Is it Packed: Disney World in June

Photographed by Michael of Countdown to Magic

In this article, I’m going to help you better understand how packed Disney World is in June. 

We’ll discuss expected crowd levels, what days or weeks in June are better than others, and how you can overall navigate the crowds in the park so you and your family can have the best trip imaginable.  

Is it Packed: Disney World in June

Let’s begin by going over all of the things you need to know before heading to Disney.

Know Before You Go

I think this bares reiterating, so I’m going to take the time to do it now. If you are planning to go to the Walt Disney World Resort during the month of June, you should expect to be surrounded by lots of other people who are also looking to enjoy their vacation. 

The honest truth is that each and every park will be packed with tourists, and you may feel like even getting into the theme parks is a fiasco. Don’t fret. The folks at the Walt Disney World Resort know this is a challenging time to vacation and they are prepared for just this exact thing. 

To try to alleviate some of the crowds that would normally flock to the parks during the month of June, the powers-that-be at Walt Disney World have created blackout dates for numerous annual passholders. 

This means that many of the locals or the Florida residents will not be swarming around the parks because their passes won’t allow them to be there. With the locals staying at home, this will leave the parks open to only out-of-towners. 

Ten years ago, this wasn’t always the case. If you went to the parks in June, everyone was there. So ride wait times were atrocious and you couldn’t even get near a character meet-and-greet session without putting in at least a half hour of time in line. 

Aside from issuing the blackout dates, the special events coordinators for Walt Disney World Parks have done a fantastic job of making events magically appear during the off-seasons. Unique celebrations and festivals take place outside of the summer months, so often—if people can—they are now electing to travel to the parks during the non-peak seasons because they want to present for those special events. 

These two major points are going to produce a much better overall vacationing experience for you and your travel party as you enter the parks in June. 

The crowd size will still be above average, but you will not have to squish and squeeze your way into the park. You will be able to deal with all the other travelers by following these helpful guidelines:

Book a Hotel Room at a Resort You Love

Many people may enter vacation planning mode thinking they only need to find a hotel that is close to the parks, and it has at least a couple of beds and a bathroom. Those people are thinking this way because they are trying to be practical.

They don’t need to spend a ton of money on a room because they intend to spend all day at the parks. We just need a place to lay our heads at the end of the night. That feels like a good idea, and maybe it makes sense if you want to travel during February and March, but in the month of June it is vitally important to spend the extra cash and get lodgings that are more than agreeable. 

You should investigate the hotels and resorts very carefully to find one you absolutely adore because you may be spending more time there than you think. Here’s the truth of the matter: During the month of June it is going to be hot.

I’m not talking the “Oh no, I have sweat dampening my upper lip kind of hot.” Rather you should imagine the kind of hot that makes you want to say, “Are they actually frying an egg on the sidewalk over there?” With that image planted vividly in your mind, having a cool and relaxing hotel room accessible will be necessary. When traveling to the parks in June and selecting a place to stay, I always think it wise to check out the accommodations, the amenities, and the approximate distance to the parks. 

I’m not talking the “Oh no, I have sweat dampening my upper lip kind of hot.” Rather you should imagine the kind of hot that makes you want to say, “Are they actually frying an egg on the sidewalk over there?” With that image planted vividly in your mind, having a cool and relaxing hotel room accessible will be necessary. When traveling to the parks in June and selecting a place to stay, I always think it wise to check out the accommodations, the amenities, and the approximate distance to the parks. 

For the accommodations part of your research, this should be rather easy. Just answer the following questions: How many people do you have in your travel party? How many beds would you like to have for these people? Does anyone have any special needs that may require a particular kind of room?

While you are answering these questions remember that everyone in your party is on vacation; therefore, everyone deserves to be comfortable. Especially since they will be traveling and playing in the blazing sun all day people may get cranky at days end and want to have a space of their own so that they may retreat and re-energize overnight. When in doubt, opt for more space as opposed to less. Your family will thank you for the cushion later.

The amenities portion of your research can be a bit more of a challenge, and you will most certainly want to take your time coming up with this list. Try starting with these questions: Are you the kind of family who likes to eat breakfast before heading out for the day? Does that mean you will need a refrigerator?

When you leave a restaurant, how likely are you to request a doggy bag so you can take home your leftovers? If you are a leftovers sort of person, won’t you probably want to have a microwave in your room so you can heat up your leftovers later? Finally, and maybe most importantly, does this resort have the kind of pool you are envisioning for your vacation?

If you are traveling with the family, you may want a resort that has multiple pool areas and some of those locations even feature water slides. If you are just traveling with your partner, you want to skip the water slides and find a resort that features adult-only pools. Some resorts have hot tubs, while others do not.

That might not be a concern of yours during the month of June, but if someone in your party tends to get sore muscles after walking around the parks all day, they may thank you for picking a resort with a hot tub later. 

Approximate distance to the parks, for me, is the area where all the difference can be made in a vacation. Did you know some hotels offer free shuttles to the parks, but others make you pay for your ride? You can always drive your own car or rent a car at the airport, but then you have to pay to park at the Disney Theme Parks. (This might not seem like a big deal initially, but if you are planning to park hop, those dollar signs can start to add up for you. For a standard vehicle, most of the parks charge about $25. Visiting more than one park a day or leaving and coming back becomes out of the question when you continually have to pay to park your ride.)

The best way to ensure you and your travel party have easy access to the parks is to book a room at a Walt Disney World Resort. Of course, these locations are going to offer the best access to the parks, but they will also load you up with extra perks and privileges, too.

I have a friend who visits the parks a few times a year with her husband. Every time they come down to Orlando, they stay at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. They never go anywhere else. I try to convince her to give another place a try, but she refuses to give up the perks she receives while staying on-site at this property. Disney’s Contemporary Resort is within walking distance of the Magic Kingdom. 

That means you can leave your hotel room and be standing in the Magic Kingdom theme park in about ten minutes time. (At most Good Neighbor Hotels the trip into the Magic Kingdom park will take closer to an hour or an hour and a half depending on the crowds and the traffic.) Just by electing to stay at a Walt Disney World Resort, you have saved yourself about an hour of vacation time which you can then spend properly in the parks. 

Another advantage to staying on-site is the “Extra” Extra Magic Hours that are only available to those staying at Walt Disney World Resorts. This generally means that if Hollywood Studios is scheduled to open at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning, it will open at 6 a.m. to accommodate those special guests who have chosen to stay at one of the Disney properties.

That means you and your travel companions will be able to roam around the parks a full three hours before anyone from the general public will even be admitted. Talk about a great way to start your morning!

Pack Clothing that is Appropriate

It is going to be hot throughout the month of June. There will be no doubt about that. There will not be chilly nights. You won’t feel a nip in the air during the morning hours. Even when it rains, the shower will be more like a warm drizzle. So, when you are gathering your clothing and tossing it into your luggage, be sure to pack items that you will wear.

Very seldom will any kind of hoodie, sweatshirt, or pair of pants be necessary. Rather, fill up your bags with moisture-wicking t-shirts and shorts. Once you have packed what you need, leave it at that. Make every effort you can not to overpack. Lugging around a heavy bag, stuffed with clothes you don’t need, will only make you irritable. The same rules apply for your belongings when you are heading to the parks. If you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort, every member of your party will be gifted with a Disney MagicBand.

These little beauties are nothing short of miraculous. The Disney MagicBand can work as your room key, your theme park ticket, your card which enables you to get tons of Disney Photopass pictures loaded directly to your account, and it can even be trusted to take care of your meal plan. If every member of your party can just wear their MagicBand into the park, then that’s all you need.

Maybe one person can wear a pair of shorts that have pockets so someone in your group can have some sunscreen handy, but then you will have it all!

If going without bags into the park just won’t work for your party, then it is best to try and have only one day bag per group. In that bag, you should stuff whatever is essential, plus a bottle of sunscreen.

These day bags should be small and compact. They should be easy to carry and something that can be passed from person to person in your travel party throughout the day. By electing to travel lightly throughout the parks you have made the right decision in two ways. The first is that only one person at a time will have to operate under the burden of carrying the pack.

Everyone is going to sweat and that can be uncomfortable when carrying a back pack. The straps may start to itch, or chafing may occur. The second reason your party should travel lightly during the month of June is because of the other guests at the park.

If every party only decided to bring in one bag, then the security lines would move quickly, and no one would be jostled out of the way because someone carrying a large book bag in front of them shouldered their way through the throngs of people. So, traveling lightly is helpful to you, your travel party, and to other guests.

Visit the Water Parks

I know a lot of people who elect to forego the Walt Disney World Water Parks, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, because they think the pool at their hotel will be enough to satisfy their party. In some cases, I’m sure that is true, but in the month of June your travel party will be begging for more pool time. Meet their needs by securing Disney Water Park passes.

During the summer months both locations are usually open from 10 a.m.- 7 p.m. There are plenty of things to do at these fun and uniquely-themed water parks so you and your party could certainly spend a whole day here. I recommend showing up as the park opens and then letting the day unfold before you. There are tons of water slides to keep the teens busy.

The lazy rivers at both locations are a sheer delight and once your family gets a glimpse of the “Typhoon Lagoon Wave Pool” they may want to stay in it for hours. Relax in the shaded areas and cool off throughout the day with delicious meals like the Jerk Chicken Rice Bowl or the Footlong Hot Dog. Satisfy your sweet tooth with the crowd-pleasing Sand Bucket Sundae.

At the end of the day, you and your family members will be grateful that you thought to book a day at the water parks. Plus, even if the water park is busy, there is so much to do there, no one will feel overcrowded.

Make Time for Disney Springs

During the month of June, Disney Springs can be a lifesaver. Being in the parks every day all day can be overwhelming. Napping at the hotel or swimming in the hotel’s pool for a few days can be fine, but eventually your routine might feel a little boring. Mix it up by heading to Disney Springs. You don’t have to spend a whole day here, but you could.

If you are just trying to beat the heat for a couple of hours, there are more than enough shops, restaurants, and adventures waiting to capture your attention for the afternoon. Stop into Splitsville Luxury Lanes for a quick bite and a game or two of bowling.

Catch a flick at the AMC Theaters with your crew. I know you can watch movies at home, but have you ever watched a Disney or Pixar movie on the big screen while you were staying at Walt Disney World?

This change of venue can really light up an afternoon as sometimes special fan events and even posters are gifted to guests who go to see the Disney-Pixar Pictures. If your party is up for something really unique, plan to spend the evening catching a concert at the House of Blues. Almost every weekend in June will feature a stunning band or musical act. The audiophile in your family will appreciate the fact that you planned an activity just for him or her.

Use the My Disney Experience App

This tool will help you and your travel companions be able to plot and plan every single aspect of your trip. You can schedule breakfast at Disney World by booking a reservation on this app. Scheduling time to eat breakfast at Walt Disney World will be a great way to maximize your time in the parks. When booking a breakfast reservation, you can usually get a time before the parks open. This means you are not missing valuable park time eating.

Instead, you and your family members can enjoy a leisurely breakfast and then head to the parks. Plus, if you eat a very filling breakfast, you may not need to stop to eat lunch. That is helpful because now you’ve only got to worry about dinner or snacks throughout the rest of the day (may I recommend making a breakfast reservation at Tusker House over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? They have the best chocolate croissants).

Once you are done eating, you can make your FastPass+ selections right on your phone. You can even view Disney World wait times for your other favorite attractions by checking out this app. For now, there is no better tool available that can help you maximize your vacation potential.

The new Disney Genie app will be unveiled in late 2020. It will likely replace the My Disney Experience App. This saves you park time and it helps keep you on a budget. Using the apps to check out the ride and attraction wait times is a must.

While some of the parks, like Epcot, have ride times posted in a central location, most of them do not. If you are trying to make decisions about how best to spend your time each day it is helpful to know just how long you have to wait in line to meet Rapunzel versus how long you would have to wait to ride The Haunted Mansion. 

The Walt Disney World Resort during the month of June is sure to be crowded and hot, but with the tips mentioned above and a little confidence, you will be able to have the best vacation ever!

  • Editor’s Note: Do note that Disney World has removed their FastPass system in favor of a new system (a paid system, in fact) called Genie+.

You Also Might Like:

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *