The best reason to visit Walt Disney World in July is to celebrate Independence Day. It’s a fun atmosphere and you can watch holiday fireworks at EPCOT and Magic Kingdom. Plus, it’s a moving experience to listen to the Voices of Liberty perform in the American Pavilion.
Later in the month, July in Disney World is just humid, rainy and full of kids on summer break, so you may want to pick another time to visit. But whether you’re planning a holiday trip or not, read on to learn about everything you need to know about July events, crowds, weather, what to wear and how to plan your day.
July Events and Holidays
2025 Event Dates
- Flavors of Florida at Disney Springs (June 27-Aug 10, 2025)
- Fourth of July (July 4, 2025)
- USYS National Championships (July 22-27, 2025)
Crowds
July crowds are moderate (much worse than during Spring Break). But kids are out of school in many countries around the world (including in the U.S.), so there are a lot of them in the theme parks compared to other months in the year. If you don’t mind that wait times for rides aren’t bad and there are often deals on hotels and park tickets in July, which can make your vacation more affordable.
If you’re planning to be at Disney World over the Fourth of July, the crowds are still very manageable if you visit the parks early in the day (especially if you are there for early entry). Magic Kingdom and EPCOT will be the busiest in the evening for the fireworks and Animal Kingdom generally won’t be very busy at all.
Additionally, July 5 can actually be a great time to visit the parks for fewer crowds post-holiday. But this also depends on what day of the week July 4 falls on. In 2025, it was a Friday and many people that had week-long trips to Disney World arrived the weekend before the holiday and left just after on July 5 or 6.
July Weather
It’s hot, humid and wet in Florida in the summer, but July is less humid than August and September (source). There is rain or a short thunderstorm almost every day and the temperature usually drops afterward, so the weather isn’t as bad as you might think. We’ve even experienced multiple Fourth of July weekends in Disney World where it was actually cooler there than other parts of U.S.
With that said, visiting early in the month is better than the end. And it’s a good idea to be inside or at a pool between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to avoid rain and the hottest part of the day. So get to the theme parks early and leave around noon. Then you can head back out around dinnertime or after it rains.
What to Wear
Wear any type of clothing that will help you stay cool. This includes UV shirts, clothes that wick aware moisture, and light-colored or loose items. Several of the theme parks have places where you can get wet, so also consider swim trucks, tankinis or anything you don’t mind getting wet if you want to indulge.
Key accessories to have are hats, ponchos and shoes that can get wet (like hiking sandals or Crocs). You don’t want to be wearing socks during a downpour. Portable fans and UV umbrellas (which are also great when it rains) are other items to consider bringing.
If you are staying one or more nights at a hotel, you’ll also want to pack two outfits for each day. The heat and humidity means lots of sweating, so if you’re visiting the theme parks in the morning, you’ll want a cool shower and clean clothes before dinner.
Planning Tips
Transportation
- If you’re flying to Orlando, book a flight that arrives before 1 p.m. or after 6 p.m. to avoid thunderstorms. Likewise, look for departing flights in the morning or early evening.
- The Skyliner and Disney boat transportation will temporarily stop running if there is lightning in the area. This will impact you the most if you’re staying near Disney’s Boardwalk, at a Skyliner resort, or at resort that has boat transportation to Disney Springs.
- The Skyliner is not air conditioned, so you may want to use alternate transportation when it’s really hot.
Where to Stay
- Stay at a hotel with early entry to the theme parks to take advantage of the cooler morning temperatures. This includes official Disney World hotels, Disney Springs hotels and Bonnet Creek hotels (view the list).
- Avoid staying at a hotel or resort that requires walking outdoors to get to your room. With the daily rain, you’ll want to stay at place with covered walkways and/or rooms connected to the lobby. Options include:
- Disney Springs hotels
- Bonnet Creek hotels
- Boardwalk area resorts (except Swan Reserve)
- Contemporary Resort, Coronado Resort (tower rooms), Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge
Itinerary Tips
- Take advantage or early entry to the theme parks (with a stay at a participating hotel) for cooler weather and low chance of thunderstorms. Lightning shuts down outdoor rides (including Test Track and outdoor roller coasters), so you’ll want to do those first.
- Plan to be inside or at a pool in the afternoons (approximately 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.) Then head back to a theme park or visit Disney Springs in the evening.
- Consider single park tickets over park hoppers to save money, especially if you plan to take afternoon breaks.
- Animal Kingdom is typically the hottest Disney World theme park, so if you plan to visit it during your trip, then arrive first thing in the morning (which is also a great time to see animals on the Kilimanjaro Safari ride).
- Plan your trip around After Hour events so you can be in the theme parks at night with fewer crowds (and cooler temperatures). You can sleep in and have a relaxing day before going to the event.
- If you plan visit Disney World on and around the Fourth of July, Magic Kingdom usually has firework shows on July 3 and July 4. The views are best from the Polynesian Resort as fireworks are set off from the lagoon in front of Magic Kingdom as well as in and behind the park.
- Other fitting things to do on the Fourth of July is Hall of Presidents and Carousel of Progress in Magic Kingdom along with the American Adventure show in EPCOT. You can also enjoy some classic American food, such as hand-dipped corn dogs at Sleep Hollow Refreshments in Magic Kingdom, Regal Eagle Smokehouse in EPCOT and The Polite Pig in Disney Springs.
Disney World for Adults 