It’s no secret that Walt Disney World keeps getting more and more expensive. With prices rising about 5% every year, the cheapest time to go to Disney is, truthfully, as soon as you can! Because visiting Disney World in 2024 will surely be cheaper than 2025. And since we can’t seem to stop going it pays, literally, to know the Cheapest Times to Visit Disney. From when Disney Resorts are the cheapest, to what month at Disney World is the cheapest, we’ll break it down here so that you can find the most affordable times of year to visit Disney World.
By strategically planning your Disney trip at the most affordable time to visit Disney World you’ll have your best chance of saving money, avoiding crowds and having a magical time. And luckily, there’s actually a calendar to help spell it out. We’ll share that and more in the post to help you get started. This Disney Guide to the Cheapest Times to Visit Disney World is to help you find the best time to visit Disney World on a budget. A culmination of our personal experiences, after 15 years ( and counting) of visiting Disney World at all times of year, several times of year, historical price data, and the DVC rate calendar all helped us pull this post together. Because, frankly, we couldn’t visit as often as we do, if we weren’t visiting during the cheapest times of year at Disney World.
Add in that we love a good deal, like how to find cheap Disney hotels on Priceline, and the importance of snagging the FREE Disney Dining Plan when it comes around. Because this post is all about helping you save money from the start. Plus, by simply choosing the best and cheapest time to visit Disney World, you’re already ahead of the game! Let’s dive into the most affordable time to visit Disney World.
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What Affects Disney Vacation Costs?
There are many factors when it comes to the Cheapest Times to Visit Disney World. Whether you’re booking a Disney Vacation package that includes your resort and tickets, or buying them separately, there are three things that affect the cost of your Disney vacation; duration, number of tickets, and hotel choice.
What Time of Year You Visit
Are you visiting Disney World to attend a festival? Or heading there for the holidays? Maybe you’re shoving this vacation into a short Spring Break? When you’re visiting matters. And Since Disney vacations are ALWAYS going to feel expensive, know that there are ways to soften the blow! You can simply choose a different time to go to Disney World. But When? In this post, we’re going to share the cheapest time of year for Disney World AND the most expensive time to go to Disney World. That way, you can decide which time of year is best for you to visit.
Number of Days at Disney
While a longer Disney Vacation may be more expensive in the long run, the ticket prices are cheaper when you’re staying longer. That said, choose how many days you hope to stay at Disney. Many families try for a one week Disney Vacation, but to make the most of your Disney Trip we always recommend aiming for that 7-9 day mark if you can. This gives you enough time to visit each park, and a couple sometimes twice. Plus you can visit Disney Springs, or go to the Disney BoardWalk, spend time at your resort, and take it easy on arrival and departure days. It is a vacation after all.
Resort Choice
Walt Disney World is comprised of three different Resort Levels; Value Resorts, Moderate Resorts, and Deluxe Resorts. These Disney Resort Types, not only differ in price, but also the level of amenities, types of Disney transportation available, theme, and distance to the parks.
If you’re wondering how to have the Cheapest Disney Vacation, then your resort choice is a MAJOR variable in this calculation. Having been to Walt Disney World many times, we’ll just say, that if you need to get Disney cheaply, there is nothing wrong with choosing the cheapest resorts. Our first trip was at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, and we loved it. What could have made it better? Going at a less crowded time of year!
And now our budget Disney World trips typically include Disney’s Pop Century Resort. Another great value resort, with access to the Disney Skyliner. Which gets us easy access to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. Bonus!
Number of Tickets
As mentioned before the more days you visit, the cheaper your per-day ticket price becomes. That said, keep in mind you DO NOT NEED TICKETS for every day of your vacation. Tickets are on a variable pricing model, ranging from $109 – $189 per person, per day. Think about that. Whether you’re buying them as part of a package or separately, you get to choose how many tickets you buy.
We always recommend that you don’t buy tickets on your First Day at Disney or your Last Day at Disney. Mainly because travel days are tough to begin with. But also because your Disney Resort has so much to do, it’s nice to experience it a bit before heading to the parks, or heading back home. Additionally, you may want to have a day to experience Disney Springs, or just relax.
When are Disney Hotels the Cheapest?
To get started take a look at the Disney Resort Price Tiers and Categories so that you can see the price ranges of a per-night stay at Disney World. We highly recommend aiming for January or September for your cheapest rates across the board. If you’re up against school schedules, it’s important to know that Disney Deluxe Resorts have “cheaper prices” in the summers. This makes sense since summers see so many travel groups who take the cheapest hotels. Leaving many of the deluxe resorts emptier, and therefore cheaper. Mind you, they are still expensive, but if you’re traveling during the summer or spring break, know that this is when Value Resorts are priced the highest.
Disney Resorts are Cheapest during the off season in the following months:
- January- February
- April- mid May
- mid-August- early October
When are Disney Tickets the Cheapest?
The Cheapest Times to Visit Disney World always include cheap Disney tickets. Whether it’s part of your package, or a date based ticket, you do have some options. Tickets at Walt Disney World are offered on a variable rate. Meaning that Disney decides in the moment, sometimes based on historical data, what they’ll charge for tickets. The price range is typically $109 – $189 per ticket. And as a business, when people want to visit most, is when the prices are highest. Alternatively, the least popular times to visit, have the least expensive tickets. But don’t let that deter you.
- Mondays- Thursdays have the cheapest Disney Park Tickets of the week, throughout the year.
- Late August- Late September, and January-February ( minus holidays) have the some of the Cheapest Disney World Ticket prices of the entire year.
However, there are some times when ticket prices don’t matter. For instance, if you’re staying at Disney World for 7 days or more, your ticket prices typically hit that $50 per ticket per day mark, which is the lowest point. Additionally, you would be buying the vacation package to get that rate, which means you’d also be able to take advantage of Disney Special Offers, Discounts, and Free Dining Promos when offered.
Cheapest Time to Visit Disney World in 2024
The cheapest time to go to Disney World is based on several factors including resort choice, number of tickets, length of stay and time of year. Traditionally, the Cheapest Time to Visit Disney World is January – Early February and from Late August through September.
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Late Winter (January 1- February 12)
The cheapest time to go to Disney World is January. Prices stay low throughout the month and the the early weeks of February. Though prices start to climb around MLK day and Presidents Day.
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Early Fall (August 18- September 30)
By far one of the best months in the Fall at Disney World to visit, September features better weather and better prices all the way up until about the last week of the month. Disney World in October is lovely, but gets a little pricier as Halloween settles into the parks.
Things that affect the cost of a Disney Vacation are Ticket Prices, Resort Prices, Length of Stay, and Time of Year. Thankfully, any Disney rate calendar can give you historical rate data to help you choose a cheaper Disney vacation. Here are the cheapest times of year to visit Disney World.
What is the Cheapest Month to Go to Disney?
Typically January through mid-February is the most inexpensive time of year to visit Disney World. Additionally, late August through September are some of the most affordable months to visit Disney World and also offers all the fun of the Halloween season.
When is The Cheapest Time to Go to Disney World?
The cheapest time to go to Disney World is early fall ( mid-August- September) and late winter ( January – mid-February). Okay, so now that you have a handle on the fact that the cheapest times of year to visit Disney World are January, and September, let’s share what you can expect the rest of the year. Here are two ways to see when is the cheapest time to go to Disney World.
Disney Vacation Club Rate Calendar
The first is by using the tried and true Disney Vacation Club rate calendar. This calendar is meant to share with DVC members the cheapest and most expensive times at Disney, so they can use their points wisely for a resort stay. The DVC Rate calendar is based on a complex formula involving crowds, events, seasons, and historical pricing.
The lowest seasons to book, based on this calendar are Adventure Season and Choice Season, which we’ll discuss more below. After that, the prices increase dramatically all the way up to Premier Season, which includes the holidays; the most expensive time to visit Walt Disney World. You can see later in this post where the dates fall for each.
Disney Vacation Ticket Prices Calendar
The second way to tell when the cheapest time to go to Disney World is, is through Disney’s newly introduced ticket pricing interactive calendar on their website. This site allows you to choose your tickets, based on price, by scrolling through months to see what ticket prices are. If you’re wondering how to save money on a Disney Vacation, here’s what you need to know.
You can get the BEST view of at the cost of Disney Tickets on the Disney Ticket Calendar. This calendar shows you the ticket prices based on the number of days you need. So, if you’re visiting for a longer period of time your ticket price per day decreases significantly. Either way, you can simply scroll this calendar to see what ticket prices look like throughout the year. This is also an excellent tool to find the Best Time to Visit Disney World. Because on days with lower prices, there will also be lower crowds.
You’ll note that the Cheapest Disney Tickets and the Most Expensive Disney Tickets typically have about a $44 per day difference. And that is per person, so do your math accordingly. Needless to say, visiting when Disney Tickets are Cheapest, can save you $176 per day for a family of four.
Cheapest Months to Visit Disney World
January and September are the cheapest months to visit Walt Disney World. The cheapest months to go to Disney World offer you lower resort costs, fewer crowds, and better weather in Florida. All good things right? If you’re aiming for the most budget-friendly time to visit Disney, then you actually have a couple of months to choose from. January is generally the Cheapest Month to Visit Walt Disney World. But September takes second. Note that this is based on the DVC Calendar rates which average the historical pricing.
Adventure Season
- January 1-31
- September 1-30
- December 1-14
Adventure Season encompasses the cheapest times to visit Walt Disney World, with the exception of the early Dcember dates. Because while those ticket and resort prices are still higher, they’re the lowest prices of the holiday season. Luckily, there are also a few of our favorite things offered during these dates. In January you can attend Epcot’s Festival of the Arts, and runDisney Walt Disney World Marathon. In September the Food and Wine Festival and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and in December you can visit the resorts to view holiday decorations and check out the Festival of Holidays at Epcot.
Choice Season
- October 1-November 26
- November 30
- December 15-23
The next cheapest time to visit Walt Disney World is Choice Season. The dates included during these times of year are all about great fall weather in Florida, the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot, and Christmas at Walt Disney World without the crowds or high costs. That said, the month of October is getting busier as the Halloween events become more popular, so while October does fall in the “Choice Season.” it can sometimes be more crowded than you would expect.
While the least expensive time to visit Disney World may not work with your schedule, know that you don’t necessarily have to visit during the most expensive time to go to Disney World either. In fact, there are plenty of options to visit Disney when prices aren’t that bad. This includes Dream Season. Dream Season includes the first half of February, all of May, the early part of June, and the second half of August.
Dream Season dates also include the Festival of the Arts in February and better weather in the parks, as well as low crowds. May and June dates here are busy, but you can catch the Flower and Garden Festival as well as the May the Fourth be With You celebrations. And the August dates put you smack dab in the middle of the Halloween kickoff season. With options for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, and fewer crowds as kids go back to school.
Dream Season
- February 1- 15
- May 1- June 10
- August 16- 31
Dream Season offers shoulder season dates at average prices. Mind you, these are not great prices. It is during these dates that everything starts to go up. Resorts, tickets, flights, everything. However, if you’re unable to go in Adventure or Choice Season, Disney vacations within these dates are your next best bet.
Most Expensive Time to Go to Disney World
Ahhh, the most expensive times to visit Walt Disney World are all about major events and holidays. And while these times surely are extra special, there is so much to do the rest of the year that battling the crowds and dealing with high prices just isn’t our cup of tea. Interestingly there are times within these date ranges that do have low crowds that may make a higher price worth it for you. Check out week by week suggestions for choosing your best time to visit.
Magic Season
- February 16- April 13
- April 28- 30
- June 11- August 15
- November 27- 29
Magic Season is magical. It’s also…very expensive. This is where you find your on-season Summer Vacationers, your Spring Breakers, and Thanksgiving Week. The Presidents Day holiday week is pretty unbearable, and marks the beginning of the Spring Break price hikes. If you’re looking for pricey and very crowded you will find that at Walt Disney World during this time. You will also find many first-time vacationers, families, international tour groups, and high school students. Resorts are more heavily filled during this time making prices higher.
Premiere Season
- April 14- 27
- December 24- 31
Premiere Season at Walt Disney World is all about fantastic weather in late April, ahead of the crowds of summer. And Christmas week, when everything is extra sparkly at Disney. Resorts and tickets are the most expensive they will ever be during these dates. You’d pay similar pricing on a Disney Christmas Cruise at these rates without the headache of crowds, or paying for food.
When is the Worst Time to Visit Disney World?
Wondering when the worst time to visit Disney World is? Say hello to Magic Season and Premier Season. These seasons include all the months that you will actually want to visit. Spring Break, Easter, Summer Vacation and the Holidays are all the most expensive times to visit. If the kids are out of school, then Disney will be crowded and expensive. With rates at the highest range of the Disney Resort Category prices, you could spend thousands per night at some resorts or villas.
Is Disney World Expensive During the Holidays?
Yes. Disney World is expensive and crowded during the holidays. Main travel holidays like Spring Break, President’s Day, Columbus Day, and more are always surprising when it comes to pricing and crowds. As such we always recommend you avoid holidays at Disney World. If you’re going to brave the parks, we highly recommend you read our How to Manage the Disney Crowds post for some tips.
Get your Disney Trip on Sale
One of the most alluring parts of booking a Disney Vacation is the hope of getting your Disney vacation on Sale. Possible? Sure? Are you really saving money? Maybe. Disney World Discounts are always offered on the Disney Special Offers page and are usually offered during the most expensive times to go to Disney World. So, now that we’ve gone over all the things that can affect the price of your Disney Vacation and the times of year when the prices are lowest, let’s review.
- Visit Disney World during the cheapest time of year in January, Early February, Late August and September.
- Choose a budget-friendly Disney Value or Moderate Resort to get the cheapest Disney hotel stay.
- Plan for at least a 1-Week Disney Trip to get the best prices on Tickets
In addition to choosing the cheapest time of year to visit Disney, check out all the ways to save money on a Disney Vacation, so you can really maximize costs.
Planning a Disney World Vacation on a Budget
Hopefully being able to see the date breakdown and pricing options can help you make even better choices when it comes to planning your Disney vacation. Be sure to check out all our Disney on Budget tips on the blog, and reach out if you have questions. And once you pick your dates for your Disney Vacation review how to plan your Disney Days and make the most of your time in the parks.
Rochelle Mariah is a writer, designer and photographer with an MLIS in Information Science and a B.S. in Arch and Design. Determined to make Planning a DIY Disney Vacation easier she makes lots of lists and drinks lots of coffee. When not designing apparel at Polka Dot Pixie Shop, she's watching old movies and planning the holidays. She has been traveling to Disney destinations since 2010.
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