popular with both out-of-state visitors and with locals. And, since a lot of what the festivals are famous for are alcohol and food, the areas around the Festival Booths can be a lot busier (and a bit rowdier) than what you’d find during the daytime hours on the weekdays. If that isn’t the vibe you are looking for, you may want to skip Epcot during the nighttime on Friday and Saturdays.
• Animal Kingdom remains one of the “easiest” parks to fit into a trip. You should be able to plug it in wherever it makes the most sense for you.

How our May Crowd Calendar Works

1. For each day of the month, we tell you on a scale of 1-10 how busy the entire Walt Disney World Resort is when compared to other days of the year.

2. Then, for each park, you’ll see the park hours and any special events that are planned.

3. We also track refurbishments and closings (which you can toggle on and off).

4. We have a handy feature that allows you to automatically add your Advanced Dining Reservation date to your calendar.

5. And, one of the most useful features is the ability to be able to print the calendar so that you can have a paper copy for planning (or to just use as a backup).

May Crowd Calendar