The Busiest Times of Year to Visit Disney World

Now that mask requirements and social distancing guidelines have been removed from Disney World, along with the return of shows, parades, and other entertainment, the crowds are back at Disney World once again.

If you’re someone who doesn’t enjoy spending their Disney park days shoulder-to-shoulder with other guests or waiting in lengthy lines for rides that are usually a walk-on (there’s NO way we’re waiting over 30 minutes to ride “it’s a small world”), these are the times to try to avoid planning your Disney vacations.

New Years Eve/ New Years Day

3, 2, 1…Happy New Year!

The idea of ringing in the new year at “The Most Magical Place on Earth” is intriguing, sure. But you’re not the only one with that idea.

Sometimes, Disney parks will reach capacity for New Year’s Eve and into New Years Day. We’ve seen Park Pass Reservations sell out months in advance before, however, this is the last New Year’s with park passes since they are going away in January 2024. With the way crowds have been this year, it’s likely that trend will continue.

However,  if you’re not planning on waiting in extremely long ride lines, and simply want to experience the exciting atmosphere of a Disney crowd watching fireworks together while singing Auld Lang Syne, the energy of the guests is contagious and a ton of fun to be part of.

Family Ideas For Spending New Year’s Eve at Disney World

Spring Break (mid-March)

Spring Break seems like it’d be the perfect time for a week’s getaway to Disney World. The weather’s generally milder, the kids are out of school, and EPCOT’s International Flower and Garden Festival is in full swing.

But Spring Break is busy, busy, BUSY in Disney World because everyone else is on break, too.

Disney World sees a particularly large spike in numbers during Florida’s Spring Break week.

Spring break depends on where you live, but you can expect it to be busy in March and April.

Will You Regret Going to Disney World for Spring Break?

Summer Vacation 

Much like Spring Break, summer vacation is a time when school’s out and the kids are ready to play.

Crowds throughout June and early July are bustling. This is especially true around the 4th of July when families and friends are crowding into the parks at night for the best fireworks displays ever.

Sometimes, going to Disney World during the summer is unavoidable, so remember to use your time wisely.

Consider hitting up the parks at rope drop to get as many of the rides in as you can before the afternoon crowds roll in, consider staying at a Disney World hotel to get early theme park entry access (and potentially extended evening hours if you stay at a deluxe resort), and make reservations to your favorite restaurants 60 days in advance.

Emma’s Summer Theme Park Fashion Roundup: The 10 Things That Help Me Survive Disney World Heat

Halloween

Grim-grinning-ghosts are out to socialize…and so is everyone else.

Halloween is hoppin’ at the Disney parks — particularly at Magic Kingdom, where the after-hours Halloween events typically take place. In the past, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party has taken place in Magic Kingdom during the Halloween season.

In 2021, Not-So-Scary was cancelled and the new After Hours BOO Bash event took place on select nights from August through October in Magic Kingdom. However, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party returned in 2022 and tickets are on sale now for 2023.

Crowds from the first night of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in 2022 were not bad at all, however this is a limited event with only a certain number of tickets. You could definitely tell when the party started — the crowds cleared out quickly!

But, the crowds around Halloween (and particularly on Halloween day) can be pretty busy otherwise. In 2022, we saw some quiet areas mixed in with some very congested areas in the parks on Halloween.

If you want to experience Halloween in Disney without the Main Street, U.S.A. traffic jam, try planning a trip at the end of August when the crowds are lighter and the festivities are kicking off.

Click here to see what crowds looked like on Halloween in Disney World in 2022!

December

Deck the Halls with crowds-a-plenty, fa la la la la la la la la… .

There are so many Christmas festivities to experience in Disney World, such as the return of  Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in 2023,  EPCOT’s International Festival of the Holidays, and a brand new holiday event at Hollywood Studios called Jollywood Nights. Even Disney Springs celebrates the season with their (totally free) Christmas Tree Stroll.

Much like Disney around Halloween time, you may want to plan your Christmas vacay earlier in the season (around the beginning to mid-November).

Then again, even with the massive crowds, there’s something truly special about experiencing the Disney holidays in December. Just plan on hitting up the limited edition festivities and skipping those long ride lines this time ’round.

Click here to see our guide to holiday happenings in Disney World!

Marathon Days

Several different runDisney events happen in Disney World throughout the year, but we’ve found that any day we go to the parks during a runDisney event is going to be a packed-out day.

If you want to sign up to participate in a runDisney event, that’s one thing. The crowds feel like a support system rather than a burden to your park day. However, if you’re going to Disney World during a runDisney day as a guest, the crowds can get pretty overwhelming.

Check and make sure your Disney vacation doesn’t fall in the middle of a runDisney timeframe.

Or join in on the fun — runDisney races have returned to Disney World and we’re stoked to see them again!

Check out the runDisney races coming to Disney World in 2024!

There you have it, a few of the most crowded times you could possibly visit Disney World! Stay tuned to AllEars for all of the latest Disney news and planning trips for your upcoming vacation.

Have you visited Disney World during one of these busy times? Let us know about your experience in the comments below!

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