This Week at Disney World: September 20-26

Happy Sunday! We are in my favorite stretch of the year at Disney World: Halloween decorations up, Food & Wine booths open, and crowds that are noticeably softer than summer. Here's what the week ahead looks like. 🎃

What's Happening in the Parks

Magic Kingdom is deep into Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party season, which means select nights the park closes early to day guests. Check the calendar before you commit to a Magic Kingdom day this week. If you're not going to a party, I'd use party afternoons anyway: the park clears out noticeably after 4pm as non-party guests head out, and standby lines for Big Thunder Mountain and Haunted Mansion get very reasonable. If you are going to a party, get in at 4pm with your party ticket and start with characters, not rides.

EPCOT has the International Food & Wine Festival running, and weekends are the busiest part of it. World Showcase booths get crowded from noon on, especially Friday and Saturday. Weekday mornings are lovely and quiet over there.

Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom are the calm ones right now. If you want Rise of the Resistance or Flight of Passage without a long wait, this is a great week to rope drop either one. Animal Kingdom also closes earliest, so I'd pair it with a resort dinner.

Snacks and Merch Worth a Look

Halloween merch is fully out at Magic Kingdom, and the Haunted Mansion collection continues to be the thing I have the least self control around. For snacks, the candy corn and pumpkin spice items are floating around Main Street bakeries, and Food & Wine booths are rotating specials. My pick this week: something savory before something sweet, always.

What to Wear This Week

Late September in Florida is still genuinely hot. Highs in the low 90s, humidity that does not quit, and a real chance of a late afternoon storm most days.

• Breathable fabrics over anything heavy. Save the sweater weather outfit ideas for November.
• Halloween colors instead of Halloween costumes if you're not doing a party: orange, purple, black.
• A packable poncho in your bag, not a cute jacket you'll end up carrying.
• Ears that won't wilt. I go for a sturdier headband on hot days. More ideas over on /ears.

Planning Tip of the Week

Book your Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections the moment your window opens at 7am, but pick your first one for 11am or later. Mornings are your free standby time when lines are shortest, and using a Lightning Lane at 9:15am wastes it. Push everything into the hot, crowded middle of the day when it actually saves you something.

Planning a trip? Start with /itinerary and /dining. Have a wonderful week. ✨