Walt Disney World In May | Tips For Planning A Trip

Want low crowds, perfect weather, and a festival for your next vacation? Walt Disney World in May may be (pun intended!) the perfect choice!

In this post, we discuss visiting Walt Disney World in May, covering everything from weather to events to crowd levels—plus personal tips and tricks we have learned over the years. After several months of lots and lots of crowds, expect to finally see some reprieve in May at Disney World. Along with fewer crowds, the weather is pretty beautiful this time of year. May is one of our favorite times to visit Walt Disney World. We have you covered on what to do, see, and more while visiting Disney in May!

As always, we can hardly keep up with Disney’s changes, but we try our best to update these posts. If we missed something, please comment, and we will fix it ASAP!

Weather At Disney World in May

Although the crowds are dropping, expect the heat to rise at Disney World in May. That said, temperatures won’t be as brutal as summer. Averages range from a high of 88°F and lows of 66°F. Plus, hurricane season won’t start until June 1st, so the rain and humidity should be minimal for Florida standards.

May’s weather makes packing clothes easy. Just throw in your summer clothes, and you are good to go! You may want to add a light jacket if you are cold-natured (especially in those heavily air-conditioned queues!) and/or a raincoat just in case!

May Crowds at Disney World

Overall, the crowds at Walt Disney World in May are average or below average – hooray! This is because Spring Break is officially over and school is still in session. Parents want their kiddos to finish their school year strong and be part of the festivities, skipping the trip to Disney World until the summer months. This is GREAT news for those visiting Walt Disney World in May.

The busiest time of the month will definitely be Memorial Day weekend, from May 22nd to May 27th this year. Because Memorial Day is the unofficial kick-off for summer vacation, expect an increase in crowds at the Walt Disney World resort, and expect it to continue to grow in the summer months. We would plan your Disney trip before Memorial Day to avoid the elevated crowds if you can.

One caveat to note. This year, the much-anticipated Universal Epic Universe opens on May 22nd, 2025, the Thursday before Memorial Day. This may impact park crowds in a positive way for Disney goers, with more visitors heading to Universal. Time will tell how Epic crowds influence Walt Disney World.

Another thing to consider is that EPCOT’s International Flower & Garden Festival is still taking place. You can expect EPCOT to be more crowded on the weekends, as locals love to spend their days off at the festival. Also, several sporting events are taking place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. This may impact theme park visitors, guests at Disney Springs (especially in the evenings), and/or room availability at the value resorts.

Below are the weekly highlights for Disney World in May:

March 5 – June 2, 2025: EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival
May 22 – May 27, 2025: Memorial Day weekend
May 22, 2025 – Universal Epic Universe opens
May 27, 2025 – The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure and Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After debut.

Events At Walt Disney World

EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival
Dates: March 5th – June 2nd, 2025
“Bee” transported into a springtime wonderland at this floral-themed festival! Guests can enjoy springtime foods, tunes, topiaries, and more! A personal favorite of ours is the butterfly garden and Spike the Bee scavenger hunt.

Cool Kid Summer
Dates: May 27th – September 20th, 2025
Disney World celebrates summer with family-friendly events, like “kid zones” in the parks, dance parties, games in the resorts, and more! Plus, Disney offers many discounts this summer—read below in the “Tips” section for more details.

Events at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports:

The Summit Championship (May 1st – May 4th, 2025)
The D2 Summit (May 9th – May 11th, 2025)
Special Olympics Florida Summer Games (May 16th – May 17th, 2025)
AAU Basketball Memorial Day Classic (May 24th – May 26th, 2025)
Disney Memorial Day Soccer Tournament (May 24th – May 26th, 2025)

Find more details about these events here.

Closures and Refurbishments

The following will be closed during May:

In The Parks:

Magic Kingdom – Big Thunder Mountain (returning in 2026)
Magic Kingdom – Astro Orbiter (returning summer 2025)
Magic Kingdom – Hall of Presidents (returning sometime late 2025)
Magic Kingdom – children’s playground inside Dumbo the Flying Elephant (returning spring 2025)
EPCOT – Test Track (returning date TBA; sometime in 2025)
Disney’s Blizzard Beach (closing for a brief refurbishment and reopening May 21st, 2025)

At The Resorts:

Yacht and Beach Club – Stormalong Bay (returning June 2025)
Winter Summerland Miniature Golf (undergoing refurbishment until June 16th, 2025. FYI: Although reservations cannot be made during this time, one course will remain open so guests can visit via walk-ups.)

Disney Springs:

Starbucks: West Side Disney Springs (March 3rd, 2025 – TBA)
Recent Permanent Closures in 2025
Hollywood Studios – Mama Melrose (permanently closing May 10th, 2025)
Animal Kingdom – Work on Dinoland USA continues (retheming to Tropical Americas Pueblo Esperanza, opening 2027)
Animal Kingdom – TriceraTop Spin (permanently closed)
Animal Kingdom – It’s Tough To Be a Bug (permanently closed)
BoardWalk – Jellyrolls (permanently closed)

Tips For Visiting Walt Disney World In May

For the first time in many years, both of Disney World’s water parks will be open this May and into summer! As a reminder, Typhoon Lagoon will already be in operation and Blizzard Beach will open on May 21st, 2025. Both water parks will remain open until September 8th, 2025, when either temporarily closes. Which park is yet to be determined.

To combat the projected Epic crowds, Disney has been offering various discounts! These include discounted 3-day park tickets, 50% off select children’s tickets, free dining, and more! See them all here!

To put on your radar. Expect Magic Kingdom’s brand-new nighttime parade, Disney Starlight, to debut late this summer 2025! Until then, those visiting Walt Disney World in May can enjoy TWO new shows at Hollywood Studios: The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure and Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After. Both shows premiere on May 27th, 2025.

I hope this is helpful, and we'd love to hear your favorite Disney tips! Please share in the comments below or tag me on Instagram, follow on Pinterest and Facebook, and join my email list so you don’t miss anything new. Thanks for being here, friends! 🙂