It’s nearly impossible to have a bad time in The Most Magical Place on Earth. But consider the average temps in Orlando throughout the year: May through August is not fun! Not only is it uncomfortably hot, but it’s the rainy season -- the last thing you want is to get kicked off of Big Thunder Mountain due to thunderstorms (as long as you don’t hit any tricky hurricanes).
Don’t ask me why, but the majority of people visiting Disney World do so in the dead of summer. Sure, the kids are on vacation, but do you realize that Florida is one of the most humid states in the country? Count me out. But also count me out for January through April. If I’m going to Florida, I want to feel like I’m in Florida -- meaning I want the sun and the heat. Though mid-70s feels like perfection to me, I’m not flying to Florida for it.
Instead, go in September when the crowds are historically thinner and the weather hovers around the low- to mid-80s, aka that perfect summer warmth.
Another thing to keep in mind: crowds. September is back-to-school season, and what is Disney’s largest demographic? School-aged children. Take away the kids and suddenly your FastPasses are barely even necessary. But as soon as November and December hits, the crowds will reappear -- families love spending the holidays in Disney World.
The fun part about September in Disney is that the parks are always about a month and a half early for holidays. Magic Kingdom will be decked out in pumpkins and spooky decor way ahead of Halloween, so you really get deposited into another time and place.
You can enjoy Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, the best dates of which are in September. “Hocus Pocus” characters will be celebrating their 25th anniversary, and Halloween costume parades will abound. Celebrating Halloween in September at Disney and then again in October sounds like spooky heaven.
For those less in tune with their inner children, there’s also the Epcot Food and Wine Festival every September through mid-November. You get hands-on cooking and mixology demos, tons of booths to sample from and a concert series. Who would want to miss all that?
Dining and room discounts for Disney World are also fairly common in September, given that it’s the low season and the parks will be trying to entice more visitors.
If you need more convincing, just think about how sad you’ll be at your desk while you wait for Thanksgiving after the festivities of the summer.