Choosing the most effective week of 2025 or 2026 on your Walt Disney World journey is difficult, particularly when dates are restricted as a consequence of faculty breaks or work schedules. This information was designed with that in thoughts, sharing our favourite occasions to go to and worst ones to keep away from within the subsequent 2 years based mostly on crowd ranges, wait occasions forecasts, seasonal occasions, climate & extra. (Up to date January 3, 2025.)
Our intention right here is to mix the most effective quantitative and qualitative facets of our finest & worst months useful resource with our 2025 Walt Disney World Crowd Calendars and distill that all the way down to one thing approachable and actionable. The animating concept right here is that the overwhelming majority of vacationers aren’t visiting for a single day or a selected full month, however moderately, for five days to every week. Other than “holidaymakers” from the UK, few households are doing greater than 10 day journeys and most non-locals are doing greater than a single day or two.
As such, a sensible planning useful resource shouldn’t simply take a look at particular person days or full months, however full week or longer date ranges that supply occasions to focus on and others to keep away from. Enter this Walt Disney World crowd predicting and planning useful resource for now by 2025!
When mixed with our regularly-updated Finest & Worst Days to Do Every Park at Walt Disney World, this ought to provide definitive recommendation for selecting dates. This narrows down the week, after which that gives what it’s good to know to decide on when to go to every park. It’s nonetheless extra of a “train an individual to fish” moderately than the “give an individual a fish” mentality of crowd calendars, but it surely additionally ought to show extra correct and helpful.
This considers a wide range of subjective variables (defined in every suggestion) along with our evolving expectations about Walt Disney World’s attendance. It’s weighted closely for crowd ranges and is backed by historic wait occasions knowledge from the the final two years, plus 2018 and 2019 (2020-2021 have been anomalies, in order that they’re discarded accordingly).
Ought to this be well-received or deemed helpful by readers (moderately than one other overwhelming crowd useful resource), the eventual aim is to broaden this to rank each single week of the 12 months. There are two causes I didn’t begin by doing that. First, the submit could be a lot, for much longer and would’ve taken me significantly longer to write down and analysis.
Second, the standard of wait occasions knowledge will not be equal all through the calendar. That is one thing mentioned beneath, however there are inconsistencies and anomalies past simply 2020-2021. A number of this has been resolved, with summer time remaining the largest wild card. Sadly, I don’t assume we’re getting decision to that in 2025 with the opening of Common’s Epic Universe and debut of Disney Starlight Night time Parade.
With that stated, we do tweak these dates to replicate altering attendance patterns, low cost releases, or particular occasion bulletins–all of which might change crowd tendencies. For the most recent replace, we’ve shifted some journey dates in mild of offers which have already been launched in early 2025. This contains Free Eating, room-only charges, and extra. Actually, these aren’t all that consequential with regards to crowds–so not a lot modified consequently.
The way more consequential offers are for tickets versus trip packages or resort rooms. In combing by the wait occasions knowledge from the final 3 years, we’ve discovered that ticket reductions have precipitated crowds to spike of their remaining two weeks. These are “use it or lose it” tickets, so there’s at all times a last-minute rush like that–particularly on Fridays by Sundays (weekdays aren’t impacted almost as badly). Throughout the remaining weekend of validity for one such ticket deal, crowd ranges have been 8/10 with a mean wait time of 44 minutes. Earlier that very same week and within the weeks earlier than, crowd ranges have been 1/10 with a mean of 27 minutes. That’s an enormous distinction.
The issue is that these 2025 ticket offers usually are not but accessible, and a few gained’t be for months. Nonetheless, many individuals are planning 2025 Walt Disney World journeys now. Accordingly, what we’ve determined to do is err on the aspect of warning, and alter a few our really useful weeks to this point ranges which are unlikely to be impacted. Prior to now, we tried to barely miss these reductions, recommending weeks instantly after they ended or ~3 weeks previous to expiration.
We nonetheless will advocate these weeks, ultimately. However ticket offers differ barely 12 months to 12 months, so a deal that expired on September 23 or 30 of final 12 months would possibly finish as early as September 15, 2025 or October 6, 2025 and nonetheless be according to previous precedent. Accordingly, our checklist will assume these finish date prospects and make suggestions on that foundation.
As soon as ticket reductions are launched, we’ll cowl really useful dates within the evaluation of these offers and different crowd posts. As at all times, if you need updates on information & rumors, low cost releases, crowd studies, and way more, join our FREE Walt Disney World Electronic mail Publication.
Along with this shift, we’ve added extra 2026 dates. Simply take into account that these are much less dependable than the 2025 dates. That’s as a result of Walt Disney World hasn’t launched any offers or all blockout calendars for 2025 or past, and lots of faculty calendars aren’t but accessible for 2026.
Past that, there are evolving components that might end in heavier or lighter attendance. The additional into the longer term you go, the extra of those emerge. Even for 2025, there are main recognized unknowns, just like the aforementioned debut of Disney Starlight Night time Parade and the grand opening of Common’s Epic Universe. Each of these may very well be majorly impactful to crowds this 12 months and subsequent. As for 2026, there are most likely additionally unknown unknowns. Issues I can’t even checklist right here as wildcards as a result of I don’t know what they’re.
With all of that stated, let’s dig into the information and different variables to rank the ten finest weeks and 10 worst weeks to go to Walt Disney World within the subsequent 2 years–which means dates in 2025 and 2026, most of which may also translate to 2027, as nicely…
Worst Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World in 2025 & 2026
Winter Break (January 1-5, 2025; January 1-4, 2026) – We fondly keep in mind visiting Walt Disney World round New Yr’s Eve over a decade in the past. Crowds have been bonkers within the days between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve, however so too have been hours. You would do Additional Magic Hours beginning at 7 am and go away by 9 am, sleep in the course of the center of the day, then return from 11 pm till 3 am. It was fairly the sleep schedule, but it surely labored nicely. Then, as soon as New Yr’s Day arrived, the parks have been useless till Marathon Weekend runners arrived virtually every week later.
Occasions have modified, and anybody nonetheless anticipating a vacation hangover or serene begin to the 12 months is in for a impolite awakening. It’s nonetheless true that the parks are quiet to start out the New Yr. However that lasts all of ~4 hours on New Yr’s Day. After that, crowds improve and may be worse than the guts of the vacation season as a consequence of faculties nonetheless being on break, lifting of AP blockouts, and early-arriving runDisney followers.
All main faculty districts contribute, however the greatest components are locals. Winter faculty breaks are nothing new–I keep in mind my faculty at all times being out of session till after my birthday–so the equation has not modified there for the nation as an entire. What’s totally different is the native inhabitants, which has completely exploded within the final decade as extra households with faculty age youngsters transfer to Central Florida. Anticipate these New Yr’s crowds to solely worsen within the years to return until Walt Disney World adjusts AP blockouts and adjusts ticket and resort price charts upwards.
Presidents’ Day (February 14-23, 2025; February 13-22, 2026) – For the final couple of years, the week of Presidents’ Day has ranked as one of many worst weeks as measured by common wait occasions. This isn’t simply that vacation alone, but additionally faculty districts that use it as a proxy for mid-winter break or their “ski weeks” in addition to runDisney Princess Half Marathon bookending the vacation.
This specific week is even worse when it coincides with Mardi Gras, making it extra probably that faculties within the South may also have winter breaks. In 2025, Mardi Gras won’t coincide with Presidents’ Day (the vacations happen one week aside as a substitute), successfully diluting the crowds. It’s thus doable that this week gained’t find yourself being among the many worst 10–that actually relies upon upon how spring break play out.
In 2026, Mardi Gras is again to occurring throughout this similar week. That can imply it’ll virtually actually be one of many 10 worst weeks–and presumably prime 5. No matter Mardi Gras, it’s in style for winter breaks and thus selecting sunshine over ski slopes, making it an easily-identifiable week to keep away from that’s predictably unhealthy even when it’s not among the many absolute worst.
Spring Break (March 23-30, 2025; March 22-29, 2026) – Throughout 2022-2023, the week of Orange County’s spring break was among the many busiest of the season and virtually on par with Easter. In 2024, blockouts have been extra aggressive and a Floridian ticket deal ended (by design) simply earlier than Orange County went on Spring Break. Because of this, the week was not busy in any respect–it will’ve been a good time to go to.
It stays to be seen whether or not Walt Disney World will follow this method in 2025 (not to mention 2026) or overcorrect and trigger the pendulum to swing onerous again within the different course, making this a ‘worst week’ once more. For now, we’re going to tentatively shift this every week later, after the AP blockouts finish in March 2025. However that suggestion may change on the idea of extra ticket offers.
That is most likely the secure transfer. Central Florida faculty districts have early breaks relative to the Midwest and Northeast, and people vacationers plus lesser blockouts makes it probably that week will probably be very busy–with out regard for the rest. Orange County’s break may nonetheless be busy, however as 2024 taught us, it’s far much less of a certain factor if Disney clamps down on reductions for Floridians and blockouts.
One factor to remember right here is that there are a whole lot of colleges round america (and doubtless past) which are out of between mid-March and mid-April. In combination, they’ve a huge impact on crowds. Until there’s a freak anomaly, all of those weeks are going to be some extent of very busy–even when they don’t make this checklist.
Easter (April 11-20, 2025; March 30 to April 6, 2026) – This can be a pretty secure prediction 12 months in and 12 months out, no matter what else occurs. In actual fact, you can most likely (precisely) predict at this time that the week main as much as Easter will probably be busy in 2028 or 2054. Easter week has been the busiest of spring break season for so long as we’ve been overlaying Walt Disney World, though mid-March when Orange County is out has come shut a few occasions (blockouts make that unlikely sooner or later–see above).
In the long run, it doesn’t actually matter which of those spring break weeks has larger crowd ranges. That’s virtually fully tutorial, an fascinating factor to observe for these of us who obsess over crowd tendencies and attendance patterns. The underside line for many planners taking a look at this from a sensible perspective is that late March by late April will probably be very crowded.
Summer season’s Twin Peak (June 23-30, 2025 and July 21-28, 2025; June 22-29, 2026 and July 20-27, 2026) – Summer season crowd calendars are snake oil. I’d not depend on crowd calendars when selecting summer time journey dates, and don’t assume you must both. Sorry for the brutal honesty, but it surely beats deceit.
There was little or no consistency in attendance patterns for June and July within the final a number of years. Standard knowledge was once that the weeks round Fourth of July have been the peaks, however that hasn’t been the case shortly–every of the final two years, Independence Day was among the many slowest of summer time.
To the extent that there was a pattern, it’s that there are usually twin peaks in summer time. One across the midway level, and one which we’ve described as a “final hurrah” as vacationers scramble to take journeys earlier than faculty going again into session. These peaks aren’t fully constant, however have roughly been the top of June and finish of July, with Mondays being particularly unhealthy (therefore these dates being Monday to Monday).
With that stated, this can be a low-confidence prediction to start with and that’s earlier than factoring the opening of Common’s Epic Universe (Could 22, 2025) or debut of Disney Starlight Parade (formally unknown, however most likely round Memorial Day) into the combo. Both a kind of may wreak havoc on crowd calendars. Each collectively virtually actually will upend issues.
When you’ve got no selection however to go to throughout summer time, goal for early to mid-June or early to mid-August for the “finest” crowds, however perceive that there are air quotes round finest for a motive. We merely have no idea what is going to occur with summer time crowds, and anybody who claims to is both mendacity or clairvoyant.
Columbus Day (October 10-18, 2025; October 9-17, 2026) – There’s ample motive to consider that this gained’t really find yourself being among the many worst 10 weeks of the 12 months. It ranked #9 two years in the past, however that occurred as summer time crowds plummeted prematurely. The information from final 12 months is unusable, as Hurricane Milton precipitated a deluge of cancellations.
Nonetheless, it’s an identifiable crimson flag proper now. Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day is a proxy for a lot of fall breaks, and that leads to an inflow of holiday makers to Florida. It additionally ushers ultimately of the low season, and begins a 3-month stretch of elevated crowds…minus a couple of main lulls that make our ‘better of’ checklist!
For that motive alone, we’re including Columbus Day or fall break to the checklist–as you can go to even every week or two earlier and luxuriate in a lot decrease crowds. The draw back is storm season and still-hot climate, which is why mid-October (when issues usually begin getting higher) tends to mark a shift.
Vacation Hijinks (November 7-14, 2025; November 6-13, 2026) – This one at all times catches individuals without warning. It’s what occurs when two or three “holidays” collide. Nicely, for those who depend Jersey Week as a vacation. For individuals who aren’t aware of it, Jersey Week is when roughly 73% of the Backyard State descends upon Walt Disney World.
The actual vacation right here is Veterans Day, which is at all times a “sleeper” vacation for crowds–in that it’s under-discussed however a surprisingly excessive quantity of presidency employees, college students, and others do have the time off. We’ve been warning about Veterans Day crowds for years, because it has been virtually on par with Thanksgiving some years. It’s an extended weekend that may have an outsized influence on crowd ranges.
With all of this stated, confidence within the predicted dates is low for November 2026. Other than Veterans Day, we don’t know when the Wine & Dine Half Marathon race or Jersey Week will happen (the runDisney occasion moved ahead to late October 2025, however is generally in early November). So pencil on this window as one to keep away from, however anticipate these exact dates to vary. You additionally would possibly need to broaden these home windows barely.
Thanksgiving (November 21-28, 2025; November 20-27, 2026) – Nearly any Walt Disney World fan is aware of the crowds of the ultimate three weeks on this checklist. They’re hardly a secret or shock, and are predictably busy 12 months in and 12 months out. These weeks nonetheless catch some informal guests without warning, as there are persistent city legends that the vacations are quiet as a result of “everyone seems to be at dwelling with their households.” Clearly, that’s hogwash.
Providing a bit extra perception right here, Thanksgiving week crowds are usually worst the Sunday by Tuesday earlier than Thanksgiving. The vacation itself tends to not be too unhealthy, at the very least not in comparison with the few days beforehand. These time frames are nonetheless busy, simply not the risk degree midnight crowds of the prior 3 days.
Friday and Saturday are wildcards; often each are very busy, however not at all times. We’ve formally eliminated Saturday from the above dates to keep away from as a result of it was downright pleasant final 12 months. We’d advocate erring on the aspect of warning and avoiding it if in any respect doable, however that’s now not important. The Sunday after Thanksgiving has been uncrowded for years, making that an amazing first day within the parks.
One factor to remember right here is that the EPCOT Competition of the Holidays at all times begins on Black Friday, in order that weekend usually sees comparatively elevated crowds as a consequence of locals. When you do journey over the weekend, keep away from EPCOT till the next weekdays.
Christmas (December 18-25, 2025; December 17-25, 2026) – The arrival of Christmas week crowds are very dependent upon the day of the week of Christmas. Because of its timing final 12 months and this 12 months, the week after (between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve) noticed or will see the worst of the crowds.
We usually advise avoiding the Thursday earlier than Christmas week during the day itself. Therefore the 2026 timeframe being in the future longer. With that stated, the true peak of Christmas crowds comes the next Monday and Tuesday, just like Thanksgiving. And this week is rarely as busy because the week between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve.
“Not as unhealthy” is a relative time period. All second-half of December dates are very, very busy and most dates see 9/10 to 10/10 crowd ranges. However not all 10/10 days are equally busy. Some are worse. That’ll most likely be the case with the ~7 days earlier than December 25 in every of the subsequent 2 years.
New Yr’s Eve (December 26-31, 2025; December 26-31, 2026) – It’s the identical story right here. The week main as much as New Yr’s Eve is nearly at all times 10/10 on the group calendar, and would probably be extra like 15/10 if the dimensions allowed for that.
When you have been to put a guess on the busiest weeks of 2025 and 2026, the good cash could be on this week. If I needed to make the identical guess for the 12 months 2071, I’d nonetheless decide the week main as much as New Yr’s Eve. Doesn’t essentially imply it’ll have the worst wait occasions given the uncertainty of creating predictions 1-2 years into the longer term, however it’s the odds-on favourite of claiming the crown.
That is virtually at all times the #1 worst week of the 12 months. The timing of Christmas and New Yr’s Days does forged some extent of doubt on that, however truthfully, not a lot. The week of New Yr’s Eve will probably proceed its run because the busiest week of the 12 months for the subsequent a number of years.
Finest Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World in 2025 & 2026
The checklist of finest weeks to do Walt Disney World in 2025-2026 is much less exact and extra subjective. Partially, this can be a byproduct of a lot of the worst weeks crowd-wise being readily identifiable on the idea of college breaks and holidays. So objectivity there may be simpler.
In contrast, there are wider home windows for a few of the decrease crowd dates; consequently, we slender these to our favored time frames based mostly on subjective concerns. With that in thoughts, let’s dig into our rundown of the most effective weeks at Walt Disney World in 2025 and 2026…
Mid-January (January 12-18, 2025; January 11-16, 2026) – That is one other change for 2025-2026. Prior to now, we’ve really useful late January whereas noting that the month is essentially quiet after the vacation breaks finish, aside from the Martin Luther King Jr. Day vacation weekend. This leaves three totally different weeks which are probably good choices for decrease crowds in January.
Prior to now, all of these have been virtually equally good. That wasn’t the case final 12 months, because the week earlier than MLK Day was the most effective by a slight margin over the week after, and a major quantity over the week following that. With the shifting of the WDW Marathon we’re anticipating that to be the case once more in 2025, but it surely may change for 2026 relying upon Marathon dates.
Regardless, each weeks must be superior to late January or early February as Snowbirds and South American tour teams begin arriving. They’re not the one teams to lookout for, as cheer/dance competitions and conventions additionally contribute to crowds. All of these issues are extra probably later in January or February. Competition of the Arts additionally will increase ‘seems like’ crowds at EPCOT, but it surely’s an amazing occasion you gained’t need to miss.
Earlier than or After Mid-Winter Break (February 2-13, 2025 & Early or Late February 2026) – It’s just about the identical concept right here. Not like some vacation weeks, there is no such thing as a gradual decline earlier than or after mid-winter break (Presidents’ Day/Mardi Gras). It’s abrupt on each ends. The group ranges within the first half of February 2025 may very well be near on par with January. Maybe barely larger as a consequence of youth sporting occasions, conventions, and South American tour teams.
The rationale there’s a discrepancy between 2025 and 2026 is Mardi Gras. It coincides with mid-winter break in 2026, however not 2025. Mardi Gras could not seem to be an enormous deal to you, however as a result of proximity of Louisiana to Florida it very a lot is. As such, avoiding the dates main as much as March 4, 2025 is advisable. This implies early March isn’t a good time to go to in 2025 (however it’s in 2026).
Throughout the board, February can have larger crowds than January, however the former is extra interesting for some Walt Disney World trip planner as a result of probability of higher climate and fewer refurbishments. Nonetheless, you’re additionally usually going to overlook out on the EPCOT Competition of the Arts (#1 occasion of the 12 months at EPCOT), until you go to earlier than Presidents’ Day.
Early Spring (February 23 to March 2, 2025; March 1-8, 2026) – That stretch is definitely what prompted this submit, as early March was a candy stretch of gentle climate and low crowds main as much as the beginning of spring break season, with most parks having 1/10 to three/10 crowd ranges throughout this week in March. Then, like flipping a swap, attendance surges virtually in a single day with the beginning of spring break.
This can be a prime tier time to go to because of the gentle climate, EPCOT in bloom, and low crowds. It’s the calm earlier than (and after) the storm, and there are solely a handful of weeks that we’d rank larger from each a quantitative and qualitative perspective. This will probably be an particularly implausible time in 2026 (and realistically, the prime dates may lengthen till March 13, 2026–however we’re enjoying it conservatively since spring break schedules aren’t out but).
The date vary strikes ahead in (very early) Spring 2025, which is because of Mardi Gras and Orange County’s spring break. It’s doable the most effective week right here will really be March 8-13, 2025–that is dependent upon the upcoming ticket offers, although. Actually, we most likely wouldn’t mess with this stretch in 2025 until doing a 5-day journey. Whereas the core days of that week must be fairly quiet, there’s an opportunity of spillover crowds in the beginning or finish.
Publish-Easter (April 27 to early Could 2025; April 12-26, 2026) – For each of those weeks, we’re basically wanting every week or two after Easter. Normally, crowds die down within the week instantly after the vacation, however there are nonetheless some faculties with breaks then. The week following that’s often when the slower season arrives.
The added advantages listed below are (often) spring climate and decrease costs. There’s no assure of both, although, as summer time climate can happen 10 months of the 12 months in Florida and it’s doable for costs to stay elevated even after Easter. Each are unusual, although, making this an amazing choice for those who’re searching for the optimum dates between spring and summer time faculty breaks.
Spring & Summer season Shoulder Season (Could 3-11, 2025; Could 2-10, 2026) – In wanting on the wait time knowledge, the primary full week of Could is often the slowest of the month. Not by a large margin, and the next week is usually higher. In actual fact, the whole month earlier than the Memorial Day vacation weekend is often fairly good, and reliably uncrowded because it’s the shoulder season between spring break and summer time trip. (Even Memorial Day isn’t that unhealthy by vacation requirements.)
Crowds alone could be the tiebreaker with all else being equal, however climate is one other variable to keep in mind. Earlier has a greater likelihood of being milder, with much less of an opportunity for excessive warmth and humidity. As icing on the cake, costs are higher and we’ve tended to seek out higher low cost availability throughout this earlier Could window.
Notice: the 2025 suggestion operates underneath the idea that Disney Starlight Night time Parade doesn’t begin this early. It’s doable Disney will debut it earlier than Memorial Day, through which case the spring ticket deal may additionally finish sooner than regular. This must be an amazing set of dates…as long as that doesn’t occur!
Slowest Weeks Publish-Summer season (August 22 to September 5, 2025; August 21 to September 4, 2025) – When you’re perplexed by the multi-month hole between the final really useful week and this one, we’re going to imagine you’ve by no means visited Florida in the course of the coronary heart of summer time season. Or, maybe you’re keen on alternating with the ability to fry an egg on the sidewalk and afternoon showers that final lengthy sufficient to drench your already sweat-soaked garments, however are too brief to chill issues down.
Our post-summer suggestions used to try at taking climate under consideration, however that proved to be a idiot’s errand. As a substitute, we’re now centered on avoiding the top of the ticket deal and when crowds backside out. To that time, the final week of August 2024 was the slowest at Walt Disney World because the final week of September 2021. The identical week in 2023 was barely busier, with a 25 minute common and 1/10 crowd degree versus a 23 minute common and 1/10 crowd degree final 12 months. Each weeks have been extremely gradual–the 2 least busy weeks since October 2021!
This can be a two-week stretch as a result of the next week, will not be a lot busier regardless of together with Labor Day (traditionally the least busy vacation of the 12 months at Walt Disney World. On prime of that, there’s the beginning of the EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition and different occasions that make us actually like this stretch. See Certainly one of 2025’s Finest Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World Simply Bought Higher! for a full rundown of the explanation why.
One factor to remember is that the whole month of September is low season and delaying maintains low wait occasions whereas enhancing your odds of higher temperatures and fewer storms. We predict that’s value an additional one minute in line (actually, that’s the distinction), however the truth is that warmth, humidity, and hurricanes are a chance anytime from early August by late October. When you’re on the fence about this tradeoff, see Is It Nonetheless Price Visiting Throughout the Early Fall Offseason at Walt Disney World? for a larger dialogue of climate vs. crowds.
After all, if the parks shut for a hurricane, wait occasions drop all the way in which to zero! Technically, that makes for the most effective crowd circumstances of all…however that’s most likely not what you take note of for those who’re visiting Walt Disney World within the fall. Nonetheless, it’s one thing we will’t assist however level out, as there’s at all times that danger. It’s nonetheless statistically low, however inform that to everybody who has been burned by closures in the previous couple of years.
When you’d desire to delay within the hopes of higher climate, early October is commonly very fascinating–crowds have been low for the final couple of years. This 12 months, that may be roughly September 27 by October 3. Nonetheless, we hesitate to incorporate these dates within the “official” suggestion as a result of they’re a wild card. Walt Disney World loves scheduling main conventions this time of 12 months and it’s stepping into fall break season. In 2019 and earlier, early October was not a good time to go to. The parks may return to that baseline in 2025 and 2026…or not. It’s a chance that will or could not repay!
Publish-Columbus Day (October 19-30, 2025; October 17-29, 2026) – This can be a decrease diploma of confidence suggestion, and also you truthfully is perhaps higher off with the week encompassing Halloween and first few days of November. Based mostly on the previous couple of years, each of those weeks are surprisingly good. I used to be really mildly and pleasantly stunned by that when combing by the information, because it wasn’t fairly what I anticipated.
For years, standard knowledge was that October was an amazing month to go to–a candy spot of low crowds and good climate. That ceased being true a couple of decade in the past, and was pushed largely by an uptick in conventions enterprise and the Free Eating promotion. Except for fall break and the aforementioned vacation, it appears to have resumed being true–at the very least to some extent–within the final 3 years.
The potential distinction for each 2025 and 2026 is the timing of Halloween, which is able to as soon as once more be on a Friday or Saturday each years. On prime of that, the runDisney Wine & Dine Half Marathon has moved ahead to October 23-26, 2025. Races usually don’t have a significant influence of crowds and there’s nothing particular taking place for Halloween, so we nonetheless anticipate this timeframe to be a great one.
Pre-Thanksgiving (November 15-21, 2025; November 14-20, 2026) – The ultimate three suggestions are additionally the highest three picks for our favourite weeks of the 12 months to go to. Actually, if we weren’t purposefully making an attempt to unfold out the alternatives to realize larger selection, one other week in the course of the vacation season is perhaps added right here.
Quantitatively, crowds usually drop the day after Veterans Day and stay low till the Friday earlier than Thanksgiving. So the window is little longer than what’s listed above, however the added dates are barely extra hit-or-miss. Qualitatively, this can be a nice time to go to when it comes to typical climate and seasonal occasions–Christmas is much and away our favourite time of 12 months at Walt Disney World.
The one draw back to those dates is that they’re early within the vacation season earlier than the entire resorts are decked out for Christmas and previous to the beginning of EPCOT’s Competition of the Holidays. Nonetheless, the opposite 3 parks will probably be decked out for Christmas, as nicely a few of EPCOT–you simply gained’t have the meals cubicles, storytellers (World Santas, for lack of a greater time period), or Candlelight Processional.
Publish-Thanksgiving (November 30 to December 7, 2025; November 29 to December 6, 2025) – That is our #1 week of the whole 12 months at Walt Disney World. That’s been true for ages. Again after we lived within the Midwest, our annual Christmas journey often began the Sunday after the vacation. (Even after we have been nonetheless at school, we used to skip a pair days to make it an extended weekend journey!)
If I needed to guess at which week of the 12 months we’ve got spent probably the most minutes in Walt Disney World since 2007, it will be this one. In all probability by a fairly large margin. We completely love the week after Thanksgiving.
We now have our time-tested method all the way down to a science, flying into Orlando on Saturday and really doing our first day within the parks on Sunday. We begin with Magic Kingdom in the course of the day, because it’s usually a Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Social gathering evening–the primary in over every week. Meaning shorter hours in Magic Kingdom, and smaller crowds consequently. For that very same motive, do not attend that MVMCP. There’s pent-up demand from everybody nonetheless round from Thanksgiving who didn’t have the prospect to attend earlier. As a substitute, do the Thursday evening get together.
Every little thing about this week is nice–the climate, post-holiday lull in crowds, pricing, and the complete slate of Christmas season leisure. We joke that this was once Walt Disney World’s “second-best saved secret” after Disney Trip Membership, which is to say it was a secret in identify solely since so many individuals knew about it. Nonetheless, as a consequence of Pop Warner transferring to Common and different variables, that’s as soon as once more true. That is our prime suggestion, and it’s not even a very shut name.
Pre-Christmas (December 8-14, 2025; December 7-13, 2025) – As might be evident, that is merely the week after that. It has the entire similar qualities as our #1 week, however with a few vital variations. First, crowds are beginning to improve by this level. Households who need to be dwelling for the vacations are extra inclined to time their journey on the midpoint between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Locals and different Annual Passholders who’re topic to blockouts squeeze in visits to savor the spirit of the season earlier than they don’t have the choice.
Second, costs are getting larger. They’re nonetheless not at peak season ranges, however they’re about 15-25% larger than the earlier week. That’s true for park tickets and resort rack charges, and likewise prone to be the case for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Social gathering and Lightning Lanes, as nicely. All of that provides up, and makes the center of December noticeably worse than the candy spot after Thanksgiving, however this nonetheless ranks very extremely, all issues thought-about.
When you do find yourself sticking round and doing a park on that Monday, you’ll want to select correctly as that may be a very busy day in a few of the parks, and useless in others. See Finest & Worst Days to Go to Each Park at Disney World in 2025.
In the end, that’s a rundown of the highest 10 weeks of the 12 months and the worst 10 weeks at Walt Disney World for all of 2025 and 2026. As you would possibly’ve gathered by studying the entries, there are good and unhealthy home windows that stretch past what’s coated on this checklist–you must be capable to deduce most of these based mostly the rundown above.
With that stated, we nonetheless hope to broaden this checklist to a useful resource rating all 52 weeks at Walt Disney World in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later. After some tumultuous occasions, attendance is lastly returning to acquainted patterns…for probably the most half. It’s too tough to do this with any diploma of credibility for summer time, however hopefully we’ll be capable to draw extra definitive conclusions about these months after Epic Universe and Disney Starlight Night time Parade debut. So keep tuned!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study inns on our Walt Disney World Resorts Evaluations web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Evaluations. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys submit takes a singular take a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Journey Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the most effective place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for the whole lot it’s good to know!
Your Ideas
Do you agree or disagree with our Walt Disney World week rankings for now by 2026? Are there any months you assume are higher or worse than we’ve got them ranked? Any particular supreme weeks that you simply’d advocate individuals go to Walt Disney World? Different dates to keep away from the parks in 2025? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
