For anyone who is planning a holiday vacation this year but wants to avoid the Christmas and New Year’s crowds, November is well worth considering. You’ll find there’s so much going on in the parks this month, so you’ll certainly want to plan ahead starting now for your vacation. Let’s take a look at what you can expect when visiting Walt Disney World this November.
Special Events in November 2022 at Walt Disney World
- Epcot International Food & Wine Festival –This festival is in its final month of the year and usually runs for the first three weeks of November. Make sure you check out any of the food booths you haven’t got to yet this year before it closes.
- Christmas Parties in the Magic Kingdom – Now that Halloween is over, the Magic Kingdom does a quick turnaround to welcome Christmas into the park. Usually, by the end of the first week of November, you can enjoy the after-hours Christmas party. Disney has yet to announce what type of party they’ll offer this year, but we look forward to this offering coming back once again.
- Holiday Celebrations – The Christmas decorations make their way up during the first few weeks of the month. Epcot is usually the last park to get all of their festivities underway, but the others will begin to welcome special entertainment and dining offerings. Make sure you put aside some time to explore the resorts as well, which look beautiful when they are decorated for the holiday season.
The Weather at Walt Disney World in November
November sees high temperatures of 78°F and lows of 59°F throughout the month. You’ll find that there are only about three days of rain this month, which makes touring much easier. Keep in mind that one of the water parks will usually be closed throughout the month, but it’s starting to get a little bit chilly for swimming all day long. We recommend packing a sweater or light jacket if you are planning to stay out late at night during November.
The Pros and Cons of Visiting Walt Disney World in November
November is a great time of the year to visit the parks if you love the holidays. These are a few of the top reasons to visit this month.
Pros of a November Disney Trip
- Cooler Weather – If you struggle with hot weather, you’ll find November to be a good time to visit Walt Disney World. The temperature drops quite a bit this month, but there are still a few days to enjoy swimming and sunbathing.
- Holiday Decorations and Parties – We know that not everyone wants to brave the holiday crowds when it comes to December. For that reason, booking a November trip gives you the best of both worlds. You can still enjoy the decorations and parties without dealing with the high crowd levels all month long.
- Epcot International Food & Wine Festival –Enjoy the last few weeks of this popular festival before it closes for the year.
Cons of a November Disney Trip
- Thanksgiving Crowds – While it may be unavoidable for you to travel during Thanksgiving week, make sure you plan ahead for the crowds. This is one of the busiest weeks of the year, so accommodation books up months in advance.
- Weather Not as Hot for Water Parks and Swimming – A huge part of an Orlando vacation for many families is swimming and visiting the water parks. The weather can be very hit and miss this month. Some days you’ll find that it’s warm enough to swim, whereas others you’ll want to keep a light sweater on all day.
Holidays in November 2022 at Walt Disney World
- Veterans Day – Veterans Day falls on November 11th each year, which is a Friday in 2022. You’ll find that there might be slightly higher crowd levels as it’s tagged onto a weekend, but it’s not a big issue when it comes to crowds.
- Thanksgiving – November 24th, 2022, is Thanksgiving this year, and we expect this to be a hugely popular time to visit the parks. There are special meals on offer throughout some of the Disney resorts, and the resorts book up well in advance for this week. Both locals and visitors will be out in full force during this time, so think carefully about booking a trip over this week.
Operating Hours for November 2022
November starts off a little quieter before crowds ramp up towards Thanksgiving. Park hours usually reflect this, and we expect Disney to extend the hours as we get nearer to the time. Below is a rough idea of what you can expect from the parks this month. We encourage you to make the most of the early morning hours if you are staying on-site, especially during Thanksgiving. The Magic Kingdom will close early after the first week of the month, a few days a week. This is for the Christmas parties, which are well worth adding to your vacation if it’s in your budget.
- Magic Kingdom – 9 am to 9 pm or 10 pm (with some early closing times for the Christmas parties after the first week of the month)
- Epcot – 9 am to 9 pm
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios – 9 am to 9 pm
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom – 8 am to 8 pm
- Water Parks – 10 am to 5 pm each day. One park will usually be closed throughout the month for its refurbishment period.
- Disney Springs – 10 am to 11 pm
November is a great time to visit for anyone looking to get into the holiday spirit. We love seeing the decorations go up in the parks throughout this month, ahead of busy December. Thanksgiving naturally brings with it higher crowd levels, so if you are looking to come to Orlando in that week, we recommend booking ahead now to avoid disappointment. Make sure you keep an eye on the weather forecast for November and pack accordingly to prepare for any scenario. Whenever you visit this month, we’re sure you will have a great time enjoying everything Walt Disney World has for visitors to enjoy.
