When to visit Walt Disney World is a much debated and purely personal decision.  There are many factors to consider when deciding which time of year is right for your family.  If you’ve got kids, you need to think about whether you want to pull them out of school, time off work can be a problem, not to mention the traffic at the parks themselves.  I’m going to give you a list of considerations to include when trying to decide when to plan your trip.

1.  How’s the weather?

Do you loathe hot and humid weather?  Yeah, me too.  If you have a hard time not melting in the heat, stay away from Florida from May to October.  The summer heat and humidity are brutal.  If a little warm weather is just what you’re after, September (after Labor Day) is a great time to visit as crowds tend to be lighter.

2.  Party Animals

Ain’t no party like a Disney party!  If you want to experience Halloween like you never have before, visit in the fall when Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is happening.  If Christmas is more your speed, wait a few months and go for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.  These events are seasonal and include lots of magical things you can’t see without a party ticket!

3.  May the force be with you.

Have you got a Star Wars fan in your family?  You might enjoy going during Star Wars Weekends.  These run in May and June at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and include lots of special Star Wars events you can’t see other times of the year.  Mickey and the gang show up in Jedi gear and there’s even a special Star Wars character meal!

4.  Food & Wine

If you’re a foodie or a wine connoisseur, you’ll want to head to Epcot’s Food & Wine festival.  This runs from September to November and includes lots of special food kiosks just for the event.  Crowds tend to be a bit heavier, especially on the weekends, but is still manageable.

5.  Crowded house

If crowds really aren’t your jam, avoid all holidays, including Christmas, Easter, New Year’s Eve, and Independence Day.  The parks are packed to the gills and you could even get turned away at the gate.  Avoid, avoid, avoid.