When is the best time to go to Orlando? Here’s a season-by-season guide

You're probably planning to come to Orlando to join the crowds at the theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort. (We don’t blame you; they’re amazing.) But when is the best time to do that?

And beyond the rides and costumed characters, is there a preferred time to take in the city of Orlando itself, with its lovely, tree-lined neighborhoods and rich performing arts scene? From high season to low, here’s our seasonal guide to what you can expect throughout the year in Orlando, including the best events at the theme parks and in the city.

The high-season months of March to April and June to August are great for lively festivals

March to April is peak tourism season thanks to spring breakers. The summer is also one of Orlando's busiest times, full of vacationing crowds, and lots of festivals. It's hot and humid, with temperatures often above 90°F (32°C).

Throughout March to mid-April, American colleges release students for one-week spring breaks. While they are mainly drawn to the beaches, Orlando and the theme parks will also start to fill up with visitors of the younger, rowdier variety. Held in the upscale Orlando suburb of Winter Park, the Florida Film Festival takes place each April. Celebrating independent films, it’s fast becoming one of the largest festivals in the southeast.

As the school year ends around the USA (and world), the summer-vacation crowds flock to Florida. Plan on arriving good and early at the theme parks, and try to stay cool in the heat. The unofficial start to the summer season is Gay Days, when for a week some 170,000 people, largely from the  LGBTIQ+ community, descend on the Magic Kingdom and other Orlando theme parks, hotels and clubs. On the 4th of July, fireworks and laser shows mark the USA’s birthday. The weather can be tough as peak summer sets in: Floridians do nothing but crank the A/C inside while foolish tourists swelter and burn at the theme parks – and run from afternoon thundershowers.

Beat the crowds by coming in the shoulder months of May, September, October and November

Crowds thin and prices drop in May after the spring break – though temperatures tick up, with highs around 88ºF (31ºC). The masses also diminish after Labor Day (first Monday in September) – with Halloween festivities the exceptions. Lodging prices dip as the summer summer sizzle fades.

In September, shoulder-season deals can pop up. Theme parks are starting to run Halloween events this month, including Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party; look out for goblins, monsters and mummies all around. Early fall is also the peak of hurricane season, which runs June through November. Travelers should take all hurricane alerts, warnings and evacuation orders seriously.

Tourism hits a spike for a week around Thanksgiving, and temperatures are better for hiking and camping at one of Florida’s many state parks. This is also the start of the region’s manatee season (November to March), when these gentle giants migrate into the warmer waters of Florida’s freshwater estuaries, rivers and springs.

Budget travelers might prefer the low season, December to February

The few weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas mark a quiet period at the theme parks, but there are still plenty of special Christmas-themed events – like Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. The temperatures are more manageable, around 75ºF (24ºC).

Christmas through early January draws massive theme-park crowds. Otherwise, this is the low season in Orlando, with plenty of accommodation bargains. Temperatures can dip below freezing, although this is rare. Crowds still flock to the theme parks in early January, but beyond that, it's fairly quiet. Head north to Blue Spring State Park, where manatees may be spotted in the winter months and into the early spring.