Best Dates To Go To Disney World 2026 + FREE Printable Calendar
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The ultimate guide to picking the best time to go to Disney World plus a free printable calendar!
If you are planning a visit to Disney World you might be wondering what’s the best time to go for low crowds and great weather.
I have been to Disney World over 30 times in every season of the year and there are definitely some times of year that are better to visit than others!
In this post, I’ll share my picks for the best time to go to Disney World, but first be sure to fill out the form below so I can send your free printable calendar right to your inbox.
Best Time To Go To Disney World: Cost, Crowds, & Weather
The three factors to consider as you plan your visit are cost, crowds, and weather. Since I’m a cheapskate at heart, I’ll start with cost.
The price you’ll pay for a hotel room and tickets at Walt Disney World varies wildly depending on the time of year during which you travel.
For example, the “rack rate” for a standard room at Disney’s Pop Century Resort in 2026 ranges from $180 to almost $400 throughout the year.
Yep, that same exact room costs more than DOUBLE during peak travel season compared to other times of the year.
So we aren’t just talking about a few extra dollars – we talking about cutting the cost of your lodging almost in half by traveling at off-peak times!
The second reason I suggest planning your travel dates carefully is to avoid horrendous crowds at the theme parks.
Nothing ruins a vacation like shuffling through the parks at a snail’s pace surrounded by throngs of frustrated tourists. Or seeing 1+ hour wait times for all of the popular attractions.
The third reason you should plan your travel carefully is the weather.
Don’t underestimate the heat and humidity of central Florida in the summer months!
If your vacation plans include pool time, you might want to avoid a visit in January or February, when pool days are rare.
Also, traveling to Florida in hurricane season can be dicey, so all but one of my recommended times to visit fall outside of that time of year (roughly June until the end of October).
I’ll give you my four favorite times of year to visit the parks below, but be warned: all but one take place when kids are traditionally in school.
Your kids will get SO MUCH out of a trip to Disney World in terms of new knowledge and life experience that in my honest opinion it’s worth taking them out of school.
Ok now on to the details!
#1 Best Time To Go To Disney World: Late Summer Thru September
My first pick for the best time to go to Disney World is the beginning of August through the end of September.
While the summer USED the be a no-go time for me, crowds after July start to fall off considerably nowadays.
This crowd calendar from Thrill-data.com shows the average wait times at Magic Kingdom and September brings the lowest wait times of the entire year.
While it is VERY hot this time of year, the lower cost and crowds might make it worth it for you.
This is also hurricane season, so if you are making a large investment in your trip and don’t have flexibility I suggest cancel for any reason travel insurance.
I have visited Disney World during this time for five out of the last six years for the following reasons:
1) Awesome pool weather (we spend LOTS of time at the pool)
2) Relatively low crowd levels
3) Epcot International Food & Wine Festival!
4) September is one of the cheapest times of year to stay at Disney if you are renting DVC points.
5) Some of the cheapest dates for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party discount tickets
Folks sometimes ask me why I prefer this time to October. October brings somewhat heavier crowds thanks to the Halloween party and peak Food & Wine Crowds, plus slightly higher costs.
But overall, October is a great time to visit, too!
We love to rent DVC points this time of year for a stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge, our favorite resort.
We pay $200/night for a Deluxe Studio Villa which would cost over $500 if we booked it directly through Disney (read about how you can rent DVC points to save money on your trip, too).
It is pretty hot this time of year, with highs in the upper 80s, making it sometimes unbearable in the sun. But as long as you plan for a break in the middle of the day, the heat is manageable (at least for me).
If I want to stay in a Value or Moderate resort, then I book through Priceline to get additional discounts on top of Disney’s discounts.
#2 Best Time To Visit Walt Disney World: After Easter Until Memorial Day
My second pick for the best time to go to Disney World is the period after Easter up until Memorial Day.
The weather is the big draw this time of year.
Visiting the warm and tropical lushness of Florida after a cold, gray winter is just completely incredible. Plus no chance of a hurricane ruining your well-laid plans!
Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival takes place this time of year, adding more color and beauty to your trip. Crowds stay lowish, with averages of 4-5 out of 10 for the whole time period.
As far as cost goes, this is a more expensive time of year to visit compared to fall and early winter by about 25%. But it may be worth it to you for the fantastic weather.
If you want to rent DVC points, I suggest visiting in May as opposed to April for significant savings.
May is part of “Dream Season” which has rates only slightly higher than the two cheapest seasons. You will pay about 30% more in April, so wait for May if you can!
Spring is a busy time of year so you’ll want every advantage – click here for my guide to using the Disney World Lightning Lanes and get your free cheat sheet printable.
#3 Best Time to Visit Disney World: Early December
My third pick for the best time to visit Disney World is the period right after Thanksgiving through the first few weeks in December.
The main reason for a visit this time of year is to soak up the incredible Disney World holiday magic without paying any more than you would other times of the year!
This is one of the more affordable times of year to visit, whether you are booking a resort room with Disney or renting DVC points.
Crowds are around 6 out of 10, though they spike a little on the weekends with locals visiting for the holiday decorations and special events.
The weather starts to get unpredictable this time of year, so you could catch highs in the 70’s or you could need parkas.
But as long as you pack for anything, this is such a wonderful time to visit the parks.
Click here to get my ultimate guide to Disney World Christmas for details on the special holiday events plus tips for celebrating Christmas at Disney!
#4 Best Time To Visit: Early November
My fourth choice for the best time to visit Disney World is early November.
This time of year has fantastic weather, average crowds, and low room rates.
Plus you’ll catch the tail end of the hugely popular Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, my favorite event at Walt Disney World!
Average highs are around 80 degrees so you can likely still get some time in at the pool and it’s not scorchingly hot at the parks. Hurricane season is almost always over by now.
Crowds aren’t too bad (about 4-5 out of 10) and this time of year is part of the rate category Disney calls “Fall”, which is one of the lower-cost times of year to visit.
For comparison, a standard room at Pop Century costs $165 during the “Fall” season, which is second only to “Value” season in January in terms of affordability.
Note: There is a cost increase and increase in crowds associated with the Veteran’s Day long weekend, so avoid those few days if you can.
Runner-Up Best Time To Go To Disney World: January and Early February
I felt like I had to mention one more time of year to consider for the best time to go to Disney World.
January (after marathon weekend) and early February (up until President’s Day weekend) offer the lowest prices AND lowest crowd levels of the year. You’ll have to contend with “winter” in Florida, which is totally mild of course.
Keep in mind there is a surge in crowds that weekend before Martin Luther King, Jr Day.
But, if you aren’t concerned with visiting the pool and want to avoid crowds/save money, consider a trip in the first two months of the year! Plus, you’ll get to experience Epcot’s Festival of the Arts, which is included with park admission.
We love the warm weather and special events of the previously mentioned time periods, so we tend to avoid these months.
It is also important to note that resort hotel rooms are almost always cheaper Sunday through Thursday night.
If you are planning a 5-night stay and can make it happen with work schedules, go during the week to avoid the additional 10-25% cost increase of Friday and Saturday night stays.
I hope this post gave you some helpful hints for the best time to go to Disney World. Any questions? Please leave a comment below or join the discussion on my free private Facebook group!
Check out these related posts:
We plan on visiting November 14th through the 18th? It will just be 2 adults. Do you see a need for us to Genie+ pass? Do you have any tips for that time of year?
Hi Julie! I do think you will want Genie+ for every park except Animal Kingdom that time of year. Here’s my guide: https://thebudgetmouse.com/disney-genie-plus-lightning-lanes/
We have planned for a trip on August 13-19, 2022. What should we expect on those days?
We have planned for a trip on March 21-26, 2022. Are there any pro’s or con’s during this time frame?
Hi Michael! The only con is spring break crowds. I’d say they are about a 7/10. But the weather is fantastic that time of year so probably worth braving the crowds!
Hi! I’m curious why the last two weeks in August aren’t green? I know the last several years they have been the lowest crowds of the year. Thanks!
Well because I think it’s the worst weather of the year LOL. I should add it as a runner-up though because you are correct, crowds are super low!
@Leah, what happens if you go to a park in the morning and after a few hours it pours all day? Did you simply lose a day on your pass?
Also, are off property guests not allowed to ride the monorail, boats or skyliner? If parked your car at a park parking lot, must you drive to the next park when park hopping?
Yes, anyone can ride Disney transportation regardless of where you are staying and if you have a park ticket or not! You can definitely park hop using Disney transportation. And if it rains all day yes you still use a day on your pass.
I saw your comment about avoiding the pools in the feb months – they’re open still and heated right? Or do you just prefer swimming when it’s warmer out as well?
Yes they are open and heated year round! I just prefer it to be warmer. But lots of people swim in February.
we will be visiting Sept 18 to 25 staying at timeshare on Disney property. We are tentatively planning Epcot on Monday and Tuesday and Magic Kingdom on Thursday. Wednesday is the Space center and Friday is still not planned. How many day ticket should I buy since we will not be going on 4 consecutive days?
Good question! If you buy a four day ticket you get up to 8 days to use it. So you don’t have to go consecutive days. When you go to purchase it will show you the window of days you have. This post will give more details: https://www.thefrugalsouth.com/cheapest-way-to-get-disney-tickets/
Hello! My family is trying to plan a trip to Disney World on December 5-11th. Initially was 6-12th but change the date so we have Sunday to recover before going back to school or work! What will be the best parks to visit and on which days? 6 adults and 2 kids ages 12 and 6.
You are singing my song! I’m also a former public school teacher, now schooling my kids at home. I love all those times you mentioned for just the same reasons! We also enjoy renting DVC points and AKL. Great advice!
Yay!! I am a homeschooling mom, too!
Hi Wendy,
We’ve {finally} booked our Disney vacation on January 14-21, 2021.
The only thing we haven’t reserved yet is are the park tickets and dining (Saturday, 1/16/21 is my wife’s 60th birthday).
Any ideas as to where/how to get the best (cheapest…?) tickets and how to make the 16th a night to remember?
Thanks for everything you do and the priceless information you provide!
That is so exciting! This post will guide you to finding the cheapest tickets: https://www.thefrugalsouth.com/cheapest-way-to-get-disney-tickets/
As far as making it a memorable night, I’d have to check and see what special experiences are still available during the restrictions. As far as a special dining experiences, I suggest these places when you are celebrating: Teppan Edo, Topolino’s Terrace, or California Grill (if it is open then).
Hi! Thank you for all the helpful information. We are planning on going to WDW for the 1st time and we were thinking end of March 2021 or beginning of April 2021. Which would you recommend more, as far as crowd-wise?
Hi Wendy! Since Easter is early that year (April 4th) I honestly think the best option would be to go immediately after that if you could swing it. The crowds will be WAY down and prices will be much cheaper.