The Most Crowded Weeks at Disney World in 2023 (Infographic)

What weeks are the most crowded to go to Disney World? If you’re planning a trip to Disney World, you most likely have a few days to one week to spend on vacation. Trust me, that week can go by in a flash. One of the best ways to get the most bang for your buck while visiting the theme parks is to avoid the busiest times of the year. Pick the right week, and you’ll be amazed at how much you can get done each day. Pick the wrong week, and get ready for long waits for everything.

So far in our When to Visit Disney World Guide, we’ve covered which months are the most and least crowded at WDW. Now we’re going a bit more granular, as we take an in-depth look at which weeks throughout the year have the longest wait times at WDW. We’ve analyzed four years of wait time data from Thrill-Data.com, and there are definite patterns for when crowds flock to Orlando.

A couple of technical notes: For the purpose of this guide, a week starts on Monday and ends on Sunday. Also, I’ll be describing weeks as they appear on a calendar, such as the first week in February or the second week in December. This will include partial weeks. This year, February 1 was on a Wednesday. So I’m considering Wednesday February 1 – Sunday 5 to be the first week in February, and then February 6-12 is the second week in February, etc. It’s surprisingly tricky to describe certain weeks. For example, if the first of the month lands on a Saturday, does that really count as the first week of the month, even though it’s only two days? For consistency’s sake, I’m saying yes. I’ll also give as much context as possible, including information regarding holidays and school breaks.

Historical Wait Time Data for the Most Crowded Weeks at Disney World

The most crowded weeks at Disney World in 2022

Here are the ten busiest weeks at Disney World in 2022, based on average wait time.

10. Four Way Tie – Average Wait Time: 45 minutes
    • The second week in April (4/4-4/10)
    • Easter Week: The third week in April (4/11-4/17)
    • The fourth week in April (4/18-4/24)
    • The second week in October (10/3-10/9)
11. New Years’ Day Week – The First Week in January (1/1-1/2). Average Wait Time: 46 minutes
7. Two Way Tie – Average Wait Time: 47 minutes
   • Spring Break – The fourth week in March (3/21-3/27)
   • The third week in October (10/10-10/16)
6. Presidents Day Weekend / Valentines Week – The third week in February (2/14-2/20). Average Wait Time: 48 minutes
7. Thanksgiving Week – The fourth week in November (11/21-11/27). Average Wait Time: 49 minutes
8. New Year’s Eve Week – The fifth week in December (12/26 – 12/31). Average wait time: 50 minutes
2. Two Way Tie – Average Wait Time: 51 minutes
   • Presidents Day Week – The fourth week in February (2/21-2/27)
   • Spring Break / St Patrick’s Day Week – The third week in March (3/14-3/20)
1. Christmas Week – The fourth week in December (12/19 – 12/25). Average Wait Time: 52 minutes

The most crowded weeks at Disney World in 2021

Here are the ten busiest weeks at Disney World in 2021, based on average wait time.

10. Three Way Tie – Average Wait Time: 39 minutes
    • Spring Break – The second week in March (3/8-3/14) Week ending in 3/14, 3/21, and 11/14
    • Spring Break / St Patrick’s Day Week – The third week in March (3/15-3/21)
    • The second week in November (11/8-11/14)
7. Three Way Tie – Average Wait Time: 40 minutes
   • Presidents Day Week – The third week in February (2/15-2/21)
   • The third week in July (7/12-7/18)
   • The third week in December (12/13-12/19)
5. Two Way Tie – Average Wait Time: 43 minutes
   • The fourth week in July (7/19-7/25)
   • The last week in July / First week in August (7/26 – 8/1)
6. New Year’s Day Week – The first week in January (1/1-1/3). Average Wait Time: 44 minutes
7. Christmas Week – The fourth week in December (12/20-12/26). Average Wait Time: 45 minutes
8. New Year’s Eve Week – The last week in December (12/27-12/31). Average Wait Time: 46 Minutes
9. Thanksgiving Week – The fourth week in November (11/22-11/28). Average Wait Time: 48 Minutes

The most crowded weeks at Disney World in 2019/2020

Both 2019 and 2020 are outliers for our data. First of all, Thrill-Data.com did not start collecting data until February 2019, so we’re missing several weeks from 2019. And Disney World was closed for several weeks in 2020, and the wait times were much lower after reopening due to limited capacity. So neither year is complete, and most of 2020’s data isn’t useful for this guide.

However, to get a better idea for predictions of the best weeks to visit in 2023, I decided to combine the wait time data from 2019 and 2020. Because the first two and a half months of 2020 were normal, I used the January weeks to fill in the dates missing from 2019. For the weeks that overlapped in February and March, I used an average of 2019 and 2020. And then for the second half of March through the end of the year, I only used data from 2019, since 2020 is such an outlier. For consistency, I will use calendar dates from 2019, since a majority of the data is from 2019.

10. The last week in February / first week in March (2/25-3/3). Average Wait Time 46.5 Minutes
11. Martin Luther King Jr Day Week – The fourth week in January (1/21 – 1/27). Average Wait Time: 47 Minutes
7. Two Way Tie – 49 Minutes
   • Spring Break – The last week in March (3/25-3/31)
   • The third week in April (4/15-4/21)
8. Presidents Day Week – The fourth week in February (2/18-2/24). Average Wait Time: 49.5 minutes
4. Two Way Tie – Average Wait Time: 51 minutes
   • Spring Break – The fourth week in March (3/18-3/24)
   • Thanksgiving Week – The last week in November / First week in December (11/25 – 12/1)
5. Christmas Week – The second to last week in December (12/23 – 12/27). Average wait time 59 Minutes
1. Two Way Tie: 63 Minutes
   • New Year’s Day Week – The first week in January(1/1-1/6)
   • New Year’s Eve Week – The last week in December (12/28-12/31)

The Most Crowded Weeks at Disney World in 2023 – Predictions

Here are our predictions for the most crowded weeks in 2023, based off of the wait time data that we’ve reviewed so far. To come up with this list, I didn’t just average the wait times across the last four years and put them in order. Because of new attractions opening up, wait times can dramatically shift from year to year.

Instead, I made an average of each week’s ranking within the year. For example, Christmas Week was 1st in 2022, 3rd in 2021, and 3rd in our combination of 2019/2020. So the average ranking for that week is 2.33 (roughly second most crowded), which means it should be one of the busiest weeks of the year coming up. I’m also taking into consideration how holidays shift from year to year, as well as special events coming up at Disney World.

So here are Guide2WDW’s predictions for the most crowded weeks at Disney World in 2023.

11) Easter Week / New Attractions: The second week in April (4/3 – 4/9).

This week does not show up in our data as a particularly crowded week historically. It’s pretty much an average week just looking at the wait time data. However, both Happily Ever After and EPCOT Forever fireworks return on 4/3, and then the new Tron Lightcycle Run roller coaster opens at Magic Kingdom on 4/4. Easter Sunday also falls on 4/9. So this week could be much more crowded in 2023 than average.

10) The third week in April (4/10-4/16)

This week averaged the 13th most crowded ranking at Disney World over the past four years, with an average wait time of 42.33 minutes. The recent opening of Tron and the return of the fireworks mentioned above should also push wait times up across the board.

9) Spring Break: The 2nd week in March (3/6- 3/12)

With an average wait time of 42.5 minutes over the past four years, this week typically kicks off Spring Break in the United States, and marks the beginning of one of the busiest seasons at Walt Disney World. 2023 should be no different.

8) Presidents Day Week: The fourth week in February (2/20 – 2/26)

With an average wait time of 43.5 minutes over the last four years, crowds tend to show up for the long Presidents Day weekend and stay for the following week. Presidents Day lands on February 20th this year, which will make this week one of the busiest at Disney World.

7) Spring Break: The fourth week in March (3/20-3/26)

With an average wait time of 44 minutes, Spring Break keeps rocking at WDW through late March.

6) Valentine’s Week / Presidents Day Weekend: The third week in February (2/13 – 2/19)

Weeks like this are why February is such a crowded month at Disney World. February weather is extremely pleasant in Orlando, and having two holidays within a week makes it an ideal time to book a vacation. Valentine’s Day lands on Tuesday, and crowds really come in during the weekend before Presidents Day.

5) Spring Break / St. Patrick’s Day Week: The third week in March (3/13-3/19)

The third week in March has averaged as the 5th most crowded week across 2019-2022, so this year should be no different. It’s peak Spring Break season, and when you add in St. Patrick’s Day festivities into the mix, you can expect giant crowds at WDW.

4) New Year’s Day Week: The first week in January (1/1)

This “week” is a bit of an outlier this year, as it’s only one day long. New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday in 2023. However, the first week in January is typically a very crowded week, mainly due to crowds on New Year’s Day and January 2nd. Typically, by January 3rd or 4th, crowds will start dissipating, as people get back to work and school after the holiday break.

3) Thanksgiving Week: The fourth week in November (11/20 – 11/26)

This is one week where we had to adjust our recommendations from the data a bit. Over the past few years, Thanksgiving has landed on the last week in November. However, this year Thanksgiving is on November 23, which is in the second to last week.

WIth an average wait time of 49.3 minutes, Thanksgiving Week has averaged a 3.33 ranking for the most crowded week across 2019-2022. This trend should continue this year, so expect heavy crowds the week starting November 20, 2023.

1) Tie: Christmas Eve Week: The fourth week in December (12/18-12/24) and Christmas/New Year’s Eve Week: The last week in December (12/25-12/31)

It’s no surprise that the two weeks surround Christmas and New Year’s Eve will be the most crowded at Disney World in 2023. With an average wait time of 52.5 minutes over the past four years, these two weeks are significantly more crowded on average than even the other weeks on this list. If you plan on visiting Disney World during these weeks in the holiday season, expect long lines and heavy crowds. However, we have a free Disney World Holiday Guide that can help you make the most of your trip, even during the most crowded times.

How to plan an amazing Disney World vacation

There you have it! The busiest weeks at Disney World this year. Like most years, Christmas Week, New Year’s Eve Week, Thanksgiving, Spring Break, and Presidents Day will bring significant crowds.

So, how can you plan a vacation of a lifetime, even if crowds are high during your visit?

Guide2WDW has your back! First of all, check out this article on How to Beat the Crowds at Disney World. We also have a ton of free guides and tips, such as Time Saving Tips and a Disney World Lightning Lane Guide so you can maximize your time while in the parks.

No matter what time of year you’re visiting, you should consider working with a travel agent for free vacation planning. We recommend our friends at Vacationeer. They specialize in all-things Disney, and they can help you get coveted hotel rooms, dining reservations, discounts with no extra cost to you.

Don’t miss the other entries in our When to Visit Disney World Guide.

10. • The Best Days to Visit Magic Kingdom
    • The Best Days to Visit EPCOT
    • The Best Days to Visit Hollywood Studios
    • The Best Days to Visit Animal Kingdom
    • The Best Months to Visit Walt Disney World
    • The Best Weeks to Visit Disney World