Why is Disney so busy in November?

November is very busy crowd-wise thanks to Thanksgiving and the start of the Christmas season at Disney World. If you have a good plan and are flexible, we are positive you will still have a great time.



November is one of the busiest months for Disney parks due to a combination of major holidays, cooler weather, and seasonal special events. In 2026, the transition from Halloween to Christmas occurs almost overnight, drawing massive crowds for the start of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and EPCOT’s International Festival of the Holidays. Jersey Week (when New Jersey schools close for a teachers' convention) and Veterans Day often create mid-month attendance spikes. Most significantly, the Thanksgiving week holiday brings the parks to near-maximum capacity as families utilize the long school break. Furthermore, travelers from the northern hemisphere flock to Florida and California to escape the early winter cold, finding the mild 70°F (21°C) temperatures ideal for a full day in the parks, making November a month of high demand and "peak" tier ticket pricing.

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Off-peak times fall around January, February, September, and early November. Discounts on vacation packages booked directly through Disney (which combine park tickets and hotel stays) can be found year-round, though they're most common at these less-crowded times.

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How crowded is Disney World on Thanksgiving? Though Thanksgiving week is definitely considered a busy time at Disney World, it's not nearly as crowded as other times of year – like Christmas.

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Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom are also usually fully decorated by the kick-off of the official Christmas season, which is November 11 this year!

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Aside from Thanksgiving, November is again a typically quieter month. With temperatures that don't drop too low, a lower chance of rainfall, and lower wait times for rides due to thinner crowds, November is a great time to visit if you can.

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Typically, the least crowded times at Disney World tend to be:
  • Mid to Late January through early February: The holiday season has ended, and many families are not traveling because school is in session.
  • Mid-May: There aren't any holidays during this time, and not as many families travel in the final weeks of school.


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The Park Prodigy's Orlando park crowd calendar is the best tool to see how busy each theme park will be during a specific month, week, and day. It's the perfect resource for families to rely on as they begin to plan their 2023 and 2024 vacation at the Orlando theme parks.

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A surge of early birds arrive before or around opening time but are quickly dispersed throughout the empty park. After the initial wave is absorbed, there's a lull lasting about an hour after opening. Then the park is inundated for about 2 hours, peaking between 10 a.m. and noon.

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Although the cost of admission to Disneyland changes throughout the year, the cheapest time to go to Disneyland is during the off-peak season. This is generally between mid-January and February, or September through mid-November.

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A: It's always a great time to visit Disney theme parks! However, when planning a trip to the Disneyland Resort, expect lower crowds from mid-September through mid-November (before the Thanksgiving break). Mid-January through mid-March is another time when potentially lower crowds are expected.

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Walt Disney World's parks are typically least crowded:
  • January 2nd until just prior to Presidents' Day week (third Monday in February)
  • The week after Labor Day until just prior to Thanksgiving week.
  • The week following Thanksgiving weekend until the week prior to Christmas.


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A Magic Kingdom itinerary is simply a must if your family only has one day at Disney World. The main reason being the Magic Kingdom Park is by far the most-visited theme park in the world.

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Many guides suggest that you start with Magic Kingdom first, followed by Epcot and then Hollywood Studios. This leaves Animal Kingdom as the last Disney theme park to visit on your trip.

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Off-peak times fall around January, February, September, and early November. Discounts on vacation packages booked directly through Disney (which combine park tickets and hotel stays) can be found year-round, though they're most common at these less-crowded times.

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