United States, North America

Orlando in December

The first two weeks are decorated, festive, and manageable. Christmas week through New Year's is the most crowded stretch of the entire year.

Think twiceMild, highs near 73F (23C)

Downtown Orlando from Lake Eola Park — OrlandoPhoto: Benoît Prieur, CC0

The straight answer

December is a month to think twice about visiting Orlando. The first two weeks are decorated, festive, and manageable. Christmas week through New Year's is the most crowded stretch of the entire year.

Weather: Mild, highs near 73F (23C)
Crowds: 5 of 5
Prices: 5 of 5

What December is like in Orlando

December is mild, with highs near 73F (23C), and the parks are fully decorated for the holidays. The first two weeks are festive and manageable. Christmas week through New Year's is the most crowded stretch of the entire year, and parks can reach capacity and pause entry. Prices peak over the holidays, and hotels near the parks sell out early.

Early December suits families and couples who want the holiday decorations without the chaos. Christmas week suits only those who plan carefully and arrive early each day. Couples without kids may prefer the quiet first week. For short lines, pick late January instead.

Make the most of December

What is especially good about Orlando this month.

Holiday decorations

Parks are fully dressed for the season, with ticketed holiday parties and nightly shows.

Early December calm

The first two weeks bring the full holiday look with manageable lines.

Cool evenings

Mild nights are perfect for fireworks and holiday lights.

What to pack for December

A light jacket or fleece
Comfortable shoes
Sunscreen
A portable phone charger

Our timing tip

Travel in the first two weeks of December, and avoid Christmas week unless you arrive at opening each day.

Book Orlando for December.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Orlando
Opens a hotel search for Orlando in December, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for December
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Orlando
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Orlando
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Orlando for December. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in December

Holiday season in the parks

Mid November through early January

Decorations, ticketed holiday parties, and nightly entertainment. Beautiful through mid December, then maximum-capacity crowds arrive for Christmas week.

Things to do in Orlando

Full guide

Magic Kingdom

The signature castle park. Arrive before official opening; the first two hours deliver more rides than the next six.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

EPCOT

The festival park: flowers in spring, food and wine through the fall. Adults' favorite, and the best eating on Disney property.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom

Home to the headline Star Wars and Avatar lands. Both are lighter half-day parks if you plan rides tightly.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Universal's Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios

The Wizarding World spans both parks via the Hogwarts Express, which requires a two-park ticket and is worth it.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Epic Universe

Universal's newest park, opened in 2025. Demand runs hot, so book this one further ahead than the others.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

A water park day

Build one into any warm-month trip as the recovery day. Go at opening; wave pools hit capacity by late morning in summer.

Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Pick the week before you pick anything else. The same budget buys triple the rides in late January or mid September versus March or late December.
Rope drop is the single biggest lever inside any week: arriving 45 minutes before park opening beats any paid line-skip product for the first two hours.
Ride the headliners first thing or in the final hour before close; use midday, when waits peak, for shows, meals, and the pool.
Weekdays beat weekends at every park, and locals with annual passes swell Saturday crowds even in slow season. Tuesday and Wednesday are reliably the lightest days.

Know before you go

Orlando has no off season in the closure sense: the parks are open 365 days a year, including Christmas, which is actually their busiest day. What varies is hours, which shrink in slow season and stretch past midnight in peak weeks.
Parks can hit capacity and pause entry on the very biggest days, most famously between Christmas and New Year's. In peak weeks, arrive early and check whether park reservations are required for your ticket type.
Individual rides close for refurbishment on rotating schedules, most heavily in the slow winter and early-fall windows. If one attraction is the whole reason for your trip, check the official refurbishment calendar before booking.
Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. The parks close for direct threats only, which is rare, and typically reopen within a day or two. September and October trips deserve refundable bookings and trip insurance.