Disney World Crowd Calendar (2024)

Disney World Crowd CalendarMagicGuides Staff2024-08-02T15:44:06-04:00

Our Disney World Crowd Calendar helps you find the best times to visit Disney’s theme parks in 2024 and 2025. Lower crowd levels mean less time waiting in line and more time enjoying your vacation. Walt Disney World crowds fluctuate throughout the year, so it’s really important to choose your dates carefully.

We’ve designed our crowd calendar to show you just how crowded Disney’s theme parks will be each day of the calendar year. We predict Disney’s theme park attendance for the next 12 months so that you’ll be able to narrow down the months, weeks, and days of your next vacation. Our Disney crowd calendar updates on a monthly basis and currently features the remainder of 2024 and portions of 2025. Check back frequently!

How do we forecast the crowds at Disney World? Our methodology tracks past attendance data in order to predict future crowds at Disney’s four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. Hopefully, these estimates will help you focus on the dates that best suit your Disney vacation goals in the coming year. So let’s begin!

Want Free Help Deciding When To Travel? Get Personalized advice from Our Favorite Disney Travel Agency!

Contact The Vacationeer Now!

Disney World Crowd Calendar (2)

Calendar updated through July 2025

Notes:

* Guests ages three and up with certain ticket types may be required to have a park reservation in addition to valid admission for the same park.

** Advance Dining Reservations become available to book starting at 6 AM on the date indicated.

*** COVID-19: Face coverings are optional for Guests, but are not allowed while Guests are in the water or on water slides.

The Disney World Crowd Calendar provides information on crowd sizes, updated information regarding the average daily temperature ranges for Orlando, and when you are eligible to make your Advance Dining Reservations. Let’s review some background information so that you understand how our crowd calendar is organized.

We trust the Travel Agents atThe Vacationeerfor all of our Disney travel planning needs.
We hope you’ll consider working with them too!

What is a Crowd Calendar?

The best time to go to Disney World depends on many factors, including the weather, which time period fits into your busy schedule, and, of course, how crowded the theme parks will be. After all, who likes waiting in long lines when you could be enjoying the rides?

Crowd calendars predict how busy a theme park will be on any given day of the year. By using data compiled from recent years, Disney crowd calendars help us determine which theme parks will have the shortest lines and which parks will have the longest lines. While not every traveler has the flexibility to plan their trip around the least-crowded dates, this can still be a valuable tool. Knowing what to expect will allow you to plan accordingly and help you to maximize your Disney experience.

Rating System for the Disney World Crowd Calendar

Our Disney World Crowd Calendar uses a rating system from 1 to 5 for each of the Walt Disney World theme parks. We compile this information using historical data from the past several years. Our rating system also takes variable factors (like seasonal events and new in-park openings) into account. While ride refurbishments and temporary closures don’t necessarily influence crowd levels, they are usually scheduled during slower times of the year.

Please note that past attendance figures are not always reflective of future attendance, and there may be slight differences between our prediction and the actual crowd sizes. We do our best to give you the most up-to-date and accurate predictions so that you may know what to expect when you arrive at Disney World.

Ratings based on Park Attendance:

1 = Light Crowds (minimal lines)
2 = Below Average Crowds
3 = Average Crowds
4 = Above Average Crowds
5 = Heavy Crowds (long lines)

How the Disney Crowd Calendar is Organized

Let’s look at how we’ve set up this valuable trip planning tool.

Crowds at each Disney Theme Park

Our Disney World Crowd Calendar predicts the crowds at Walt Disney World for every day in the next 12 months. Our estimates are broken down by Disney World theme park: Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Magic Kingdom.

Weather at Disney World

Orlando, Florida is known for its nice weather. That said, there are some seasonal differences that you may want to take into consideration when booking your Disney vacation. For example, August is historically the warmest month while January is the coldest. July is typically the wettest month and June has the most sunshine hours.

We list the average temperature range for each day of the calendar year. This will give you an idea of what to expect (and what clothes to pack) when you vacation at Walt Disney World.

Dining Reservations

Our Disney Crowd Calendar lists the specific date you will be eligible to make your Advance Disney Reservations.

Guests can book their dining reservations up to 60 days in advance (starting at 6 AM on the date indicated in the calendar). The Disney Crowd Calendar lists the specific date you should start booking your Walt Disney World dining reservations.

Newbies are often surprised by the lack of dining availability once they get to Disney World. You shouldn’t expect to just walk into a full-service restaurant at Walt Disney World and get seated right away. It usually won’t happen.

It’s why it’s imperative to book your reservations well in advance to ensure your spot at some of Disney’s outstanding dining establishments. Certain restaurants are more difficult to book, and traveling at peak times means there will be more demand for full-dining options. We recommend that you book your Advance Dining Reservations as soon as you are able (60 days out).

The Disney Reservation Calculator is another tool you can use to find the dates you will be eligible to make your dining reservations.

Do you need help booking your Advance Dining Reservations? How about some advice on where to eat? Contact the Disney travel agents at The Vacationeer today. There’s no charge to use their planning services!

Get Free One-On-One Help Planning Your Trip

Have A Vacationeer Call Me

When is Disney World Least Crowded?

Walt Disney World’s parks are typically least crowded:

  • January 2nd until just prior to Presidents’ Day week (third Monday in February)
  • The week after Labor Day until just prior to Thanksgiving week
  • The week following Thanksgiving weekend until the week prior to Christmas.

The reasons for this are that parents typically plan Disney World vacations around two major factors, school schedules, and Summer heat.

Labor day is typically around the time U.S. schools get their year started, so the month or so after that is the least crowded time of year.

July and August can also be good times to go if you don’t mind the typically higher heat and humidity.

When is Disney World Most Crowded?

Walt Disney World parks generally experience their highest attendance around:

  • Presidents’ Day week (third week in February)
  • the Spring Break period from mid-March through late April
  • Memorial Day weekend, Summer (mid-June through Labor Day)
  • Thanksgiving week
  • Christmas week through January 1st
  • Weekends are typically more crowded than weekdays
  • When it comes to weekdays, Mondays and Fridays tend to be slightly more crowded than Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

How bad are the crowds at Disney on a “most crowded” day versus a “least crowded” day?

The difference between a “least crowded” day and a “most crowded” day can be significant.

What are crowds like on Least Crowded days?

On the least crowded days at the parks, you might find that you’re able to walk straight through the line for at least a few of the rapidly-loading rides in the parks. Many middle-tier rides will have waits around 10-15 minutes, with the most popular attractions like roller coasters having waits of around 30 minutes. Dining is usually easy to obtain, with short waits for quick service dining and even the ability to get same-day reservations at some table service locations.

What are crowds like on Most Crowded days?

During the parks’ most crowded days, even quickly loading rides routinely show wait times of 15-45 minutes. 60+ minute waits for the most popular rides are not unheard of. Fortunately, the implementation of theme park reservations and other entry restrictions has eliminated many of the nightmare scenarios we used to see, such as 3-5 hour waits on Christmas Day or New Years Eve. Dining can also be a bit more challenging on crowded days, with longer waits (and occasionally having to “hover” to snag an empty table) at some quick service restaurants during peak lunch and dinner hours. Same-day reservations at table service restaurants may not be available.

Should I avoid the parks on Most Crowded days?

All of the scenarios listed above are just representative samples. Individual days have their own individual quirks; you might have shorter than expected waits on a “most crowded” day or longer than expected waits on a “least crowded” day.

It’s obviously best to plan your trips during less crowded times whenever possible, but we all know that it’s not necessarily possible due to work and school schedules. If you do find yourself traveling during a more crowded time, you’ll still have a good time on vacation. You’ll just want to plan ahead and take advantage of all the tools at your disposal – extended park hours, advance Park Pass reservations (when required), advance dining reservations, Lightning Lane, our Disney World Crowd Calendar, and the like – to make the most out of your time in the parks.

If you need help planning and booking your magical Walt Disney World vacation, then please contact the Disney Travel Agents atThe Vacationeer. Their services are always helpful and totally free of charge.Call 833-4MY-TRIP (833-469-8747) or click the button below for a free, no-obligation price quote today!

Start Planning my Trip

When are the best days to visit Walt Disney World?

The best time to visit Disney World depends on many factors, including the weather, each traveler’s busy schedule, and, of course, how crowded the theme parks will be.

Our Disney travel planning experts regularly analyze past park attendance data, special events, attraction openings/closures, travel trends, weather, and many other elements in order to forecast and predict future crowds at Disney World’s four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios.

We’ve taken some of this data and compared the average temperature predicted on each day to the predicted crowd level. Temperature range (F) and average crowd levels were converted to scores between 1-5. Temperature and crowd scores were then weighted and converted to a total score out of 100 to reveal the best days to visit each park. The best days to visit each park were determined based on the combined score.

According to the crowds-to-weather score, there are a few particular days to visit each park at Walt Disney World over a 12-month period which tend to offer the best balance. The data revealed that Magic Kingdom, for example, historically has three days to visit for the best crowds-to-weather ratio: October 26th, 31st, and November 1st. In comparison, Epcot has six perfect days (October 24-26 and 31, plus November 1 & 2). Hollywood Studios has 5 (October 24-26 and 31, plus November 1). And Animal Kingdom has the most, with 12 (October 23-27, October 30 – November 3, and November 7-8). Interestingly, the dates are similar for each park, highlighting that the last week of October is the best week to visit Disney World.

Of course, crowd levels can vary from year to year, and weather can most certainly depart from averages.

So why pay attention to these scores? MagicGuides Editor Jaimie Michaels explains:

“By using data compiled from recent years, Disney crowd calendars help us determine which theme parks will have the shortest and longest lines, to discover the best times to visit the parks for fewer crowds and beautiful weather. While not every traveler has the flexibility to plan their trip around the least-crowded dates, this can still be a valuable tool for all, as knowing what to expect will allow you to plan accordingly and help you to maximize your Disney experience.”

Still concerned about crowds? Or maybe you have other questions? Fortunately, there’s a way to get expert help at no additional cost.

Connect With a Disney Super Fan Who’ll Plan Your Trip for Free

Planning a Disney World vacation can be overwhelming. You’re bombarded with confusing choices: dozens of hotels, hundreds of restaurants, and endless ticket options. It’s easy to feel helpless.

Now imagine getting personalized advice and help from an expert who’s visited the parks dozens of times and knows all the tips and tricks. And better yet, they’re willing to handle all of it for you, for free!

That’s exactly the idea behindThe Vacationeer — a group of 100+ Disney Super Fans who are also highly-trained travel professionals.

Why not let them take the stress out of your Disney vacation?

Start Planning my Trip

Disney World Crowd Calendar (4)

Why Use The Vacationeer For Your Disney Trip?

No Planning Fees

The Vacationeer never charges you for their services. Your trip won’t cost a penny more than if you’d booked it yourself.

One-on-One Service

One dedicated agent handles everything from start to finish. No impersonal call centers and no waiting on hold.

Hassle-Free Booking

Don’t sweat the logistics. YourVacationeer arranges hotels, tickets, dining, and activities so you don’t have to.

The Best Price

They’ll find the best possible rate for your trip, and keep searching for new discounts to add as they’re announced.

What Their Clients Have to Say

“I can’t thank them enough”

“Emily did an AMAZING job planning my Disneymoon. The attention to detail is absolutely spot on! I can’t wait for her to plan our next vacation!”

Disney World Crowd Calendar (5)Heather G.
Grain Valley, MO
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“We had a wonderful vacation”

“Much of that had to do with the help we received from JoMarie! Disney can be a little overwhelming when you’re new to it, but she made it very enjoyable and low stress!”

Disney World Crowd Calendar (6)Amanda L.
Athens, AL
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I could not be happier”

“Carla worked side by side with me to plan the perfect shows, rides, fireworks and places to stay with our group. We saved the most money possible.”

Disney World Crowd Calendar (7)Tracie B.
Colorado Springs, CO
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Here’s What To Expect

  • Step 1: Answer a few easy questions
    Just tell The Vacationeer who you are, how to reach you, and what your dream vacation looks like. They’ll assign a dedicated agent to handle your vacation from start to finish.

  • Step 2: Let them handle the details
    Your agent will help you pick the best options for your needs and budget. They’ll make your reservations and keep watching for better deals. And they’ll be there to answer any questions or concerns that arise.

  • Step 3: Pack your bags!
    Scream it out loud: “I’m going to Disney World!”Thanks to your Vacationeer‘s know-how, you’re off on an unforgettable adventure during the vacation of a lifetime!

The Vacationeer Advantage

  • Hotel Reservations: Your agent will help you pick the right place for the right price and arrange everything.

  • Dining: They’ll run the numbers on the Disney Dining Plan and secure tables at your choice of 100+ restaurants.

  • Theme Park Tickets: They’ll find the best ticket option for your family so you don’t waste money.

  • Recreation, Events, & More: You name it — golf, fishing, shows, backstage tours, ground transport — it’s all handled!

  • Virtual Queue and Lightning Lane: They’ll help demystify these line-skipping strategies so you save time during your trip.

  • Peace of Mind: You’re booking through an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner agency.

  • Unparalleled Expertise: As an Earmarked Diamond agency, they’ve booked more than 25,000 Disney vacations.

  • Personal Experience: They visit the theme parks often and can’t wait to share their insider tips with you!

  • Disney’s Lowest Prices: They’ll use their knowledge of discounts and deals to find the best rates.

  • New Discounts As They’re Announced: Your agent never stops looking for a better price, even after you’ve booked.

Ready To Do Disney The Stress-Free Way?

Contact The Vacationeer Now!

The MagicGuides Walt Disney World Crowd Calendar keeps you updated on all the special events happening at Disney. Check back often so you won’t miss out!

If you enjoyed our Walt Disney World Crowd Calendar page, be sure to check out our other articles like our Disney World Cost Calculator, Disney Dining Plan Calculator,Disney Dining Plans, Disney World Free Dining, Disney World Planning Timeline, Disney World Map,Tips and Tricks, Disney Travel Planners, How To Become a Disney Travel Agent, and our Secrets and Reviews pages. Also check out our in-depth article on the Best Days to Visit Magic Kingdom.

Thank you for reading our page, and we hope you have a magical Walt Disney World vacation!

Related Posts:

  • Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar: Understand Orlando…
  • Disney World Map
  • Best Disney World Souvenirs
  • Christmas at Disney World
Disney World Crowd Calendar (2024)

FAQs

What is the most accurate Disney crowd calendar? ›

The Park Prodigy's Orlando park crowd calendar is the best tool to see how busy each theme park will be during a specific month, week, and day. It's the perfect resource for families to rely on as they begin to plan their 2024 and 2025 vacation at the Orlando theme parks.

How accurate is the Thrill data crowd calendar? ›

They are NOT intended to predict the exact wait times at a park on a given day, but they generally give you a better idea of what crowds are throughout the year.

What is the least crowded month to go to Disney World? ›

Off-peak times fall in September and parts of January and February (outside of school breaks). Discounts on vacation packages booked directly through Disney (which combine park tickets and hotel stays) can be found year-round, though they're most common at these less-crowded times.

Is Disney World attendance down in 2024? ›

It's been a weird year for Walt Disney World crowds. Wait times have been increasing year-over-year in 2024, reversing monthly declines for the first time since January 2023.

What is the least crowded day of the week at Magic Kingdom? ›

Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays tend to be slightly less crowded year-round. July and August can sometimes be good times, MagicGuides said, if you can handle the heat, but overall the summer is full of vacationing Disney fans. You also want to generally avoid times when kids are out of school.

What is the most crowded day at Disney World? ›

The busiest days at Disney World tend to be Monday, Friday, and Saturday according to historical wait time data, and recent Disney World multi-pass prices. This tends to be because most families start their Disney World vacation on Sunday or Monday, and make that the first day in the park.

What is the least busy day at amusement parks? ›

The conventional wisdom is that mid-January through March tend to feature smaller crowds (and potentially lower prices) at theme parks, as well as the period between Labor Day and Thanksgiving. In general, weekdays are the mellowest, especially Tuesday through Thursday.

What is the best day to go to an amusement park? ›

Mondays are often the second busiest and busier than Sundays since many others… thought Sunday would be worse. The least crowded days to visit are Tuesdays and Wednesdays," Niles says. Holidays can also be surprisingly good days to visit, says Dave Altman, president of American Coaster Enthusiasts.

What day of the week is Dollywood least crowded? ›

For instance, in the spring, Thursdays are less crowded. In the summer, try for Wednesday or Thursday. In the fall, you might consider weekdays. During the Christmas season, weekdays are your best bet.

When not to visit Disney World? ›

Walt Disney World is the most crowded when kids are out of school: over summer through later August, Thanksgiving week, Christmas and New Years weeks, Presidents Day week, the spring break month of March; and the weeks before and after Easter.

What is Disney's least popular month? ›

What is the slowest month at Disney? September is the slowest month of the year to visit Disney World in terms of average wait times and the cheapest tickets and vacation packages. This is because it is right after kids have gone back to school and it is also during the peak of hurricane season.

What is the cheapest month to go to Disney? ›

Typically, the period from January through mid-February is the most inexpensive time to visit Disney World throughout the year. This season comes after the holidays, which brings a quieter atmosphere and cooler weather. Additionally, you can save a lot on hotels and park tickets during these months.

Who has gone to Disney World the most? ›

Jeff Reitz visited Disneyland nearly 3,000 times in a row. Now he has a Guinness World Record. Editor's Note: Monthly Ticket is a CNN Travel series that spotlights some of the most fascinating topics in the travel world.

How much will it cost to go to Disney World in 2024? ›

Guests can purchase a 4-Day, 4-Park Magic Ticket starting at $99 per day, plus tax (total price starting at $396 plus tax)—This is a date-based ticket with start dates from April 2 through September 22, 2024. Ticket must be used within 7 days of selected start date.

Why is Disney attendance so low? ›

The biggest reason for lower crowds during the summer is pricing. This was more obvious back when we first published this post, as the trend became very visible in the couple of years after Walt Disney World moved to seasonal ticket pricing.

How accurate is the Disneyland crowd calendar? ›

Because Disney crowd calendars tend to go off past data, when Disney announces a new event or changes the dates of an existing special event, it shifts crowds. Over the last few years, the Disneyland Resort has added a number of seasonal events so that there's almost never a "down" time in the parks.

How to check Disney crowds? ›

The Crowd Calendar is the easiest way to see how busy the theme parks are on any given day of the year. When you are starting to plan your Universal and Disney vacations, you can use it to pick the least busy times of year to visit. You can also see historical weather, holidays and special events.

How do you beat the crowds at Disney World? ›

The Top 9 Ways to Avoid Crowds At Walt Disney World
  1. Be choosy (if you can) about what time of year you go. ...
  2. Plan to Arrive Early to the Parks. ...
  3. Take a Break in the Afternoon. ...
  4. Take Some Time to Visit Resorts. ...
  5. Stay Late in the Parks. ...
  6. Leave Do Not Linger at the End of the Nighttime Show. ...
  7. Take Advantage of the Weather.

What is the least crowded day of the week at Disneyland? ›

If you wish to visit when crowds are expected to be lower, then plan your trip mid-week if possible. Lines tend to be shorter Tuesdays through Thursdays during off-peak periods.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Allyn Kozey

Last Updated:

Views: 5722

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (63 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Allyn Kozey

Birthday: 1993-12-21

Address: Suite 454 40343 Larson Union, Port Melia, TX 16164

Phone: +2456904400762

Job: Investor Administrator

Hobby: Sketching, Puzzles, Pet, Mountaineering, Skydiving, Dowsing, Sports

Introduction: My name is Allyn Kozey, I am a outstanding, colorful, adventurous, encouraging, zealous, tender, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.