We’re all looking for ways to make these next few months go by a little faster until the Disney parks reopen!

What’s our secret for speeding up time and keeping our minds occupied? We’re keeping busy by planning for our next trip to Disney World, of course!

Thinking about a Disney World vacation isn’t just a much-needed distraction right now — it’s also the perfect time to plan! Don’t believe us? Click here for some extra-convincing!

And whether you’ve had to reschedule your vacation or September was the perfect choice in the first place, we’re going to share some great tips and information that ONLY applies to YOU, September babies! Trust us — even though late summer/early fall might seem REALLY far away right now, it’ll be here before you know it!

Crowds 

If you’ve never been to Disney World in September before, you might be wondering what crowds are like in the early fall. Typically summer crowds have started to dwindle down by September once kids are back in school. Although you’ll still find Labor Day weekend to be QUITE busy at Disney World, the rest of the month is normally much more subdued!

September is considered to be one of the “slow seasons” for Disney World. But with fewer crowds also comes shorter hours at the parks. You’ll likely see many of the parks close around 8 PM or 9 PM as opposed to the midnight or later closings that are more common in the summer or during Spring Break for some parks like Magic Kingdom.

Starting in September, Disney World typically also temporarily closes some of its attractions for refurb after its busiest season. This could possibly be changed due to the lengthy closures, but only time will tell. 

Click here to learn more about the closures in Disney World

Weather

If you’re used to visiting Disney World in the spring or summer, you already know Florida’s weather can be a bit unpredictable! One minute it’s sunny, the next it’s raining cats and dogs. But one thing that’s important to note is how different the heat will feel in September vs. the type of heat you may be used to during the winter or springtime in Florida.

It’s going to feel A LOT more humid in late summer and you’re going to notice it — imagine something along the lines of stepping into a sauna as soon as you leave your hotel…and then staying there for hours! But while the daytime temperatures may reach the 90s and the sun will almost certainly be beating down on you, the evenings can cool off rather abruptly!

Also, you’ll want to be aware that Florida’s hurricane season usually peaks from August to September with some of its most severe storms occurring during this time. In fact, this year experts are predicting an above-average level of tropical storm activity. But don’t worry — Disney World is used to handling their fair share of inclement weather. They’re StormReady certified, meaning you’re in safe hands should bad weather threaten to impede your vacation.

With so many changes in the weather that can happen in such a short amount of time, you’ll want to make sure you bring the right gear with you to stay comfortable and dry!

Read more about forecasters predicting an above-average hurricane season and what this means for your Disney World trip here! 

How to Pack

In addition to plenty of shorts and t-shirts to help keep you cool during the hot, hot days, you’ll also need to pack a sweatshirt or a jacket — something lightweight that you can throw in your backpack for the evening or for those chilly, air-conditioned restaurants. We also strongly recommend bringing an extra pair of shoes or waterproof sandals — especially quick and easy drying ones with a back strap for added safety!

Make sure you bring extra shoes for everyone in the family — luckily most kids’ shoes don’t take up very much luggage space! Your Disney trip is not the time you want to learn your kid’s shoes rub their foot uncomfortably!

Bring rain ponchos from home so you won’t have to buy any at the parks, where ponchos can be VERY pricey. You’ll also want to consider bringing a few extra changes of clothing just in case you get caught in a downpour or sweat through your clothing (yep, September can still be a “bring three-pairs-of-underwear-a-day” situation!).

To save critical suitcase space (which is always at a premium!) think about washing your clothes at your resort if you can. There have been some great advances in technology over the years and all of the resorts at Disney World make use of a free app called LaundryView, which tells you when your clothes are done! No need to wait in a boring laundry room while your clothes wash and dry!

To cut down even more on room in your suitcase, you can also ship many items to your resort ahead of time! These can be items you packed yourself and shipped to your resort or supplies delivered to your resort from nearby stores!

Click here to learn how easy it is to have packages delivered to your Disney World resort here!

Epcot’s 2020 Food and Wine Festival

Although the dates haven’t been released yet, Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival usually runs throughout the month of September! It’s one of our favorite Epcot festivals to visit because it centers around a subject that’s near and dear to our hearts — FOOD!

There’s special entertainment including the free daily concert series — Eat to the Beat — (by the way, we already know a few of the performers who will be there this year!). There are also special demonstrations, merchandise, and did we mention FOOD?!

We highly recommend you make time to swing by Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival on your Disney World itinerary! To do so, make sure you leave open a meal slot (or two) by NOT reserving Advance Dining Reservations for your Epcot day. That way you can “graze” your way around the World Showcase at the more-than-30 food booths!

If you’re on a Disney Dining Plan, many of the Food and Wine menu items are snack credit eligible! And since each one is only a tasting-size portion, you can easily make a meal by ordering three or four different items as you nibble around Epcot.

See which Food and Wine menu items were our best value picks at last year’s festival here!

Wanna catch dinner and a show? You might reserve an Eat to the Beat dining package! That way, you’ll have guaranteed seating at the nighttime performance along with a sit-down meal at a select restaurant in Epcot!

And if you want to get the full scoop on this year’s Food and Wine Festival, you can pre-order our DFB Guide to the 2020 Epcot Food & Wine Festival e-Book here!

Click here to read our BEST of the FEST list from last year’s Food and Wine Festival!

Even More FOOD!

In addition to Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival, you’ll find a TON of new seasonal treats all over Disney World. Many of these goodies are Halloween-themed while others are all about that pumpkin spice flavor we go nuts for when the leaves start to fall! You’ll start to see autumn goodies pop up around mid-August and they’ll stick around until the Peppermint and Gingerbread roll in after Halloween!

Disney Springs released a variety of WonderFall Flavors last September as well — think of this like a mini-food festival with over 30 locations getting in on the festive fun!

Click here to see every pumpkin spice-flavored treat that came out in Disney World last fall!

2020 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

Another festive occasion that starts this time of year is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party! These extra ticket events are on sale NOW with dates beginning in mid-August and running through October on select evenings at Magic Kingdom!

On party nights, Magic Kingdom closes early to the general public, so even if you’re not interested in attending, keep in mind you won’t be able to stay in the park after 6PM on multiple nights each week! You can, however, park-hop over to any of the other Disney parks instead!

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Parties feature a bunch of exclusive snacks, free candy via trick-or-treating of course, and special character meet and greets! There’s also Mickey’s-Boo-to-You parade, dance parties, merchandise, and Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular fireworks!

Click here to see our Ultimate Guide to last year’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party!

Tickets aren’t included in the price of your park ticket, but you can often get into Magic Kingdom a few hours early! That way you can save money by spending the day at your resort or Disney Springs before you arrive!

If you DO have park tickets for the day already, we’ve got a little trick AND a treat for you! Did you know that you can also usually use your hard ticket to make FASTPASSES for those last few hours that Magic Kingdom is open? Yup, it’s a THING! Learn more about this special FastPass hack here!

There’s SO MUCH to see and do at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party that you won’t want to waste a minute of it! Pick out your best costumes to wear and hit up the party is STYLE!

Read our FULL REVIEW of 2019’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party here!

Free Dining Offer

If you had previously purchased tickets to Disney World and booked a resort but had to cancel your trip, you’re now eligible for Disney’s super popular free dining offer if your re-book before May 31st! This private offer is only available to guests affected by Disney World’s temporary closure and runs from June 1st through Sept. 30th.

The options include either a Disney’s Quick Service Dining Plan or Disney’s Standard Dining Plan, based on which Disney World resort you’ve chosen to stay at. 

The quick-service option includes 2 fast-food meals, 2 snacks, and 1 refillable resort mug while the standard plan entitles you to 1 fast food and 1 sit down restaurant per day along with 2 snacks, and a refillable mug!

Click here to read our Disney Dining Plan FAQ!

It’s possible Disney could be releasing more free dining dates soon since its a great incentive to get people in the parks! But for now, check out the current room discounts Disney World is offering here and see when we can expect even more deep discounts to be announced here! Remember — room discounts can’t be combined with free dining, but you can always rebook your trip with whichever discount gives you the biggest bang for your buck!

We hope we’ve got you looking forward to planning a trip to Disney World this September! Be sure to sign up for our newsletter where we’ll share all the latest news including when the parks will be reopening!

Have you ever traveled to Disney World in September? Tell us what you liked about it in the comments below!