Summer time isn’t our favourite time to go to Walt Disney World. As a lot needs to be apparent from the truth that there’s an over 3 month hole after early Could on our really useful facet of our listing of the 10 Finest and 10 Worst Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World in 2025 & 2026.
The excellent news is that solely a few weeks in summer time make the worst listing, too. As we’ve been pointing for years, and reiterated once more in final yr’s Summer time (Nonetheless) Is NOT Excessive Crowds Season at Walt Disney World, attendance has been trending down from June via August. There are a selection of explanations for this, however even at its busiest, summer time was by no means as dangerous as Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New 12 months’s, or another extra consolidated faculty breaks. Having a number of months off at all times meant that crowds had been extra unfold out.
Throughout a latest panel at Walt Disney World, I heard from executives who corroborated this and indicated that the shift has been extra pronounced in the previous few years. As with a lot else, the post-COVID interval has modified journey patterns. Extra mother and father are keen to tug their youngsters out of college all through the educational yr, or are keen to take shorter journeys all through yr. Winter has seen a rise in demand (a development that predates “revenge journey”), and Walt Disney World reportedly recorded its highest resort occupancy ranges over a 10-week stretch that led to March.
Regardless of all of this, there may be nonetheless the misperception that winter is low season and summer time is peak season. Although the trendline has been altering for nearly a decade at this level, trip planners nonetheless base journey choices on outdated info. It takes some time for ‘standard knowledge’ to alter.
Walt Disney World management primarily confirmed as a lot, revealing that their pre-visit surveys present that the idea amongst potential friends is that crowds are highest in summer time. Amongst precise Walt Disney World friends, surveys reveal that the notion of crowds in summer time are the lowest. In different phrases, there’s a large ‘expectations vs. actuality’ chasm amongst those that go to versus those that don’t. (No such information was shared for winter, in all probability as a result of it’d be seen as dangerous information, however I’m guessing it’s primarily the inverse.)
There are a selection of potential mitigating components and explanations for this. One could be that “summer time” contains low season dates via the technical finish of the season in late September. One other could be that, from the angle of shopper psychology, it’s higher to be pleasantly shocked than dissatisfied. Folks in January anticipate decrease crowds, so after they encounter larger ones than anticipated, it feels even worse. Against this, summer time guests go in anticipating the worst, and are happy when wait occasions are decrease than feared.
In any case, I assumed that was attention-grabbing and it corroborates what we’ve been saying right here for some time, so it appeared price sharing. The purpose is that summer time could be an expectations-exceeding time to go to, and this yr has its personal promoting factors. There’s additionally the truth that many households can solely go to throughout faculty breaks, and not-so-coincidentally, none of the very best weeks of the yr on our listing above happen when faculty is out of session.
With all of that in thoughts, listed below are a number of weeks we advocate visiting Walt Disney World throughout Summer time 2025:
- June 1-7, 2025
- August 3-9, 2025
- August 10-16, 2025
The final set of dates is our favourite, however all are good choices for various causes, as we’ll lay out beneath.
Let’s begin by speaking crowds. There actually isn’t an amazing quantity of variance in summer time crowds, and to the extent there was over the previous few years, it hasn’t been constant. Normally, there are a selection of things explaining anomalies, from spikes in fuel costs to climate to reductions, blockout dates, and so on. All of this is the reason we’ve described summer time crowd calendars as snake oil.
Standard knowledge was that the weeks round Fourth of July had been the peaks, with crowds steadily constructing to that and declining after. That hasn’t been the case shortly, although, In every of the final two years, the Independence Day vacation was among the many slowest stretches of summer time. I wouldn’t essentially guess on a repeat of that this yr, however I additionally wouldn’t guess towards it. Larger airfare together with ticket and resort charges might hold folks away.
To the extent that there was a development, it’s that there are sometimes 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 kind of been the top of June and finish of July, with Mondays and Tuesdays being particularly dangerous.
In case you can journey earlier than summer time crowds begin constructing or after the final hurrah–households don’t usually go on trip the week after their youngsters get out of college, or the week earlier than they return into session–you’ll be in the very best form. Therefore the above suggestions.
The very best of the bunch can be August 10-16, which is after Central Florida faculties return into session. There can be a really predictable drop that happens that week, with the one slight potential downside being that your youngsters may also return to high school that week. That’s why we’ve included each of these two weeks.
Again within the day, this was considered one of our absolute favourite weeks to go to. Walt Disney World nonetheless ran summer time hours regardless of the falling crowds, so it was actually the very best of each worlds. I bear in mind virtually empty second-showings of SpectroMagic and Magic Kingdom closing at midnight in low to reasonable crowd ranges.
Walt Disney World has gotten higher at attendance projections and doesn’t prolong hours almost as early as they used to, in order that hasn’t been the case for the final a number of years. Nonetheless, possibly Magic Kingdom will keep open till 11 p.m. that week? And maybe we’ll see two performances of Starlight at a time when just one is required? That does occur with Fantasmic on occasion–leisure adjustments are extra reactionary for no matter motive.
Regardless of these August weeks being again to again, there are literally a few variations between them past simply the crowds.
Walt Disney World has not but introduced the dates of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration, however the odds-on favourite begin is Friday, August 8, 2025. Thursday can be a risk; previous precedent helps both.
In all chance, that first week will solely have one MNSSHP date, whereas the following week can have two. (By no means rule out the potential for Walt Disney World cramming extra events into the schedule, particularly since these occasions have offered so effectively in the previous few years. It looks as if solely a matter of time earlier than August will get extra occasion dates.)
The wild card this yr with the Halloween and Christmas events goes to be Disney Starlight Evening Parade. You know the way crowds have gotten loopy for Fortunately Ever After on non-party nights from August via December? Count on that to be a lot worse with a brand-new night time parade. Everybody desirous to see Starlight–which is many friends–can be consolidated into fewer alternatives per week.
Actually, I’m not 100% positive what to anticipate from this–each when it comes to the dimensions of the monkey wrench Starlight might throw into attendance dynamics and what, if something, Walt Disney World will do to mitigate. It’s to the purpose that I’m virtually hesitant about making Celebration Season suggestions till we all know extra, as Disney might make main operational changes (e.g. Boo Bash) or none in any respect (odds-on favourite). However that vary of prospects might be one other matter for an additional day.
The excellent news, although, is that mid-August is sufficiently early within the Celebration Season (fewer occasions per week) and at a time when crowds are decrease that, no matter does occur, it shouldn’t make a lot of a distinction. It’ll be minimally disruptive to planners. Presumably, these August weeks can even happen after the Disney Starlight Evening Parade has been working for a bit, so preliminary demand can have died down. In an ideal world, this may be the ‘candy spot’ between durations of huge parade crowds.
That is “in an ideal world” as a result of there’s nonetheless no date for Starlight’s debut. That’s another excuse we’re hesitant to advocate dates earlier in the summertime.
Even when I assumed Independence Day or the week thereafter was more likely to see a dip based mostly on latest precedent–and that plus the prospect of enhanced leisure and longer hours made it interesting–I’d be hesitant to advocate dates across the Fourth of July. The brand new parade very effectively may find yourself debuting that week, and precedent could be irrelevant. It’d be very busy. Or Starlight may also miss that week, during which case it will be a nasty decide for parade followers.
Later in summer time will increase the percentages not solely of Disney Starlight Evening Parade’s debut, but in addition its preliminary demand to have died down. If we needed to make a shot at midnight guess, we’d say there’s an above 50% likelihood the brand new nighttime parade will debut within the second half of June. However that’s not 100%, and there’s nonetheless an opportunity it slips to July. (As talked about beforehand, we aren’t reserving our personal journey till a date is introduced for Starlight.)
It’s the same story with Check Observe 3.0. Formally, that is slated to open in late Summer time 2025, which ought to imply July. However Walt Disney World has been fairly dangerous at assembly deadlines these days, so I’m taking that with a grain of salt.
Personally, if Check Observe had been my must-see, I’d plan a go to in early October 2025. Check Observe isn’t my must-see, so I’m assuming it gained’t be open throughout our summer time journey and can be pleasantly shocked whether it is. Nonetheless, an August go to will increase the percentages of attending to expertise that.
On the intersection of recent issues and crowds is Common’s Epic Universe. Our expectation is that this new park goes to have an preliminary rush for its first couple of weeks, throughout which it’s very busy. However after that?
Early ticketing insurance policies, an absence of Annual Passes, and locals getting first visits out of their system (common Floridians and present UOAPs aren’t going to purchase a number of single day tickets–they’ll make a go to or two, after which look forward to offers or APs) may end in a slower than anticipated summer time. That would attain a crescendo in August as faculty goes again into session and vacationers look forward to Halloween Horror Nights season to start out.
So why the June dates in any respect? For individuals who don’t care about any of that.
If I weren’t a fan of night time parades, it will behoove me to go to Walt Disney World this summer time earlier than Starlight begins. We don’t know when, precisely, that’ll be, however it’s virtually actually not beginning inside per week of Memorial Day. And even when it does, the ship is beginning to sail on capturing visits since Walt Disney World already introduced the summer time kickoff slate and it wasn’t included.
As famous above, going earlier than summer time crowds begin to construct or after the final hurrah is perfect. The August dates cowl the latter. The June dates cowl the previous. Early June can be, on common, the least sizzling time of summer time. June 1-7 has a mean every day low of 72° and common excessive of 89°. Against this, the August dates common a low of 76° and 91° on the excessive finish of the spectrum.
Clearly, these are averages they usually’re shut sufficient that you possibly can find yourself having worse climate in early June than mid-August. However as somebody who lived in Central Florida for a number of years and has visited even longer, I’ll roll the cube on early June over mid-August. With out wanting up the stats, I might’ve guessed there was a a lot larger unfold. (My notion is that June has nicer mornings and evenings, whereas August is depressing from the time you get up till you fall asleep, with solely a slight reprieve when the solar goes down. YMMV.)
Climate is price underscoring. Better “consciousness” of Florida’s oppressively sizzling and humid temperatures is probably going one huge motive why summer time has been slower lately. Even when my notion is that crowds are actually decrease in the summertime than winter, I’d nonetheless take the latter with larger wait occasions however a qualitatively higher expertise.
The very fact is that warmth, humidity, and hurricanes are a big gamble anytime from June via October. We don’t need to belabor the purpose, so should you’re on the fence about this tradeoff, see Is It Nonetheless Price Visiting In the course of the Early Fall Offseason at Walt Disney World? for a better dialogue of climate vs. crowds.
One remaining issue that’s price mentioning is that every one three of those weeks can be among the many most cost-effective of summer time at Walt Disney World.
Rack charges on the resorts are just about the identical from late Could via early August (with a spike round Independence Day), so the June set of dates isn’t any cheaper on the resort facet than any weeks that observe. Nevertheless, each units of August dates are cheaper. (The week after each is even cheaper, however that’s after most colleges return into session, and we’re attempting to make suggestions for households.)
Extra importantly, all three units of dates are going to be the very best from the angle of reductions. If you wish to reap the benefits of both ticket offers, these dates can be cheaper than the remainder of summer time. From what we will see, you’ll even have extra choices on the room low cost facet of issues. Free Eating is not accessible for the June dates, however we’re speaking saving cash–not spending extra of it!
Finally, that’s our thought course of on the very best weeks for households to go to Walt Disney World in Summer time 2025. Once more, the entire level of that is suggestions for planners with youngsters in class who must work round these schedules. In case you don’t, both go per week or two later and even earlier (should you don’t care about Starlight).
Shoulder season needs to be a good time for decrease crowds, because it’ll be the calm earlier than the storm (if there’s a storm) with Epic Universe and Walt Disney World’s summer time additions. The late August and September low season is reliably uncrowded, and this yr needs to be no completely different, with the potential exception of no matter occurs with Starlight throughout Celebration Season.
In case you’re a household planning a summer time trip to Walt Disney World and none of those dates work, the logic ought to nonetheless apply so you possibly can slim down dates that work greatest for you. Exterior of those weeks, it’s unimaginable to foretell variations in crowd ranges, so that you shouldn’t even trouble (except you wait to guide till after Starlight’s debut date is introduced). Past that, the most important think about summer time journeys is climate, and that’s at all times going be a wildcard.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study resorts on our Walt Disney World Resorts Opinions web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Opinions. To save cash on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a novel have 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 very best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every little thing you could know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
In case you’ve executed Walt Disney World in mid-August, what was your expertise? Was it price hitting the cheaper dates and decrease crowds, or was the climate too sizzling and humid? Expectations about Starlight throughout Celebration Season? Ideas about the rest lined right here? In case you’re a frequent customer throughout this timeframe, what’s your tackle crowds, wait occasions, seasonal choices, climate, and so on? Agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
