Disney World Weather: what Brits can expect month by month

The weather in Walt Disney World is nothing like the weather in the UK. The UK has a temperate climate, whilst Florida has a sub-tropical to tropical climate. Humidity is significantly higher all year round and the temperatures are much warmer in Florida.

Walt Disney chose Florida for the year-round warm weather and because he felt the weather was predictable. It isn’t. The weather in Florida can change very quickly. One minute the sun is shining; the next the rain is pouring. You’re dripping wet, the path has disappeared in front of your eyes, and you’re thinking  ‘huh’?

One of the most popular holiday destinations with 137.6 million visitors Florida is a great holiday destination. Our guide to the weather in Walt Disney World is designed to help give some insight into what you can expect whenever you visit, with a month to month break down of the weather.

Coldest months to visit Disney?

The coldest months to visit Walt Disney World are December, January, and February where maximum average daily temperatures hover at 22-23C. For us Brits, that’s often an ideal temperature for a full park day, as it feels a lot like our summer-time highs.

Temperatures in these months can drop significantly lower and packing for these months is more complicated, as night-time temperatures are lower again. Our guide to packing for Walt Disney World covers this topic in a lot more detail. Packing for the colder months is often a bit like packing for a weekend at the seaside in the UK, trousers and a zip-up at night, but shorts and a tee in the day.

Hottest months to visit Disney?

The hottest months to visit Walt Disney World are June, July and August, where temperatures often exceed the daily averages. The heat in Disney also feels very different than here in the UK as you are closer to the sun due to Florida being much closer to the equator than the UK.

The heat does impact your park days at this time of year and the approach to a park day in July is often very different to the approach you take to a park day in December. The hottest months also happen to coincidentally be the wettest months, which is often a blessing in disguise when you are roasting. The humidity will build during the morning and into the early afternoon before a huge downpour happens. Then the heat returns, and humidity climbs back up.

Wettest months to visit Disney?

If you’re visiting Disney between June and September you are most likely going to experience some rain. An average of 77.8cm will fall during these months. Meanwhile in the UK, there’s an average of about 20.2cm. That’s nearly 4 times the amount of rain!

Getting really wet dancing and singing in the rain sounds fun, and you’ll get a great Disney photo memory so maybe you should do that, for a few seconds. In general, we recommend packing a lightweight waterproof to pop on so you can carry in with your day.

Top tip: Waterproofs are handy to wear on the wet rides. If you don’t fancy getting soaked through on Kali River Rapids or Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, but still want the thrill, this is the solution for you.

What do I do if it rains at Disney?

Rain is always possible in Florida, so always grab a poncho or a waterproof coat. We have tested both and definitely prefer a mac. Whichever waterproof you go for, it is an essential item to put in your case.

If it rains while you are visiting a park, and you will most likely experience rain at some point during your trip, you have two options.

1. Stay in the park
2. Leave

If it has been hot all day and the rain is a surprise, shelter in a shop or head to a covered queue line and wait it out. Odds on it will be done in half an hour and the heat will be back. If you are there in the height of the rainy season you will likely find the rain turning to steam as it hits the ground.

If the rain is forecast for the day, the parks are still doable. Florida rain is warm, although likely to soak you right through. Wear your raincoat, find some clogs, and go for it!

The parks are often quieter as people don’t want to experience the parks in the wet, so this a great time to get on rides which often have high wait times. In our experience a wet day can see wait times nearly halved for most rides, so we will head to the parks even if it is just to do the more popular rides.

Top tip

If you opt to do the wet park day, take spare clothes in a waterproof pouch in your bag to change into for the journey home from the park. Get changed in the toilets near the park exit and you won’t have to travel feeling soggy and damp. For more tips and advice about wet days in the park why not read Rainy Day Magic: A Guide to Disney World in the Rain.

Driest months to visit Disney?

The driest months to visit Walt Disney World are November and December, where the average monthly rainfall is less than we get in the UK. The temperatures at this time of the year are also quite pleasant at around 22-23C. As an added bonus the parks are also decorated with Christmas trees and other festive decorations throughout these two months and there is a lot to see and do. The Festival of the Holidays is on in EPCOT bringing extra cheer to the park and the onsite hotels are also decorated.

Extreme weather at Disney

Hurricane season

Hurricane season in Florida is from 1 June to 30 November. Reported to be the state in the USA which sees the most landfalling tropical storms, Florida can be home to some extreme weather. If you are heading out to Disney World during this time, it is best to be aware that Disney may need to make amendments to resort operations if needed, to keep guests safe.

Disney have an excellent reputation for keeping guests safe during passing storms and if operations are affected and you are staying onsite, guests will often find character visits and activities arranged where possible.

Tropical Storms are also quite common during this time period and so are tornadoes. As with hurricanes Disney handle these situations very well. Coming from the UK we do not experience such extreme weather phenomena and it can feel a little daunting. Disney do an excellent job of keeping guests at parks and resorts informed, warnings will come up on your phones if you need to take action. Our advice would be to follow instructions if the weather happens. Disney World has only ever closed nine times in it’s 53-year history because of a hurricane.

Heatwaves

Heatwaves in Florida are becoming more common earlier and earlier in the year. In May 2023 and 2024 the parks have experienced record-breaking temperatures. Our tips to surviving a Florida heatwave provides lots of helpful information about what to look out for and what you can do to keep safe in the heat.

Keeping hydrated, applying plenty of sun cream and staying out of the heat during the hours of midday to 5pm will help you to stay healthy and get the best out of your Disney World experiences.

The best time to visit Disney World

As fellow Brits our advice would be to visit the parks any time from October through to May. Christmas is busy, but the magic outweighs the crowds and queues in our opinion. The extreme heat in the other months can make park days trickier to plan and you may not feel like you can spend as much time in the parks due to the heat. Being able to spend an entire day in the park without melting and needing to change sweaty clothes due to humidity is why we prefer these months.

We also quite enjoy our coffee hot and when the temperature is tipping the scales at 35C in the parks, it’s iced latte all the way. Even then the ice melts way too fast to enjoy that coffee culture and people watching we love. And Disney coffee culture is incredible.

A Monthly Guide to Disney Weather

January

This is the coldest month to visit Walt Disney World. The temperatures are not low in comparison to UK temperatures so you may find yourself in shorts, but equally the temperatures at night do get quite chilly so it might be wise to bring a jacket or jumper to wear.

Rain is not as frequent as it is in other months, but it does still happen, so some spare shoes and a waterproof are handy to pack. This is a nice month in the parks. At EPCOT you will find the International Festival of the Arts going on.

If you are looking for a quieter Park experience avoid the first few days in January where possible as New Year is quite popular in the parks following on from Christmas. Crowds will be higher and queue times longer.

Around the parks queue times from the second week of January to the end of January will most likely be lower than at other times of the year. The middle of January is a great time to start a visit and get some winter sun. The water parks can be closed at this time of year if the temperatures drop below …C for the day, so if you are looking for some water park fun this may not be the best time to visit.

February

This is one of the coolest months in the year to visit Disney, so you will want to pack a variety of clothes still as temperatures are lower at night. Think UK summer wear for the day and bring a jumper to keep warm of an evening.

Rain is higher than in the UK in Florida at this time of year, so pack a waterproof coat and spare shoes to keep dry when it rains in the parks. This is a nice month to explore the parks, visitors towards the end of February often say the temperature is perfect for a full park day adventure. If you are only planning on spending a day per park or less, then this weather will let you maximise you’re park days.

Around the parks, February is not a month where there are major holidays in the USA. It is Washington’s Birthday but this is not observed on a large scale like Christmas. Winter Break will usually fall this month and you can see queue levels rise for a week when the students are off. The Festival of the Arts will usually finish in EPCOT towards the end of this month. February offers visitors mostly shorter queue times, comfortable temperatures and low rainfall in comparison to other months in Florida.

There is a chance that waterparks may close due to low temperatures this month, so if you are looking to maximise time at the water park, it may be best to plan your visit for a different month.

March

Temperatures are starting to rise this month but not to unbearable levels. The temperature is still comfortable and just right for a full park day in the sun. A light jacket is still probably a wise thing to pack as the air conditioning will be on in the indoor Disney experiences and you may still feel the cold at night. Trousers may not be needed for park days. Crowd levels in March do usually rise, particularly around Spring Break which falls in March and April depending on the university. The beginning of March has been a good time to visit in 2023 and 2024, as the weather has been good and queue times lower than later on in the month.

Rainfall is creeping up, so don’t forget the waterproof. Mornings and evenings going to and from the parks can still feel a little chilly. Humidity is not at it’s highest in this month but it does start to rise too so temperatures begin to feel warmer than they are.

Florida is starting to bloom this month and at EPCOT the Flower and Garden Festival will be on during March. With beautiful topiaries bringing Spring vibes to the parks, March in Disney is lovely. Wait times in general start to creep up at points.

April

This month could be the sweet spot for visiting the parks, if it wasn’t for Spiring Break and Easter which has fallen in April in 2023, 2024 and is set to do so in 2025 also.  Temperatures are quite warm, rainfall is lower than in March and May and that is why queue times in April can be quite high.

At EPCOT, the Flower and Garden Festival is usually on for the month and across the parks there will be Easter events (in 2025 they will be around the weekend of 20^th April which is Easter Sunday).

From a packing perspective, you can look to ditch the trousers if you are visiting in April and although we always recommend taking a waterproof you’ll likely need it less this month. For more packing information take a look at our packing guide.

Making the most of your pools and water parks access is fun at this time of the year as temperatures are high enough that a closure due to temperatures is highly unlikely.

May

May is usually quite a nice time to visit, as it is just before the rainy season really kicks in and average temperatures are high but manageable. That said, over the past two years, May has had scorching temperatures and record high temperatures have been recorded and broken each year. Our how to survive a May heatwave in Magic Kingdom is a great read with tips and advice about to handle the weather if you find yourself in that situation.

In EPCOT the flowers are usually continuing to bloom as part of the Flower and Garden Festival and there are lots of animals about to see. The humidity is beginning to rise at this time, and it has been traditionally the last month to visit Walt Disney World before the infamous heat and humidity of June – September. Steam can come up from the ground when rain hits it.

Memorial Day weekend at the end of May is always busy so expect to find higher crowd levels if visiting at this time. The cheerleading season is also in full swing at Disney throughout May which also brings crowd levels up.

Just like April, May is a great month to make the most of the pools and the water parks on offer whilst enjoying the sunshine.

June

The weather in June is really warming up and in the past two years heat waves have been a common occurrence with temperatures exceeding the monthly average.  The summer season is officially here, and June is one of the four hottest months to visit.

This is the start of hurricane season also begins this month and average rainfall takes a big leap, so when packing, pack that waterproof as odds on you’ll experience a legendary Florida down pour. The wettest of all the months, expect to have some big down pours on some of your park days.

The heat can impact your park days this month and we recommend planning park days differently at this time of year than you would in the colder months of January and February. Planning your summer park day is our guide to navigating your way around the park at this time of year and is a helpful read if you’re heading out this month.

The water park offers a great way to cool down this month and you will probably find yourself enjoying a cooling dip in the pool. Thunderstorms can happen and this will cause temporary ride closures while the storm passes through.

July

This month is one of the hottest, so expect to only need shorts and tee shirt throughout the day. High humidity may also make outfit changes necessary as the real feel of the temperatures is often more than the thermometer says. Packing a refillable water bottle to keep hydrated is a must do. Choosing to bring light coloured, light-weight summer clothing will also help to manage the heat around the parks.

Rainfall is high and rain is a regular, albeit often short occurrence. Tropical storms can happen, and rain will last longer if they do, so always pack a waterproof.

In the parks, you will need to seek cover regularly in the air-conditioned buildings. This is refreshing and necessary, but the air-con is very cold in Florida so if you are eating in restaurants a light layer to cover arms is sometimes quite nice to have.

The queues in July are often higher at the beginning due to Independence Day. Later in the month, school holidays do impact crowd levels in comparison to other times of the year. In EPCOT the Food and Wine Festival usually begins at the end of July, providing some tasty treats for guests to try.

August

August is scorching park weather but expect some torrential rain too. The second highest average rainfall usually occurs this month due to the increased humidity, which also brings with it the high likelihood of tropical storms. The high humidity levels will also impact the real feel of temperatures, so expect to feel the heat.

Adjusting your park days to accommodate the heat is essential this month, as it is in June and July. You will want to be thinking about visiting rides which have air-conditioned queue lines to keep cool. Taking a water bottle to refill will be essential to stay hydrated as the temperatures will be in the high thirties nearly every day throughout this month.

When packing, think light coloured clothing which will wick and perhaps consider dropping in more than one outfit a day.

At EPCOT, the Food and Wine Festival is in full swing this month. Elsewhere, the parks will have higher wait times as it is peak summer season. Visiting Typhoon Lagoon is a great idea to cool off from the heat which can feel quite oppressive at this time of year.

The end of August also marks the beginning of Halloween festivities, with Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party being offered as a ticketed event. Autumn decorations will hit the parks, but don’t be fooled by the décor – it will still be hot.

September

There is a slight drop in average temperatures. Average rainfall drops by about 25%, but humidity is still very high this month. It’s in the hot period to visit a park and planning September park days around avoiding the heat will help you get the most out of your visit.

Labor Day falls between the 1-7 September, which is a busy park time. Crowd levels will usually drop from the second week in this month as it is the start of the school year. The water park is great to visit this month.

Hurricanes and weather which may affect your trip is most likely this month. But, having said that September is quite a nice month to visit Disney, with the Autumn decorations and lower crowd levels.  EPCOT is still celebrating the Food and Wine Festival in the parks this month, so there is great new food to try.

October

The summer heat starts to drop towards the end of this month and the autumn vibes in the parks make the season special. It is hot in October, and it is still hurricane season this month.

Rainfall is 50% lower than in September. It is typically a drier month to visit the parks, where temperatures are also starting to drop. Humidity remains high, but usually it is starting to reduce, particularly towards the end of the month.

Summer clothes are still essential, it’s not jeans weather for most guests. The water park remains a great option. Crowds are typically higher towards the end of the month. This is due to school holidays and Halloween, a festival Magic Kingdom gets a beautiful festive makeover for. October is a great time to visit the parks to enjoy the Halloween fun and EPCOT continues to celebrate with the Food and Wine Festival.

November

The temperatures will feel cooler this month and the average rainfall drops to it’s lowest. Florida is drier than the UK on average this month. Average temperatures are double what they are in the UK, so it’s a great time to visit Walt Disney World ad escape the cold. If you’re using weather solely as a guide to when to visit – this is the best month.

The 1^st November marks the official end of hurricane season and humidity is also lower this month. Disney becomes festive on 1^st November. It is also when park decorations change over night from Halloween on 31^st October to Christmas on 1^st November. If you can be in Magic Kingdom on Halloween and the on 1st November you’ll experience a wow moment.

Crowd levels are high at the end of November due to Thanksgiving, so the first couple of weeks are often considered to be a bit of a sweet spot for lower crowds in the parks. You will still want summer weight clothes, but a zip-up for the evenings and early mornings may be needed as the month progresses.

The water parks are normally open but towards the end of the month temperatures can start to affect the opening. It is the season to be considering full park days from a different perspective than in the summer months as you enjoy the festive vibes.

EPCOT wraps up the Food and Wine Festival and after about a week moves into the Festival of the Holidays this month.

December

It’s Christmas at Disney, but the weather is still much warmer than in the UK. The weather this month is a little mixed so pack a selection of light clothes. If you feel chilly layer your lighter layers. A zip-up or hoody for the evenings and early mornings will be needed. The temperature drop in the evening can feel quite drastic, so pack more than one sweater if you have a 14 day Magic Ticket.

The warm weather and lower humidity means that park days can be longer and a bit more intense. When planning your days you can plan to stamina levels in December rather than heat levels. A waterproof is still necessary as Florida downpours happen. The trend in recent winters has been for more rain than average.

Lots is going on in the parks and EPCOT is home to the Festival of the Holidays this month. Festive decorations add extra magic in the parks and there is so much to see and experience. Crowds are high at Christmas. Crowds gradually increase as December progresses following the Thanksgiving spike at the end of November.

Conclusion

Disney World weather is dynamic. Rain is definitely something to be prepare for when you visit at any time of the year. Rain coats have a dual purpose, you use them to keep dry on Kali River Rapids and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure too!

With hotter temperatures than the UK all year round, a Walt Disney World holiday is unlikely to feel cold for a Brit. Extreme weather happens and is something to be aware of when you book, but don’t worry about it. Whatever the weather in Walt Disney World your holiday will be amazing.