When planning your Walt Disney World vacation, one of the first questions you’ll need to answer…“When are we going?”

There are several things to consider when choosing the best time of year for your trip. Number one…your time constraints. When CAN you go? If you’re traveling with a large party, this can be difficult to determine. Jobs, commitments and school schedules will likely limit your options.

Budget, for most of us, has to be taken into account also. Accommodation pricing varies based on resort, room type and season. You can see a good reference chart at wdwinfo.com. Check the Disney website or contact your travel agent for current special offers. Theme park ticket prices also fluctuate with season. More about that here: Walt Disney World 101 – Park Tickets Explained.

Can you handle large crowds? I mean, really…large…crowds. Make sure you investigate seasonal crowd levels so you know what to expect. Disney always seems busy to me. Holidays, summers and weekends are well-attended and wall-to-wall people can be the norm then. Occasionally, the parks reach capacity and close early to new guests. This typically happens at Easter, Christmas and New Years.

Research Central Florida weather patterns. Summers are hot, muggy and often stormy. Hurricane season occurs in late summer through early fall. Winters can be warm enough for swimming…but also cold enough for coats, hats and gloves. For me, early spring is ideal. It’s starting to get nice and warm in late March…and most kids are still in school then…which means they won’t be in the parks with their families. ;o)

One last consideration I’ll mention is special events. Is there a particular festival, holiday, tournament or race that you wish to experience at Walt Disney World? Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival is held in spring, International Food & Wine in fall and International Festival of Arts in mid-winter. Holiday parties at the Magic Kingdom run from the end of August through December. Numerous races and other sporting events happen pretty much year-round. There’s always something going on at the Most Magical Place on Earth.

So…the best time of year to go to Walt Disney World? That’s for you to decide. If you address each of the above factors, you should be able to pinpoint your perfect vacation window. And now that you know when you’re going…you can start your countdown to fun!