I’m often asked when is the best time to visit Walt Disney World.
And my answer always starts with “Depends…”
There are so many variables that go into your own personal decision as to when is “Best.”
Variables Such As:
- Your Work/Deployment Schedule
- The Kid’s School Schedule
- When are the Disney crowds lowest?
- When is it cheapest to visit Disney?
- How hot will it be?
- Are there special events you are interested in seeing or avoiding?
These are among the most important considerations.
The Easy Answer
My stock answer is to go during the school year when the kids are in school. School vacations are the largest factor contributing to large crowds at Disney World. Times to avoid are Summer, Spring Break, and Christmas Vacation. So pull the kids out of school with some assignments to work on while you are on your Disney Vacation.
I like to go when the crowds are low and the temperature is moderate, it makes for a much more enjoyable trip.
Disney Price Seasons
If you are planning to use the Armed Forces Salute room discount be aware that Disney World has many different price seasons. Depending on which is in effect during your stay can vary the cost of your Disney resort room significantly. If you are interested in paying the least for your room you need to carefully select your travel dates. But again a good rule of thumb is it’s cheaper when the kids are in school.
Disney’s Price Seasons:
- Value
- Regular
- Summer
- Value II
- Fall
- Peak
- And numerous short increases based on Holidays or Events
There are two great websites that I use when I begin to plan a Disney World Vacation. One is a free resource and the other charges a small annual fee for their service.
YourFirstVisit.net
yourfirstvisit.net is a website dedicated to helping first time visitors to Walt Disney World plan for and experience a fantastic Disney Vacation. Dave the webmaster approaches a Disney World vacation from the perspective of one who hasn’t visited before and gives all the pros and cons in relation to your first visit.
Dave’s site is very extensive and through! The best parts though are are his planning products. He puts a lot of time and effort into producing these products each year which he offers for free. The products which are currently available for 2011, 2012, and 2013 are:
These links are to the 2011 versions, you’ll see links to the other years in the Key Links section at the top left of Dave’s site.













