Best Year to Visit Disney World?
When to visit Walt Disney World is a common question, and as construction has increased, readers have been asking about the best year for a Walt Disney World vacation instead of months or weeks. At this point, it’s whether to wait or go for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary in 2021?
With a slew of Opening Dates & Details for Resorts, Rides & Restaurants at Walt Disney World Announced, the massive Epcot reimagining well underway, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance now open (click here for our spoiler-free ride review), we thought it’d be worth tackling this topic.
It’s been such a frequently asked question and point of concern that we have a separate What’s New & What’s Next at Walt Disney World in 2021 & 2022 post, and mention when to visit in terms of years in our regularly-updated Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Guide. Suffice to say, for those planning a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, choosing the best time with the most new things open and the least construction is important…
There are some definite upsides to waiting. Walt Disney World is in an unprecedented era of expansion, much of which follows a period of stagnation that occurred in the aughts. Frankly, this is playing catch-up, and should have happened years if not a decade ago.
This huge expansion is the obvious reason to wait, and we’re going to delve into timing these numerous projects to take advantage of the most openings and least construction. However, there are also significant downsides to waiting, as we will also cover here.
We’d hazard a guess that people reading this are going to fall squarely into two camps: those like us who visit annually or more, and those who are planning a first-time (and depending upon how that goes, only time) visit, and wanting to choose the best time.
Rather than posing a question in the post title and not answering it, we will provide two very specific times when those of you in the latter group should visit: late November or early December 2021 and mid-January 2022. Obviously, these are not the only times we’d recommend visiting (to the contrary, we ourselves will take countless trips between those times), but if we had to pick only two times to visit between now and then, those timeframes would be it.
Let’s start with right now. The biggest expansion at Walt Disney World in recent memory is Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and that’s done now that the second ride, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, has debuted. This is the flagship attraction of Star Wars Land, and the biggest budget ride that Walt Disney World has ever built.
Additionally, the Disney Skyliner gondolas are operating, all construction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios has wrapped up, and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is now open. Plus, both Grand Destino Tower and Disney’s Riviera Resort are now open.
Really, any time between now and November/December 2021 is also workable if you simply follow our normal When to Visit Walt Disney World advice to avoid higher crowds. The big thing we recommended waiting for was Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Now that it’s open, there’s less reason to delay. (It was worth the wait!)
Our basis for recommending late November or early December 2021 is because we like Christmas, not because something incredible is opening this fall. October 1, 2021 is the important date, as that’s Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary. Everything new for 2021 will have debuted by then.
There’s also the downside of waiting until Christmas, and that’s the likelihood of increased construction at Epcot as that park continues the rest of its huge reimagining. Future World is currently in rough shape, and that’ll likely continue throughout this year.
In fact, this is such an issue that we have a separate Should You Skip Epcot? post that discusses the pros and cons of visiting during this state of transition. We think most people will still want to see Epcot–and World Showcase is pretty much free of construction–but it’s still worth reading that and seeing all of the photos to mentally prepare yourself for how Epcot looks right now.
Magic Kingdom is another park that will likely see more work done in the next year or so, especially as it gears up for enhancements set to debut during the nostalgia-heavy Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebration.
One of these placemaking projects is the Royal Makeover of Cinderella Castle, which is now finished. We anticipate more around Magic Kingdom following that in preparation for the park’s golden anniversary. Speaking of which…
Walt Disney World opened on October 1, 1971, meaning that its 50th Anniversary will occur on October 1, 2021. It might seem logical for its anniversary celebration to begin on that date, but this is not official. It’s just as likely that an 18 month celebration would begin slightly before then.
If the 50th Anniversary celebration is underway by September 2021, that would be an ideal time to visit. It’s the heart of off-season, and will have lower crowds than October (albeit less desirable weather).
We anticipate October 2021 to be incredibly crowded, with many longtime fans planning ‘homecoming’ style family trips to celebrate the momentous occasion. There is always a surge of guests for any 5 or 10 year anniversary, but the 50th should see a significantly greater influx of crowds–especially if Walt Disney World puts on a meaningful event.
Irrespective of crowds, we will be among that group. As with many other longtime fans, we’re eager to pay tribute to a magical place that has meant so much to us. If you’re a first-timer, infrequent visitor, or just averse to crowds, going in October 2021 may not be as appealing to you.
Accordingly, mid-January 2022 is a time during the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebration when many of the big additions will be open. It’s also during a season when the crowds should generally be lighter and when the weather is nice.
Going during this off-season month will help blunt the (anticipated) increase in overall crowd levels between now and 2021. However, as we discussed at length in our Peak Crowds in Winter “Off-Season” at Walt Disney World post, crowds in the doldrums of winter have been surprisingly bad for the last two years.
The good news is that Walt Disney World is anticipating huge crowds and has projects in both Epcot and Magic Kingdom to help absorb those crowds, and pull guests away from Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The bad news is that the earliest of those large-scale projects will open in Summer 2021, with other projects debuting in 2022.
Another potential, significant downside to waiting is cost. As demand and attendance increase, so too will prices. While it’s impossible to prognostic exactly how high room rates will surge, it’s easy to envision a scenario with a 25% across the board increase between now and 2022. We’ve already seen more significant bumps at the Disney Skyliner resorts.
The thing is, Walt Disney World prices do not exist in a vacuum. There are also scenarios where such price increases are not sustainably in light of larger economic circumstances. In the last several years as consumer confidence and the markets have soared, so too have Disney’s prices.
It remains our belief that an economic ‘correction’ is on the horizon at some point in 2021 or 2022, and that would undermine Disney’s ability to continue such price increases unabated. Accordingly, you might actually be able to enjoy an improved guest experience and the above-mentioned amenities while actually pay less than current prices. Or perhaps that’s a pipe dream on our part. Everyone has their own perception of the economy, so don’t substitute our judgment for your own.
Of course, all of this is speculation on our part. The only thing we know for sure is that Walt Disney World has a history of price increases, would undoubtedly like to increase prices more, and will do so if the market will bear it. If the market won’t, prices will decline. Unfortunately, if a recession does occur, it could also impact your ability to travel. But we’re veering too far off-topic now.
Suffice to say, we think there’s really no time like the present to plan a trip to Walt Disney World. For the last two years, we’ve been advising a lot of vacation planners to wait, so it’s good to finally be in a position where the fruits of all this construction are (mostly) about to come to fruition. While there is some upside to waiting until Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary in 2021 or visiting in early 2022, there are also a lot of unknowns about that, and the biggest expansion in WDW history is already complete. In the immortal words of the Sherman Brothers:
“Now is the time now is the best time
Now is the best time of your life…
Yesterday’s mem’ries may sparkle and gleam
Tomorrow is still but a dream
Right here and now you’ve got it made
The world’s forward marching and you’re in the parade!”
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Do you agree or disagree with our recommendations for visiting Walt Disney World in the next few years? Are you looking forward to visiting once big additions, including Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, are open? Will you wait until Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary? Any thoughts or predictions of your own to add? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
As an older Disney fan, I would recommend the Disney Boards, where anything you can think of will be asked and answered. There is definitely a learning curve to visiting Disney.
Love the blog, best Disney blog I have found. My wife and I will be celebrating our 20th anniversary in September 2020. We have a 2 week vacation planned for then. I am hoping this will be a good time to visit. We only been there once before and and it was the year we got engaged so this feels special and with a lot of things new, we can’t wait.
I think you are being silly predicting such huge crowd increases. StarWars land is visually stunning, same as Pandora. But Smuggler’s Run is nothing more than Star Tours with buttons. Disney has effectively priced out a good chunk of the country and will price out a good amount more in the next year or two. I believe it is much more likely that their attendance starts to drop, unless somehow the current president keeps this economy humming through 2024, then I believe your crown increase predictions would be accurate.
Someone mentioned the SW hotel. This is what we are waiting for. The structure is moving along but new info seems at a standstill. Do you think we might get some more details at D23?
So we went as a family for our first trip in August 2018, our twin girls were 6 1/2. It was so amazing. We are dying to go back, but likely will only do 2-3 more trips in the next 12 years. I was thinking of doing the next one when they are 10 1/2, summer of 2022 and originally thought early June (right when they got out of school). NOW it was announced special Olympics will be hosted there. Should I choose a different time? Their 10th bday is in January 2022, but I worry the weather will be cold and swimming won’t be fun at the hotel?
Thanks!
I’d take a cooler day over a hot, humid day anytime. Right when they get out of school sounds best.
as anxious as i am for being at disney for SWGE grand opening (not by choice, we planned our trip first), i am glad i don’t have a trip planned for anytime in 2020. every time i turn around i see new posts from one blog or another about extended refurbishments on the docket for one attraction after another, a-la the “50 new things for 50th anniversary” i’ve seen floating around. not only is epcot going to turn into a one-day park due to all it’s closures, MK is going to have a number of things happening there too, not to mention entrance construction at 3/4 of the parks. we;re slipping in and out just before most of these are going to get rolling, so i’m glad for that.
Hi Tom,
We are Disney Florida fiends with our first Disney stay in our belts after staying in Saratoga springs treehouses last year (our 8th florida holiday). We’ve already booked for August 2020 (based in Wales, UK) staying with a dining plan, club level at Disney beach club for one week and the universals endless summer resort for the second week. We get to book our fast passes 60days before travel, can you think of anything worth holding out for new release wise?
P.s. love your blog!
Time value of money aside (let’s assume for $200 it’s negligible) I have become a fan of picking something that seems like it might work far in advance (i.e. ~18 months) and booking it.
In the time that lapses between when you make that booking and the dates you picked just keep an eye out for a better deal, additional discounts, something worth changing for, etc. If something better crops up great, if not oh well. If you decide you want to delay further (or not go at all), just cancel the reservation.
With the continual price increases, what you book as soon as it’s available often becomes a “deal” as time moves on and you reference it against current prices. This way you have a trip to look forward to, and you can change it as life changes with minimal (I’d argue near zero) risk or downside.
Looking at everything, it seems that late Spring, 2020, looks to be a very good time to go. Rise of the Resistance will have opened in December, 2019, the new Epcot films will have opened in January, 2020, with Spring, 2020 bringing the Ratatouille ride opening in Epcot and Mickey’s Runaway Train opening in DHS. The fly in the ointment: The lack of dates for the two new rides. The result is a gamble: The influx of summer crowds, and worse, summer weather, with knowledge that if you go for the better weather, you might end up missing the opening dates of these rides.
And there’s always the possibility that target dates get pushed back. We gambled and lost: Virtually every prognosticator predicted Toy Story Land would open in time for Memorial Day, 2018; in fact, we had gotten in to Toy Story Mania when it first opened on a Memorial Day weekend, so it was what I was expecting. Alas, no. Toy Story Land opened June 30th, just over 3 weeks after our departure date.
But despite that, we had a great trip, proving that even if you miss the new rides, you can still have a fantastic time with fantastic memories. The point is, there’s always something new happening at WDW, with new projects constantly in the pipeline. If you go at any point in the next two years, you’re still going to miss a lot of new developments at Epcot that will be under construction for years.
Technically, we don’t have official dates for anything opening in 2020.
I think mid-May 2020 will be a good time with all or most of that open, but it’s way too early to say for sure. Few rumors about the progress on the big attractions have leaked out. Perhaps they’ll offer some dates at the D23 Expo this weekend!
Planning on going in April/May 2021.
Had that planned since last visit at that time in 2015.
Difference now is lots more people want to come with us and we have two children in tow.
No adults only, 24k steps a day, from opening till close for us.
Update: Remy’s Ratatouille Ride has received a time announcement: Summer 2020. Meaning, it will not be open in May, but until some time on or after June 21, 2020. What this might mean for Runaway Train’s projected opening…?
…and then there’s the eventual opening of the Star Wars themed hotel. How to even budget that experience into a “normal” WDW vacation, I’m not sure. That may be the 2025 visit.
I never considered the fact that there is always something new that you can use as an excuse to visit Disney. My husband and I recently retired, and I have never been to Disney, so he wants to take me there and enjoy ourselves. We will need to find an agency that can advise us on what to do while we are there and how to have the best experience.
Hi, we live in the UK and have an autistic son who loves Disney. We have been to Florida a total of 14 times. The costs over these years has slowly risen but the service we have received has slowly declined. Our first visit in 1993 was the most memorable as I am sure it would be for most families. Having someone with a disability can be difficult but we were treated like royalty but the majority of Disney staff. Our last visit in 2017 was far more stressful as they have changed the system for queueing due to abuse, there words not mine. I would have thought that in this day and age this abuse could be dealt with quite easily with the proper documentation needed to prove a disability. Although it was an enjoyable holiday for the family it does bring up the question , would we go again. At the moment NO. A place built for children but come the age of 10 in Disney’s eyes you are an adult. I call that a rip off.
In your experience, when do you think we can expect the 50th celebrations to start/end? I’m ready to plan a trip for 2021 to be a part of it all (although I wouldn’t dare be there during the week of the actual 50th), but want to visit at a decent time, too. You mentioned that January 2022 should have the events still going, but would Disney let them linger further than that, and quite possibly even co-exist with the Flower & Garden festival in 2022? i think I’m just trying to get my hopes up at this point. Haha. I do wish my husband were as big of a Disney fan as I am!
I have the same questions/concerns, Melissa W. I would love to know their advice, as well. But I do have somewhat of an answer to one of your questions: I worked for WDW in 2000 and 2001. I was there for both The Millenium Celebration and 100 Years of Magic. Very specific elements do linger for a while, i.e. Reflections of Earth which debuted as part of the Millenium Celebration. Other things constantly change, like the parades and fireworks. I’m sad to see them retiring Reflections but they’re replacing it with something new for the 50th. I hope it lives up to Reflections. Glad I bought the soundtrack. The parade at Epcot with the giant puppets was amazing, especially the music. All good things must come to an end but Disney doesn’t, well usually, disappoint. Anyway, would love to know what answers were given to all your questions!
We went to WDW for a once in a lifetime trip back in 2016. Being from Australia, we couldn’t see ourselves wanting to do the 28 hour trip to get to Orlando more than once…
We are going back for our 4th trip at Christmas this year.
The moral of the story, don’t wait until 2021, it won’t be you one and only trip. If you can go now, go! You will be back, if not in 2021, soon after.
I’m looking to plan a Disney vacation in 2022 for the family. There will be 6 adults and 2 children between 0- 3. I was wondering what would be the most inexpensive time of year, best weather, and best hotel for all of us to be together? Also could you suggest a meal plan for our group? I would greatly appreciate any assistance you can give. Also we will have a military personnel and AARP members with us if that gives our group a better discount. Please advise. Thank you for everything.
How do you know there will be 2 kids if they would not yet be born to be in the 0-3 group in 2022?
Meal plans, since there are only 3 options, aren’t too difficult to navigate. the main thing you need to ask yourself/group is whether you want sit down / table service dining and if so, do you want the ability to do it every time regardless of whether you decide to or not? Most people can get by with Disney Quick Service Plan (2 quick service meals per day / 2 snacks per day) or Regular Disney Dining Plan (1 quick, 1 table service meal / 2 snacks per day) plan. But if you just have to have the ability to sit down at any meal regardless of cost, go with the Deluxe plan – Here’s more from Tom: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/2020-disney-dining-plan-price-increases/
Keep in mind, you don’t have to get a meal plan, its just a nice convenience. If I were on a meal plan, and with kids, I’d get the Disney Dining plan and do a character meal every night, cause they’re more expensive and it basically covers the cost of the per day meal plan, so the rest is “free”. no such thing as a free lunch, but you get the idea. Most character meals are around $60 per person and daily cost for DDP is $75, so if your snacks and quick service meal total more than $15, you come out ahead. If you’ve looked at any menu’s, you’ll know that’s not hard to obtain, even just for the quick service meal.
Regardless of which option you choose, enjoy! The food is so delicious at WDW.
Also, for weather, go winter, mid November through April/May (also check historical temps to find out what temps suits you, everyone is different). We were there at Thanksgiving time last year and the weather was gorgeous. No humidity, great temps, blue sky and only a short rainfall at noon on one of the days we were there. Though I’ve heard January/February can be chilly at times.
There’s hotels where you can all stay in one room together or you get can joining rooms. From what I can tell trying to book the same number of guests myself, it’s somewhat cheaper all in one room, but not much, so go with comfort for everyone. To me, seems like their discounts times are never consistent year to year or even what the discounts will be, so just pick a time and see if a discount comes available.
Amazing website Tom – our first Disney trip would not have been the same without your precious advice!!
You mentioned that “November 2019 represents the calm before the Star Wars storm, as it’s unlikely that the “Late 2019” for the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opening is before Thanksgiving 2019.” Now that the Galaxy’s Edge Phase 1 opening has been announced, I take it this November 2019 recommendation is rescinded? Or does it still remain a good time because Phase 2 won’t be open yet??
Thanks in advance, and keep your great insight coming, we LOVE it!
“September 2019 is another potentially good time (and a safer bet in terms of Star Wars land definitely not being open), although the weather won’t be as good.”
Might want to edit this bit!!!
When does WDW online booking start for 2020 dates?
Booking has already started for UK residents, normally US guests are able to book in June for the year ahead. But I think you can begin to talk to a travel agent in advance
I just booked Nov/Dec 2020 yesterday.
We are wanting to go to Disney in May 2020. What’s the best week to go? Thanks!
Earlier in May is better then toward Memorial day but beware there are cheer competitions the first few weekends, so the weekend crowds can be large with hordes of cheer competition families (these groups can be loud and overwhelming at times)
We are planning a trip for the last week of August for the sole purpose of bidding farewell to Illuminations. I’ve been reading your articles on how to pack for and survive the summer weather. This will likely be our last trip for a few years while things settle down. I am looking forwad to reading your thoughts on the Future World reimagining. I’ll be happy enough to see Leave a Tombstone…err…Legacy moved out of the way. But I’ll be sad to see the Fountain of Nations leave.
I am currently planning a trip to WDW 2021 for the 50th anniversary preferably during the first two weeks of December because I like Christmas. I’ve always love reading your guide. Been reading it since 2015 when I discovered your blog while planning my trip to my first Disney park experience which is HK Disney land. I live in Philippines so I’ve only been to the parks here in Asia. I can’t wait to visit WDW!
Hi Tom,
Any guess on if Disney will keep offering free dining after Galaxy’s Edge opens?
I hear the 50th celebrations are likely to start in October 2021. I don’t mind missing them so I’m wondering if September 2021 is likely a good time to go crowd (and possibly discount) wise.