November and December 2025 are going to be busy months at Walt Disney Global. Lengthy weekends and entire week breaks motive crowd ranges to spike, catching visitors by way of wonder. Be expecting dates with top wait occasions in Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios–the worst in 6 months! This submit covers what to anticipate, whilst additionally providing a glance again at October crowds.
To temporarily recap the previous few months, it was once a quiet summer time at Walt Disney Global and the low season was once so gradual that September was once the least busy month since 2021. There have been spikes to above-average territory (in large part pushed by way of the top of Florida resident price ticket offers), and EPCOT was once strangely busy, however another way, Walt Disney Global loved a longer gradual stretch for nearly the final 6 months.
That ended round Columbus Day. Fall smash is likely one of the busiest occasions of the yr at Walt Disney Global, and necessarily the kick-off of the preferred 3 month stretch culminating in Christmas and New Yr’s Eve. Federal vacations and faculty recesses motive crowd ranges to spike, which catches many guests by way of wonder. As mentioned underneath, that came about once more this yr with a stretch of the worst crowds at Walt Disney Global since Easter!
Earlier than we get going, the standard caveat on crowds: what’s coated in those studies is wait occasions knowledge that’s pulled from My Disney Revel in and compiled into graphs. It’s precious for monitoring and evaluating wait occasions throughout days, weeks, months, and years. So much will also be gleaned from posted wait occasions, however they’re no longer all the time conclusive of in-park congestion or crowds.
Posted wait occasions are nearly all the time inflated, some traces don’t submit wait occasions, they don’t account for Lightning Lane adjustments, EPCOT gala’s, and will’t let us know the rest about congestion for fireworks, parades, and many others. However, wait occasions are the one function measure of Walt Disney Global crowds. On-the-ground observations will also be helpful, however they have got shortcomings.
With that background out of the best way, let’s check out crowd ranges for the final month. As all the time, all graphs and wait time stats are courtesy of Thrill-Knowledge.com:
We’ll get started with the per thirty days numbers for Walt Disney Global as a complete, courting all of the as far back as 2019.
Per month crowd ranges climbed from final November thru this March, after which had been on a gentle decline from April thru this September. That is in step with final yr, and related to maximum different years. September has been the slowest complete month of 2025 thus far, with a 26 minute common wait time and 1/10 crowd degree.
October was once a turning level for crowds, which was once precisely what we anticipated. It is a notable deviation from final yr, when September and October had similar crowd ranges. On the other hand, as we’ve mentioned at duration in the past, that was once because of hurricanes. The ones actually dragged down the entire numbers, and led to $130 million in cancellations as disclosed by way of Disney on quarterly income calls. So it’s unsurprising that October 2025 bounced again from that during a large manner!
Even so, October had common wait occasions about on par with July and August. Frankly, that’s not up to we anticipated, particularly after summer time has develop into the brand new low crowds season at Walt Disney Global. Regardless, October certainly was once no longer the low season whilst you zoom out and take a look at the month as a complete. Nearer exam tells a reasonably other and extra nuanced tale, despite the fact that…
Above is a take a look at weekly wait occasions for the final yr.
This paints a fuller image of the highs and lows of October crowds. In a nutshell, there have been two weeks in the course of the month that noticed sharp spikes; those had been the busiest weeks since Easter.
On the different finish of the spectrum, each the start and finish of October had been on par with the lows of September. In reality, the final two weeks of the Florida resident price ticket deal had been in truth busier than the primary and final two weeks of October 2025.
Taking a look on the day-to-day knowledge for the final yr, it will have to be reasonably simple to identify the Fall Spoil spike, more or less October 4-18, 2025.
The in point of fact busy dates all over that reach had been October 10-18, 2025 (minus 10/16). The dates earlier than that had been busy relative to the primary few days of October, however no longer in point of fact unhealthy in absolute phrases. In the event you glance again to the summer time months, they had been about on par with the majority of June and July.
Since then, there was once any other spike October 24-25, and however to begin November 2025. The primary few days of the month and all of the 2d part (minus October 24-25) principally marked a go back of the low season lows from mid-August thru a lot of September.
For the ones maintaining rating at house, we flagged October 10-18, 2025 as being one of the most the ten worst ‘weeks’ of the yr.
We additionally had each September 28 to October 5, 2025 and October 19-30, 2025 as two of the ten absolute best weeks of the yr. That is simply one of the ‘flipping a transfer’ stretches when crowds pass from terrible to superior (or vice-versa) in a single day–with a number of extra at the horizon within the subsequent two months.
I’m lovely proud of our efficiency all over that reach, particularly given final yr’s wait occasions knowledge was once unusable because of the aforementioned typhoon scares. We did “omit” October 4-5, sixteenth and October 24-25, however that’s exactly why we advise date levels versus giving numerical ratings to person dates. Too many one-offs for the latter to be credible at the present time.
See our record of the 10 Easiest and 10 Worst Weeks to Discuss with Walt Disney Global in 2025 to 2027.
Taking a look Ahead at November 2025
Be expecting a number of extra ‘flipping a transfer’ crowd dynamics within the subsequent 3 months. We frequently check with the vacation season as having curler coaster crowd ranges, as a result of those few months have low lows and top highs.
The highs are most commonly obtrusive. Folks having day off paintings and faculty districts having scholar vacations, and short of to consult with Florida all over some of the delightful occasions of yr and Walt Disney Global’s absolute best seasonal match. The lows are necessarily the inverse of that–because of the proximity of the aforementioned breaks, households are much less prone to pull their youngsters out of college to commute all over the ones home windows.
Past the most obvious of the weeks main as much as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Yr’s Eve, there are some landmines or smaller vacations this time of yr that sneak up on Walt Disney Global planners.
We’ve already mentioned these types of at duration in our November 2025 Crowd Calendar and December 2025 Crowd Calendar for Walt Disney Global, so that you will have to be aware of the have an effect on of Jersey Week or Veterans Day by way of this level (if no longer, they’re mentioned once more underneath).
In the event you simply need the quick model of this, the aforementioned absolute best & worst weeks record has any other pink flag stretch beginning very quickly: November 3-10, 2025. This is likely one of the worst weeks of all of the yr, because of more than one “vacations” colliding. Let’s speak about each and every and its attainable have an effect on on crowd ranges…
Jersey Week
The New Jersey Training Affiliation (NJEA) conference on November 6-7, 2025 is what provides upward push to the notorious Jersey Week, all over which a minimum of 73% of the Lawn State descends upon WDW.
Even if this vacation continues to catch enthusiasts by way of wonder, as does the oversized have an effect on of “handiest” one state having a smash, it’s all the time an overly busy week. This yr, we’re going to peer simply how giant Jersey Week in truth is with Veterans Day and Christmas each going down later than customary.
My wager is that it’s going to expose that Jersey Week is in truth the greatest motive force of crowds all over this stretch. For a few of you, it will stretch credulity {that a} unmarried state–and one geographically reasonably some distance from Florida–will have this kind of vital have an effect on on crowds. I don’t know what to let you know rather than: it does.
Crowds within the coming week being increased because of Jersey Week is infrequently a daring or new prediction. The once a year lecturers’ conference has had a vital have an effect on for so long as I will be able to have in mind. I’ve been within the parks for plenty of Jersey Weeks, have chatted with many visitors from the Lawn State, or even departed MCO in each and every of the final two years with the Jersey Week wave.
My one grievance of Jerseyites is they don’t rep Devils jerseys in top numbers. (“You gotta reinforce the workforce!” ~Puddy) Possibly that is how New Jersey will also be represented in Soarin’ Throughout The united states, with the Leader Flight Attendant reprising his Devils face paint?!
Election Day
No longer that many states be offering days off for the election, and none that do are inside cheap riding distance of Walt Disney Global. Even so, there are longer vacation breaks in November which are extra fascinating for journeys to Walt Disney Global.
On the other hand, readers have identified that choose college districts have Election Day and the Monday previously off paintings, as a result of colleges are frequently used as polling puts for ease and accessibility. Consequently, districts within the Midwest, Northeast–and most likely past–have lengthy weekends. The 4-day smash is horny sufficient to transport the needle, particularly for households that need to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas at house.
The issue here’s that we don’t have excellent knowledge at the have an effect on (or lack thereof) of Election Day. Ultimate yr was once a presidential election, so I’m no longer essentially positive that’s consultant, however Monday and Tuesday did see increased wait occasions–worse than the next week. Imagine this can be a contributing issue at minimal, and a part of the rationale we predict Jersey Week to be busier than the week that follows.
Veterans Day
The key national vacation at the horizon is Veterans Day, which falls on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
That is the week after Jersey Week, and it could be a daring prediction to have the aforementioned ‘worst week’ finish someday earlier than Veterans Day itself. However my expectation is that to the level it’s handled as an extended weekend, maximum visitors will probably be departing Walt Disney Global on November eleventh. This in truth occurs with numerous lengthy weekend vacations–even ones that fall on Mondays.
Veterans Day is all the time a “sneaky” vacation for crowds at Walt Disney Global. It’s under-discussed, however a shockingly top collection of executive employees, scholars, and others do have the break day. We’ve been caution about Veterans Day crowds for years, as it’s been nearly on par with Thanksgiving some years. It’s an extended weekend that may have an oversized have an effect on on crowd ranges.
Something to notice here’s that November 11, 2025 will no longer be like flipping a transfer to low crowds. It’ll nonetheless see increased crowds, simply no longer ‘worst’ degree. Shall we most probably lengthen the ‘dates to keep away from’ advice to November 14, 2025 simply to err at the aspect of warning, as we’ve noticed increased crowds previously all over that complete week.
On the other hand, fresh traits counsel a mid-week downturn and the peak of the crowds arriving earlier than Veterans Day. The week that follows nonetheless isn’t excellent, nevertheless it’s no longer as unhealthy as Jersey Week earlier than it. After all, it’s no longer the one giant vacation all over November and December, however I doubt any Walt Disney Global enthusiasts would doubt that Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Yr’s Eve are busy stretches. Together with Columbus Day (additionally one of the most worst weekends/weeks), Veterans Day sneaks up on numerous other people!
In the event you’re on the lookout for the following set of absolute best dates, the ones are November 15-21, 2025.
It’s not likely that Jersey Week/Veterans Day/and many others. crowd ranges surpass Easter, however this week-plus nearly no doubt will surpass Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day/Fall Spoil. Thanksgiving will most probably edge out Jersey Week, particularly with Veterans Day being on Tuesday and no different main occasions this yr exacerbating crowds this week.
Opting for the optimum days to do each and every park, particularly Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom is massive. Either one of the ones parks have previous openings on choose dates all over November (and probably December), so making the most of Early Access is amazingly tremendous. Don’t underestimate Early Access, or visiting the ones parks on days which are prone to be much less crowded. It’s a identical tale with DHS or Animal Kingdom within the evenings.
Via merely arriving early or staying overdue at each park, you’ll be able to beat the worst of the noon crowds. (After all, that’s “easy” in concept however tougher in apply, particularly you probably have young children. That’s a large reason wait occasions are decrease very first thing within the morning and later within the evenings.) Past that, make sure you additionally take a look at our Walt Disney Global Itineraries for plans of assault.
It’s totally conceivable to overcome the impending ‘worst weeks’ crowds through the use of Lightning Lane Multi-Cross, Early Access, Prolonged Night Hours, rope drop, and many others. We duvet the most productive & worst method for each and every park in Easiest Time-Saving Methods for Walt Disney Global. In the event you’re handiest going to learn one making plans submit, make it that.
There are nice techniques to overcome the crowds–even on busy days–with out purchasing Lightning Lane Multi-Cross (LLMP) or Unmarried Cross (LLSP). We don’t purchase line-skipping products and services more often than not, and in finding we’re in a position to do exactly advantageous as long as we’re up early or out overdue–preferably each!
Talking of which, we have now a complete Information to Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney Global for many who need to totally grasp paid FastPass. Weeks like this, it’s certainly a excellent choice for Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and perhaps EPCOT. (We seldom counsel LLMP at Animal Kingdom, and that continues to be true.)
General, that’s about what you’ll be able to be expecting to enjoy this month at Walt Disney Global. How issues spread over the following couple of weeks actually relies on what number of non-Jerseyite Northeasterners and Midwesterners have day off from college or paintings. The ones are the unknowns. Years of on-the-ground enjoy and wait occasions knowledge let us know that Jersey Week goes to be a large motive force of attendance.
Finally, we wouldn’t essentially keep away from the impending week you probably have a school-aged kid and don’t have any higher choices out of doors of the even larger vacation breaks within the ultimate quarter of the yr (no longer such as you’re going to modify your plans at this level, anyway, because the aforementioned worst week begins nowadays).
At the same time as we’re caution in regards to the upcoming window, there will have to be little question that the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Yr’s Even will probably be a lot worse than Veterans Day/Jersey Week/and many others. They all the time are.
For complete pointers for making plans your Christmas-time shuttle to Walt Disney Global, take a look at our Final Information to Christmas at Walt Disney Global. For Walt Disney Global shuttle making plans pointers and complete recommendation, be sure you learn our Walt Disney Global Travel Making plans Information and similar articles.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever visited Walt Disney Global all over November previously? What did you recall to mind the crowds? Are you visiting this yr? Do you may have any of the above vacations off paintings or college? Anything we neglected that might have an effect on crowds in November 2025? Do you compromise or disagree with the rest in our crowd forecast for Walt Disney Global? Any questions we will mean you can solution? Listening to your comments–even whilst you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please percentage your ideas underneath within the feedback!
