What’s the cheapest time to go to Walt Disney World?
Mid-January through mid-February is the cheapest time to go to Walt Disney World® Resort. Disney prices rooms and tickets by date. In those weeks, ticket prices are at their lowest and Disney runs room offers. Crowds are also the smallest of the year. Late August through September is the other low-price window.
Go when school is in session
Disney sets prices to match demand. When most schools are in session and fewer families travel, ticket prices drop and room offers appear to fill the parks. That is the Walt Disney World off season, and it comes at two times of the year.
Mid-January through mid-February is the clearer of the two, because the holiday rush is over and kids are back in school. The crowd calendar marks it as one of the quietest and cheapest windows of the year. The EPCOT® International Festival of the Arts also runs during those weeks, so there is a festival on top of the low prices.
Late August through September is the second window. Summer break ends and crowds thin after Labor Day, and Disney often runs offers into early fall. Prices start to climb again in October, so September is the cheaper end of the fall.
The cheapest week can still cost more if it touches a holiday. Presidents’ Day weekend sits inside the winter window and brings a short crowd bump, so book the week before or after it when you can. Weigh crowds, cost, and events together, and check the current offers before you book.
When to pay for a busier week
- Weather matters more than price. October and early November bring the best walking weather of the year at a moderate price. For many families that is worth paying more than the January rate.
- You want a festival or party. The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party both run in the fall, when rooms cost more than in January. If one of those events is the reason for the trip, the fall dates are worth the higher price.
- School sets your dates. If your only window is a school break, book early to lock in the room, since offers that come out later can still be applied to it. That week may cost more than January, but the price can still drop before you travel.
Locking in the best price
The best strategy is to book the room as soon as your dates are set, then have a travel advisor watch for a better deal. Disney releases special offers on rooms and vacation packages through the year, and an advisor can apply a new one to a booking you already hold. You keep the room either way, and you pay less if a better offer comes out.