Hello, Michelle!
Planning your trip to Walt Disney World around rates based on season is a great way to not only save money, but also to stretch your vacation dollars even further. Great question!
Generally speaking, for 2013, Value Season is Jan. 2-Feb.13 and July 14-Sept. 26. There is a category referred to as "Fall Season" which is Oct. 20- Dec. 12. Regular Season is Feb. 24-Mar. 7, April 7-Jul. 13 and Sep. 27-Oct. 19. Peak Season is Feb. 14-23, Mar. 8-23 and Dec. 13-19. Holiday Season is Jan. 1, Mar. 24-Apr. 6 and Dec. 20-31. This means that prices at many Walt Disney World resorts in Florida will tend to rise and fall somewhere around those time periods. Keep in mind, however, that specific holidays, such as Presidents' Day or Columbus Day,
might see higher prices in the resorts, regardless of season. I find it best to to to
Walt Disney World.com and begin a search for a package price based on one of my possible travel dates. I get a price, then try another date, during a different time of year, to see what the difference in cost might be, continuing this activity until I get a better idea of my options based on length of stay, time of year and level of accommodations.
Again, there are far more specific categories than these; you look at an unofficial site such as allears.net, you'll see pricing for 2012, and can then estimate seasonal changes in rates for 2013, even before such rates have been released. (Your $ amount won't be exact, but you'll have a better understanding of peak versus value seasons, etc.)
Hope this helps! Be sure to send more questions as you think of them; we love to help Guests find the perfect balance for their budget when planning their next visit to WDW!