Summer used to be the busiest time to visit Walt Disney World. Everyone, my family included, would make the trek in the summer because it was convenient to school schedules. But times have changed, and what once was considered a time to avoid WDW due to the extreme crowds, might actually be a better time for your next trip.
What are some of the factors that make summer more appealing for you?
Nowadays the allure of things like Halloween or Christmas Parties, or the different festivals at Epcot have parents more willing to pull their kids out of school during the academic year. It is also more appealing to adults without children to head to Walt Disney World when most kids will be in school.
Also, school breaks have varied over the years, but currently most schools in the Southern part of the United States start back to school in early August and have a break in October.
All of the above factors coupled with the fact that some just don’t want to be in Florida during the hottest time of the year have made fall more crowded than summer.
Promotions
Disney does not offer random promotions. Many times promotions are offered to fill rooms. This is also why you will see that only certain resorts are able to be booked with a promotion.
A lot of the promotions are free dining or a room discount. This may change once Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is open, but time will tell.
Special Events
There are many special events that are offered in the summer that may not be offered other times of the year, or that may be offered more frequently during the summer versus other times of the year.
These are hard-ticketed events, meaning they are not included with the purchase of a park ticket. However most of these tickets allow early access into a park.
The first is the Disney After Hours Events. They have these at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. There is also a new event running on select nights from June 6 – August 8, 2019, at Magic Kingdom that is a Villains After Hours event. These events are 3 hours long, and include little to no wait on many rides, some of the events include character meet and greets, as well as ice cream, popcorn, and select beverages.
Another event is Early Morning Magic. This is held at Fantasy Land at Magic Kingdom and Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios.
At the Magic Kingdom the event is from 7:30 am – 10:00 am, keep in mind the park will open at 9 am. You will be able to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, It’s a Small World, Under the Sea – Adventures of the Little Mermaid, Mad Tea Party, and the character meeting at Princess Fairytale Hall will be open. You also have until 10 am to eat breakfast, which is included in your ticket, at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe.
At Hollywood Studios the event is also from 7:30 – 10:00 am, with the park opening at 9 am. You will be able to ride Slinky Dog Dash, Alien Swirling Saucers, and Toy Story Mania, and you will have the opportunity to meet Woody, Buzz and Jessie. Breakfast is served until 10 am at a quick service location outside of Toy Story Land and will feature a continental breakfast buffet.
The Water Parks are not open all year long, and in the summer there is a special event at Typhoon Lagoon called H2O Glow Nights. From late May to mid August this event is held on select nights. Held from 8:00 pm until 11:00 pm. Hosted by Partysaurus Rex, from Toy Story, there are typically shorter waits for the rides, a DJ-hosted Dance Party, Toy Story experiences including meet and greet with Woody, Buzz, and Jessie, food and beverages, and an adults-only entertainment area.
Now when you come in late summer you have the ability to go to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. It may seem crazy to go to a Halloween event in August, but for those of us who can’t go in October, it makes a late summer visit that much more desirable.
Fewer Closures
Most construction or refurbishments are done during the slower months, so you will find that most rides and attractions will be open during the summer months. That’s not to say nothing will be closed, but it is less likely that a routine update will be scheduled during the summer time.
Longer Park Hours
If there are more hours of daylight, then you can bet that the parks will be open later. This is beneficial for many types of park-goers. For those who want to get up late and stay up late. For those with (or without) children, who want to take a mid-day break. For those that want a morning at the park, but enough time in the evening to spend at their resort or Disney Springs.
Wrapping Up
Summer has become one of the best times to travel to Walt Disney World for a multitude of reasons. Do you like visiting in the summer or do you prefer another time of year? Leave a comment below. Or, until next time, have a magical trip.