Planning a Disney World trip for 2022?

You’ve come to the right place. Our easy-to-use Disney World Crowd Calendar will help you avoid long lines, so you can have more fun on your Disney vacation.

Here’s what you need to know:

When are the best times to visit Walt Disney World in 2022?

Most people planning a trip to Walt Disney World want to travel when the crowds are the lowest (which typically also means the prices are at their lowest, too) and/or the weather is the coolest.

Of course, if you have to plan around school or work schedules, finding travel dates that provide that may be difficult. But if you are flexible, here’s what we recommend for 2022:

Note: We go into a lot more analysis and month-by-month detail further down in this article, so be sure to check that out, too.

Click image for full-sized PDF.

The best times to visit Walt Disney World in 2022 are:

• January 19-31 (light to moderate crowds, cool temps)
• February 1-3 (light crowds, cool temps)
• February 7-10 (light crowds, cool temps)
• February 15-17 (light crowds, cool temps)
• March 6-11 (moderate crowds, warmer temps)
• April 4-8 (light to moderate crowds)
• May 17-20 (light crowds)
• August 15-31 (light crowds)
• September 6-30 (light to moderate crowds)
• November 15-18 (light to moderate crowds, holiday decorations available)
• November 28-30 (light to moderate crowds, holiday decorations available)
• December 1-9 (light to moderate crowds, holiday decorations available)

Important Note: Weekends will nearly always be busier than the surrounding weekdays. However, since most families opt to spend 5 or more days at Walt Disney World, we have included weekends between “green” days in our lists above & below.

December 2021

• December 1-3 – moderate crowds for the beginning of the month
• December 4-5 – weekends will likely remain busier than weekdays as local Annual Passholders plan their visits to check out the holiday decorations and 50th Anniversary entertainment
• December 6-10 – moderate crowds
• December 11-12 – weekends will likely remain busier than weekdays as local Annual Passholders plan their visits to check out the holiday decorations and 50th Anniversary entertainment
• December 13-17 – moderate crowds
• December 18-21 – heavy holiday crowds begin arriving
• December 22-31 – peak holiday crowds

Things to keep in mind for December:

• In 2021, Disney Very Merriest After Hours is taking the place of the very popular Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
• The Epcot Festival of the Holidays typically begins the day after Thanksgiving and continues through the end of December. 
• The further into the year we go, the more likely the overall capacity in the parks will increase. 

Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the December crowd calendar.

January 2022

• January 1-2 – very busy time as people use their days off from work/school to vacation at Disney World for the holidays
• January 3-11 – most schools are back in session during this time, but you can still expect moderate to heavy crowds due to the extremely popular runDisney Walt Disney World Marathon
• January 12-13 – light crowds before the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday
• January 14 – moderate crowds as people begin arriving for the long holiday weekend and dance and cheer competitions
• January 15-17 – heavy crowds for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday & the UCA College Cheerleading & Dance Team nationals
• January 18 – moderate crowds to wind up the busy holiday weekend
• January 19-21 – light crowds
• January 22-23 – weekends (especially Saturdays) are typically a bit busier as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap
• January 24-28 – light crowds
• January 29-30 – weekends (especially Saturdays) are typically a bit busier as guests arriving for their vacation and those leaving Walt Disney World overlap
• January 31 – light crowds

Things to keep in mind for January:

• There are a few holidays and special events sprinkled throughout this month that have historically drawn large crowds.
• The Epcot Festival of the Arts is one of the shorter festivals, but it is definitely worth checking out.

Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the January crowd calendar.

February 2022

• February 1-3 -light crowds
• February 4-6 – moderate crowds due to the UDA National Dance Team Championship
• February 7-10 – light crowds
• February 11-14 – moderate crowds due to the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship and from people heading to the parks for Valentine’s Day dates
• February 15-17 – light crowds
• February 18-21 – moderate to heavy crowds due to the combination of Presidents’ Day and Twirlmania (competition),
• February 22-28 – moderate to heavy crowds due to the runDisney Princess Half Marathon

Things to keep in mind for February:

• There are a few holidays and special events sprinkled throughout this month that have historically drawn large crowds.
• The Epcot Festival of the Arts is one of the shorter festivals, but it is definitely worth checking out.
• The weather in February is some of the best you’ll have.

Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the February crowd calendar.

March 2022

• March 1-4 – moderate crowds due to Mardi Gras and the Contest of Champions
• March 5 – busy Saturday due to the Contest of Champions
• March 6-11 – moderate crowds as the Contest of Champions wraps up and early Spring Break crowds arrive
• March 12-13 – heavy crowds due to Spring Break and the UCA International All Star Championship
• March 14-27 – heavy Spring Break crowds
• March 28-30 – moderate crowds before the next runDisney race
• March 31 – heavy crowds due Spring Break and the runDisney Springtime Surprise race

Things to keep in mind for March:

• Spring Break typically begins this month, which means heavy crowds at Walt Disney World.
• The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival transforms Epcot into an array of color. Make sure you set aside some time to check out the topiaries there.
• Storms (especially mid-day storms) will also likely be a factor so we highly recommend you plan mid-day breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.

Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the March crowd calendar.

April 2022

• April 1-3 – heavy crowds due Spring Break and the runDisney Springtime Surprise race
• April 4 -8 – light to moderate crowds before things pick up for Easter
• April 9-18 – Peak Easter crowds, with the heaviest days on Easter Weekend
• April 19-20 – moderate crowds as the Easter crowds leave and guests arrive for the ICU World Championships
• April 21-25 – moderate crowds for the ICU World Cheerleading Championships and the US All Star Federation Championships
• April 26-27 – light crowds
• April 28-30 – moderate crowds due to the Summit Cheerleading & Dance Competition

Things to keep in mind for April:

• The Easter holiday happens this month, which also means heavy crowds at Walt Disney World.
• The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival transforms Epcot into an array of color. Make sure you set aside some time to check out the topiaries there.
• Storms (especially mid-day storms) will also likely be a factor so we highly recommend you plan mid-day breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.

Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the April crowd calendar.

May 2022

• May 1 – moderate crowds due to the Summit Cheerleading & Dance Competition
• May 2-4 – light crowds
• May 5-15 – although early May used to be relatively slow, recent trends have shown it to have heavy crowds
• May 16 – moderate crowds
• May 17-20 – light crowds
• May 21-27 – moderate crowds as we get closer to Memorial Day weekend
• May 28-31 – peak Memorial Day weekend crowds

Things to keep in mind for May:

• The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival transforms Epcot into an array of color. Make sure you set aside some time to check out the topiaries there.
• Storms (especially mid-day storms) will also likely be a factor so we highly recommend you plan mid-day breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.

Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the May crowd calendar.

June 2022

June 1-30 – moderate weekday and heavy weekend summer crowds

Things to keep in mind for June:

• The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival transforms Epcot into an array of color. Make sure you set aside some time to check out the topiaries there.
• Storms (especially mid-day storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan mid-day breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.

Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the June crowd calendar.

July 2022

• July 1-5 – peak 4th of July crowds
• July 6-31 – moderate summer crowds

Things to keep in mind for July:

• Weather has always been a factor when planning Disney World trips, but the temps and humidity in July can be particularly brutal.
• Storms (especially mid-day storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan mid-day breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.
• In 2021, the Flower and Garden Festival ended in July and the Food & Wine Festival started. Dates for 2022 have not been released.

Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the July crowd calendar.

August 2022

• August 1-14 – moderate crowds that get lighter as the month goes on
• August 15-19 – light crowds
• August 20 – moderate Saturday crowds
• August 21-26 – light crowds
• August 27 – moderate Saturday crowds
• August 28-31 – light crowds

Things to keep in mind for August:

• Weather has always been a factor when planning Disney World trips, but the temps and humidity in August can be particularly brutal.
• Storms (especially mid-day storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan mid-day breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.
• The International Food and Wine Festival will be in full swing over at Epcot. Whenever possible, we recommend that you avoid Epcot on Thursday – Sunday (especially in the evenings).
• Look for Halloween entertainment to beign at Magic Kingdom, but no word yet on whether it will be Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or the brand-new Disney After Hours Boo Bash.

Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the August crowd calendar.

September 2022

• September 1-2 – light crowds as kids head back to school and summer vacations wind down
• September 3-5 – peak Labor Day crowds
• September 6-9 – light crowds
• September 10 – moderate Saturday crowds
• September 11-16 – light crowds
• September 17 – moderate Saturday crowds
• September 18-23 – light crowds
• September 24-26 – moderate crowds as some school districts may have a long weekend for Rosh Hashanah
• September 27-30 – light crowds

Things to keep in mind for September:

• September is typically a great time to travel to Walt Disney World as school is usually back in session in most areas, but it is before any fall breaks have the chance to bring heavy crowds.
• Halloween entertainment continues at Magic Kingdom, but no word yet on whether it will be either Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or the brand-new Disney After Hours Boo Bash.
• The International Food and Wine Festival will be in full swing over at Epcot. Whenever possible, we recommend that you avoid Epcot on Thursday – Sunday (especially in the evenings).
• Weather has always been a factor when planning Disney World trips, but the temps and humidity in September can be particularly brutal.
• Storms (especially mid-day storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan mid-day breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.

Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the September crowd calendar.

October 2022

• October 1-7 – moderate crowds
• October 8-16 – peak Fall Break and Columbus Day crowds
• October 17-21 – moderate crowds
• October 22-23 – heavy weekend crowd
• October 24-28 – moderate crowds
• October 29-31 – heavy weekend and Halloween crowd

Things to keep in mind for October:

• The growing popularity of fall breaks in schools means that October is far busier than it used to be.
• Halloween entertainment continues at Magic Kingdom, but no word yet on whether it will be Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or the brand-new Disney After Hours Boo Bash.
• The International Food and Wine Festival will be in full swing over at Epcot. Whenever possible, we recommend that you avoid Epcot on Thursday – Sunday (especially in the evenings).
• Weather has always been a factor when planning Disney World trips, but the temps and humidity in October often surprises guests visiting from cooler climates.
• Storms (especially mid-day storms) will also likely be a factor, so we highly recommend you plan mid-day breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.

Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the October crowd calendar.

November 2022

• November 1-2 – moderate crowds
• November 3-6 – heavy crowds possible due to the runDisney Wne & Dine 1/2 Marathon Note: dates unconfirmed for 2022
• November 7 – moderate crowds
• November 8-10 – light crowds
• November 11-13 – heavy crowds for the Veterans Day holiday
• November 14 – moderate crowds
• November 15-18 – light crowds before the busy Thanksgiving holiday
• November 19-22 – heavy crowds begin arriving for the Thanksgiving holiday
• November 23-26 – peak Thanksgiving crowd levels
• November 27 – moderate crowds
• November 28-30 – light crowds

Things to keep in mind for November:

• Veterans Day and Thanksgiving are both popular across Walt Disney World, which means to expect heavy crowds if visiting then.
• Christmas events usually kick off at Magic Kingdom, look for either Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party or the new Disney Very Merriest After Hours to start sometime this month.
• Food and Wine Festival at Epcot wraps up this month.
• The Epcot Festival of the Holidays typically begins the day after Thanksgiving and continues through the end of December. 
• Even though November typically begins a gradual cool off, storms (especially mid-day storms) and high heat and humidity can still be a factor, so plan accordingly.
• November brings the end to hurricane season. Consider trip insurance if planning a vacation during this time. 

Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the November crowd calendar.

December 2022

• December 1-2 – light crowds for the beginning of the month
• December 3-4 – moderate weekend crowds
• December 5-9 – light crowds
• December 10-16 – moderate crowds
• December 17-22 – heavy holiday crowds begin arriving
• December 23-31 – peak holiday crowds

Things to keep in mind for December:

• Christmas events continue over at Magic Kingdom, look for either Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party or the new Disney Very Merriest After Hours to run until the week of Christmas.
• The Epcot Festival of the Holidays typically begins the day after Thanksgiving and continues through the end of December. 

Get park hours and info on refurbishments and special events (plus lots more) on the December crowd calendar.

How does a crowd calendar work?

Crowd calendars have been a staple for many people planning Disney World vacations, but exactly what do they do?

Simply put, crowd calendars are predictions for just how busy the entire Walt Disney World Resort will be on any given day.

If you are a repeat visitor, it can be easy to want to compare crowd levels from previous trip dates to future trip dates.

But, that won’t work.

Typically, aside from what we saw in 2020 and 2021, more people are going to visit Walt Disney World year-over-year.

So, keep this in mind:

When looking at crowd levels, please remember that you can’t compare this year to last year, or any other year for that matter. What we consider “heavy” crowds now will likely look nothing like the “heavy” crowds from years past.

And, most importantly – when we predict that crowds will be “heavy”, we mean that on those dates the crowds will be heavier when compared to the rest of the year.

Important planning details to know:

• Disney Park Pass reservations are required if you want to enter any theme park (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom). No reservation, no entry. Get caught up on how the Disney Park Pass Reservation system works.
• All parks will have a maximum capacity, and once that capacity is reached, no additional reservations will be available unless Disney increases capacity in the parks OR you are able to snag a spot from somebody who has canceled their Park Pass Reservation.

Which park should you visit on each day of a Disney World trip?

In addition to the yearly information above, we also publish monthly crowd calendars that include refurbishment and closure information, park and entertainment hours, plus the dates you’ll need to know for booking Advanced Dining Reservations.

When planning your park days, the goal is to visit the park with the lowest predicted crowds.

To accomplish that, you’ll use the information in the monthly calendars linked below, along with our tips for selecting the best parks for each day of your trip to put together a daily plan.

The monthly calendars are easily customized to display the exact information you need for all 4 parks:

• Magic Kingdom
• Epcot
• Hollywood Studios
• Animal Kingdom

Plus operating information (hours, refurbishments & closures, etc.) for:

• Disney Springs
• Blizzard Beach
• Typhoon Lagoon

We recommend you use the information on this page to guide you as you select your travel dates, and then use the monthly crowd calendars linked below each month to help you plan your individual days.

How do opening and closings affect crowds at Disney World?

As you can imagine, anytime something major opens or something popular closes, the crowds in the parks are heavily impacted.

In general, the parks where the attraction or show is located will see the largest impact, but it isn’t unusual for all the parks to see a temporary surge in crowds.

So, keep this in mind when noting the crowd levels above.

Crowd levels are fluid from year to year. What was considered “moderate” in years past is not the same thing that is considered “moderate” now; it is simply “moderate” when compared to the rest of the current year.

What effect will the 50th Anniversary have on crowds at Walt Disney World?

For several years, we have been highly anticipating the 50th Anniversary of Walt Disney World. 

We anticipate that dates around October 1, 2021 could be extremely busy – especially at Magic Kingdom and Epcot.

That is due in large part to the opening of new attractions and the start of some new entertainment offerings:

Ratatouille (Epcot)
October 1, 2021

Epcot is playing host to lots of new stuff over the upcoming years, and this brand-new attraction located in the France pavilion will definitely invite a surge of crowds.

Currently, we know the first of the new attractions, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, will open up on October 1, 2021.

This is also the kickoff for the big 50th Anniversary celebration, and while many people will be drawn to Magic Kingdom for the day, you can expect heavy crowds at Epcot, too.

Harmonious (Epcot)
October 1, 2021

A highly-anticipated new nighttime show will kick off at Epcot on October 1, too. Harmonious was announced several years ago, and after a delayed opening Disney has announced that it too will be a part of the big 50th Anniversary kickoff.

Disney Enchantment (Magic Kingdom)
October 1, 2021

Magic Kingdom receives a new nighttime show, complete with projections that will extend all the way down Main Street U.S.A.!

Disney KiteTails (Animal Kingdom)
October 1, 2021

After the cancellation of Rivers of Light, Animal Kingdom doesn’t have a nighttime show. But, they will be getting a new daytime show. Since this show will happen several times per day, we don’t anticipate that it will have the same effect on crowds as the nighttime shows at Magic Kingdom and Epcot.

Do runDisney races and sports competitions make Disney World more crowded?

During the slower times of the year, you’ll often find that Disney World hosts lots of competitions.

If you are planning to visit during the time of the year that a cheer, dance, or other sporting event competition is taking place, we recommend trying to avoid booking a room at one of the host resorts. The primary host resorts are typically all 3 of the All-Star Resorts (All-Star Sports, All-Star Movies, and All-Star Music).

There is also sometimes some overflow into the moderates, primarily Caribbean Beach and Coronado Springs, however, the main impacts (like crowded buses and busy food courts) are guaranteed to be felt at the 3 All-Star Resorts.

Does that mean you will never find competitors in the other resorts? No. But you’ll definitely find them in the ones listed above.

runDisney races, on the other hand, tend to bring in far greater crowds that stay at all levels of resorts and since the competitions occur outside of the normal park operating hours, the impact is more wide-spread. That doesn’t mean a trip will be ruined if a race is occurring while you are there, it is just something to be aware of.

Are crowd calendars a thing of the past?

If this was any other year, right now we’d be neck-deep in data pouring over school schedules, holidays, special events, runDisney races, and cheer and dance competitions all with the sole purpose of predicting the days and weeks when we would likely see the highest number of guests making their way to Walt Disney World.

It was never an exact science, but years and years of near-monthly visits paired with giant spreadsheets and databases of wait times did help us, with at least a decent amount of accuracy, predict how we thought things would go.

In our opinion, Crowd Calendars aren’t a thing of the past, but they are going to look different (just like all things Walt Disney World right now!).

Most of what we knew in the past isn’t going to help us now.

Many special events are being canceled. School schedules are all over the place. 

Choosing those “best dates” just got a lot more nuanced and things we’d never thought we’d have to consider (like park reservations) are a new reality.

But – even though things definitely will look different, there are still some times that are less busy than others.

If you’re just starting to plan a trip between now and the end of 2022, you should first read our free Walt Disney World Vacation Planner to make sure you don’t miss anything that could mess up your trip.

**********

When do you plan to visit? Any questions about our Disney World crowd calendar?

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments, but please don’t ask us to compare to crowd calendars from other sites. We’ve explained the reasoning behind our calendar here and won’t be commenting on how other sites do things.