Overall, November is a lovely time to visit Walt Disney World.  The weather has finally cooled down and crowds remain low with the exception of Thanksgiving week.  Beginning around Thanksgiving, the holiday decorations start arriving around the Disney theme parks and resorts and, while crowded, Thanksgiving at Disney World is a fun way to get into the holiday spirit.  If you are planning to visit during turkey time, be sure to plan your dining as far in advance as possible, especially for your Thanksgiving meal, as restaurants tend to fill quickly.

Crowd Levels & Special Events

As with the rest of the autumn months, November crowds continue to be low.  New Jersey schools are often closed for all or part of the week leading up to Veteran’s Day and many Jersey folks make their annual Disney visit during this week.  In general, crowds are not greatly affected by this, though it is something about which to keep in mind when making your plans if you’re aiming for the lowest possible crowd levels.

Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival is slated to wrap up on Sunday, November 9th and the Wine and Dine Half Marathon will likely take place on Saturday November 8th.  The race begins at 10:00 p.m. and there is a post-race celebration in Epcot following the race until about 3:00 a.m.  Because the race begins after Epcot is already closed to the general public, Disney guests are not usually affected by this event, however, Epcot may see some increase in crowds on the evening of the event.

The November period that sees the highest crowds begins the Friday prior to the Thanksgiving holiday and continues through the following Sunday.  In order to have the best possible experience during this week, arriving at the parks prior to opening each morning is essential, as are making all of your dining and fastpass+ reservations as early as possible.

The holiday season begins in earnest in November with Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party starting on November 7th in the Magic Kingdom.  Like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, the Christmas Party is a hard ticket event (requiring a special ticket separate from general park admission) and the Magic Kingdom closes to non-ticket holders at 7:00 p.m. when the party starts.  The Christmas Party features magical snowfall on Main Street U.S.A., the holiday dream lights on Cinderella Castle, complimentary hot cocoa and cookies, the Once Upon a Christmas Time parade, a holiday Wishes fireworks display, and special shows and character meet and greets throughout the park.

At Hollywood Studios, the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights sparkles in the Streets of America area beginning November 7th.  The lights have become a holiday institution at the Studios since 1995 and have a fascinating history.  The lights are on display through the month of December and into early January.

Finally, Holidays around the World begins in Epcot on November 28th featuring storytellers throughout the country pavilions in the World Showcase telling holiday tales from each country.  Santa Claus makes an appearance at the American Adventure throughout the day and children can have their picture taken with him there as well.  The other holiday feature at Epcot is the very popular Candlelight Processional which takes place in the American Gardens theater three times each evening (5:00, 6:45 and 8:00 p.m.) and lasts about 40-minutes.  A separate ticket for the Processional is not required but guests can book a special dinner reservation which includes reserved seating in the theater for the presentation.

Click on calendar to enlarge image.

Weather

November weather in Walt Disney World is very comfortable with average daily highs around 78° and lows around 58°.  Additionally, November is the driest month of the year with average monthly rainfalls of about 2.14″.  All of these factors make November a very comfortable and pleasant time to visit.

Resort Pricing

Disney Resort pricing is based on multiple “seasons” throughout the year ranging from Value 1 (which is the least expensive) to Holiday (which is the most expensive).  In between the two are Value 2, Fall Season, Regular Season, Summer Season, and Peak Season.  Thrown into the mix are various holiday, weekend and special event rates which range from Regular Season to Holiday Season Pricing.

• Most of November falls within Fall Season pricing ($$)
• Thanksgiving week ($$$-$$$$)

Closures & Refurbishments

There are no attraction refurbishments to note at this time in November