There is a right and wrong time to go to Disney World or Disney Land. It is not just about the crowds; it also has to do with your budget. There is a difference between best time and least expensive time to go to Disney.
What makes it the “best” time can be different for everyone as for one it may be to visit when the parks have fewer people, and for another, it could be during the Christmas holiday. While the best time to go is subjective, the least expensive times to go are easy to know.
But there is no doubt that there are times that are less expensive to go to Disney. If you want to plan your Disney vacation on a budget, you need to keep these dates in mind.
THE BEST LEAST EXPENSIVE TIMES TO GO TO DISNEY
Disney has four pricing seasons, based on holidays, season and crowd levels. From least expensive to most expensive:
- Value
- Regular
- Peak
- Holiday
VALUE SEASON
Value season is your best time to go to Disney. You can often find discounts on packages and rooms, making it more affordable. Value season happens a few times during the year: January, second two weeks of August, September, first threeish weeks in November, second two weeks of December.
REGULAR SEASON
Not as affordable as value, you can still sometimes find discounts. The regular season is during October and May.
PEAK SEASON
It is called peak for a reason as these are the times of the year when most people visit the park. Peak happens during February (winter breaks), March, April (Spring Break), June, July and the first two weeks in August.
HOLIDAY SEASON
Expect to pay the most if you visit during these times. The holidays include Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s.
WHEN SHOULD YOU GO TO DISNEY
January is value season, but the weekends around their marathon and Martin Luther King Jr’s, birthday are often priced higher (and there are more crowds). And, while you can find discounts in January, they are not as deep as you may see during September, November, and December.
The busiest weeks of the year at Disney are the week of Christmas, the week between Christmas and New Years, and Easter week. Parks close due to capacity during these weeks. Don’t visit at this time, if you can help it.
Most families will need to visit during the summer months, which is peak season. But, if you can try to be flexible and go at the end of May or into August, you can get better deals, while still squeezing in a fun summer vacation.
HOW MUCH DOES A DISNEY VACATION COST?
Alright, let’s talk turkey. I ran some numbers for you so you could see what it would cost, same resort, at a couple of different times of the year. This example is for a family of four for four nights, with four-day hopper passes and the Disney dining plan.
SEPTEMBER 2018 (Value Season)
Disney’s All-Store Music Resort
4 Park Hopper Passes
Disney Dining Plan
TOTAL: $1,810.80
OCTOBER 2018 (Regular Season)
Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
4 Park Hopper Passes
Disney Dining Plan
TOTAL: $2,945.77
You can see from this example, that there the same resort, same package can have a huge price difference depending on season and dates. Because the timing matters and can affect what you pay, I recommend using a travel professional. If possible, be a bit flexible with your dates and allow him or her to find you the most affordable vacation.
When planning your Disney vacation, plan your trip during the right season to save the most money.
Amber Jones has a passion for Disney, deals, and family fun. Heather is a travel agent specializing in Disney vacations, affiliated with Minnie’s Travel Boutique, an Authorized Disney Travel Planner. She and her team help you to create personalized vacations to meet the needs and wants for your family. Let her plan your next Disney vacation!