All the Information to Choose Disney: Winter vs Summer
I am always asked: when is the best time to go to Disney? The right answer is actually whenever you can! Whether or not you have fun is actually entirely up to you, not the weather or the crowds or any of that. But…when it comes to these two seasons, when is the best time to head to Disney: Winter vs Summer?
Travel in Winter – The Pros
First up, if there were such a thing as “perfect” weather in Central Florida, it’s the winter time. While it can get cold (by their standards, under 70 is considered cold), the weather is fairly moderate during winter months. It’s best to check the weather daily while packing.
Rumor has it that crowds are lower during the winter months, however, I am going to 100% disagree. More and more people are going during the winter months now than ever before. But there are some times where the parks are more of a ghost town in winter. And if you’re a Festival fan, the Epcot Festival of the Arts takes place during winter months!
Travel in Winter – The Cons
YAY! The weather is nicer! Whoops…there’s more refurbishments. And they’re generally longer, too. The weather and lower crowds give the best combinations for construction crews to get a bunch of the big stuff done with minimal interruption.
Usually, both water parks are open in the summer, though that is not currently the case in post-Covid times. But in the winter months, there is always only one water park open. And it is not uncommon to see them close because of the temperature. If you love water parks, this is probably not the time for you to visit!
And finally, while people think crowds SHOULD be lower, they’re actually not. Holiday weekends, including MLK and President’s Day, plus Mardi Gras, bring MASSIVE crowds to Disney World. Then there’s Marathon Weekend. And, with the way school calendars are managed these days, some spring breaks run into late-February-mid-March! So while it would SEEM that crowds should be lower, in many ways, that is simply not the case!
Travel in Summer – The Pros
First of all, I am 100% Team Summer. I have a teenager, and going in summer means there is no school to miss. The other long breaks during the school year fall on holidays, which are generally the busiest times of the year!
Again, while not currently the case, in general, BOTH water parks are open during the summer months. This, of course, provides another great way to Beat the Heat! The heat also gives you a great reason to spend an entire day at your hotel’s pool!
The parks are open earlier and stay open later. My best travel tip in summer is to head out early, take a long break when it’s stupid hot, and go back late at night. It was MUCH better when the parks stayed open even later waaaaaaaay back when, but it can still be done! This gives you more hours in the day to get things done, despite the crowds. Also, PRO TIP: when it rains and everyone leaves? You should stay and take advantage of the low crowds!
Travel in Summer – The Cons
Yes, it is hot. And the heat is only amplified by all of the concrete and asphalt you’re walking on to get around the parks. It is humid. You can swim through the air. And it WILL rain. Sometimes all day. Sometimes for five minutes, but it will happen.
Again, it is allegedly the most crowded time of the year. June and July are crowded, yes, but August is PRIME Disney World Time. We are lucky to have a later school start time, and we have taken advantage of this for years. So while everyone is going back to school, we are enjoying the low crowds of Disney World!
Truthfully, there is no bad time to visit, but I am Team Summer all the way! Contact me today to talk about YOUR Walt Disney World vacation!!