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

The holidays arrive early at Walt Disney World! As soon as Halloween wraps up, the entire resort transforms almost overnight, making Disney World in November feel especially magical. Festive décor fills the parks, seasonal treats pop up everywhere, and that holiday atmosphere is in full swing.

Ticketed holiday parties begin in both Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, EPCOT hosts the International Festival of the Holidays, and even Animal Kingdom joins in with seasonal touches. With cooler weather and all the festive offerings, crowds do start to increase — especially during Thanksgiving week, which is typically one of the busiest times of the year.

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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

November At-a-Glance

November Events

November Refurbishments & Closures

November Weather

November Disney World Crowd Calendar

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

November At-a-Glance

Major refurbishments are not typically common in November. Disney tends to schedule their refurbishments during less busy months (such as January or February), but that doesn’t mean closures can’t or won’t happen in November.
The Food and Wine Festival is quite popular with locals. Consider visiting Epcot on weekdays if you’re trying to avoid the crowds.
Veteran’s Day Weekend and Thanksgiving week will be crowded. If you’re trying to avoid crowds in November, be sure to avoid these times… especially Thanksgiving week, as it is one of the busiest weekends of the year.
The holidays begin throughout the parks during the month of November. Christmas decorations and holiday events typically begin the second week of November. So be prepared to celebrate!

November Events

Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival 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.

Another thing to consider if planning a visit in November is that Christmas arrives quite early in Walt Disney World! Christmas decorations begin to spring up throughout the parks and resorts shortly after Halloween. (Epcot typically waits to decorate until after the Food & Wine Festival.) And while Disney does honor Thanksgiving (and the Thanksgiving crowds are typically massive), Christmas is certainly the main attraction for most of November and all of December.

The Epcot International Festival of the Holidays usually takes place after Thanksgiving through the end of December. Featuring traditions from around the world, including some incredible cuisine and holiday treats, this festival is sure to put you in the holiday spirit. It offers some unique holiday entertainment, including a celebrity-hosted Candlelight Processional.

Other notable events/dates for November include Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party – Magic Kingdom’s ticketed Christmas event, which takes place on select nights throughout November and December!

And Magic Kingdom isn’t the only park to have a special holiday event. In 2023, Disney introduced Disney Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios. This ticketed party will be back for the 2026 holiday season!

Be sure to visit our guide to celebrating Christmas at Disney World for more information on all the holiday fun Walt Disney World has to offer!

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.

As far as holidays and crowds in November… Veteran’s Day falls on a Wednesday this year (November 11), which shouldn’t have a massive effect on crowds. What will impact crowds, however, is Thankgiving. That entire week is known to be one of the busiest of the year.

November Refurbishments & Closures

*We’ve included all current refurbishments here on this list… even ones that may be open in time for November 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.

November Weather

The weather in November can be a little unpredictable, but it’s typically one of the most beautiful months to visit Disney World. The average high is around 79 degrees, with lows near 59 degrees. You’ll definitely want to dress in layers — sunny afternoons can feel quite warm, while mornings and evenings often turn chilly.

November also marks the official end of hurricane season, but it’s still worth keeping in mind. 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 — including one closure in November. Most closures only last a day or two, but it’s something to be aware of when planning your trip, just in case.

November 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. But 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.

Normally, November is fairly average in terms of crowds, with the exception of Thanksgiving week. In fact, Thanksgiving weekend is one of the busiest weekends of the year.