Animal Kingdom Crowd Calendar

January 2023

Aside from the first week which remains busy thanks to the ending of the holiday decorations, and runDisney’s first marathon weekend of the year, weekdays in January are typically a lovely time to visit Animal Kingdom with average or just below average crowds.

Crowds will decrease as the month goes on and peak season Christmas holiday crowds dissipate. Remember that January and February are peak months for attraction refurbishments so some headline attractions may be unavailable for all or part of the month.

Animal Kingdom Crowd Calendar

February 2023

February in Animal Kingdom largely mirrors January with quieter week days and busier weekends although weekdays can be slightly busier when comparing them to January.

The first public holiday of the year, Presidents Day (every third Monday in February), brings the first opportunity for people to get away for a break.

Consequently, the week following Presidents Day is busy in Animal Kingdom as people take the opportunity to get away without having to use as much annual leave.

Animal Kingdom Crowd Calendar

March 2023

A quiet 10 days precludes the end of a very busy month in the Disney World as Spring Break crowds descend on Orlando en masse to let off some steam for a week or two.

If you are looking for a quiet time in the parks you might want to give late March (and early April) a bit of a wide berth especialy as the first 4 months of the year are busy in Disney World with dance championships bumping attendance at the hotels and theme parks over many weekends.

Magic Kingdom Crowd Calendar

April 2023

April’s crowds are flipped compared to March as the continuation of the Spring Break holiday carries through the first fortnight of the month, also encompassing Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Avoiding the peak Spring Break crowds, late April is still a great time to visit for warm weather without the humidity of the summer months.

Animal Kingdom turns 25 this April and to celebrate the park is throwing a month long celebration of their anniversary and Earth Day this April.

Animal Kingdom Crowd Calendar

May 2023

Low to moderate crowds coupled with fantastic weather and no significant public holidays until the end of the month make May a brilliant time to visit Orlando if you want to avoid peak crowds but still have the weather.

Also with most cheerleading championships being concluded, May is the first month of the year not to have a packed calendar somewhere on resort that may artificially bump up your accommodation pricing.

Weekends remain busy, particularly the last weekend because of Memorial Day but many weekdays are average or just above average.

Animal Kingdom Calendar

June 2023

June heralds the start of the US School holidays in many US States running through to the first week of August.

Expect very busy crowds and turbulent weather, especially in the afternoons, and long lines for popular attractions. The park may feel that it is packed to bursting but Disney maintains they have limited capacity by 20% during June and July so if you are visiting during this time be sure to get your park reservations in early.

Animal Kingdom Crowd Calendar

July 2023

Now every US state school is guaranteed to be off you can expect crowds to be uniformly busy throughout the whole month with weekdays just as busy as weekends.

The last week of July can be marginally busier once international schools are also on their summer holidays but there really is very little difference between the beginning or the end of the month.

If you want to guarantee your attraction is going to be operating your best months to visit are June and July to coincide with the US School holiday system.

Animal Kingdom Crowd Calendar

August 2023

August is a quiet month to visit the parks if you need to visit during UK school summer holidays.

Remember that hurricane season in Florida runs from June through September and even without a hurricane the afternoon can be wet, very wet! Plan around the showers to maximise your time and enjoyment in the park and don;t be afraid to have a half day and some relaxation by the pool in the hotel.

Animal Kingdom Crowd Calendar

September 2023

September is largely a buffer month between summer holiday madness and Halloween celebrations which actually start in some parks around the middle of the month. 

With animal welfare at the heart of Animal Kingdom you won’t find typical Halloween celebrations here nor any fireworks at any point in the year.

If you want to pack your day full, a chilled out day in Animal Kingdom before a visit to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration is a great way of seeing everything Disney has to offer without burning out.

Animal Kingdom Crowd Calendar

October 2023

October has always been a popular time for people to visit Orlando because of separate ticketed events at Universal and Seaworld as well as at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World.

While the Halloween celebrations continue into the nights in Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom’s muted celebrations aren’t quite so in-your-face. 

Animal Kingdom Crowd Calendar

November 2023

November in Orlando is largely another buffer month in between two popular holiday celebrations. As soon as Halloween ends you will see parks preparing and launching Christmas celebrations soon after.

Weekends are typically moderately busy as locals flock to the parks outside of work for some Christmas cheer. Thanksgiving, a hugely popular public holiday in America, packs all the parks to bursting for one weekend and many days the preceeding week after so try to avoid this week if you can.

Animal Kingdom Crowd Calendar

December 2023

The first fortnight is a great time to visit to see the Animal Kingdom in full on Christmas mode without the crowds of the last fortnight but even these two weeks aren’t as quiet as they used to be.

If visiting later in December, and its within your budget, purchasing Genie+ for everyone in your party could save you from some long queues but remember that you will still be queueing, just not for as long. Consider what you want to get done in your day, Genie+ may not be worthwhile.