November Disney World Crowds

November Disney World crowds range from very light to very heavy. Halloween carries over into November (only for one more Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party) and then magically, all Mickey pumpkins and fall leaves are transitioned into gorgeous wreaths and ornaments, marking the start of Christmas at WDW! There is nothing quite like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (I repeat, nothing)!

Plus, the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival continues for most of the month, until making way for the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays to begin right around Thanksgiving.

I am OBSESSED with Christmas. I love every single thing about it—and celebrating the Christmas season at WDW, combining the holiday spirit with the magic of Disney, is simply priceless. And I believe November (particularly in the middle of the month when the crowds are low) is one of the best times to experience it all. If only the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays could start a bit earlier, that would make mid-November even more perfect.

Even though there are so many exciting Christmas happenings taking place at WDW in November, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t special offerings for Thanksgiving as well! Limited-time snacks are sprinkled throughout the parks and resorts, and some of our favorite table service restaurants offer unique menus on Thanksgiving.

Yes, Thanksgiving does drive up the crowd levels pretty high, but with the temperatures ranging from warm to cool, it’s still such a nice time to visit WDW—as long as you have appropriate expectations for the crowd levels you might experience in advance.

If you’re ready to get decked out in Christmas garb for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, or if your tastebuds are tempted by the special Thanksgiving dinner offerings across WDW, our friends at Destinations to Travel can help you plan a November visit! Don’t forget to let them know Danny sent you!

The month of November starts off slow, and continues to go back and forth between average and low crowds… That is, until Thanksgiving. Though it’s not the busiest holiday of the year at WDW (Christmas, New Year’s Eve, the 4th of July, and arguably Easter are still busier), Thanksgiving (and the following weekend) is still a very busy time at WDW.

Some of the earlier Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (MVMCP) events (maybe not the first event, since that one drives more locals) are substantially less crowded than those later in the month and in December.

In the middle of the month, once the Christmas decorations have replaced the Halloween decorations, and MVMCP kicks off its first event of the year, that makes for one of my favorite times of the year to visit WDW—not just within the holiday season. Combined with beautiful weather, November is a truly fantastic time to take a trip to WDW.

Dad’s Guide to WDW Crowd Calendar Disclaimer

This calendar is based on historical facts as we know them today, and personal experiences. Walt Disney World is an ever-changing destination and you might find the crowds, weather, or seasonal experiences to be different from what we’ve predicted.

How to Avoid November Disney World Crowds

One of the most important factors to consider when planning a WDW vacation during the holiday season is how important it is to you to visit during the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. If that’s one of your top priorities, then it may be worth dealing with some of the heavier crowds directly following Thanksgiving (keep in mind, they do significantly decrease rather quickly) in order for you to not miss out on this festival.

However, if you’d rather visit during the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival, that could give you more options to visit with low crowds—while still seeing the Christmas decorations, and having opportunities to attend MVMCP.

Also, as with any EPCOT festival, to avoid crowds as much as possible, I suggest visiting a different park on the weekends (especially on Saturdays).

To experience the Magic Kingdom with minimal crowds, try to plan to visit this park on the day of a MVMCP event. Before the party starts, the park tends to be less crowded. You can stay from rope drop until 4pm (when Cast Members start asking guests who aren’t attending the party to leave, ahead of its official start at 7pm).

Find more tips to avoid crowds at WDW here.

November Events

EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival – Taking place annually since 1995, this festival offers savory food, high quality (adult) beverages, fan-favorite merchandise, the Eat to the Beat Concert Series (at The America Gardens Theatre) and so much more.
EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays – At each World Showcase pavilion, this festival gives you the opportunity to sample flavors of traditional holiday food and drinks from that corresponding country. Plus, we get to learn more—in a variety of ways, including storytelling performers at each pavilion—about each country’s holiday celebrations.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party – Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular Fireworks, Mickey’s Boo to You Halloween Parade, Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, spooky attraction overlays, trick-or-treating, rare character meet-and-greets, wickedly delicious snacks, and much more make this special ticketed event (taking place on select nights) such a popular event (the signature Halloween offering at WDW).
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party – These parties just might be the most wonderful nights of the year. Including Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Spectacular, cookie/hot chocolate pick-up locations around the park, fan-favorite festive snacks, snowfall on Main Street U.S.A., Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration, attraction overlays, rare character meet-and-greets, and so much more make this event encapsulate everything that is Christmas at WDW.

The Best Time to Visit Disney World?

Wondering when is the best time to visit WDW? Of course, that really depends on you—your preferences, your schedule, and what’s on your must-do list. But, before booking your next vacation, here’s a breakdown of the factors you should consider.

November Disney World Crowds