November at Disney World

November at Walt Disney World ushers the holidays into the parks with festive decorations and entertainment offerings. But, the holidays also mean “crowds.” 

Here’s what you need to know:

Is November a good time to visit Walt Disney World?

November is busy month for Walt Disney World. While there is a lot to enjoy during this time, including the holidays, the crowds certainly aren’t for everyone.

That said, there are all kinds of reasons to love Disney World during November. Here are some of our favorites:

Why we love November at Walt Disney World

• The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival concludes towards the middle of November, so if you’re visiting early in the month, you can enjoy the end of the lengthy and popular festival.
• When Food and Wine ends, this makes way for the next festival — the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays. This is a short (and joyful) one, so there is only a small amount of time to soak up all the holiday goodness.
• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party happens several nights per week during the month (and throughout December). If you’re looking for something extra special to tack onto a trip, we think the party is a great option for any group that can stay up until midnight.
• The weather in November can also be enjoyable when there are cooler temps. Plus, there’s usually less rain.

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

• November is very busy crowd-wise thanks to Thanksgiving and the start of the Christmas season at Disney World. If you have a good plan and are flexible, we are positive you will still have a great time. Just be warned that it absolutely, positively will be crowded.
• When it comes to the weather in November at Disney World, it can be hot. Plus, November is still technically part of Hurricane Season, and speaking from experience a hurricane doesn’t have to be super close to Orlando to cause it to rain even more than what you’ll usually see.

Is Disney World busy in November?

Yes, November in Disney World is busy. Very busy.

There’s a lot happening during this month, like: Thanksgiving (and those who are on break), two Epcot festivals (Food and Wine and Festival of the Holidays), the runDisney Wine and Dine 1/2 Marathon, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, other Christmas events, and more.

Even though most of the month will be busy, there are still a few days that will be busier than others.

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 November. Yes, some things may still be refurbished during this time – but if at all possible, November doesn’t typically see many refurbishments, if any at all.

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 November, 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. November 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.

To avoid the heaviest crowds in November, skip these dates:

• November 1-5 – very heavy crowds possible due to the runDisney Wine & Dine 1/2 Marathon
• November 10-12 – heavy crowds for the Veterans Day holiday
• November 18-21 – heavy crowds begin arriving for the Thanksgiving holiday
• November 22-26 – peak Thanksgiving crowds
• November 27-30 – heavy crowds to finish out November

Planning for Disney World in November

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

November 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.

That means in November you can expect to see the parks open more hours around both the busy Veterans Day and Thanksgiving holidays.

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 November in Disney World

Even though November has a couple of very busy holidays, there are still chances for some discounts.

Special Events in November at Disney World

Epcot International Food And Wine Festival

Probably the most famous of all the Epcot festivals is the International Food and Wine Festival.

Held every year in the fall, if you are a fan of good food and fun drinks, you’ll definitely want to plan to spend some time at Epcot during your trip.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

One of the hottest parties around, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a specially ticketed event (translation: it costs extra) at Magic Kingdom. During the party you’ll find special character meet and greet opportunities, dance parties, a special parade, fireworks, and special treat stations where you can get hot cocoa and cookies.

Epcot International Festival Of The Holidays

Typically starting at the end of November, Epcot’s Festival of the Holidays introduces guests to holiday customs and traditions throughout the world.

Christmas

Christmas has always been an extremely popular time to visit Walt Disney World, with specially ticketed events at Magic Kingdom a highlight for many guests.

Weather in November at Disney World​

November at Disney World can be anything from hot to perfect to cool. That means you’ll definitely want to check the forecast when your trip gets closer and then consider packing layers.

During November, the temperatures will range from lows in the 60s to highs in the upper 70s.

The rain chances also decrease, with November only seeing around 2 and a half inches of rain per year.

But even though the rain chances aren’t as high, we still 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 November?

Even though it may be too cold to swim in November where you live, at Disney World the pools are heated which means even if the air is a bit chilly, the pools are still a comfortable temp.

In addition to the pools at the resorts, at least 1 of Disney’s 2 water parks will remain open.

What to wear in November at Disney World

Traveling in November? We recommend you start with clothes that are comfortable for summer but that you also consider bringing jackets or sweatshirts for the nighttime or early morning.

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. And in November, that can still be true.

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 November, you’ll likely still run into a few attractions that are closed.

Water parks

During the colder months, Disney also typically closes Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon (one at a time) for refurbishment.

These scheduled closings typically take place between the end of October and mid-March.

Make sure you check the calendar below to see what park will be open during your visit.

What’s new at Disney World in November?

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

Tips for Disney World in November

• If you can avoid Veterans Day and the week of Thanksgiving you’ll have the best chances for lower than average crowds.
• Keep checking for discounts. Even if you’ve already booked discounts can still be applied.
• The pools can get quite busy. For the lowest crowds consider visiting in the morning.
• If you plan to visit the Food & Wine Festival, consider going on a weekday when the crowds are lower.

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 November 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).

November Crowd Calendar