Taking a Last Minute Trip - Is It Even Possible Now?

Since the park closures in 2020, and the 50th Anniversary going on in Walt Disney World crowd levels have not been as predictable as they used to be! Remember looking up peak season calendars and using those to plan your next getaway? Unfortunately those are not cutting it anymore to determine when you should or should not go and it drives Disney newbies and experts crazy!

Busiest Seasons (no matter what):

• Spring Break will continue to be one of the busiest seasons for Walt Disney World. This season lasts from late February until almost the end of April!

• Holidays at Walt Disney World are probably the most magical times to travel, and also the largest crowds you may encounter. This season can start as early as Halloween (due to the return of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party) and last until the New Year.

• Run Disney Races happen a few times each year and these bring not only large crowds for the entire weekend, but also congestion on the major roadways and limited availability in the resorts.

• Any Holiday Weekend can also throw a wrench in your plans as you will be competing with non-local families risking the crowds for an extra few days of vacation, but also Florida locals who have that day off as well.

Usually Lower Crowds (again - nothing has been usual lately!)

• September is considered one of the slower months in Disney World. Other than the Food and Wine Festival still going on at EPCOT, and Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (on select nights) at Magic Kingdom, there aren't a ton of extra events happening. Hotel and ticket rates tend to be lower, even DVC considers this the lowest tier in terms of points.

• Mid January - early February. After the New Year's craziness, and before the Valentine's Day/ President's Day weekend hits you may find a little reprieve here. While this is a shorter window to plan for, and can be tight if planning a last minute trip after your Holiday break, it might be worth a quick sneak down for a weekend! Just keep in mind this is also prime time for some major rides to take their refurb nappies - so if you aren't super attached to any particular ride - then you will be fine!

• Early December is not a terrible time if you are desperate for some Disney Holiday Magic! Our first ever last minute trip was planned in November for the second weekend in December and we had an absolutely magical time. We scored a hard to get reservation, had a super fun day at Disney Springs, and rode just about everything in Magic Kingdom. Just be mindful of Mickey's Very Merriest Christmas Party because that will close Magic Kingdom down early, thus limiting the amount of time you get in the park.

• Late Summer - Early August is also not the worst decision you can make if planning a last minute trip. Local Floridians might not be back in school, but they are definitely over the Florida heat at this point so you mostly compete with tourists. Most tourists understand Florida's crazy weather dynamics and don't risk the trip down for fears of heat stroke and hurricanes. Remember when I said Disney likes to run certain offers and deals for memberships? This is the time they have people "travel by" to get the deal - indicating a potential downshift in park attendance. If you pack extra ponchos and umbrellas, or simply learn to embrace the rain - this could be your golden opportunity before school starts back nation wide.

So Is a Last Minute Trip Even Possible?

Getting to the point - is a last minute jaunt to Walt Disney World even possible? If we cannot predict the crowds, and there are so many other variables to look out for, how do can you make a last minute decision and actually enjoy it?

In my experience a last minute trip is absolutely possible! I have taken two myself this year and here are a few tips I have for those wanting to do the same:

• Research when you want to go and check for those high crowd times I mentioned above!

• Take a look at the entire month on the ticketing website for Disney World and find out what days/weeks are the cheapest tickets.

• Once you find some cheaper ticketing dates, click on over to the hotel reservation window and see if any resorts are available during that timeframe.

• Be flexible! If you don't care when you go, you just know you want to travel within the next 60 days - you might get lucky!

• Poke around for any deals showing on the website. Disney likes to offer discounts for certain memberships during certain times during the summer to draw more people.

• An unexpected resource that helps look at crowds is your My Disney Experience app. Click "Check Dining Availability" then select the dates you were thinking above and see what restaurants are available.* *Dining availability by no means indicates whether or not certain parks are busy or slow, but it is typically a good sign if you see a lot of "hard to get" reservations still available within the 60 day window.

If all of that research and nonsense sounds like a lot - I am happy to help you! Remember when you use an agent, it is completely free to you. We do not have the ability or resources to charge you more than your vacation is worth. Disney will pay me so you don't have to!

Are you looking for any of my other Disney tips or shenanigans? https://linktr.ee/cattinthekingdom