• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Albion Gould

Albion Gould

makes & travels

  • make
  • travel
  • stitch
  • live
  • eat
  • wear

Disney World in Fall: The Top 5 Things You Need to Know

October 6, 2022 by Albion

Visiting Walt Disney World in the fall can be a really smart choice for practical reasons, but it’s also a flurry of unpredictability. The relatively low attendance, the lower rates, and the seasonal changes can all be great incentives to go check out the magic in this rich and varied season. However, there are some things you should know about if you are planning your trip to Disney World during the fall season.

Staying Dry in Hurricane Season

One unavoidable and sometimes catastrophic reality about visiting Walt Disney World in fall is that it’s right at the peak of hurricane season. This is the time when stormy weather threatens to absolutely destroy your vacation. Hurricanes don’t always cut through the state of Florida with devastating force, but they sometimes do. At a minimum, you need to prepare for a fair amount of rainy weather. Plan plenty of indoor activities and bring appropriate attire for staying dry in a storm. This is also a good time of year to say yes to traveler’s insurance, just in case high winds threaten your trip.

The good news is that if you are stuck in Walt Disney World during a hurricane, the buildings are very safe and the cast members are well prepared to take care of guests’ needs in an emergency situation. You can keep up to date on information about hurricane advisories by viewing the Walt Disney World Resort weather updates and information.

Beat the Fall Heat

One mistake Walt Disney World guests often make is thinking that their fall Walt Disney World vacation is going to have mild or cooler weather. Many people are surprised to find how hot Orlando can be even well into the autumn season.  Although there is plenty of rain, the sun still heats things up in between showers. The rainfall, when it occurs, is often warm. Although there are some cooler and cloudier days, Walt Disney World is kind of a grab bag of weather conditions in the fall. So make sure while you are packing to still include shorts and some lighter clothes. For jackets, bring something lightweight and easy to carry around when you aren’t wearing it.

There are plenty of ways to keep cool in Walt Disney World, but you might miss out on some good plans if you’re too focused on cool weather or rainy day activities. The best approach is to keep an eye out for changing weather conditions on an app like Accuweather and take in all options. Make dining reservations during the hottest time of day, plan for mid-day shopping indoors and take advantage of air-conditioned theaters whenever you can. If you tend to overheat, drink plenty of free ice water in the parks and pack some gear to help keep you cool.

Magic Kingdom Hours

If you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World in fall one thing that may throw off your plans or enhance them is the Disney After Hours events that take place in the Magic Kingdom. While not officially billed as one of the many After Hours events the Magic Kingdom offers throughout the year, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is arguably where it all began. The fall season is when Magic Kingdom regularly closes its gates early to accommodate party guests who paid for a separate entry to the event.

The Halloween Party can be a fun unique way to experience the Magic Kingdom. It includes exclusive entertainment, trick-or-treating, specialty treats, free beverages, and unique ambient lighting. There are also special character meet and greets. Some of which are rare or exclusive to the event. Some attractions even get a holiday makeover. The Haunted Mansion gets live actors in the queue and the popular barbershop quartet the Dapper Dans becomes the Cadaver Dans. To sweeten the deal, the nighttime party allows a more limited number of guests, so lines are a lot shorter. Still if 5 hours isn’t enough time, you can even arrive three hours early.

On the flip side of that coin, you might feel cheated if you picked one of these days to visit the Magic Kingdom during regular hours. Since Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party runs from mid-August to October 31, you may want to make sure you know exactly what dates Magic Kingdom closes early.

Holiday Change Up

While we are on the topic of Halloween, it’s a great time to mention what a unique season fall is for holiday theming and decor. Autumn is the entry into the holiday season. As soon as the daylight dawns on Chernabog, just like in Fantasia, All Saints Day brings new festive decor almost immediately in preparation for Christmas. That means Autumn is not just a great time for Halloween fans. Christmas also comes to Disney World in fall! You can decide which holiday surroundings you prefer as a backdrop for your trip. You can even plan your vacation right in that transitional week to see both.

EPCOT also experiences a change as it shifts from its long-running summer/fall Food and Wine Festival into its Festival of the Holidays. When November hits, it’s the time for Snowfall on Main Street and Sunset Blvd, festive garland and lights and enormous Christmas trees. Disney Springs traditionally has a self-guided Christmas tree walk and lots of the Deluxe resort hotels go all out in their lobbies with festive holiday decor, including enormous gingerbread creations.

Special Offers

September and October are commonly the best-priced dates. That’s due to traditionally low attendance during this time. Some of that is because school is back in session, but a lot of it has to do with the unpredictable weather. If you plan accordingly, a fall Walt Disney World trip can be a good savings and a great value. Admission to the parks is lower on days with lower predicted attendance. Hotel rates can be a lot lower too. Check the Special Offers link near the bottom of the Walt Disney World website to find out when you can get the best room rates, packages, and discounts.

If you’ve booked your trip prior to available discounts, you can call a booking agent at Disney World to cancel and rebook your trip at the discounted price. Don’t miss out on the chance to spend less on your trip to Disney World in fall.

Flex Pass: An Overview of the New Disneyland Passport

Want some fun things to make at home while you wait for your next Disney fix? This Mickey Mouse String Art is lots of fun!

Mickey Mouse String Art

Read up on why I think fall is the best time to travel–with the Disney parks included!

 

Related Posts:

  • Hurricanes at Walt Disney World: Everything You Need to Know
    Hurricanes at Walt Disney World: Everything You Need to Know
  • Misadventures in Egypt
    Misadventures in Egypt
  • How to Plan a Family Road Trip on a Budget
    How to Plan a Family Road Trip on a Budget
  • Disneyland Paris in February
    Disneyland Paris in February
  • Stress-Free Disneyland Vacation Planning Tips to Live By
    Stress-Free Disneyland Vacation Planning Tips to Live By
  • White Island Tour
    White Island Tour
  • Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
    Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
  • Everything You Need to Know about Hong Kong Disneyland
    Everything You Need to Know about Hong Kong Disneyland
Category: travelTag: Disney world, fall travel, Florida, Magic Kingdom

About Albion

I’ve wanted to be an archaeologist, in theatre, a judge and to run a museum. I’m now in my mid-30s and have no idea what I want to be when I grow up.

Previous Post:Easy Pumpkin Pie Mousse
Next Post:Must-Do Rotorua, Aotearoa New Zealand

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Show more posts

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sidebar

Welcome

about me

I’ve wanted to be an archaeologist, in theatre, a judge, and to run a museum. While I try to decide what I want to be when I grow up, I spend my time crafting and exploring the world. Read More…

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

Copyright © 2023 · Albion Gould · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT