Planning your 2026 trip to Walt Disney World? One of the first things you need to decide is WHEN you’re going to go, but it can be hard to find the perfect time to visit. Do you want to visit when the parks aren’t crowded? Prefer to go when it’s not so hot in Florida that you think your skin might melt off? Should you visit over a holiday period so you can enjoy all the decorations?

I’ve been going to Disney World for over 30 years and, collectively, our team has hundreds of Walt Disney World trips under our belt. With that many visits to the Disney Parks, you bet we’ve traveled during some really bad and really great times and we’re done gatekeeping our secrets. So, when is the best time of year to visit Disney World in 2026? We’ve got the complete breakdown (including a month-by-month guide) to help you start planning!

WATCH OUR BEST (and WORST) Times to Visit Disney World VIDEO!

We’ve learned that the “best” time to visit Disney World, really depends on what you’re hoping to get out of your vacation. Feel free to skip around to see when you should plan your trip based on your main goals.

When is the best time to visit Disney World to avoid crowds?

The short answer: January, February, August, September

The Long(er) Answer: Crowd levels can be one of the most unpredictable things about visiting Disney World nowadays. After the temporary closure of the parks in 2020, revenge travel was in full force, which meant that the theme parks were busier than ever before almost year round. Luckily, things have begun to normalize and return to old patterns.

In general, Disney World is busier during the times that most people travel. This includes holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving, holiday weekends, school break periods, and the summer. Disney does also host special events throughout the year including runDisney race weekends and holiday events, which can attract more people to the parks. If you’re really looking to avoid crowds, it’s best to avoid these.

So, when should you go to Disney World to avoid the crowds? Historically, January and February are slower at the parks since school is back in session and there aren’t any major holidays. This means less wait times for your favorite rides and attractions.

Or, if you prefer to visit later in the year, late August and September are also less busy months. Plus, the parks are usually already decorated for the fall and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is offered on select nights which means you can take advantage of some of the holiday excitement minus the long wait times.

When is the best time to visit Disney World for the best weather?

The short answer: December, January, February

The Long(er) Answer: Central Florida is known for high temps and high humidity, but – believe it or not – it’s not always like that! Disney World is known for having some of the best weather in December, January, and February which means that you can enjoy the parks without leaving them smelling like you went to the gym instead (in fact, you might even need a sweater!).

If you’re looking for more mild temperatures, things tend to start cooling down in Florida in September, October, and November. Plus, March, April, and May have some of the lowest humidity during the year (while still being good swimming weather!).

The hottest time of the year to travel to Disney World is June, July, and August, and you may also want to avoid traveling during hurricane season which runs from June 1st to November 30th every year. If you are planning a visit during hurricane season, be sure to read up on Disney’s hurricane refund policies and be prepared for last-minute changes if a storm is expected in the area.

Regardless of what time of year you visit, it’s important to wear the right clothing when visiting Disney World.

The cheapest times to visit Disney World

The short answer: January, February, August, September

The Long(er) Answer: It’s no secret that a Walt Disney World vacation is pricey, but you can actually save a lot of money on your tickets and hotel stay if you travel at the right time!

Currently, Disney World theme park tickets are on a date-based pricing model. This means that every ticket has a different price every day of the year. Tickets (and hotels) are generally priced lower during less busy times of the year and higher when more people want to travel. So, you’ll notice that the cheapest times to visit Disney World are also the least crowded.

In 2026, park tickets start at $119 per person and max out at $199 per person for a one-park, one-day ticket. Prices are a bit higher if you’re opting for park hopper tickets (which allow you to visit any combination of the four parks in one day), though you can save $20 on any ticket when you purchase for 3 days or longer online in advance.

Here’s a quick overview of how much a one-day, one-park ticket costs in 2026:

• Magic Kingdom ticket price: $139 to $209
• EPCOT tickets: $129 to $199
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios tickets: $139 to $204
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom tickets: $119 to $184

Keep in mind that prices are subject to change at any time, so the earlier you purchase the better. Disney has been known to increase ticket prices one to two times per year.

If you’re hoping to secure the lowest prices on your trip, the best time to travel is January, February, August, and September. You’ll want to avoid traveling in March, April, October, November, and December, as these are when prices are at their peak.

Disney World Month By Month

As you can see, there’s a lot to consider when picking a date for your Disney World trip! Luckily, we’re putting all the considerations together and going MONTH-BY-MONTH to break down the weather, pricing, crowds, and special events!

January

Weather:

In January, temperatures average a high of 72 degrees and a low of 51 degrees with the lowest humidity levels of the year. With less humidity, there’s also less rain, so you won’t have to worry as much about packing ponchos and umbrellas!

Pricing:

• Magic Kingdom: $174-$199
• EPCOT: $159-$189
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $169-$194
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $149-$174
• Park Hopper: $238-$264
• Park Hopper Plus: $264-$290

Please note that these are the 2026 prices and are subject to change at any time.

Crowds:

With students back in school and only one holiday weekend, January is known for being one of the least busy times to visit Disney World. This means lower wait times and more room to enjoy all the attractions and entertainment!

Special Events:

• New Year’s Day: January 1st
• runDisney Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend: January 7th-11th, 2026
• EPCOT Festival of the Arts: Beginning January 16th, 2026
• Disney After Hours Events: Select nights throughout the month at select parks. See our guide to Disney After Hours Events here for more details.

February

Weather:

In February, temperatures average a high of 75 degrees and a low of 54 degrees with the mornings starting out a bit chilly and warming up fast once the sun is out. Much like January, the humidity is low, which means that rain isn’t common.

Pricing:

• Magic Kingdom: $184-$199
• EPCOT: $174-$194
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $179-$194
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $159-$179
• Park Hopper: $244-$267
• Park Hopper Plus: $272-$293

Please note that these are the 2026 prices and are subject to change at any time.

Crowds:

February is a slower month at Disney World with crowds only spiking during the runDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend. This can be a great time to visit if you don’t like waiting in long lines for rides.

Special Events:

• runDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend: February 26th-March 2nd, 2026
• EPCOT Festival of the Arts: Through February 23rd, 2026
• Disney After Hours Events: Select nights throughout the month at select parks. See our guide to Disney After Hours Events here for more details.
• Disney celebrates Valentine’s Day with special treats available at select locations throughout the month

March

Weather:

In March, temperatures being to increase with highs averaging around 79 degrees and lows at 57 degrees. Springtime comes early in Florida, so you might start feeling some higher humidity if you’re not used to it!

Pricing:

• Magic Kingdom: $174-$199
• EPCOT: $164-$194
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $169-$194
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $159-$179
• Park Hopper: $242-$267
• Park Hopper Plus: $268-$293

Please note that these are the 2026 prices and are subject to change at any time.

Crowds:

You can expect moderate to very heavy crowds in March depending on when you’re visiting Disney World. Many schools have their Spring Break period this month, which brings some of the biggest crowds of the year to the parks.

Special Events:

• runDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend: February 26th-March 2nd, 2026
• EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival: Begins in March
• Disney After Hours Events: Select nights throughout the month at select parks. See our guide to Disney After Hours Events here for more details.
• Raglan Road Mighty St. Patrick’s Day in Disney Springs: March 17th, 2026
• Disney celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with special treats available at select locations throughout the month of March

April

Weather:

In April, temperatures average a high of 84 degrees and a low of 63 degrees. Luckily, April showers don’t bring May flowers in Florida, as the month actually tends to be pretty dry!

Pricing:

• Magic Kingdom: $179-$199
• EPCOT: $164-$194
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $174-$194
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $154-$179
• Park Hopper: $238-$267
• Park Hopper Plus: $266-$293

Please note that these are the 2026 prices and are subject to change at any time.

Crowds:

Crowd levels continue to be some of the highest out of the year during the month of April as Spring Break periods continue and families travel to celebrate the Easter holiday. If you’re looking for more moderate crowd levels, consider visiting at the end of the month instead.

Special Events:

• EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival: All month
• runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend: April 16th-20th, 2026
• Easter Sunday: April 5th, 2026
• Disney celebrates Easter with special treats available at select locations throughout the month of April
• Disney After Hours Events: Select nights throughout the month at select parks. See our guide to Disney After Hours Events here for more details.

May

Weather:

Temperatures in May average a high of 88 degrees and a low of 69 degrees, so if you’re looking for lots of sun and warm weather, this is the month to go! The summer humidity usually hasn’t rolled in just yet, but you may want to bring a fan and rain gear if you’re visiting towards the end of the month.

Pricing:

• Magic Kingdom: $179-$194
• EPCOT: $164-$189
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $174-$189
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $154-$174
• Park Hopper: $243-$262
• Park Hopper Plus: $269-$288

Please note that these are the 2026 prices and are subject to change at any time.

Crowds:

With most schools still in session until mid-to-late May, crowd levels tend to be light to moderate depending on when you travel.

Special Events:

• EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival: All month
• Disney After Hours Events: Select nights throughout the month at select parks. See our guide to Disney After Hours Events here for more details.
• Mother’s Day: May 10th, 2026
• Memorial Day Weekend: May 23rd-25th, 2026
• Disney celebrates Mother’s Day in May with special themed treats available at select locations

June

Weather:

June is when things really start to heat up in Florida! The average high for the month is 91 degrees, with the low being 73 degrees (though, it may feel much warmer due to the humidity). Afternoon rain showers and thunderstorms are common in June, so be sure to pack your ponchos!

Pricing:

• Magic Kingdom: $184-$194
• EPCOT: $169-$184
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $179-$189
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $159-$169
• Park Hopper: $243-$259
• Park Hopper Plus: $278-$292

Please note that these are the 2026 prices and are subject to change at any time.

Crowds:

Summer is in full swing, which means that the parks are very crowded all month long.

Special Events:

• EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival: Ends early June
• Disney After Hours Events: Select nights throughout the month at select parks. See our guide to Disney After Hours Events here for more details.
• Father’s Day: June 25th, 2026
• Disney celebrates Pride Month and Father’s Day in June with special themed treats and merchandise available at select locations

July

Weather:

Much like June, July is one of the hottest months of the year in Florida with average highs in the 90s and lows in the 70s. Afternoon storms are close to a daily occurrence followed by high humidity, so pack your rain gear and bring a fan to help you stay dry and cool!

Pricing:

• Magic Kingdom: $169-$194
• EPCOT: $154-$184
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $164-$189
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $149-$164
• Park Hopper: $231-$258
• Park Hopper Plus: $266-$291

Please note that these are the 2026 prices and are subject to change at any time.

Crowds:

With school out for summer break, the theme parks are crowded all month long. You may want to consider purchasing Lightning Lane entry to skip the long wait times for rides.

Special Events:

• Flavors of Florida at Disney Springs: All month
• Independence Day (Magic Kingdom typically hosts a special fireworks show on July 3rd and 4th to celebrate): July 4th, 2026
• Disney After Hours Events: Select nights throughout the month at select parks. See our guide to Disney After Hours Events here for more details.

August

Weather:

In August, temperatures remain hot and humid with an average high of 91 degrees and a low of 75 degrees. Keep in mind that the humidity can make it feel even warmer, so some days may have a real feel of over 100 degrees. There’s also about a 50/50 chance of thunderstorms happening every day with some of the heaviest rainfall of the year happening this month.

Pricing:

• Magic Kingdom: $139-$179
• EPCOT: $129-$174
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $139-$174
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $119-$159
• Park Hopper: $197-$242
• Park Hopper Plus: $233-$277

Please note that these are the 2026 prices and are subject to change at any time.

Crowds:

Some schools are back in session in August, which means that crowds are very light to moderate. This is known as being one of the best months to travel if you want to avoid the busy season.

Special Events:

• EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival: Beginning early August
• Flavors of Florida at Disney Springs: Ending mid-August
• Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Select nights in Magic Kingdom
• Minnie’s Halloween Dine: (a themed character dining experience) at Hollywood & Vine in Disney’s Hollywood Studios begins
• Disney celebrates fall by decorating the parks for Halloween and rolling out limited-time themed treats and merchandise at select locations all month long
• Disney celebrates World Princess Week with special themed treats available at select locations all month long

September

Weather:

It may be fall, but temperatures are still high in Central Florida in September. The average high for the month is 89 and the average low is 74. This is usually when the humidity tends to start going down, though you may still encounter some severe weather.

Pricing:

• Magic Kingdom: $144-$179
• EPCOT: $129-$164
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $144-$174
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $119-$154
• Park Hopper: $199-$238
• Park Hopper Plus: $235-$266

Please note that these are the 2026 prices and are subject to change at any time.

Crowds:

September is one of the least crowded months of the year to visit Disney World with the exception of Labor Day Weekend when crowds are heavy.

Special Events:

• EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival: All month
• Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Select nights in Magic Kingdom
• Minnie’s Halloween Dine: (a themed character dining experience) at Hollywood & Vine in Disney’s Hollywood Studios begins
• Disney celebrates fall by decorating the parks for Halloween and rolling out limited-time themed treats and merchandise at select locations all month long
• Disney celebrates Hispanic and Latin American Heritage Month with special themed treats available at select locations throughout the month

October

Weather:

Temperatures start to cool down in October, with the average highs in the 80s and lows in the 60s. The days still tend to feel hot, but once the sun goes down you may want to throw on a sweater to stay warm. You won’t necessarily have to worry about rain though, as October only sees an average of 5 days of rain in Disney World.

Pricing:

• Magic Kingdom: $179-$199
• EPCOT: $164-$189
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $179-$189
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $159-$174
• Park Hopper: $241-$262
• Park Hopper Plus: $269-$290

Please note that these are the 2026 prices and are subject to change at any time.

Crowds:

Expect moderate to heavy crowd levels, with everyone flocking to the park to celebrate Halloween.

Special Events:

• EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival: All month
• Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Select nights in Magic Kingdom
• Minnie’s Halloween Dine: (a themed character dining experience) at Hollywood & Vine in Disney’s Hollywood Studios begins
• Disney celebrates fall by decorating the parks for Halloween and rolling out limited-time themed treats and merchandise at select locations all month long
• Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit Scavenger Hunt: Returns to EPCOT all month
• Disney celebrates Hispanic and Latin American Heritage Month with special themed treats available at select locations throughout the month

November

Weather:

In November, average high temperatures are in the 70s and lows are in the 60s, which makes it one of the best months to be in Disney World weather-wise! November is still considered hurricane season in Florida, though rain and severe weather are not common.

Pricing:

• Magic Kingdom: $189-$209
• EPCOT: $174-$199
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $184-$204
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $164-$184
• Park Hopper: $258-$284
• Park Hopper Plus: $283-$307

Please note that these are the 2026 prices and are subject to change at any time.

Crowds:

November is one of the busiest months at Disney World due to Thanksgiving and the fact that the parks are already decorated for the holidays.

Special Events:

• EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival: Ends mid-November
• runDisney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend: Early November
• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party: Begins on select nights in Magic Kingdom
• Minnie’s Holiday Dine (a themed character dining experience) at Hollywood & Vine in Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Begins mid-November
• Disney Jollywood Nights: Begins on select nights in Disney’s Hollywood Studios mid-November
• EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays: Begins late-November
• The Candlelight Processional: Begins at EPCOT on select nights late-November
• Thanksgiving Day: November 26th, 2026
• Disney celebrates the Christmas holiday by decorating the parks and releasing themed treats and merchandise available at select locations throughout the month

December

Weather:

December boasts some of the best weather in Disney World with temperatures hovering between 55- to 75- degrees throughout the month – you may even need to pack a jacket and pants. But, don’t worry, you’ll still be treated to lots of sun and no snow (well…only the fake kind that Disney makes)!

Pricing:

• Magic Kingdom: $199-$209
• EPCOT: $184-$199
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $194-$204
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $174-$184
• Park Hopper: $273-$284
• Park Hopper Plus: $296-$307

Please note that these are the 2026 prices and are subject to change at any time.

Crowds:

December is perhaps the most crowded time to visit Disney World with guests escaping to the parks to celebrate during the holiday break period.

Special Events:

• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party: Select nights in Magic Kingdom
• Minnie’s Holiday Dine (a themed character dining experience) at Hollywood & Vine in Disney’s Hollywood Studios: All month
• Disney Jollywood Nights: Select nights in Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays: All month
• The Candlelight Processional: All month
• Disney celebrates the holidays with special themed treats and merchandise available at select locations throughout the month
• Hanukkah: Mid-December
• Christmas Eve: December 24th
• Christmas Day: December 21st
• New Year’s Eve: December 31st

Best Times vs Worst Times To Visit Disney World

That’s a lot of details to take in, right? Let’s make it even simpler – here’s a quick breakdown of the BEST and WORST times to visit Disney World to help you make your decision. And, be sure to check out our complete guide to the worst times to Visit Disney World here so you know what key dates to avoid!

Month	Crowd Levels	Typical Weather	Pricing Trends	Best For…
Jan–early Feb	Lowest	60s–70s highs, low humidity	Moderate-low	Cool weather, fewer crowds
July	Very high	90 °F+ temps and humidity, afternoon storms	High	Summer vacation with kids out of school
Late Aug–Sep	Lower-moderate	High 80s/low 90s, decreasing humidity	Some of the lowest rates	Value-seeker who tolerates heat
Mid Dec–early Jan	Highest	Cool-warm, holiday decor	Peak Pricing	Holiday/Christmas experience

Ready to start planning? CLICK HERE for our Disney World Vacation Planning Checklist and Timeline!

Comments

Do you agree with our assessment of the best time to visit Disney World? Do you have any recommendations or tips to add? Leave us a comment below to share your favorite time to visit the most magical place on earth.