Mickey Mouse on parade at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.
When most people choose a time to visit Walt Disney World, they are limited by certain factors. The biggest one is the school calendar, as many people travel as a family. As a result, the parks are more crowded--and rooms are more expensive--if you travel during common school breaks. Outside of that, there are a number of great times to visit Disney World, depending on where your interests lie.
Low Crowds
For many people, the best time to go is when there are fewer people there. While the parks are rarely empty, there are some traditional low points in the year when many rides and attractions have little to no wait. Disney resort hotels also are cheaper during these periods. The downside is that Disney sometimes cuts back on park hours and services during these periods, and some rides may be shut down for refurbishment.
Early January through mid-February has been a traditional slow period and when you're most likely to experience some of the lightest crowds of the year--with the exception of holiday weekends.
September and October have traditionally been slow periods, although free dining promotions held in September can fill the parks.
The first two weeks of December also have seen lighter-than-average crowds in the past. With mild weather, low crowds and the parks decorated for the holidays, this can be a very pleasant time to visit.
There are a number of crowd calenders available to help you see anticipated crowd levels. Touringplans.com has a great one, but a subscription fee is required.
Big Promotions
Disney frequently runs big promotions to increase attendance during traditional slow periods, or to simply get more people into the parks when the economy is slow. In recent years, Disney has offered free dining to families who book vacation packages in August and September (exact dates may vary from year to year). It's a tremendous value, and the parks can be crowded during these periods. If you choose to go during a free dining period, be sure to make reservations at the restaurants where you wish to eat as early as possible, as they do fill rapidly because of the promotion.
Disney also has offered deals such as free admission on your birthday and seven-nights-for-the-price-of-four deals, and frequently releases discount codes to holders of Disney Visa cards, travel agents and through newspaper, TV and magazine ads. These codes often can be found online at sites such as AllEars.net and MouseSavers.com.
Festivals
Disney holds a number of big parties and festivals throughout the year. Each spring, Epcot Center hosts the International Flower and Garden Festival, and the park is filled with topiaries recreating Disney scenes and characters. There also are gardening workshops, a butterfly tent and all kinds of backyard knickknacks for sale.
In autumn, Epcot is the scene of the Food & Wine Festival. The 11 nations of the World Showcase are joined by temporary kiosks representing additional nations, and all of them sell small (and generally inexpensive) samples of food and wine from those nations.
The Magic Kingdom hosts a number of parties each year. Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party runs from late September through Halloween, while Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party takes place during the holiday season. Unlike the Epcot festivals, the Magic Kingdom parties require separate admission in addition to your park ticket, and take place in the evening. The park is then closed to guests without a ticket to the party.
There also are some sporting-type events, such as the annual marathon and half-marathon held in early January.
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