4. Pro – Maximum access to attractions and activities

One of the biggest benefits to visiting Walt Disney World in the summertime is Disney really seems to put their best face forward. Special events are common, attraction refurbishments are kept to a minimum, and new attractions are often freshly opened as of Memorial Day weekend. On top of this, both parks and resorts tend to make as many entertainment and recreation options available as possible.

A perfect example of this is access to Disney’s water parks. If you visit during the winter, you may be likely to see cooler temperatures and lower crowds, but the chances of Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach both being closed (or at least operating on a limited schedule) are much higher. Much of the year, only one of the two parks is open while the other undergoes refurbishment (on cold days, both are closed). During the summer, you are far more likely to be able to access both.

This mentality applies across Walt Disney World resort. While ongoing refurbishments or closures are possible due to operational issues, your chances of enjoying everything Disney has to offer can be higher during the summer months.

5. Con – Prices are likely to be higher

I’ve had many conversations with people who are totally convinced the best sales you’ll find for visiting Walt Disney World are concentrated in the summer—the theory makes sense after all if you look at Disney’s marketing. At first glance, it seems like special offers and sales abound during this busy time of year, and both Disney and independent travel agencies make a concentrated push to ensure potential guests are aware of summer deals.

Here's the thing though—despite whatever claims the latest ad or marketing email says, you are almost certainly going to pay more to visit Walt Disney World in the summer than you would at quieter times of year.

Both Disney and independent agencies use a lot of clever psychology to push sales for summer travel to the Most Magical Place on Earth. At first glance, most of these offers look great because they usually are cheaper than prices you would find booking from Disney directly with normal pricing. That being said, these prices are often not lower than what you’ll find during the off-season. Marketing pros know that people are going to want to visit Walt Disney World in the summer—attendance has historically not been an issue, except in rare cases.

While Disney’s quieter seasons are getting harder to pin down, times of year with lower crowds do still exist, and it’s usually during these windows that significant sales become available. Strong attendance numbers aren’t guaranteed during these times, and it’s to Disney’s benefit to balance the scales by drawing potential guests with lower price points. Overall, you will usually see lower prices for resorts, tickets, and dining in off-seasons, as well as limited time offers. Some of these, particularly for Florida residents, can make a noteworthy difference in your trip costs.

I will be the first to admit this isn’t an exact science: there are certainly cases where a summer sale can be truly a good deal or an off-season sale can be nothing but marketing jargon. My best advice overall is do your research and make lots of comparisons, particularly paying attention to past offers from different seasons.

6. Pro – The kids are out of school

Summer is a particularly appealing time for many families to visit Walt Disney World for one simple reason: the kids are out of school. This factor alone is often enough for many to stick to summer Disney vacations despite other cons.

If taking kids out of school for a few days isn’t an option during the academic year, summer really is an option worth considering for Disney vacations. Spring Break and Christmas break have become Disney’s two most insanely busy times of year, so neither are ideal choices anymore. Holiday weekends like Labor Day and President’s Day both reached reservation capacity this past year, with only a little wiggle room in some parks. Thanksgiving week remains a wild card, but it usually is a very busy time as well.

With the exception of 4th of July and possibly Memorial Day weekend (both very, very busy times), you are likely to fare a little better on crowd levels visiting Disney during some portions of summer than the alternatives.

But, summer surely means hurricane season...