Woo-hoo! We’re going to Disney World! But when?
There are a few things to consider when deciding on a date: price, weather & crowds.
You also have to consider whether or not you are willing (or able) to take children out of school – some of the best times to go are during the school year, not during a break.
Here are a look at the different times of year & what they bring:
There are different “seasons” at Disney World – Regular, Summer, Fall, Peak, Holiday & Value seasons:
(The specific dates vary, depending on the year, where the holidays fall & the resort.)
Regular season – Late February thru Early March & Mid April thru Late May
(2012 Dates: Feb 26 – March 8; April 15 – May 31)
Summer – Beginning of June thru Beginning of August
(2012 Dates: June 1 – Aug 4)
Fall – Late September Thru Mid November (except during Columbus Day weekend)
(2012 Dates: Sept 28 – Oct 4, Oct 8 – Nov 16 ; Nov 24 – Dec 20)
Peak – Late February & Mid March thru Late March
(2012 Dates: Feb 16; Feb 20 – 25; March 9 – March 31)
Holiday – Mid January Weekend, Mid February Weekend, Early to Mid April, Early October Weekend, Late November Weekend, End of December
(2012 Dates: Jan 13-15 ; Feb 17-19 ; April 1-14 ; Oct 5-7 ; Nov 17-23 ; Dec 21-31)
Value – Beginning to Mid January, Mid January thru Mid February, Beginning of August thru End of September
(2012 Dates: Jan 2–4; Jan 8 – Jan 12; Jan 16 – Feb 15; Aug 5 – Sept 27)
After considering the prices, here’s the average weather in Disney by month:
January- The average daily low is 49⁰F, the average daily high is 72⁰F, and the average daily temperature is 61⁰F. With respect to humidity, the daily average is 74%. During this month the average amount of rainfall is 2.1 inches (approximately 6 days of rain per month).
February- The average daily low is 50⁰F, the average daily high is 73⁰F, and the average daily temperature is 62⁰F. With respect to humidity, the daily average is 71%. During this month the average amount of rainfall is 0.8 inches (approximately 7 days of rain per month).
March – The average daily low is 55⁰F, the average daily high is 78⁰F, and the average daily temperature is 67⁰F. With respect to humidity, the daily average is 71%. During this month the average amount of rainfall is 3.2 inches (approximately 8 days of rain per month).
April – The average daily low is 60⁰F, the average daily high is 84⁰F, and the average daily temperature is 72⁰F. With respect to humidity, the daily average is 69%. During this month the average amount of rainfall is 2.2 inches (approximately 6 days of rain per month).
May – The average daily low is 66⁰F, the average daily high is 88⁰F, and the average daily temperature is 77⁰F. The weather is hot but tolerable. With respect to humidity, the daily average is 72%. During this month the average amount of rainfall is 3.9 inches (approximately 9 days of rain per month).
June – The average daily low is 71⁰F, the average daily high is 91⁰F, and the average daily temperature is 81⁰F. With respect to humidity, the daily average is 77%. During this month the average amount of rainfall is 7.4 inches (approximately 14 days of rain per month).
July – The average daily low is 73⁰F, the average daily high is 92⁰F, and the average daily temperature is 82⁰F. With respect to humidity, the daily average is 79%. During this month the average amount of rainfall is 7.8 inches (approximately 17 days of rain per month).
August – The average daily low is 73⁰F, the average daily high is 92⁰F, and the average daily temperature is 82⁰F. With respect to humidity, the daily average is 80%. During this month the average amount of rainfall is 6.3 inches (approximately 16 days of rain per month).
September – The average daily low is 73⁰F, the average daily high is 90⁰F, and the average daily temperature is 82⁰F. With respect to humidity, the daily average is 80%. During this month the average amount of rainfall is 5.6 inches (approximately 14 days of rain per month). September is peak hurricane season as well.
October – The average daily low is 65⁰F, the average daily high is 84⁰F, and the average daily temperature is 75⁰F. With respect to humidity, the daily average is 77%. During this month the average amount of rainfall is 2.8 inches (approximately 9 days of rain per month).
November – The average daily low is 57⁰F, the average daily high is 78⁰F, and the average daily temperature is 68⁰F. With respect to humidity, the daily average is 76%. During this month the average amount of rainfall is 1.8 inches (approximately 6 days of rain per month).
December – The average daily low is 51⁰F, the average daily high is 73⁰F, and the average daily temperature is 62⁰F. With respect to humidity, the daily average is 76%. During this month the average amount of rainfall is 1.9 inches (approximately 6 days of rain per month).
Then, you have to consider how crowded it will be:
January – Crowds are minimal throughout most of January. The down side is that some rides could also be closed for refurbishment. The first week of January can be a bit busy because of the extended school holiday and the Walt Disney World Marathon however.
February – The first half of February is much like January with respect to the smaller crowds, while the second half of February can be a bit busier. One of the busiest times to visit Disney World occurs in February actually: President’s Day weekend.
March – The month of March is generally crowded due to college spring breaks. Crowds go up and down, depending on the spring break schedules.
April – April is considered to be one of the worst crowd months for Disney World. This is also due to college spring breaks and the Easter holiday. Wait times are going to be excessively high. It does calm down the further into April you go.
May – Crowds are moderate for the most part in early May with a peak in attendance around Memorial Day.
June – The Summer months are extremely busy for the obvious reason that most students are out of school for Summer break.
July – See June
August – Early August can still be a bit busy as summer is still winding down. Crowds are moderate throughout the rest of August.
September – Due to this time of year being extremely hot and the peak of hurricane season, crowds are minimal.
October – Crowds are moderate throughout the month of October, with the end of October being more popular because of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (which actually runs through most of October, but many people like to go actually ON Halloween).
November – Thanksgiving week can be very crowded but the rest of November has a low to moderate number of people in attendance.
December – Early December isn’t very crowded at all (before Christmas) but the time period between Christmas and New Year’s Day is the busiest time of year.
Everyone has different times of year that they like going best – or have different reasons that are more important to them.
What time of year do you like to go, and why?
My Magical Vacation 