Disney World Crowd Index Calendar

2025 is here and it’s bringing a whole lot of changes to Disney World. From attractions, and entire lands, closing. To new parades, shows, and ride refurbishments. Begging the question – What are the best times to visit Disney World?

This year will be your last chance to experience classic attractions like DINOSAUR! And may bring about the end of MuppetVision 3D as we know it. If you’ve been wanting to plan a trip but just not sure when’s the right time to go – we’ve got you covered.

Here’s everything you need to know about Disney World in 2025.

January

A Disney World crowd calendar for January 2025, showing color-coded circles to indicate crowd levels. Red denotes the busiest days, yellow indicates moderate crowd levels, and green marks the least crowded days. Most weekends are red, while weekdays vary between yellow and green.

The first month of the year is traditionally a bit of a mix, in terms of crowd levels. With many travelers extending their winter holidays to spend a few extra days at the most magical place on earth.

Many folks will be looking to uphold their New Year’s resolution with the first Run Disney event of the year. January is also the start of competition season for cheer and dance. And we’ll see the return of Epcot’s Festival of the Arts.

A colorful display at Epcot International Festival of the Arts 2024, featuring a vibrant rainbow arch, Figment holding a paintbrush, and bright flower arrangements.

Expect to see lots of closures around the middle of the month, including the extinction of Dino-Rama and TriceraTop Spin. This will be phase one of the complete Dinoland U.S.A. transformation into Tropical America.

Special Events

  • 1/8 – 1/12 Run Disney Marathon Weekend
  • 1/17 – 1/19 Cheerleading Competition
  • 1/20 Dance Competition
  • 1/31 – 2/2 Dance Competition
  • 1/17 – 2/24 Epcot Festival of the Arts
  • 1/6, 1/13, 1/20, 1/27 Magic Kingdom After Hours
  • 1/22, 1/29 Hollywood Studios After Hours

Closures

  • 1/6 – 2026 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom)
  • 1/13 – Summer Astro Orbiter (Magic Kingdom)
  • 1/20 – Unknown Hall of Presidents (Magic Kingdom)
  • 6/17/2024 – Summer Test Track (Epcot)
  • 1/6 – 3/15 Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros (Epcot)
  • 1/6 – Spring Kali River Rapids (Animal Kingdom)

Promotions and Discounts

  • AP & FL Room Discount save up to 35% on rooms most nights through April. Discount will vary based upon dates and selected resort.

February

A Disney World crowd calendar for February 2025 with color-coded circles. The month has several red days during weekends and holidays, yellow for moderate crowds, and green for low-crowd weekdays.

Crowds will lighten slightly as Festival of the Arts winds down in February. This is a great time to visit if you’re interested in special events, particularly After Hours (which we highly) recommend.

February will be one of the very few months in which all 3 After Hours events take place across Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios. Attraction closures during this time are mild, though we’ll be without Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for the entirety of the year.

A bright yellow sign for Disney After Hours event check-in, placed on a wet pavement near the event entrance.

There are also some great promotions and discounts running during the winter months including up to 25% off rooms or $200 off room and ticket packages.

Special Events

  • 2/7 – 2/10 Cheerleading Competition
  • 2/20 – 2/22 Run Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend
  • 1/17 – 2/24 Epcot Festival of the Arts
  • 2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 2/24 Magic Kingdom After Hours
  • 2/12, 2/19 Hollywood Studios After Hours
  • 2/27 Epcot After Hours

Closures

  • 1/6 – 2026 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom)
  • 1/13 – Summer Astro Orbiter (Magic Kingdom)
  • 1/20 – Unknown Hall of Presidents (Magic Kingdom)
  • 6/17/2024 – Summer Test Track (Epcot)
  • 1/6 – 3/15 Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros (Epcot)
  • 1/6 – Spring Kali River Rapids (Animal Kingdom)

Promotions and Discounts

  • Save up to $200 per night packages include room and tickets, valid for most arrivals between 2/26 and 6/30. Savings will vary based on selected dates and hotel of choice
  • Up to 25% off rooms valid for most stays between 2/20 and 4/30. Discount varies based upon dates and chosen resort
  • AP & FL Room Discount save up to 35% on rooms most nights through April. Discount will vary based upon dates and selected resort.

March

A Disney World crowd calendar for March 2025. The majority of the month is marked in red for high crowd levels, with only the first few days in yellow, indicating moderate crowds.

One of the busiest months of the year will be March. Driven by multiple competitions and Spring Break weeks across the country spanning most of the month.

It’s the start of a new, and my favorite, festival at Epcot: Flower and Garden. While it can be fun to be amongst the first to experience all there is to offer, it comes with the cost of heavy crowds. We’d recommend May as the ideal month to experience this event, with minimal crowds.

A stunning topiary of Beauty and the Beast from Disney's Beauty and the Beast, surrounded by colorful flowers in Epcot's France Pavilion during the Flower and Garden Festival.

Special Events

  • 3/7 – 3/8 Cheerleading Competition
  • 3/8 – 3/9 Cheerleading Competition
  • 3/5 – 6/2 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival
  • 3/3, 3/17, 3/24, 3/31 Magic Kingdom After Hours
  • 3/5, 3/26 Hollywood Studios After Hours

Closures

  • 1/6 – 2026 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom)
  • 1/13 – Summer Astro Orbiter (Magic Kingdom)
  • 1/20 – Unknown Hall of Presidents (Magic Kingdom)
  • 6/17/2024 – Summer Test Track (Epcot)
  • 1/6 – 3/15 Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros (Epcot)
  • 1/6 – Spring Kali River Rapids (Animal Kingdom)

Promotions and Discounts

  • Save up to $200 per night packages include room and tickets, valid for most arrivals between 2/26 and 6/30. Savings will vary based on selected dates and hotel of choice.
  • Up to 25% off rooms valid for most stays between 2/20 and 4/30. Discount varies based upon dates and chosen resort
  • AP & FL Room Discount save up to 35% on rooms most nights through April. Discount will vary based upon dates and selected resort.

April

A Disney World crowd calendar for April 2025, featuring predominantly red days throughout the month, except for the last few days marked in green, showing lower crowd levels.

A later than usual Easter holiday, April 20, will continue to fuel crowds through the early spring months. The Springtime Surprise run Disney event will also bring a great number of guests, particularly to the value resorts like All Stars and Pop Century.

April is definitely not one of the best times to visit Disney World. Multiple competitions and the re-opening of several refurbished attractions will also contribute to businesses in the parks.

A view of Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom, showcasing the iconic Cinderella Castle framed by medieval-style architecture and intricate stone carvings.

Special Events

  • 3/5 – 6/2 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival
  • 4/3 – 4/5 Run Disney Springtime Surprise Weekend
  • 4/25 – 4/28 Cheerleading Competition
  • 4/26 – 4/28 Cheerleading Competition
  • 4/7, 4/28 Magic Kingdom After Hours
  • 4/1, 4/30 Hollywood Studios After Hours

Closures

  • 1/6 – 2026 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom)
  • 1/13 – Summer Astro Orbiter (Magic Kingdom)
  • 6/17/2024 – Summer Test Track (Epcot)

Promotions and Discounts

  • Save up to $200 per night packages include room and tickets, valid for most arrivals between 2/26 and 6/30. Savings will vary based on selected dates and hotel of choice.
  • Up to 25% off rooms valid for most stays between 2/20 and 4/30. Discount varies based upon dates and chosen resort
  • AP & FL Room Discount save up to 35% on rooms most nights through April. Discount will vary based upon dates and selected resort.

May

A Disney World crowd calendar for May 2025. The month starts and ends with a mix of green and yellow days for low to moderate crowd levels, with a few red days scattered around holidays.

The best time of year to visit Disney World, in our opinion, will be May. There are some competitions throughout the month will add to the crowd index for a period. But, overall, we expect crowds at the park to light to moderate.

Some of the best discounts of the year are available, and Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival will still be taking place. The Florida weather in May is actually pretty nice!

Scrooge McDuck and Launchpad McQuack wave from a themed flotilla at Disney's Animal Kingdom, set against a lush jungle backdrop.

With temperatures in the high 50’s and mid 60’s, it feels like a perfect spring day. Do come prepared with wet weather gear, as it tends to rain about half of the month.

Special Events

  • 3/5 – 6/2 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival
  • 5/1 – 5/4 Cheerleading Competition
  • 5/9 – 5/11 Cheerleading Competition
  • 5/5, 5/12, 5/19 Magic Kingdom After Hours
  • 5/14, 5/28 Hollywood Studios After Hours
  • 5/8, 5/29 Epcot After Hours

Closures

  • 1/6 – 2026 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom)
  • 1/13 – Summer Astro Orbiter (Magic Kingdom)
  • 6/17/2024 – Summer Test Track (Epcot)

Promotions and Discounts

  • Free Dining valid for arrivals most nights from 5/26 to 8/6. Packages depend on your hotel of choice
  • Up to 35% off Resorts discount will vary based upon dates and hotel selected. Available for most arrival dates between 5/1 and 9/30
  • Save up to $200 per night packages include room and tickets, valid for most arrivals between 2/26 and 6/30. Savings will vary based on selected dates and hotel of choice.
  • AP & FL Room Discount save up to 40% on rooms most nights May through July. Discount will vary based upon dates and selected resort.

June

A Disney World crowd calendar for June 2025, mostly yellow circles indicating moderate crowd levels, with a few red days toward the end of the month.

Crowds will grow about as the Summer season starts in June. With many families looking to enjoy the school holiday, before temperatures soar in the later months.

June is one of the very few months you can find classic Epcot, with the Flower and Garden festival closing 6/2. We expect most temporarily closed attractions to re-open before or during June. Including Test Track, which will increase park capacity at Epcot and could make crowds feel lighter.

There are tons of promotions during this period! In most cases the standard room discounts, up to 35% and 40% off, will be the biggest savings. However, it’s always good to run the numbers to see which is best for you.

Guests wearing ponchos and rain jackets walk through Disney's Animal Kingdom on a wet and rainy day, surrounded by lush greenery and blooming pink trees.

And if you’re looking for even more savings, check out our top hacks for booking a Disney World vacation.

Special Events

Closures

  • 1/6 – 2026 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom)

Promotions and Discounts

  • Free Dining valid for arrivals most nights from 5/26 to 8/6. Packages depend on your hotel of choice
  • Up to 35% off Resorts discount will vary based upon dates and hotel selected. Available for most arrival dates between 5/1 and 9/30
  • Save up to $200 per night packages include room and tickets, valid for most arrivals between 2/26 and 6/30. Savings will vary based on selected dates and hotel of choice.
  • AP & FL Room Discount save up to 40% on rooms most nights May through July. Discount will vary based upon dates and selected resort.

July

A Disney World crowd calendar for July 2025, showing mostly yellow days for moderate crowds. The first week is marked in red for high crowd levels due to holiday season.

Independence day will bring big crowds to the parks. We expect the long weekend to be one of the busiest times, outside of the winter holidays.

The rest of the month, however should see moderate crowd levels. We anticipate that the Food and Wine festival may start at the end of the month, based on previous years. We’ll update this post as soon as dates are confirmed!

The front of the Regal Eagle Smokehouse in Epcot's America Pavilion, decorated with patriotic red and white bunting, signage for Garden Rocks concert times, and Mobile Order options.

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Special Events

  • TENTATIVE 7/28 – 11/13 Epcot Food and Wine Festival
  • 7/2, 7/9, 7/16, 7/23, 7/30 Hollywood Studios After Hours
  • 7/10, 7/24, 7/31 Epcot After Hours

Closures

  • 1/6 – 2026 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom)

Promotions and Discounts

  • Free Dining valid for arrivals most nights from 5/26 to 8/6. Packages depend on your hotel of choice
  • Up to 35% off Resorts discount will vary based upon dates and hotel selected. Available for most arrival dates between 5/1 and 9/30
  • AP & FL Room Discount save up to 40% on rooms most nights May through July. Discount will vary based upon dates and selected resort.

August

A Disney World crowd calendar for August 2025. The majority of the month is green for low crowds, with yellow days early in the month and a few red days at the end.

Disney World will look like a ghost town for most of August – but that doesn’t mean it’s a great time to visit. In fact, there’s a very good reason most folks won’t be visiting during this time.

The heat is unbearable. With temperatures in the high 80’s to 90’s and so much humidity you’ll feel like you are in a steam room. Orlando in August is not a fun time.

A few discounts will be available to entice guests to grin and bear it, including free dining and up to 35% off rooms. The Epcot Food and Wine Festival should be in full swing, with some second phase booths opening later in the month.

A whimsical sign for Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival 2023, featuring Remy from Ratatouille holding an oversized apple and vibrant festival-themed details.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is likely to return around the middle of the month as well. If you can stand the heat, and daily afternoon thunderstorms, it’s a great time to experience multiple events with minimal crowds and big discounts.

Special Events

Closures

  • 1/6 – 2026 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom)

Promotions and Discounts

  • Free Dining valid for arrivals most nights from 5/26 to 8/6. Packages depend on your hotel of choice
  • Up to 35% off Resorts discount will vary based upon dates and hotel selected. Available for most arrival dates between 5/1 and 9/30

September

A Disney World crowd calendar for September 2025. Most of the month is marked with green circles for low crowds, except for the first two days in red for high crowd levels and a few yellow days for moderate crowds later in the month.

Crowds continue to be lighter through September, with the exception of Labor day weekend. The weather will still be largely uncomfortable, and discounts will begin to dwindle.

There will be plenty of special event opportunities in September though. With both Food and Wine and Mickey’s Not So Scary, as well as After Hours at Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

A welcoming statue of Woody tips his hat at the colorful entrance to Toy Story Land, surrounded by lush greenery, playful oversized toys, and bright blue skies at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

This is an especially great time to visit if you’re a Magic Kingdom fan! As Halloween parties tend to keep day crowds out of the park. We expect especially low crowd levels on these days, but a higher than normal concentration in MK on non-party days to compensate.

Special Events

Closures

  • 1/6 – 2026 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom)

Promotions and Discounts

  • Up to 35% off Resorts discount will vary based upon dates and hotel selected. Available for most arrival dates between 5/1 and 9/30

October

A Disney World crowd calendar for October 2025. The month starts with a few green days indicating low crowd levels, transitions to yellow for moderate crowds, and includes several red days during weekends and near Halloween for high crowd levels.

Temperatures will settle down a bit in October as seasonal events continue on. There are no published discounts for this month which means even Disney is expecting it to be busy.

Many guests may see this as the prime time to attend a Halloween party, further driving crowds.

Captain Hook and Lady Tremaine take center stage in a spooky, dimly-lit setting during Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Disney World.

Special Events

Closures

  • 1/6 – 2026 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom)

Promotions and Discounts

  • Unknown

November

A Disney World crowd calendar for November 2025. The month alternates between green for low crowds, yellow for moderate crowds, and red for high-crowd days, particularly around Thanksgiving.

The holidays begin in November at Disney World! We expect both Holiday parties to return in 2025 at the start of the month. If you’re torn between attending a party for Halloween or Christmas, the week between October and November will let you do it all.

The Epcot Food and Wine Festival will likely wrap shortly before Thanksgiving to make way for Festival of the Holidays. Thanksgiving week is bound to be a madhouse, with many family traditions involving a trip to the parks.

Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog sit among brightly wrapped holiday gift boxes during a festive stage performance at Disney's Jollywood Nights.

November is one of the most diverse month in terms of special events at the parks. With two Epcot festivals, two holiday parties, and even a seasonal overlay at Animal Kingdom.

Special Events

Closures

  • 1/6 – 2026 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom)

Promotions and Discounts

  • Unknown

December

A Disney World crowd calendar for December 2025, starting with yellow days for moderate crowds, transitioning to red for high-crowd levels during the holiday season.

There’s just no better New Years celebration than at Disney. Epcot in particular where you can ring in midnight all day long around World Showcase.

Which means it’s insanely busy. With so many seasonal events taking place in December it is going to be packed. Particularly the last two weeks of the year. It’s also during this period that you can experience the Christmas parade at Magic Kingdom during the day.

Holiday-themed topiaries of Mickey and Minnie Mouse wearing Santa hats, surrounded by wrapped gift boxes and festive garlands at the entrance of Magic Kingdom.

Don’t expect to say any discounts, and if you’re an annual passholder you’ll likely see blackout days on the calendar.

Special Events

Closures

  • 1/6 – 2026 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom)

Promotions and Discounts

  • Unknown

When is the Best Time to Visit Disney World?

Without a doubt May and September are the best times of year to plan your next Disney World vacation. Low to moderate crowds, with multiple available discounts, mild weather (for Florida), and a variety of special events.

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