When to Visit Walt Disney World
A Brilliant Guide from Wishful Thinking
QUICK JUMP:
In our Brilliant Guides, we simplify things. Get expert tips for first-timers & returning guests. Perfect for Disney newcomers & travelers from abroad, we cover the basics & highlight what matters most.
In our Brilliant Guides, we simplify things. Get expert tips for first-timers & returning guests. Perfect for Disney newcomers & travelers from abroad, we cover the basics & highlight what matters most.
QUICK JUMP:
When to Visit Walt Disney World
In the guide below, we’ll discuss when you should visit Walt Disney World. As most folks think through the time they want to visit, a few key questions come to mind. What’s new at Walt Disney World, and what’s on the way? (Should we wait for the next new thing?) When are the parks most crowded? When are the slower periods? How are things during major holidays like Spring Break, Easter, Halloween & Christmas? During major events? And what’s the weather like in Orlando at different times of year?
We’ll answer all those questions within the topics below.
2025 Reservations | Walt Disney Travel Packages through 2025 are now open!
WHAT’S NEW & ON THE WAY
With exciting new attractions on the way, is 2024, 2025 or 2026 the time to go? You won’t want to return home and discover that you missed the hot new thing. Let’s make sure you’re in the know about what’s new, and what’s on the way.
See what's new -- and what's on the way
Walt Disney himself declared that his parks will never be completed, but rather, “will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” Thankfully, the creative geniuses at Disney are constantly bringing fresh new ideas to their parks and resorts. Here are the newest additions and major changes at Walt Disney World.
NEW HOTELS
A handful of new hotels in the Walt Disney World area are now welcoming guests.
Walt Disney World Swan Reserve | A third hotel has joined the famed Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin in the EPCOT resort area — just beside the BoardWalk, Yacht & Beach Club resorts. Marriott revved up the luxury factor for their latest. Spacious suites — many of which have views of EPCOT or Hollywood Studios — are now bookable as part of a Walt Disney World Vacation Package.
JW Marriott Orlando Bonnett Creek Resort & Spa | Located less than a minute from Walt Disney World, this upscale hotel features classy design, a luxurious pool, and Illume, a stunning 9th floor Japanese restaurant and lounge with a gorgeous view of EPCOT’s fireworks. Although it’s not part of Disney’s Good Neighbor Hotel program just yet, we’d be happy to book a reservation for you.
RENOVATIONS AT DISNEY RESORT HOTELS
The extended pandemic closures gave Walt Disney World an unusual opportunity: the chance to renovate hotel areas without worrying about disturbing guests. As the hotels remained closed, Disney started kicking up the pixie dust. They’ve continued their streak of renovating the rooms, lobbies and pools at numerous resorts.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort | In 2023, refreshed, pastel-toned rooms with subtle décor inspired by The Little Mermaid have begun to replace the Pirates of the Caribbean-themed rooms. Murphy beds, increased storage, hardwood floors and updated power outlets are part of the new panache.
Disney’s BoardWalk Inn & Villas | Also in 2023, new renovations to the resort’s lounge and lobby areas have brought serene design and a new coffee bar just off the lobby. A delectable new bakery, the Cake Bake Shop, is on its way sometime next year.
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort | A whole new monorail boarding area welcomes you, and floor-to-ceiling renovations within the guest rooms have brought Moana to life. The tasteful, vibrant new décor features tiki-inspired wall art, hardwood floors, marble accents, additional luggage storage, increased power outlets, and dozens of decorative touches. Elegant Polynesian patterns throughout the room interplay with artful appearances from Maui, Pua and Hei Hei. In 2023, the perennially popular Kona Cafe got refreshed look too, with the help of Hawaiian artisans.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort | It’s 1971 now and forever in the all-new mid-century style hotel lobby, where the fantastic new Steakhouse ’71 replaced The Wave with affordable all-day dining. The menu’s got far more than steaks, taking inspiration from the en vogue French cuisine that intrigued guests when this hotel first opened. Even more excitingly, the hep cat mid-century style of The Incredibles inspires newly renovated guest rooms. It’s as if Edna Mode herself has designed the digs to rest your head after a heroic day in the parks. In 2023, room renovations continued into the Garden Wing.
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, All-Star Resorts, Port Orleans Resort, & Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa | The 2020 / 2021 closure gave Disney the chance to complete the renovation work they’d begun across numerous resorts in 2019. All the guest rooms within these hotels have undergone fresh renovations. Expect hardwood floors instead of carpet, ample luggage storage underneath new platform beds, and lots of extra power outlets.
DISNEY SKYLINER GONDOLA
Opened in 2019, this gondola transportation system travels over land and water to carry guests between 10 resort hotels (Art of Animation, Pop Century, Caribbean Beach, Riviera, Yacht & Beach Club, BoardWalk, and Swan / Dolphin / Swan Reserve) to stations at EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Travel time between the resort hotels and the theme parks is about 20 minutes. Learn more about the Skyliner gondola ▸
WHAT’S NEW IN THE THEME PARKS
Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana | This brand new attraction brings the heart of Te Fiti to the heart of EPCOT. Just behind Spaceship Earth, this walk-through attraction invites guests of all ages to interact with state-of-the-art fountains and interactive displays to learn the integral role of water in our environment, all through the playful, adventurous spirit of Moana.
TRON Lightcycle / Run at Magic Kingdom | The blockbuster roller coaster from Shanghai Disneyland park has finally arrived stateside. Hop on board the azure-neon glowing cycles and enter the Grid on Disney’s newest, fastest coaster. You’ll need a Boarding Group (or Lightning Lane reservation) to experience it. Learn more ▸
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT | One of the world’s largest indoor roller coasters arrives at EPCOT with a state-of-the-art storytelling coaster design. The first MARVEL-themed attraction at Walt Disney World has earned rave reviews from all sides; it’s become Walt Disney World’s new must-do experience. You’ll need a Boarding Group (or Lightning Lanereservation) to experience it. Learn more ▸
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at EPCOT | Shrink down to the size of a rat and scurry on a madcap adventure through 3-D Parisian scenes of the hit Pixar film. It’s a nearly identical clone to the blockbuster attraction in Disneyland Paris resort.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Hollywood Studios | The very first moving attraction devoted to the Mouse who started it all, this brand new attraction blends the classic imagination of Disney’s best dark rides with new trackless ride vehicle technology. The less you know before going in, the better! This much we’ll tell you: it’s a must. A nearly identical version opened in 2023 in Disneyland.
Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios | This massive land is home to two pioneering attractions, a character-inspired cantina, and intricate souvenir shopping areas. Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run is a hybrid of an interactive motion vehicle and an arcade game, where you speed your way through the Star Wars galaxies while shooting down enemy attacks. The major attraction here is Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, a deeply immersive ride experience involving multiple show areas and trackless ride vehicles.
WHAT’S COMING TO WALT DISNEY WORLD
Disney’s already announced a number of very exciting projects on the way in 2024, 2025 and beyond. Is it better to wait until then?
See the whole list of Walt Disney World’s future projects ▸
CROWD PREDICTIONS
In the new era of dated tickets & theme park reservations for Annual Passholders, Disney’s really learned how to spread out their guests among all four parks. Crowd calendars are inaccurate. We’ve got a better solution for predicting when Walt Disney World’s parks will be busiest.
Look at these indicators instead
ARE DISNEY CROWD CALENDARS ACCURATE?
Do you know what a Crowd Calendar is? They’ve been the stuff of Disney blogs for about 15 years. They rely on historical patterns to predict — day by day — how busy each theme park will be.
And by and large, they’re completely obsolete and inaccurate nowadays.
The post-pandemic era changed everything. Through Disney’s date-and-park-specific tickets and a Park Pass theme park reservation system (which is still required for many Annual Passholders) park capacity limitations are in place. It helps Disney spread out the guests among all four parks. And more crucially, it’s empowered Disney to reduce the parks’ operating hours when it expects fewer guests to enter the turnstiles. They can reduce the number of food service locations, too. Therefore, even if a park technically will serve a fewer total number of guests on a given day, Disney can squish all those guests into a more compact time and space. Spare the workforce. Economize.
The result? The park feels just as crowded — and the wait times are just as long — even if technically, a fewer number of guests spent the day in the parks.
That’s why it doesn’t matter much if 10,000 or 20,000 people are inside Magic Kingdom. It’s still going to be a 65 minute wait to fly alongside Peter Pan.
That doesn’t mean that the total number of tourists in Orlando doesn’t matter. It does: less busy times of the year see lower hotel rates, more promotional offers, and cheaper flights.
But if wait times for rides are what you’re trying to avoid, ditch the Crowd Calendars. We’ve got better predictions and strategies to avoid the crowds at Walt Disney World.
LOOK AT MAGIC KINGDOM’S OPENING & CLOSING HOURS
To get a general sense of how busy things will be across all of Walt Disney World, simply look at the opening hours of the Magic Kingdom. It’s the world’s busiest theme park, and it also sees the widest fluctuation in its daily operating hours. Just as means of historic comparison, the Magic Kingdom was open 17 hours per day during the holiday period of 2019. For most of summer 2019, it was open 12-14 hours per day. In 2024, it’s s typically open about 14 hours per day.
View the Magic Kingdom’s hours of operation ▸
When the Magic Kingdom is open the following hours per day, here’s how busy Walt Disney World will predictably be:
• 17 or more hours per day = INSANELY BUSY
• 15 – 16 hours per day = VERY BUSY
• 13 – 14 hours per day = BUSY
• 11 – 12 hours per day = MORE RELAXED
• 9 – 10 hours per day = THE LEAST BUSY IT EVER IS.
WHICH PARKS ARE BUSIEST ON WHICH DAYS OF THE WEEK?
With those big-picture factors in mind, there are a few other well-established patterns that you should consider as you choose which days of the week to focus on which parks.
• Most guests begin their vacation at Magic Kingdom | Whether for nostalgia or simply to give the kid the iconic thing they’re dreaming of, most Walt Disney World vacationers hit up Magic Kingdom first. Because Friday, Saturday and Sunday are big arrival days, the Magic Kingdom tends to be busiest on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
• Most guests visit Hollywood Studios next | Because Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge continues to be immensely popular, many guests visit the Studios next. That makes the Studios is often busiest on Mondays and Tuesdays.
• Most guests visit Animal Kingdom mid-week | The “Avatar” sequel’s popularity has made the Pandora area extra popular again, and Flight of Passage is easily one of Disney’s best, most popular attractions. Animal Kingdom is often least busy on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
• EPCOT sees evening and weekend bumps | As EPCOT completes is major construction projects, many people push back EPCOT to the later part of the week — it’s an especially popular spot to land from a park-hop. Grownups like the idea of heading to World Showcase for evening drinks, noshing around the lagoon and catching the fireworks. During the opening weekends of each new festival — especially the Food & Wine festival — Annual Passholder locals tend to flock here in the later hours of the day.
• Water Parks are very weather-dependent | This shouldn’t be a shocker, but hot weather, sunny days without rain, etc., tend to inspire folks to head to Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. This might change a bit in 2025, when Disney will be offering complimentary water park tickets for all Disney resort guests on a travel package. | Get pricing for a 2025 trip ▸
WHEN YOU’RE IN THE PARKS
Once you’ve chosen which days you’ll visit which park, here are a few general rubrics to keep in mind to help you avoid crowds:
• It’s not about rope drop anymore. It’s about the actual time on the clock when the parks open or close. | For the longest time, being at the park right at rope drop guaranteed that you’d have a nearly empty park. But now that early theme park entry is available for all four theme parks every day for Disney resort guests, many of the parks see massive crowds at the opening hour. Trust us: being inside Magic Kingdom at rope drop does not guarantee a short wait for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
Rather, the new factor to consider is the actual time of day when the park opens or closes. If you’re visiting during peak season and the Magic Kingdom opens at 7 AM, with the early park entry at 6:30 AM? Shocker: not a whole lot of people are going to be there. On a day like that, if you can be the kinda folks who are bright-eyed and bushy tailed, take advantage of it. But it’s a massive difference from low season, when a park sometimes opens at 10 AM and early park entry is at 9;30 AM. Unsurprisingly, a whole lot more families successfully get the kids showered, fed and into the park by then. Similarly, if it’s peak season and the parks are open until midnight, the parks are going to be far more serene in that post-10 PM hour when kids have hit their bedtimes. For this reason, the ending hours of a park are often notably less busy than the opening hours. Especially during the peak season weeks of spring break, summer break, and the winter holidays.
So if your loved ones roll their eyes and groan when you ask them to be up for rope drop, take a look at the park hours and consider staying late instead. You all might be far happier (and more well-rested)!
• Plan shows, shopping, and table service dining for the middle of the day. | The parks are busiest between 11 AM and 4 PM; that’s when most attractions get their longest waits. That’s why the mid-day hours are the best times to enjoy shows in the parks with a large audience capacity; you’ll often simply wait for the next show to begin. It’s also the time when the main shops along the entry of the park are the least crowded, and you’ll often find live entertainment & pop-up character surprises nearby. This is also a great time to plan a relaxing table service or character meal. Your tired feet and potentially sweltering crew will thank you. Some folks who are staying in nearby Disney resort hotels use this time to head back to their hotel for some time at the pool or an afternoon nap; a great idea. Get pricing for a Disney resort hotel ▸
• Save the MOST popular ride for the very last thing you do. | Always best to end on a high note! If you plan to stay in the park until closing, remember that simply stepping into the queue before the park’s posted closing hour means that you can ride. Guests won’t have Lightning Lane windows for the very last minutes of the day, so the standby queue moves more quickly than normal — and Disney ALWAYS overestimates the actual wait time.
WHAT TIMES OF YEAR ARE LEAST CROWDED?
Want to take advantage of lower prices and promotions? Read on below to identify which weeks are categorized as Peak Season and which weeks are categorized as Low Season.
PEAK SEASON & LOW SEASON
Want to visit Orlando when the kids are out of school? So does everyone else. Last year brought a return to normalcy, just in time for the 50th Anniversary celebrations. Let’s identify Walt Disney World’s peak season and low season, and learn how to set realistic expectations for 2024 & 2025.
Learn how to outsmart the pack
Walt Disney World reveals their true peak season periods on their annual pass holder blackout dates. For 2024 and 2025, the busiest times of year will be:
- ABSOLUTE BUSIEST | December 19 to January 2. This is the singular busiest time of year for Walt Disney World every year.
- INCREDIBLY BUSY | All of March, plus the week prior to Easter and the week after Easter, when many American public schools enjoy their Spring Break.
- NORMAL PEAK SEASON | The first week of June through the middle of July, when American schools enjoy summer vacation.
WHAT’S DIFFERENT DURING PEAK SEASON?
• Longer park hours | The theme parks can open as early as 6 AM and stay open as late as 1 AM. At other times of year, a 9 AM to 9 PM schedule is fairly common. During the off-peak periods — November and early December, parks sometimes close as early as 7 PM.
• More entertainment performances | Live shows like The Festival of the Lion King or For the First Time in Forever — a Frozen Sing-A-Along typically add additional performances throughout the day.
• More than one night spectacular | You may have more than one scheduled opportunity to see shows like Fantasmic! or the fireworks and projection shows at Cinderella’s Castle in the Magic Kingdom.
• More expensive hotel rates | A hotel that goes for $200 per night during low season could charge $400 per night during peak season — for the exact same room. For that reason alone, it’s wise to avoid peak season if at all possible. Or, plan to stay in a resort hotel that’s a bit less popular.
• More expensive flights | Particularly for flights around the Christmas and Spring Break holidays, flights to Orlando see notably high airfares. To put it simply, the best airfares typically happen when fewer people are traveling.
HOW TO SURVIVE PEAK SEASON
If you’re considering a trip to Walt Disney World during peak season, rely on these tips:
• Upgrade to add Disney Genie+ Service | This new feature within the MyDisneyExperiene app offers optional paid upgrades to the Lightning Lane where you can skip the regular standby queues. Learn all about Disney Genie Service ▸
• Diversify your plans | Although the parks might be bonkers, that’s not true everywhere else. You could teach the kids how to build sandcastles on a beach, or zoom down waterslides at one of Disney’s terrific water parks. (Upgrading a Park Hopper ticket to a Park Hopper Plus ticket doesn’t cost much more, but it’ll add multiple days of water park fun!) Peak season is a terrific time of year to get some old-school adrenaline with outdoor recreation like horseback riding, tennis, river canoeing, or a round of golf. You can avoid the crowded cramped views of the fireworks. Instead, watch them sparkle on the water with a private boat cruise. Maybe get romantic with a wine pairing at one of Disney’s best restaurants, or treat your honey to a morning at the spa. We’ve got more ideas than we can possibly list. Get in touch and we’ll share even more.
• Pick a morning to sleep in | If you’re in the park from open-to-close every day, you’ll die. At the very least, your feet will want to kill you. Far better to pick a morning to sleep in. Soak up some sun with some time at the pool. Snuggle some cuddly cuties at a character breakfast, knowing you have no place you need to be. The parks are open late, so relax! Just as the frenzied families have their late afternoon meltdowns, you’ll stroll into the park for a leisurely evening.
• Late nights are actually less crowded | On the peak season days when the parks open super early and stay open super late, the parks are typically emptier during the late night hours than the early morning hours. That’s especially true when a park stays open after the fireworks. Enjoy some Disney magic by moonlight.
• Take a trip to the coast | Book a night or two along the Florida coast and remember just how beautiful the ocean really is. Combine it with a trip to the Kennedy Center at Cape Canaveral and you can reward your inner space geek.
OFF-PEAK / LOW SEASON
For 2024 and 2025, here are the times of year which are consistently off-peak / low season, the least busy weeks of the year at Walt Disney World:
- The first few weeks of January
- The first few weeks of May
- The second week of July through the first few weeks of September
- The first week of November
WHAT IS DIFFERENT DURING OFF-PEAK / LOW SEASON?
• Shorter park hours | The theme parks can open as late as 9 AM and close as early as 6 PM. That’s especially true at the Magic Kingdom, where private parties on select evenings could mean that you won’t see fireworks over Cinderella Castle before the park closes.
• Attractions close for refurbishment | Disney typically schedules refurbishment for its water rides during the coldest months of January and February? Why? Few folks want to get wet when it’s only 50 F outside. Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom and at least one of the water parks typically close during this time of year. It’s also common for Disney to schedule other attraction refurbishments during slower times of year. View the refurbishment notifications ▸
• Water parks close | If daily temperatures are in the 40 F – 60 F range (5 – 16 C), which is not uncommon from December through early February, Disney will often close one or both of their water parks. Additionally, at least one of the water parks is typically closed for refurbishment during Orlando’s winter months. Thankfully, Disney’s resort pools are heated and typically stay open every day of the year.
• More affordable hotel rates | A hotel that goes for $400 per night during peak season could charge $200 per night during low season — for the exact same room. Disney always offers promotional rates during its slower times of the year, and if you book a Walt Disney Travel Package, we can even apply future promotions to existing reservations.
PRICING NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH 2025
HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS
Avoid another hum drum holiday. No one does holidays like Disney. Transform your birthday, anniversary, or celebration into something that’s joyfully unforgettable.
Dream up a jolly holiday
CHRISTMAS
Christmas is Walt Disney World’s most exquisite season. Historically, it’s also the busiest. The Magic Kingdom hosts Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, EPCOT hosts the Candlelight Processional concerts, and all the parks and resorts gleam with sparkly decorations. There’s holiday music everywhere you turn, and the restaurants and food kiosks offer delectable holiday treats.
Typically, decorations and holiday events begin around the 12th of November and end on New Year’s Eve. (Decorations begin coming down on New Year’s Day, but it takes a few days to remove them all.) The heaviest crowds peak between December 19 and January 2nd. During that two-week period, wait times for the most popular attractions can stretch to 2+ hours, and even less popular attractions can post wait times of more than an hour.
New Year’s Eve is typically the busiest day of the entire year. The theme parks feature party-themed dance floors and live DJ’s that begin spinning in the early evening hours, and the midnight countdowns — primarily at EPCOT and Magic Kingdom — are explosive and spectacular.
HALLOWEEN
The Magic Kingdom is where Disney focuses its Halloween festivities. On select evenings, those with tickets enjoy a fun-filled after-hours party at the Magic Kingdom, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. These parties have become tremendously popular; guests of all ages dress up in costumes and enjoy a night of free trick-or-treat candies, a delightfully spooky parade, and an epic show on the Cinderella Castle forecourt stage. The party typically happens 2 or 3 nights a week from mid-August until Halloween.
A late afternoon visit on October 31st to Fort Wilderness Campgrounds offers a terrific way for kids of ages to experience classic door-to-door trick or treating!
BIRTHDAYS, HONEYMOONS, ANNIVERSARIES, AND OTHER CELEBRATIONS
No matter what you’re celebrating, Walt Disney World has countless ideas for every occasion (and every budget)! The possibilities are endless, from free lapel pin buttons (saying “I’m Celebrating!”) to festive dinners, in-room surprise decorations, catered meals and events, or a private fireworks party cruise aboard a luxury yacht.
Wondering how to celebrate a special occasion? We’re kids at heart!
Start planning a memorable trip ▸
MAJOR EVENTS
Tens of thousands of visitors descend on Disney, and they’re on a mission. Disney’s festivals, marathons & competitions are electrifying events. The annual Pride celebration, Gay Days, brings tens of thousands of rainbow-clad guests to Orlando. You’ll want to plan accordingly.
Mark your calendars for these important events
GAY DAYS | LGBTQIA+ PRIDE WEEKEND IN ORLANDO
This community-led series of events and parties (both in the parks and throughout Orlando) always takes place over the weekend of the first Saturday in June. We’ve got an in-depth look at all the exciting fun that comes to Gay Days, along with Disney’s own Pride Nite parties at Disneyland Park in California. Tap to learn more:
Disney’s 2024 Pride Parties & Gay Days – everything you need to know | Photo Gallery ▸
RUNDISNEY RACE WEEKENDS
On select weekends throughout the year, Walt Disney World hosts races which welcome tens of thousands of additional guests. Known as RunDisney events, these competitive races add Disney theming to 5K, 10K, half marathons and full marathons. The races take place in early morning hours — so get ready to set those alarm clocks!
Attending a RunDisney event requires advance registration, and every race fills to capacity months in advance. Your RunDisney registration is separate from your resort hotel reservation and theme park tickets, and we can help plan your entire visit — both for those who are running and those who are simply coming along to be part of the cheering section!
Our help is free, and we’ve got expert tips to help you plan to attend a RunDisney event ▸
Back in the day, EPCOT needed extra reasons to draw visitors during off-peak periods. In 1995, Disney launched the International Food & Wine Festival, which grew to become tremendously popular. In subsequent years, Disney has added additional EPCOT festivals to fill out the off-peak calendar months. They currently are:
- Festival of the Arts — typically held from mid-January to late February
- Flower and Garden Festival — typically held from early March through late June
- International Food & Wine Festival — typically held from mid-July to late November
- Festival of the Holidays — late November to late December
• Go during the week | EPCOT can get a little crowded on evenings and weekends during the festivals, especially the Food & Wine festival. Things are notably calmer during the week.
• Book workshops early | Certain workshops and seminars book up very early. If there’s a workshop or seminar you’d like to attend, book it at your soonest opportunity.
• Snag a dining package | One popular way to guarantee seating for the headline performers at the America Pavillion performance stage is to book a Dining Package with priority seating. You may book those tables up to 60 days in advance.
• There’s little spillover | These festivals draw guests to EPCOT, but they’re not so popular that you’ll notice an influx of guests at the other parks. The EPCOT resort area hotels do tend to book up further in advance during the Food & Wine Festival.
View tickets, tours, and workshops for the EPCOT Festivals ▸
Thinking of participating in a major event? We’re nerd-level geeks about logistics. Let’s start planning now ▸
WEATHER
Orlando can swelter with its heat and humidity. You dodge rain puddles while lightning storms close the roller coasters. Want to stay dry and comfy? Follow our tips.
Learn how to prepare and pack for Orlando's weather
If you’ve never traveled to Florida, you may be shocked to see just how intense the weather can be. From May through late September, high temperatures can reach as high as 100 F (38 Celsius), and it’s normal to have multiple days with many hours of high heat and sun.
Additionally, severe thunderstorms with downpours of rain, lightning and wind are very common in Orlando.
Orlando gets a lovely respite in the fall and winter months from October through February. During this period, expect warm and comfortable days and cool evenings. In December and January, you’ll probably need a light jacket or sweater for the evening hours. The weather heats up again in March and April.
View the monthly weather averages for Orlando, Florida ▸
Smart tips for Orlando’s weather:
• Stormy weather | Thunderstorms are most common in the late afternoon and early evening, especially betwen 5:00 – 7:00 PM. If you’re planning to visit a water park when there are thunderstorms in the forecast, it’s always a good idea to go in the morning hours. And if you’re planning a theme park day, it’s smart to book a dining reservation for this time frame. Good rain gear is essential; we love these cute ponchos and this Minnie Mouse umbrella.
• Hydrate | Dehydration is common on hot days. Bring a refillable water bottle with you into the parks, and drink lots of water!
• Take a siesta | During the hottest months of summer, typically the theme parks are often open until 11 PM or later. It’s always a good idea to escape the park during the hot afternoon hours, take a break at your hotel (or enjoy a leisurely lunch at a Disney resort restaurant), and then return after sunset when the parks are much more comfortable.
• Hurricanes are rare | June through November is ‘hurricane season,’ but Orlando is 73 miles (114km) from the coast; it’s very rare for hurricanes to impact Walt Disney World. (Hurricanes have only closed Walt Disney World 5 times in nearly 50 years.)
Have a quick question about planning your trip around Orlando’s weather? Message us now on WhatsApp ▸
BRILLIANT GUIDES
Walt Disney World in 2024 & 2025
Hotels
Why should I book a hotel on-property vs. off-property? What are the perks of a Disney resort stay?
Theme Parks
What are the differences between Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom? Which rides & attractions are the most popular?
Dining
How do restaurant reservations work? How far in advance can I make reservations? What are the Disney Dining Plans? Which restaurants are the most popular?
Tickets
How much do theme park tickets cost? Which ticket options save money? How can I get group tickets?
Add Ons & Experiences
Which tours, experiences & add ons are most popular? What needs advance reservations? What are Enchanting Extras? How do I add a VIP Tour?
Packages
How can I combine park tickets, dining, and hotel stays to add value? What are the best options for my vacation budget?
My Disney Experience
When & where do I use the smartphone app, Genie+ and MagicBand? How does a Virtual Queue work?
Shopping
Where can I buy a MagicBand? How should I plan for a trip to Disney Springs? How can I create a custom Star Wars lightsaber or droid?
Water Parks & Recreation
What are the most popular spots in Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon? How do Disney’s three golf courses work? How about other outdoor recreation? What’s the best way to include them in an itinerary?
Transportation
What are realistic tips for transportation and getting places on time? Where does the Disney monorail go? What time do Disney Resort buses begin? Who can ride the Disney Skyliner Gondola?
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As Yzma would say, it’s brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!
Join our community!
Ask questions. Share your favorite travel stories. Get expert-level free help for any Disney travel destination around the world. You’re invited to join our Facebook group!
As Yzma would say, it’s brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!
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A Wishful Thinking travel planner is:
- Bright. We’re nerd-level experts on Disney’s past, present and future.
- Talented. We’ve been designing travel itineraries around the globe for 15 years.
- Realistic. We help you prepare for everything and set honest expectations.
- Whimsical. Spontaneous fun often produces our most treasured memories.
- Inspiring. We’re still kids at heart who believe in the power of dreams.
It’s never too early to start planning!
You do the wishing. We do the thinking.™
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Wishful Thinking is an affiliate of Looking Glass Travel, a Gold Authorized Disney Vacation Planning agency, and an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner..
Disney pays us to help plan your trip, from your first wish list until your departure. We’ll even assist you during your vacation until you’re happily back home.
Our trip planning is free. When you book a Disney vacation through us, you’ll pay the same price as if you booked it on your own, yet enjoy the bliss of a talented Wishful Thinking travel planner.
A Wishful Thinking travel planner is:
- Bright. We’re nerd-level experts on Disney’s past, present and future.
- Talented. We’ve been designing travel itineraries around the globe for 15 years.
- Realistic. We help you prepare for everything and set honest expectations.
- Whimsical. Spontaneous fun often produces our most treasured memories.
- Inspiring. We’re still kids at heart who believe in the power of dreams.
It’s never too early to start planning!