The Six Week Theory
From time to time, I hear from friends or relatives who have either never been to Walt Disney World or haven’t been there in a long time and are thinking about visiting…or revisiting. By a long time, I am talking somewhere between 10 and 40 years give or take a few years.
So here are the most common questions I get; and there are many.
Of course, the type of questions usually tell me if these people have either no clue or some clue around the components and planning requirements for a Walt Disney World vacation.
The Questions
I’m sure some of you reading this will recognize these questions…here they are:
How much does it cost?
Where should I stay?
What are the best places to eat?
Do I need a car?
How much do Walt Disney World tickets cost and how do I buy them?
Can I buy park tickets at the gate?
What's the difference between a single park ticket and a Park Hopper?
Are there any discounts available?
Is it better to stay on property or off property?
What are the benefits of staying at a Disney Resort hotel?
Which Disney hotel is best for families?
Which Disney hotel is best for couples?
How far in advance should I book my hotel?
Are there transportation options from the airport to Disney?
How many days do I need to see all the parks?
What is Genie+ and do I really need it?
What’s the best way to plan my Disney itinerary?
Is Walt Disney World too crowded in summer/holidays?
What are the must-see attractions in each park?
How do I use Genie+ and Lightning Lane?
What’s the difference between Genie, Genie+, and Individual Lightning Lane?
Which park is best for young kids/teenagers/adults?
Do I need a MagicBand?
What is the difference between a MagicBand and a MagicBand+?
Do I need dining reservations?
What are the best restaurants at Disney World?
Can I bring my own food into the parks?
What’s the Disney Dining Plan and is it worth it?
Are there good options for dietary restrictions (gluten-free, vegan, allergies)?
Is Disney World good for toddlers?
Are there services for guests with disabilities or special needs?
Can I rent a stroller/wheelchair at the parks?
Are there baby care centers in the parks?
What’s Rider/Baby Switch and how does it work?
As you can see some of these questions would indicate that the person asking has done some research and has questions about such things as park reservations, Genie+, Disney Dining Plan and Magic Bands. When I get bombarded with these questions I get a headache.
But the most important question that I anticipate getting but rarely do I get first and foremost is probably the most important question and that question is, “When is the best time to go to Walt Disney World?”
If I had been asked that question about thirty-plus years ago my answer would include suggestions about going in late January; early March and early April, mid-August, all of September and the first two weeks of November and December.
But things have changed.
When to Go and Why
Currently there are race weekends in several months during the year and that pulls in lots of runners and families the week before and the week after these race weekends.
The annual EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival and EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival together account for some 26 weeks out of the year. If you add to these 26 weeks the race weekends and the Festival of the Arts and the Festival of the Holidays and on top of that New Year’s week and Spring Break and Easter week and the Fourth of July week (not to mention all of July) and Thanksgiving week and Christmas week...well, my abacus soon quits out adding up all these weeks.
So for 2025 and going forward the non-busy times for Walt Disney World are few and between.
In fact I would say the previous recommendations way back when of somewhere around 14-16 weeks in the year being the best time to go; where crowds would be light...that number is now at best six weeks.
Allow me to take a stab at where these six weeks now “hide” if you want to avoid the real crazy crowds.
Third Week in August - Known as “value season” over the years, this period usually runs from about August 17th thru August 31st. It has historically been the time when the summer drop-off of the usual crazy summer crowds takes place. That is the month when the fall school sports practices begin to ramp up which reduces the number of families. I used to think the last two weeks in August were good but it’s the third week that is the preferred week because at least this year, the last week in August will see the opening of the 2025 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival.
Two Weeks Following Labor Day Week - This is probably the ideal time to go as by now all the schools and colleges are back in session. it is by far the best month of the year to go to WDW if you want to have the best chance of missing throngs of families. Families are replaced young couples and empty nesters during this month but as pointed out earlier, EPCOT’s International Food & Wine Festival will be in full bloom so buyer beware.
November 1-14 - This may be a safe bet...it’s sort of in-between stuff so it is a decent time to go as the Halloween craze is over, the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is winding down (most of the crowds are in October) and Thanksgiving is distant enough not to impact crowd levels.
December 8-18 - So, this could be tricky. The first weekend in December is traditionally a favored time for Disney fanatics on the internet to gather as a group. It is also a time where in the past cheerleading competition has taken place so that is why I kind of try to use Dec.8th thru the 18th as a window of time to go and see the Holiday happenings. Remember that in December there are Christmas concerts put together by schools and people running around getting ready for Christmas so probably you’d be seeing the lowest December crowds after the 8th but before the 18th.
So there you have it…my six week theory. Those are pretty much the times of the year in which I have observed crowds to be their lowest. This is based on my own personal experience and observations over the years. Frankly it’s a moving target because Disney is known to do whatever they feel they need to do so they can put, as my friend Jim Hill used to say, “heads in the beds.”
The other thing to keep in mind is that the weeks noted are the less traveled times of the year which may result in more attractive (read that less expensive) airfare, rental car costs, and room rates. Those times are usually found to offer discounts on rooms and especially if you are an Annual Passholder.
As far as the other 30-some-odd questions go? Well, I have some thoughts but that’s for another time. When to go is what I consider to be the most important question to address at least for this year.
See you next time.