3 reasons to go in the fall
🎃 Halloween is just the beginning
As we cling to these last days of summer, our theme parks are solidly embracing fall. Halloween events have already started at Disney World and Disneyland, and Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights kick off next week!
Turns out, fall is one of the 4 best seasons of the year to visit Disney and Universal. 😉 And Halloween is just the beginning. Lower crowds, fall festivals, and moderate weather all add up to make the season before Christmas an excellent time to visit.
Here are three fantastic justifications reasons to plan your trip for the fall
1) Holidays and festivals
Halloween
You know that house in your neighborhood that just goes crazy at Halloween? This is nothing compared to a Disney park. If you love this season, you need to see how the pros do it.
Lavish decorations, special characters, ride overlays, and even special food are all part of spooky season at Disney.
Want even more Halloween? Go for Disney World’s Mickey’s-Not-So-Scary after-hours party. Or the very-scary Universal Halloween Horror Nights.
Disneyland’s California Adventure park hosts the Oogie Boogie Bash all season (which you’ll need to plan for next year - all the 2025 dates are already sold-out!) Even with the party sold-out, Disneyland has lots of amazing offerings this time of year, here are 13 reasons to go:
Epcot Food & Wine
Bring your stretchy pants and your appetite! This year’s Food & Wine festival runs from August 28th to November 22nd.
This means your admission into the park includes access to dozens of international specialty food booths, all season long. Plus bonus fun like the “Eat to the Beat” concert series and a Remy Ratatouille themed scavenger hunt.
Christmas starts November 1st
Just when you thought things couldn’t get more festive, November transforms every park into a Christmas wonderland.
Meet the Grinch in Universal Orlando’s Seuss Landing, meet Jack Skellington in Disneyland’s New Orleans, or meet Minnie in her Christmas best at Disney World. Everybody gets into the spirit, well before the big man comes down the chimney.
There is way too much to say about Christmas in today’s short post. Here are some links for detailed Christmas tips at all the parks:
2) The crowds are lower
Kids are back to school and the busy travel season is over, so fall dates can be some of the lowest attended all year. Time it right and you can have the park virtually all to yourself.
How do you know when to go? One of my top resources is the TouringPlans.com crowd calendar. Touring Plans uses a sophisticated algorithm and decades of park data to predict crowd levels at the Disney and Universal Orlando parks. If you can take your pick of dates, be sure to consult a calendar like this before making any plans.
With low crowds comes lower prices too. Park tickets, hotels, and airfare can be much more affordable during the fall shoulder-season. (This is another way to determine how crowded the parks are likely to be. Less expensive park tickets = less busy days).
3) The weather is better*
With the exception of early fall in Orlando (*hurricane season), this time of year provides excellent park touring weather. Cooler mornings, lower humidity, and lower temperatures mean you won’t be fighting the elements all day.
The days are shorter too, which means more time to see the parks after dark!
What’s your favorite season in the parks?
Let us know in the comments!