The HARDEST Dates to Get Disney World Reservations in 2024

Are you working on those plans for your 2024 Disney World trip? Good on ya!

This next year is set to bring in a TON of new experiences to the parks and hotels, and that means, since you’re planning a trip, HERE ARE THE 2024 DATES you need to keep in mind because you’ll need to book those tickets ASAP.

New Year’s Day

January 1st is an incredibly popular day in Disney World. I mean, wouldn’t you want to spend the first day of the new year in the Most Magical Place on Earth?

Crowds in Magic Kingdom on January 1st, 2023

This WILL BE the fastest to book up since it’s the closest coming up especially since park passes will also still be required on January 1st. So, you’ll need to make sure you book your tickets and park passes well ahead of time so you can get into the park you want to.

Princess Half Marathon Weekend (February 22nd-25th)

In late February, many Disney fans will descend upon the parks for the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend.

And after the racers finish their races, they head into the parks with their families to enjoy the day. While park passes won’t be in effect for those with date-based tickets at this time, we still suggest getting your hotel reservations in order ASAP, because your favorite hotel may fill up.

Spring Break (Late March to Mid-April)

Spring Break is in full effect from late March into the middle of April, and we’d generally say to avoid the parks at all costs during this time, but if you’re planning to head to the parks for your spring break, make those reservations ASAP!!

This is one of the BUSIEST times in the park and can be jarring since it comes out of a much slower season. Many families and school groups take trips during this time, so value hotels may be the first to fill up months in advance — make sure you’re ahead of that surge.

Memorial Day

In the U.S., Memorial Day is often known as the kickoff of the summer travel season. The holiday falls on the last Monday of May, so many people may take off on vacation because they either have a long weekend off of work or their school year has just ended.

And boy…the CROWDS can be wild. So, beat the rush and make those reservations early!

4th of July

Disney’s regular nighttime shows are already fantastic, but on the 4th of July, they’re extra special! In past years, both Magic Kingdom and EPCOT have lit up the night with some pretty epic fireworks shows.

So, if you’re all about those fireworks, just be ready for some pretty big crowds. (Try to book your Park reservations ASAP as we’ve seen them disappear fast, sometimes as early as April or May.)

Labor Day

Labor Day is a popular holiday at Disney World, as it marks the unofficial end of summer and families are looking to create magical memories before the season ends.

If you’ll be starting your vacation on Labor Day, it’s crucial to be early and make your reservations!

Thanksgiving Week

Since most kids in school are off the week of Thanksgiving, the parks are usually FILLED TO THE GILLS with families.

This is especially true for the weekend after Thanksgiving, which can often be busier than Thanksgiving Day itself. Not only is it a holiday, but many people think of this as the true start to the holiday season, and many want to be in the parks to witness it.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Just like Thanksgiving (basically deja vu), the week leading up to the holiday is busy, but Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are what you really want to look out for.

Christmas week crowds at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Similar to New Year’s Day, many families and individuals can’t think of any place better to celebrate the holiday than Disney World. If you’re planning to spend these days staying on property and in the parks, we suggest having your trip booked NO LATER than around 6 months in advance.

New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve is no different than New Year’s Day in crowd levels often — why not spend the last day of 2024 in your favorite Disney World park?

Park capacity can fill up fast on this day, so this is another trip we suggest having booked in full no later than 4-5 months in advance.

Special Ticketed Events and Party Nights

Now, if you’re planning on being at one of Disney World’s special ticketed events (like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, After-Hours Events, etc.), these can sell out VERY fast, so you’ll want to grab a ticket as soon as you know you’d like to attend.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party crowds

For example, we’ve seen plenty of times when the parties completely sell out long before their final nights. Many events will be the same — if you wait until there is a month left until your event, there’s a good chance that the tickets may be gone.

Additionally, another way to get on top of things is to make a solid PLAN before you get to the parks. This means making a priority list of what you want to accomplish in terms of rides, food, entertainment, etc. Think about where you want to eat ahead of time and make those dining reservations ASAP if you haven’t already!

Next, be there early! This applies to so many things. Arrive early at the parks, before they officially open, so that you can be among the first in line for rides. This can help you skip some of the longer waits.

Also, make your Mobile Orders early in the day and schedule them for the times you want to eat so that you can get the best pick-up time for you before many of the time slots fill up.

And stake out your spots early for fireworks and parades so that you can get a good view! The early bird does INDEED get the worm.

Also, think about staying late! Often, ride wait times can go down as the little kiddos head out for the night or other guests get tired and go back to their hotels. If you can stick it out until the end of the night, you may be able to get on some popular rides with much shorter waits.