Best Time to Book Disney!

Disney World is indeed magical, and everyone certainly missed it while it was closed.  There is so much to do at Walt Disney World, the only question is ... when do you visit? That question has been asked a lot in the last few months as the parks shut down. They have now all reopened at lowered capacity and include mask requirements, additional health and safety measures, and fewer character and entertainment options. Even though things look and feel a little differently, many of us have adapted to this "new normal." Because the crowds are lower many have started thinking it is a good time to visit Disney World.  Many are also wondering when Disney will be back to normal.  At this point, we do not have an answer to that, but we do know that it is a great time to visit if you don’t like huge crowds!
The good news is that as far as crowds go, the rest of this year — and probably most of 2021 — should be a great time to visit! Even though crowds are picking up, they certainly haven’t reached pre-pandemic levels. Also keep in mind that to limit capacity and maintain social distancing, Disney is requiring guests to book park reservations through Sept. 26, 2021. Demand has overall been lower than those capacity limits, except for the case of Disney's Hollywood Studios, mostly because of interest in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, but also keep in mind that Disney's Hollywood Studios is simply the smallest park and therefore has the smallest capacity. For this reason, if you plan to visit in the next few months, we highly recommend you purchase your tickets and make your reservations as soon as possible.
The state of Florida has now removed attendance restrictions from theme parks, but we don't expect to see Disney World remove its restrictions any time soon. After all, no theme park in the world — especially not Disney World — wants to have to shut down again. Ride wait times have gone up in recent weeks, but they are still much lower than previous times.
It is a different experience now, but not all the changes are bad. It is a good time to go if you like lower ride wait times and OK with waving to characters rather than getting hugs or autographs from them.   Characters are, in many ways, more visible now than they have ever been. You can’t meet with them, but they’re out and about everywhere — even on Cinderella Castle!
While some will say "not this year," that will also make for even lower crowds for those who do opt to visit Disney World. And, it also means, unlike many other years where you needed to plan months and months in advance, this year you can book a last-minute trip and still have a great experience.
In the past, the best time to visit Disney World was centered around school schedules. The best time to visit was usually when the kids were in school. Generally, any time there was a school holiday, there would be bigger crowds at Disney World. Now, this year with so many school districts moving to online school or homeschooling that has spaced out the higher demand dates.
So…when would we recommend scheduling your family trip to Disney World?  These are our suggestions for a slimmer crowd for 2021…
Jan 25-Feb 10,    Feb 22-March 5,   April 15- 31st,   weekdays in the first half of May,  the second half of August,  most days in September, most weekdays in October, weekdays in November (not Thanksgiving week), Weekdays in December (not week of Christmas or New Year’s Eve!)   
But then….Disney is ALWAYS magical at ANY time!