If you are in the early stages of planning your Disney World vacation, we know that this can be a super exciting yet very overwhelming time. 

One of the very first things you will need to decide is WHEN you will be going to Disney World. There are 365 days to choose from each year, so there is no lack of options, but we are here to help you with some dates you will want to consider!

Sometimes your dates might be chosen for you, whether it be due to work schedules, school schedules, or other obligations. However, if you are flexible on your dates, we want to make sure you consider these six things before you choose your Disney World vacation dates. 

Holidays

Holidays are probably one of the biggest dates you want to consider when planning your Disney World vacation. They may end up being a more convenient time for your trip as you may be off work or your kids may be off school, but holidays will also be some of the more crowded times at Disney World. Especially if they are holidays that people tend to get off from work for.

Disney World is usually the MOST crowded around Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. However, even holidays like President’s Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day will see increased crowds at the theme parks. There are also other holidays to consider such as Easter, July 4th, and Halloween.

Of course, certain times of the year may mean more decorations or special events. You can see Halloween decor and attend Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in the fall, or see Christmas decor around Thanksgiving and Christmas. We just recommend being aware of holidays that might be happening during your Disney World vacation and decide whether you want to be there during that time. 

Race Weekends

Race weekends at Disney World bring in A LOT of crowds. You will see more congestion on the roads in the morning and road closures. You might also notice that the parks seem more crowded in the afternoon, and if you are staying in a resort close to the starting line you may be woken up VERY early with the start of the races.

Each year, runDisney hosts a variety of events. Here is the list of events that runDisney has announced for 2025 so far:

• Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend — January 8th-12th, 2025
• Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend — February 20th-24th, 2025
• runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend — April 3rd-6th, 2025

You can find a list of all the runDisney events and more information on the runDisney website.

Spring Breaks and Summer Breaks

It is also important to consider when spring breaks and summer breaks are happening for students. This may be the best time to go if you have kids, but if you don’t have kids, you will want to be aware that the parks will be more crowded during these breaks. 

Timing does vary quite a bit depending on the school, but spring breaks are generally between March and April and summer breaks usually happen between June and August. There will still be people on school breaks outside of these times, but they are generally the most popular times for school breaks.

Opening Days

It is also important to pay attention to opening dates for new attractions and experiences. There will be quite a few things opening in 2025, and you will likely notice larger crowds on the opening days. Disney hasn’t announced official opening dates, but we are anticipating that six new attractions will be opening in 2025:

• Spaceship Earth Lounge in EPCOT
• Pirates of the Caribbean Lounge in Magic Kingdom
• Villains-themed show in Disney’s Hollywood Studios (summer 2025)
• Reimagined Test Track in EPCOT
• Disney Starlight — Magic Kingdom nighttime parade (summer 2025)
• Zootopia: Better Zoogether! show in Disney’s Animal Kingdom (winter 2025)

As we get closer to the opening of these attractions, we will get announcements from Disney about the exact opening dates, so that will be something to look out for when planning your Disney World vacation.

First Day of EPCOT Festivals

Similar to opening dates for attractions, the first day of EPCOT festivals tend to bring in the crowds. You can still have lots of fun at the festivals, and other parks are usually a bit less crowded on opening day. It is just something to be aware of while you are planning your vacation.

Also, it is important to consider these dates if you are hoping to attend an EPCOT festival! Disney hasn’t announced the exact date of the festivals for 2025, but here is a quick look at the festival dates from 2024:

• EPCOT Festival of the Arts: January 12th through February 19th, 2024
• EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival: February 28th through May 27th
• EPCOT Food and Wine Festival: August 29th through November 23rd, 2024
• EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays: November 29th through December 30th, 2024

First Day of Seasonal Parties

Finally, you will also want to consider the dates of the seasonal parties that happen at Disney World. Usually, the first day of the parties sell out and are crowded, but it is also important to consider these dates if you are hoping to attend one of the parties.

There are a few seasonal parties at Disney World, and while we won’t know the exact dates they will be happening in 2025, here is a look at the dates from 2024:

• Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: select nights August 9th through October 31st, 2024
• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party: select nights from November 8th through December 20th, 2024
• Disney Jollywood Nights: select nights from November 9th through December 21st, 2024

Only you will be able to decide what the best time is for your group’s Disney World vacation, but hopefully these tips will help you make the most of your vacation. While you are considering the best dates for your 2025 vacation, make sure you check out our video about planning for Disney World the right way:

Make sure to stay tuned to DFB for lots of Disney World tips, tricks, and news!

 Check out our ULTIMATE guide to planning a Disney World vacation!

What is your favorite time of year to go to Disney World? Let us know in the comments!