Visiting Walt Disney World in November 2023

There is something truly special about Walt Disney World in November. In fact, it’s one of my favorite times to visit. Not only is the weather mild, but it is also the beginning of the holiday season. Yes, Christmas comes early at Walt Disney World. But visiting Disney World in November allows you to experience the holiday season without the holiday season crowds! (Unless you visit during Thanksgiving week, of course!)

With the exception of Veteran’s Day weekend and the week of Thanksgiving, November crowds are generally moderate. That being said, Disney World in November could be truly magical this year with many new and exciting things taking place!

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Planning a Disney World vacation in 2023? Be sure to check out our guide to all that the Walt Disney World Resort has to offer this year including the opening of TRON Lightcycle Run Roller Coaster, updated nighttime spectaculars, and more!

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

Perhaps one of the most popular events this time of year is Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival which ran from July 14 to November 19 in 2022. (No dates have been announced yet for 2023.) Undoubtedly one of the most popular festivals, this event typically features over 30 food and beverage booths (compared to under 20 for the other festivals). As we stated earlier, be prepared for local crowds as many come to “eat and drink their way around the world.” Evenings and weekends will be busier so plan on visiting Epcot during the week if crowds are a concern.

Also taking place in November as part of this festival is the Wine & Dine Half Marathon. While we don’t have an official date yet for 2023, the entire event took place November 3-6 in 2022 and featured a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and the Disney Two Course Challenge (10K and Half Marathon). Virtual options were available as well!

Another festival that will begin in November is the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, which took place from November 25 through December 30 in 2022. (It will likely return around the same time in 2023.) Featuring traditions from around the world, including some incredible cuisine and holiday treats, this festival is certainly to put you in the holiday spirit. It offers some unique holiday entertainment including a celebrity-hosted Candlelight Processional.

Another thing to consider for November is that Christmas arrives quite early in Walt Disney World! Christmas decorations start 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.

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 can affect resort availability and crowds at Disney’s value resorts. Here’s a look at the events typically scheduled in November:

ESPN Events Invitational – (took place November 24-27 in 2022)
Disney Junior Soccer Showcase – (took place November 25-27 in 2022)

Other notable events/dates for November include Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party – Magic Kingdom’s ticketed Christmas event. Likely to return in 2023, this very special Christmas party took place in 2022 on select nights from November 8 through December 22. And Magic Kingdom isn’t the only park to have special holiday events. In 2022, we also had Flurry of Fun at Hollywood Studios, Holiday Celebrations at Animal Kingdom, and Epcot International Festival of the Holidays. Be sure to visit our guide to celebrating Christmas at Disney World for more information!

Veteran’s Day falls on a Saturday this year (November 11), so it could affect the weekend crowds a bit more than usual as many will have Friday off to observe the holiday. Other dates to watch out for, however, are November 18-26. This particular week draws some of the biggest crowds 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 2022. (Please note that this list could change at a moment’s notice.)

Magic Kingdom

Walt Disney World Railroad is finally open after nearly 4 years of closure due to Tron construction!
Pete’s Silly Sideshow reopened on January 15 in Storybook Circus.
The Little Mermaid meet and greet with Ariel officially returns on January 22, 2023.
Enchanted Tales with Belle is reopening on February 19, 2023.
Happily Ever After (an updated version) is returning to Magic Kingdom on April 3, 2023.
Tron Lightcycle Power Run is opening on April 4, 2023.
Splash Mountain is closing permanently on January 23, 2023, to become Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The newly rethemed attraction is scheduled to open in 2024.

EPCOT

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is now open!
Moana: Journey of Water, a brand new attraction, will be opening in 2023.
Canada Far & Wide in CircleVision 360 is closed through November 2022 (most likely for the Food & Wine Festival)
The American Adventure is closed from September 19 thru December 16, 2022
A new nighttime show will be opening at some point in 2023 to replace Harmonious.

Hollywood Studios

Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away (stage show) has permanently ended
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration will be closed January 9-27, 2023
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith will begin a length refurbishment beginning February 20, 2023. It is expected to reopen in the summer of 2023.
Voyage of the Little Mermaid is temporarily closed with no reopening date yet.
Jedi Training Academy: Trials of the Temple is also temporarily closed.

Animal Kingdom

Primeval Whirl is permanently closed
Kali River Rapids will be closed for refurbishment beginning January 9

Other

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park will be closed for refurbishment beginning November 13, 2022.

November Weather

The weather can be a bit unpredictable in the month of November, but it is typically one of the most beautiful months to visit Disney World. The average high is 79 degrees and the low is typically around 59 degrees. Hurricane season is typically over by November as well, meaning there will be fewer rainy days. You will undoubtedly want to dress in layers, however. The days (especially if they are sunny) will feel quite warm, but the evenings will probably get a bit chilly.

November Disney World Crowd Calendar

Crowd calendars are very popular, but they can also be a bit unpredictable. That being said, the pandemic has made predicting crowds even more difficult than normal.

While crowd calendars can be a big help in planning your trip, keep in mind, 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.

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.

**For a free printable PDF version of this crowd calendar, be sure to visit our resource page to become an email subscriber! You will also gain access to other printable resources to help you plan your next Disney vacation!