Christmas is our favourite time of yr at Walt Disney World, and through the vacation season, there’s a week-long window that we actually love. This submit discusses why we suggest visiting after Thanksgiving however earlier than the height weeks of winter break, with a rundown of what makes this time of yr particular–and completely different from the busier weeks. (Up to date July 12, 2025.)
That is hardly a secret. Lengthy-time readers of the weblog may know that our #1 favourite week of the yr at Walt Disney World is the one after Thanksgiving. We’ve really helpful it numerous occasions during the last decade-plus, and it’s been our go-to for ages. Again once we lived within the Midwest, our annual Christmas journey normally began the Sunday after the vacation. (Even once we had been nonetheless at school, we used to skip a pair days to make it a protracted weekend journey!)
I don’t hold monitor, but when I needed to guess at which week of the yr we’ve got spent essentially the most minutes in Walt Disney World since 2007, it will be this one. In all probability by a fairly vast margin. We completely love the week after Thanksgiving. There are occasions once we’ve ‘prolonged’ our method and skilled the primary two weeks of December, and have been pleasantly shocked with each. Neither of those weeks are even remotely on par with Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Yr’s Eve, and even the primary week of January.
It’s additionally value noting that regardless of what number of occasions we’ve shared this “finest saved secret,” it has remained reliably uncrowded. To make certain, late November into early December is busier now than it was a decade or extra in the past. However that’s true of just about all dates of the yr. Walt Disney World annual attendance has elevated, and park enlargement has not saved tempo. So crowds are worse, throughout the board, than they had been in 2010!
Accordingly, these of you with time machines in your possession could not even wish to hassle with this submit, and as a substitute dial in any random date in 2002 for decrease crowds. Everybody else ought to proceed studying, as the vacation season has curler coaster crowds with each actually excessive highs and low lows!
In actual fact, our lists of the 10 Greatest and 10 Worst Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World in 2025 & 2026 include a number of weeks in November and December–on each the most effective & worst lists, too! It’s really fairly wild how the parks go from chaotic to quiet (comparatively talking) nearly in a single day from one week to the subsequent.
Though this submit focuses on the great, we’ve got intensive expertise with the unhealthy. Again once we lived in Florida, we’d typically have household go to for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and (naturally) we’d take them to the parks throughout these peak weeks. And we ourselves did each single New Yr’s Eve (and December 30) within the parks for a number of consecutive years. (Truthfully, we nonetheless love NYE at WDW, and suggest it regardless of the crowds–it’s an expertise value having!)
As vacationers, we go to at the very least twice every year in November and December. The primary of these weeks is nearly all the time Jersey Week/Veterans Day, which is when the primary Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together and Disney Jollywood Nights happen (November 7-8, 2025) and the remainder of the vacation season kicks off (later this yr than regular–November 14, 2025). With out fail, that could be a busy week–and supplies a pleasant distinction to our favourite household journey time after Thanksgiving.
Right here’s what we love about this timeframe through the vacation season at Walt Disney World, and why it’s best to go to throughout one in all these weeks in case you’re already planning a 2025 or 2026 trip throughout Christmas-time…
“Full” Christmas
Even with out the Dream Lights and different issues which were misplaced during the last decade-plus, the vacation season is way and away our favourite time at Walt Disney World. We’ve gone into this at size in quite a few different posts, together with our Final Information to Christmas at Walt Disney World, so we received’t belabor the purpose.
Relating to Christmas, we like a couple of completely different home windows. The primary is the very starting, earlier than any vacation crowds arrive. The issue with this week in 2025 is that solely decorations shall be up with the events beginning on the tail finish of that week, as crowds begin rising. However once more, common Christmas leisure like Merry Menagerie, meet & greets, and extra is not going to begin till November 14, 2025.
The second is after the week of Veterans’ Day, however earlier than Thanksgiving. This week is a lot better, and after the vacation season formally begins on November 14. Even so, it’s not fully Christmas throughout them. Many resorts nonetheless aren’t decked out for the vacations, and EPCOT remains to be “celebrating” Meals & Wine Pageant. This leaves the 2 weeks after Thanksgiving because the candy spot to go to Walt Disney World for a full Christmas.
Resort Environment
Two of the final three years, I’ve stayed at All Star Sports activities throughout this week. Final yr was a household journey, and we did a cut up keep between the DVC Cabins at Fort Wilderness and Port Orleans French Quarter. All of those stays have been improbable, however the one value drawing consideration to is All Star Sports activities.
This one is notable as a result of the start of December was crimson flag dates at All Star Sports activities on account of youth sporting occasions. We made the error of staying on the All Stars as soon as throughout Pop Warner, and rapidly mentioned by no means once more. Nicely, the ‘outdated days’ are over and now ESPN Extensive World of Sports activities doesn’t host main youth occasions through the holidays.
In each means, my expectations had been exceeded. The grounds had been wanting nice, the meals courtroom was by no means overly-crowded, and there have been by no means rowdy teams of youngsters taking part in on the soccer subject. Bus service was immediate, pickup occasions had been correct, and it was solely shared on one late evening getting back from Magic Kingdom. Regardless of leaving late, I all the time made Early Entry with time to spare.
Throughout one keep at All Star Sports activities, I spoke with a supervisor who supplied fascinating insights about resort occupancy and constructing closures, which confirmed what I suspected based mostly on the low variety of individuals out and about on the resort. It was the same story at nearly each resort I visited.
Admittedly, I intentionally didn’t do Grand Floridian or Wilderness Lodge throughout their ‘peak’ hours when crowds are inclined to the worst, however even the favored Crescent Lake resorts had been fairly quiet through the days that I visited. As with the parks, this can be a far cry from the scene through the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and NYE.
Decrease Costs & Higher Offers
With decrease occupancy than the height weeks of the vacation season, it ought to come as no shock that there are higher offers available between the height weeks of the vacations fairly than throughout them.
We’re usually doing on-site stays twice through the vacation season at Walt Disney World: as soon as throughout Jersey Week and the Veterans Day vacation weekend, and once more throughout this favourite week. In pricing out November 6-11, 2025 vs. November 30 to December 5, 2025, I’m seeing large value variations.
There are some resorts that aren’t discounted in any respect through the first set of dates. In contrast, I see loads of availability through the second set of dates, together with Deluxe Resorts which can be over $100 off per evening. (Though we haven’t booked it but, Animal Kingdom Lodge at $146 off per evening may be very tempting!) See All Present Reductions at Walt Disney World for a have a look at the varied particular gives.
Not solely that, however the resort rack charges and different costs are decrease to start with than throughout Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Yr’s weeks. In the event you have a look at the Least expensive Occasions to Go to Walt Disney World, you’ll see that these two weeks are the most effective of the vacation season. Nonetheless not as little as the true low season, however fairly shut!
Decrease Crowds & Wait Occasions
As measured by common wait occasions, the weeks of Veterans Day/Jersey Week and Thanksgiving are two of the busiest weeks of the yr, behind solely Presidents’ Day, Spring Break, generally Columbus Day, and the weeks of Christmas and New Yr’s Eve.
Relating to each of those November weeks, the week-to-week drop within the following week is fairly pronounced. Particularly, crowds plummet on the Sunday after Thanksgiving and staying there for everything of the subsequent week. The week following Thanksgiving averaged a 34 minute wait time (2/10 on the gang calendar), as in comparison with 49 minutes through the week of Thanksgiving (10/10 on the gang calendar). That 15 minute distinction could seem insignificant, however it’s really enormous–and actually provides up over the course of a day.
The next week was busier than early December, averaging a 40 minute wait and 5/10 crowd stage. That’s nonetheless fairly busy as in comparison with September or Might, however very manageable for the vacation season. It’s additionally skewed by Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together dates–you would do considerably higher by merely selecting the Greatest Days of the Week to Go to Every Park at Walt Disney World.
In the event you’re planning a Walt Disney World journey for 2025 or 2026, you clearly can not rely on these precise numbers holding up. Nevertheless, that’s fairly in keeping with what we’ve seen in regular years for the final decade or so. Usually, crowds fall off a cliff the Sunday after Thanksgiving, plateau for every week or so, after which regularly rise within the lead-up to Christmas.
Our expectation is definitely barely decrease crowd ranges for the second week of December 2025, and about the identical numbers for the week instantly after Thanksgiving. The premise for that is that wait occasions have been down year-over-year at Walt Disney World on account of “revenge journey” exhausting itself. Nonetheless, it’s laborious to see early December bettering that a lot. It was already actually good final yr, and is a well-liked time for annual guests.
No matter what else occurs, all bets are off as soon as winter breaks begin. The interval between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve being one of many worst weeks of the yr, and issues not likely letting up till colleges return into session and Marathon Weekend concludes.
Eating Availability
We had been capable of eat in every single place we needed (with the necessary caveat that many of the locations we want aren’t essentially the most highly-coveted Advance Eating Reservations), and infrequently discovered same-day ADRs or availability by way of walk-up waitlist.
This included actually no look ahead to Nomad Lounge and Steakhouse 71, in addition to discovering same-day ADRs for numerous eating places. Even Fantasmic and Candlelight Processional eating packages had pop-up availability!
On condition that we each want extra spontaneity, this positive beats visiting through the peak vacation weeks. Visitors doing journeys then needed to be up early to make ADRs 60+ days upfront, and a few doubtless nonetheless didn’t get every thing they needed. Waits for Cell Order and Stroll-Up Waitlist are additionally a lot worse when it’s busier.
Lightning Lane Pricing & Availability
Throughout my go to final yr for Veterans Day, I bought Lightning Lane Multi-Go on a number of completely different events. I used to be doing this “for analysis,” however it was however very helpful in serving to bypass heavy crowds.
Throughout our household go to in early December, we didn’t hassle with Lightning Lanes in any respect. There have been a few occasions we got here to remorse this, comparable to attempting to see Residing with the Land: Glimmering Greenhouses on the finish of the evening with an overly-tired toddler, however by and huge, it simply was not obligatory. It was additionally cheaper and had higher availability, so at the very least if we did wish to use it, we might’ve scored extra journey reservations at a decrease price.
Suffice to say, that’s a stark distinction to the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Yr’s Eve, when Lightning Lane availability was or shall be way more restricted on account of elevated “competitors” ensuing from extra individuals shopping for the paid FastPass service. Worse crowds solely compound that, with larger wait occasions and extra congestion in between Lightning Lane return occasions.
December Climate
One factor I’ve discovered over the previous few years is that I used to be not “constructed” for Florida warmth and humidity. To make certain, we had traveled to Walt Disney World in each month and week of the yr beforehand, so we knew what we had been getting ourselves into. However, a lot of our transplant pals reassured us that it’s not so unhealthy and also you get used to it. That by no means occurred for us, and we discovered ourselves spending far an excessive amount of time indoors 8 months of the yr.
Whereas some individuals go to Florida for the limitless summer season sunshine and heat temperatures, that’s undoubtedly not the case for us. Our ‘candy spot’ for Florida climate is from round November till February. I’ll take having to put on a coat over sweating by my shirt any day of the week. You’ll be able to all the time add layers, however there are solely so many you may subtract earlier than safety says, “sir, you may’t take off your shirt right here and this Miss Piggy fountain just isn’t a water play space.” (Buzzkills.)
Whereas it’s not all the time excellent, we’ve discovered that 90% of the time, the climate in late November and early December is at the very least temperate. As a lot as I like late August and September for low crowds, I’ll fortunately cope with barely elevated attendance for considerably higher climate. It’s a straightforward commerce off for us.
Vacation Finery
I’m not what you’d name a trendy man in any conventional sense of the time period. GQ is not going to be ringing me anytime quickly, asking the place I get my moisture wicking polos, quick-drying shorts, or bucket hats. In the summertime, my outfit rotation is fairly easy and restricted. In contrast to Sarah, who all the time appears to be like good regardless of the season or climate, I appear to be a doofus who simply emerged from the sauna throughout Florida’s three seasons of summer season.
Nevertheless, roughly 75% of my wardrobe is sweaters and flannel shirts. It’s gotten to the purpose that I’ve been “banned” from shopping for extra blue plaid, as ‘that appears like a half-dozen shirts you already personal and might’t put on 10 months of the yr.’ It ought to go with out saying, however these should not the optimum outfits for Florida.
It’s an offshoot of climate, however one of many issues I like about this time of yr at Walt Disney World is that I don’t have to decorate in utilitarian clothes that appears like I’m about to go fishing. I can bust out my formidable sweater assortment or huge array of blue plaid shirts. Within the grand scheme of issues, it’s minor, however it’s good to have images of us the place we each look presentable and have enjoyable outfits.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together
For years, we’ve executed the primary Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together in early August and the primary Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together in early November. Whereas I can go from 0 to 60 relating to entering into the vacation spirit, the identical isn’t true of everybody else.
Not solely is the climate (normally) higher for the December events, however the vitality is nearly all the time higher. Far more friends are wearing ugly Christmas sweaters, truthful isle onesies, vacation Spirit Jerseys, and so forth. Simply because the MNSSHP is healthier in October, so too is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together nearer to Christmas. The occasion itself is an identical, and but, higher.
It’s powerful to elucidate how, however in case you’ve executed the primary evening of MVMCP and in addition one of many December dates, you recognize. (Now we have additionally been rained out means too many occasions on the first MVMCP previously, and that will’ve occurred once more had we attended this yr. Knock on wooden, however that hasn’t occurred to us in ages through the December dates of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together.)
Disney Jollywood Nights
It’s a really comparable story with the Christmas social gathering at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which is retiring for its third yr in 2025. Disney Jollywood Nights is a vacation laborious ticket occasion providing a extra refined vacation vibe, sights of glowing décor, sounds of recent beats over basic vacation songs, tastes of craft cocktails and decadent dishes. It’s nostalgic and it’s glitz and glam galore.
To that time, Nineteen Fifties vacation apparel is really helpful for this seasonal soirée and an enormous a part of the occasion would be the glamorous vibe and ambiance. Clearly, you would assemble an outfit with layers that will work for probably scorching or chilly climate in mid-November. Or you would go later within the month or early December when temperatures are prone to be cooler.
Candlelight Processional
I’m a sucker for Candlelight Processional at EPCOT. The pageantry of all of it, lovely music, and energy put into the spectacle by so many expert and passionate Forged Members. Suffice to say, Candlelight Processional is one thing particular. From the choir to the orchestra to the conductor to the ASL interpreter, I like watching these gifted performers give it their all. It’s an incredible custom–one began by Walt Disney at Disneyland and imported to EPCOT a lot later–and one thing I hope by no means ends.
I’m not significantly ‘large’ on celebrities, so the narrator issues much less to me. (If something, I favor a number of the much less in style ones as they draw smaller crowds of their followers.) With that mentioned, there are some I take pleasure in greater than others. I don’t wish to ‘identify names’ and disparage anybody (or alienate their followers), however I’m not significantly eager on the narrators who incessantly seem throughout this window. Maybe it’s simply my notion, however it looks like Walt Disney World books the most effective narrators in mid-to-late December.
The upside to that is low crowds for Candlelight Processional. I managed to snag seats twice with no eating package deal and no wait in line. Positive, I used to be in direction of the again, however I’ve seen it sufficient that I’m completely happy with solely an okay view. Not having to purchase a eating package deal (to not point out the stress of attempting to attain ADRs) or wait in a protracted line is a greater than truthful tradeoff, from my perspective.
It’s not simply Candlelight Processional, even when that’s what we’re emphasizing. Right here’s a rundown of the 2025 EPCOT Pageant of the Holidays, from the Beacons of Magic on Spaceship Earth to the Vacation Storytellers round World Showcase to the festive meals cubicles. It’s all improbable, and we want this occasion to the flagship Meals & Wine Pageant!
In the end, it must be straightforward to see why that is our favourite week (or weeks?) of the yr at Walt Disney World. Regardless that wait occasions for sure headliners are nonetheless excessive, the decrease congestion ranges as in comparison with Thanksgiving week makes a enormous distinction by way of total consolation stage–and the higher climate additionally helps! Final yr, the one time and place we ever noticed crowding was within the hub and Essential Avenue throughout Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together, however that’s about par for the course.
In the event you’re at present planning a visit, our suggestion can be to go to from November 30 by December 7, 2025. In the event you’re planning for subsequent yr, the finest dates are November 29 to December 6, 2026. That’ll nearly definitely be the candy spot for the most effective of crowds, wait occasions, climate, seasonal spirit, and so forth. In recent times, Saturday hasn’t been busy both, so you would fly out on Black Friday and do your first park day on Saturday.
If we had to decide on a next-best set of dates from a qualitative perspective, it’d be troublesome to determine between December 8-14, 2025 and November 15-21, 2025 (regulate these someday earlier for 2026 suggestions). The large tradeoffs can be barely larger crowds vs. full Christmas and probably higher climate. We’d select the December dates, largely as a result of we’re large followers of the EPCOT Pageant of the Holidays, which doesn’t begin till after Thanksgiving. Regardless, some potential journey dates to contemplate in your future journeys to Walt Disney World!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study motels on our Walt Disney World Inns Evaluations web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Evaluations. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys submit takes a singular have a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Trip Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the most effective place to begin is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every thing it’s essential to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
In the event you’ve executed Walt Disney World post-Thanksgiving, what was your expertise? In the event you’ve visited this identical week in prior years, how do you suppose this yr compares? Ideas about anything coated right here? In the event you’re a frequent customer throughout this timeframe, what’s your tackle crowds, wait occasions, seasonal spirit, climate, and many others? Agree or disagree with our evaluation of those two weeks as the most effective time through the vacation season? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
