The Best & Worst Times to Visit Orlando in 2024

The city of Orlando is a must-visit destination for families and those who are still kids at heart. Of course, the main attractions in Orlando are its many theme parks. The most famous is Disney World, where you can spend an entire week without seeing everything.

The city has other theme parks worth visiting, such as Legoland and Universal Studios. If you’re tired of theme parks, head to the beautiful beaches or visit nearby Kennedy Space Center for some out-of-this-world fun.

Orlando is probably the tourism capital of America, especially for family visitors. Keep reading to learn more about the best time to visit, including when to beat the crowds.

The Overall Best Time to Visit Orlando

The best time to visit Orlando is in mid-late spring (April and May), when the weather is pleasant but not too hot, and the attractions are more enjoyable since there are fewer crowds.

Orlando is located in Florida and has a subtropical climate like most of the state. That means it has mild weather for most of the year, and very hot summers. By mid-spring, temperatures are already fairly warm.

According to U.S. Climate Data, by April temperatures are already averaging 82 degrees during the day. May is a bit hotter, with an average high temperature of 89 degrees, but still pleasant.

The rain is also an important factor in choosing when to visit. Orlando has a humid climate all year round with frequent showers, but April is actually the second-driest month, and even May doesn’t get a lot of rain.

You don’t want to be wandering around the theme parks with an umbrella, so rain is definitely an important factor for when to visit. Another important factor to help you decide when to visit is the crowds.

Orlando is the third most popular tourist destination in the United States, so you can expect crowds all year round — but when it gets crowded, it’s crowded.

April and May are in that sweet spot when crowds are more manageable. Summer vacation hasn’t started yet and most schools around the country have their spring breaks in March or early April, so there are fewer family visitors in late spring.

If you’re visiting Orlando to check out the theme parks, it’s a good idea to read up on the best time to visit each park as well. Planning sites often have crowd calculators that estimate when there are more people in Disney World and other parks, and mid-April and May tend to have lighter crowds.

Outside the theme parks, spring is a great time to visit Orlando because there are so many events going on. This is a great time to explore the city itself, which often gets overlooked in favor of its famous theme parks.

Locals live it up at popular city events like:

• Florida Film Festival (April)
• Come Out With Pride Orlando (April)
• Orlando Fringe Festival (May)

Cheapest Time to Visit Orlando

The cheapest time to visit Orlando is actually in the fall, when the city receives its fewest visitors and lower visitor numbers mean that prices go down as well.

There is one important factor that keeps prices down in the fall in Orlando — hurricane season. The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June to November, but the strongest storms tend to peak in late August, September, and October.

As Orlando is on the coast, it can get affected by hurricanes. Visiting in the fall involves an additional expense in the form of travel insurance, but it may be worth gambling with the weather to save money on your visit.

Due to the lower demand, hotel rates both in the city of Orlando and in the theme parks themselves are the lowest they are all year. The discounts probably won’t be steep (this is a year-round tourist destination after all), but you can save 20% to 25% on accommodation compared to peak season.

Getting to Orlando is also the cheapest in the fall. Flights are priced lowest in September and October, when the fewest people want to come due to the risk of hurricanes.

Be prepared for potential delays and cancellations if there is a storm, but the savings on your ticket will offset the cost of insurance.

Ticket prices to popular theme parks are also cheaper during this time. Disney World uses a pricing model that has a base price and a surcharge during popular times, but throughout most of September, you only pay the base price of $109.

You can check ticket prices on the official park calendar. Universal Orlando uses a similar pricing model, and its cheapest tickets are in September and November.

Least Busy Time to Visit Orlando

The least busy time to visit Orlando is the fall, when the theme parks attract far fewer visitors and the city itself gets a brief respite. As mentioned above, hurricane season peaks during the fall.

This puts off a lot of visitors since even if you don’t get caught in a hurricane, you almost certainly will get caught in the rain. However, most showers are in the middle of the day so you can time your visit to avoid them.

Fall also doesn’t have as many holidays where children get time off school and when families may visit, outside of Thanksgiving. There is an increase in visitors in October, thanks to Halloween festivities at the theme parks, but the crowds still aren’t as heavy as they are in the summer or other peak seasons.

Besides getting to wait in shorter lines at your favorite theme parks, there are other benefits to visiting in the fall.

Besides Halloween festivities at the parks, there are other fun events like the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival in September, when you can eat food from all around the world. In early November, the Christmas festivities in the town and parks are already starting up, but it’s not as crowded as December.

Worst Time to Visit Orlando

The worst time to visit Orlando is in the summer, when the heat really makes it difficult to explore and the crowds are at their worst. Summer is a very difficult season to explore.

According to U.S. Climate Data, average temperatures in June, July, and August are in the low 90s, about 91 to 92 degrees. However, due to the high humidity, most days feel a lot hotter than that.

The summer is also the rainiest season in Orlando, with averages of 7” to 8” of rain per month. You’ll have to pack a poncho to withstand the rain and it may affect your enjoyment of the parks.

Even worse than the weather are the crowds. Summer draws the most visitors, originating locally, domestically, and internationally. June and July are the most crowded months in Orlando and in its theme parks.

Expect extremely long lines for pretty much everything, from rides to entrance tickets. Some attractions require advanced reservations and fill up with visitors by 9 AM.

However, there are options for beating the crowds in the summer. August is actually one of the least crowded months in Orlando, as local students head back to school and other visitors are put off by the risk of hurricanes. During the peak months, you can beat the crowds by visiting in the early morning.

In summer you also have the highest chance of all popular attractions being open. Although the Legoland Waterpark is open for most of the year, it’s the most fun in the summer when you can cool off from the heat.

Things to Consider

Here are a few additional tips for planning a trip to Orlando:

• Winter is becoming very popular. The weather is nice and pleasant, but don’t expect to beat the crowds since the holidays and other theme park events draw many visitors. At the end of January, there is a quieter window.
• Reserve well in advance no matter when you visit. Since Orlando is a popular year-round destination, your dates may fill up quickly.
• Visit during the week if you can. Weekends tend to be more crowded and expensive, so visit in the middle of the week if you have that flexibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

These additional questions can help you prepare for your visit to Orlando:

So, What’s the Best Time to Visit Orlando?

April and May are the best months to visit Orlando, and the middle of spring is a great time to go. The summer crowds aren’t here yet, and temperatures are warm but not too hot. For the best deals and to beat the crowds, visit in the fall (just bring an umbrella).

So, with so much to see and do, what are you waiting for — book your trip today and experience for yourself all that Orlando has to offer. Happy travels!