Disney World in September: Weather, Crowds, Events & What to Expect in 2026

When it comes to planning a trip to Walt Disney World, September usually lands either at the very top of someone’s list — or at the very bottom. There are some very clear pros and cons to visiting Disney World in September. On the downside, it’s still incredibly hot and humid, and it falls right in the middle of hurricane season. If weather is your top priority, this probably isn’t your month. It’s also the start of a new school year, which makes pulling kids out for a vacation less appealing for many families.

On the flip side? September brings some of the lowest crowds of the entire year. If shorter lines and lighter park days sound dreamy, this can be an amazing time to visit. Disney often rolls out some of the best deals of the year, too, making it one of the more budget-friendly months. And of course, there’s Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party — one of the most popular special events of the year — happening throughout September and October.

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Planning a Disney World vacation in 2026? Be sure to check out our guide to all that the Walt Disney World Resort has to offer this year!

In This Post

News and Updates

September At-a-Glance

September Events

September Refurbishments & Closures

September Weather

September Disney World Crowd Calendar

Ready To Start Planning Your Visit To Walt Disney World In September?

News and Updates

2026 Vacation Packages are now available to book through December 2026.
Free Kids Dining Plan Offer: In 2026, guests staying at a Disney World Resort can receive a free Disney Dining Plan for kids (ages 3–9) when purchasing a dining plan for the adults in their vacation package.
Ticket Discount: Disney+ Subscribers can purchase a 3-Day, 3-Park Ticket with admission to Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom (not valid for Magic Kingdom) with Disney+ Perks. Tickets start at $109 per day, plus tax. These are date-based tickets with start dates from January 12 through May 22, 2026.
Annual Passholders: Save up to 35% on rooms for select stays January 4–April 30, 2026, and up to 40% for most stays May 1–July 29, 2026.
Room-Only Discounts: Save up to 25% this spring (January 4–April 30, 2026) or up to 30% this summer (May 1–July 29, 2026), with higher savings on longer stays.
U.S. Military Members: Special room savings available most nights January 1–December 18, 2026 (book by December 18, 2026).
Water Park: Purchase a Water Park Seasonal Pass for just $89 plus tax. Valid through May 9, 2026, except on blockout dates from March 28-April 5.

September At-a-Glance

Don’t forget to pack your sunscreen and drink lots of water! Temperatures in September are still quite warm! And while Disney offers many ways to cool off, you will definitely want to be prepared with sunscreen and water.
Be prepared for rain. As September can be very hot and humid, rain happens. Ponchos are a great thing to keep handy for afternoon showers!
Mornings are a great time to visit the pools. Due to the hotter temperatures, the pools can get quite busy during the heat of the day as well as in the evenings when guests return from a day in the parks. Consider visiting in the mornings when they will be less busy.
After Labor Day, crowds in September lighten quite a bit. Many schools are back in session, and not many want to miss the first weeks of school. So if that isn’t an issue for you, this could be a great time to visit the parks!
The Food and Wine Festival is quite popular with locals. Consider visiting Epcot on weekdays if you’re trying to avoid the crowds.

September Events

Halloween arrives early at the Disney World Resort! A highlight of the season is Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, which takes place on select nights from mid-August through October 31. The very popular ticketed event lasts from 7:00 PM to midnight and features trick-or-treating, a special Halloween parade, fireworks, specialty menu items, not-so-scary entertainment, your favorite characters dressed in their Halloween attire, and so much more.

Another festival to be aware of is Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival, which typically takes place from the end of August through mid-November. This is a highly anticipated event at the park, featuring a wide variety of food and beverage booths to satisfy the most discerning palates. In addition to dining options, attendees can take part in scavenger hunts, enjoy live music, participate in the Wine and Dine Half Marathon, and explore exclusive festival merchandise.

Walt Disney World (as well as ESPN Wide World of Sports) typically hosts several athletic events each month. These events don’t usually have a major impact on crowds in the parks, but they will likely affect resort availability and crowds at Disney’s value resorts. There are currently no events scheduled for September.

September Refurbishments & Closures

*We’ve included all current refurbishments here on this list… even ones that may be open in time for September 2026. (Please note that this list could change at a moment’s notice.)

Magic Kingdom

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be closed until Spring 2026.
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin will be closing for enhancements from August 2025 until Spring 2026.
Carousel of Progress will be closing at some point for reimagining sometime in 2026 or 2027.
Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island are permanently closed.
Walt Disney World Railroad will be operating in shuttle mode for the next few years due to ongoing construction.

EPCOT

Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along will be closed for refurbishment starting February 22, 2026.
Impressions de France will be closed for refurbishment starting February 22, 2026.
Soarin’ Around the World will become “Soarin’ Across America” this summer in honor of America’s 250th birthday celebration. It will likely debut by Memorial Day, and it is unclear if the current ride will need to be closed for a short time during the transition.

Hollywood Studios

Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! will debut in Summer 2026.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith will be permanently closing on March 2, 2026, for reimagining. A new theme starring the Muppets will debut in Summer 2026.
Star Wars Launch Bay is permanently closed and will open in late Summer 2026 as “The Magic of Disney Animation.”
The Walt Disney Studios Lot will open in Summer 2026.

Animal Kingdom

Zootopia: Better Zoogether is now open!
DINOSAUR, Primeval Whirl, TriceraTop Spin, and The Boneyard are permanently closed.
- Dinoland USA, as a whole, has officially closed to make way for a major expansion. Disney has announced that the replacement will be “Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom.” Concepts include Encanto and Indiana Jones, and DINOSAUR will be converted into an Indiana Jones attraction.
Affection Section, Conservation Station, and the Wildlife Express Train will temporarily close starting February 23 to prepare for the all-new Bluey Experience opening summer 2026
Animation Experience will permanently close starting February 23

Other

Disney Skyliner will be closed January 24 through January 30, 2027, for routine maintenance.
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park will close for refurbishment from February 15 to May 11, 2026. Starting on May 12, both Disney water parks will be open for the summer.

September Weather

Overall, the weather in Orlando is still very hot in September. The average high hovers around 90 degrees, with lows typically near 72 degrees. It’s also the heart of Orlando’s rainy season — and September is often considered the wettest month of the year. The good news? Most of the rain comes in short afternoon downpours rather than lasting all day. Quick storms are common, so ponchos (and patience!) are a must.

It’s also important to remember that September falls right in the middle of hurricane season. While it’s rare for Disney World to close due to a storm, it has happened. Since 1971, the parks have closed around 13 times because of hurricanes — with September accounting for six of those closures. Most closures only last a day or two, but it’s definitely something to keep in mind when planning your September vacation and considering travel insurance.

September Disney World Crowd Calendar

Crowd calendars are very popular, but they can also be a bit unpredictable. It’s best not to completely rely on them when making your Disney World vacation plans.

While crowd calendars can be a big help in knowing what to expect, keep in mind that they are predictions at best. When designing our calendars, we take a look at events, school calendars, ticket prices, park hours, holidays, and typical monthly patterns. Unfortunately, our crowd calendars cannot predict other things such as weather, travel advisories, pandemics, or last-minute openings or closings of shows and attractions.

On top of that, many are choosing to travel differently. Quiet months have become popular due to runDisney events as well as other Disney events and promotions, while busier seasons have seen a downward trend in the last couple of years.

September tends to be one of the lightest months of the year in terms of crowds. This is due to several factors, including the start of a new school year as well as the weather. Weekends at Epcot will be busier than normal with locals due to the Food and Wine Festival, and the Magic Kingdom will undoubtedly see some crowds in relation to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

Labor Day weekend is really the only “holiday” during the month of September. And while you may see a slight uptick in crowds, it’s typically not a huge draw in terms of crowds due to most families not wanting to pull their kids out of school during their first weeks back.