July 2016 Preliminary Disney World Crowd Calendar

(I’m still working on some formatting issues on the main page. Click the bolded link immediately below the crowd calendar image to be taken to a better looking post.)

You’ll notice that changes to past operating schedules and the announcement that the July 2016 operating schedule was available are now linked in the left column. Emphasis on keeping up to date with news and other items of interest will begin in earnest in January.

This is what we’re looking at for July 2016. Click to enlarge or view as a prettier PDF. And if you don’t know what the numbers/letters mean, read the top of this post. The full operating schedule is available here.

How overall crowds in July pan out is going to depend largely on how much of South America turns out with their economy looking to be on the brink of implosion. For example, Brazil’s Economic Growth (GDP, annual variation in %) was 7.6% in 2010. It was 0.1% in 2014. It will be significantly worse in 2015. Domestic attendance has trended down during the summer over the last two years in particular, but overall summer crowds have continued to be bolstered by international attendance.

As it stands, July isn’t looking to be all that bad, relatively speaking, at least as long as Disney ends up extending the hours as long as they have in the past. If we do see 12am closes at Magic Kingdom, 8pm or 9pm closes at Animal Kingdom with Rivers of Light, and 10pm closes at Hollywood Studios, then average waits may well end up being lower than many days over this past fall, even if daily attendance is actually higher. That’s the reality when you have slightly higher attendance spread out over a much greater amount of time. Add so many more FastPass+ experiences available every day with the extended hours and you’re looking at “just” having to combat the heat and humidity.

Even Deluxe resort prices are lower than much of the year, which is indicated on the first blue colored line of each day on the crowd calendar. The “$$$$” relates to basically peak season pricing at the Values and Moderates. Deluxe resort prices are lower than much of the year, which is indicated by the “$+ and “$.” Deluxe prices are actually Value Season after the 10th. You can probably guess why that is with so many families with school aged children visiting on a budget. Fast forward to the fall and the empty nesters from the northeast roll in with their expense accounts and club level suites within walking distance of Food and Wine.

It’s potentially good news for those of you looking at a summer trip due to school and work schedules.