The Three WORST Times to Go to Walt Disney World

We’ll let you in on a little secret: there’s truly never a bad time to visit Disney World. Even the hottest day can still be fun, and even the busiest days are an opportunity to have your best Disney day ever!

Magic Kingdom

That said, if you want to avoid crowds and extreme weather, then there ARE a few times in the year that you need to be mindful of.

Today, we’re sharing three of the worst times to find yourself in Disney World.

When it’s crowded!

No surprises here — when the parks are crowded, it can be hard to accomplish every ride, attraction, character meet and greet, restaurant, and show on your “to do” list. While it’s hard to predict what day-to-day crowds will look like, there are a few times in the year that are reliably busier than others.

Holiday crowds at the entrance to Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Perhaps the time of year most notoriously known for busy park days is the holiday season. Starting in mid-to-late November and lasting through early January, the holidays are one of the most popular times of the year to visit Disney World. Between work and school breaks and comfortable temperatures (not to mention beautiful holiday decorations and festive activities) it’s no wonder the end of the calendar year is often the busiest!

It gets pretty crowded at Disney World during the holidays!

Other times of the year where crowds are more or less certain fall around popular school break seasons: think spring break (mid-March through mid-April, typically planned around the Easter holiday) as well as summer break. Long holiday weekends like Martin Luther King, Jr., Day weekend, Memorial Day weekend, and Labor Day weekend can lead to bigger crowds.

Cinderella Castle at Night…with lots of onlookers!

Another series of dates you may not think about but definitely should are the runDisney marathon weekends. These happen a few times a year and bring in tons of racers and their families over the days leading up to and including the race weekend.

When it’s EXTRA hot!

Not only is summer a busier time of year due to school breaks, but it’s also a rather uncomfortable time of year thanks to that good old Florida heat and humidity. Hot weather can strike Central Florida at any time of the year, but as a general guideline, late May through late October is when you’ll likely experience the worst of the state’s heat and humidity.

There’s a lot to think about when it comes to planning a Disney vacation!

There are some ways to alleviate the discomfort of the summer season if you have no other options. Take frequent breaks, stay hydrated, seek out air conditioning, pack handheld fans and cooling towels, and consider mid-day breaks at the hotel pool!

Check out our Weather page here to find out what we recommend for weather preparedness!

Hurricane season!

Last but certainly not least, one of the riskiest times to visit Disney World is during hurricane season. The season officially begins on June 1st and lasts through November 30th. During this time, tropical storms and hurricanes can pass over and near Florida.

Rain in Galaxy’s Edge

At best, a hurricane can cause some inconvenience in the form of extremely wet and rainy weather as well as temporary ride closures. At its worst, hurricane season can cause flight cancelations and even park closures.

Magic Kingdom following Hurricane Idalia

Disney World is sensitive to the fact that hurricanes can have a drastic impact on your travel plans. If your flights happen to be canceled due to a hurricane, be sure to reach out to Disney and let them know so your reservations can be modified accordingly.

©National Hurricane Center

Sometimes, it can be hard to avoid traveling during busy or hot times of the year. Between school and work calendars, you may not have another option. While the seasons, holidays, and weekends we mentioned above are notorious for less-than-ideal circumstances, that doesn’t mean your trip is in jeopardy! You can still have a fantastic time in Disney World no matter when you visit — these times of the year we mentioned above may just require a little extra planning and adjusting your expectations.

The Worst Place To Go in Disney World After Dark

Are you planning a Disney World vacation? Let us know in the comments!

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5 Replies to “The Three WORST Times to Go to Walt Disney World”

  1. So according to this… you want to go some time between mid January(end of holidays) and June 1st(start of hurricane/hot season), but miss mid march-mid April(spring break)?

    This is not meant to be a sarcastic question, although I can see most times of the year have been excluded. Lol. We are usually DL goers but don’t have to worry about hurricane season so there are a few more times of year to work with.

  2. We’re planning a Disney trip March 21-25, 2022. We’re excited about attending. It it usually busy at this time of year?

  3. Taking our 3 adult children week of May 15, to celebrate 50th. Two of them went for their first time during 25th anniversary. Husband and I did a trial run trip in early December to see how Genie+ and lightening lane work and how best to use the new system in May.

  4. We have a trip planned for the first week of May. Hoping it will be moderately crowded. Looking forward to spending May 4th (Star Wars day) in Galaxy’s Edge. Haven’t been back to WDW since December 2019 so super excited for this trip!!