With increased crowds & wait occasions, you want superior technique for saving time ready at Walt Disney World. That’s the aim of this submit, breaking down the perfect & worst choices–Lightning Lanes, additional hours & rope drop–to beat lengthy traces at Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, EPCOT and Animal Kingdom. (Up to date March 5, 2025.)
Our purpose is to seek out the best strategy to utilizing standby traces and/or Lightning Lanes, in addition to the perfect occasions of day at every park. Spoiler: there’s no one-size matches all reply for all individuals or all parks. That’s the massive factor we’ve realized whereas extensively visiting the parks extensively for the sake of analysis to check varied methods.
Even many longtime Walt Disney World followers are overwhelmed by the choices, so we’re right here to supply perception into decreasing friction out of your days within the parks. Because the ole tantalizing teaser goes, “…and the outcomes will shock you!” However significantly, they’ll. What we achieved (or didn’t) with a few of these approaches truly caught us off-guard.
Earlier than getting going, we wish to stress the significance of this technique for time frames when the 2025 Walt Disney World Crowd Calendar is 7/10 or increased. When wait occasions are under that threshold, you’ll be able to “get away” with sloppier technique–crowd ranges of as much as 5/10 might be crushed with average planning and energy, following the overall recommendation right here however with out being overzealous about it. Lower than 4/10 and, frankly, you don’t want a lot technique in any respect.
When you get to 7/10 or increased crowd ranges, savvy technique turns into downright important. You don’t essentially have to buy Lightning Lanes each single day for the explanations defined right here, however you have to be ready with a plan and comply with it fairly intently.
Throughout these busier dates, the guidelines & tips right here will allow you to perform much more than the common Walt Disney World customer. For those who’re visiting through the peak season, holidays, or throughout college breaks, this recommendation is arguably extra helpful proper now than the rest on this web site. To not set unrealistic expectations, however this technique ought to prevent a number of hours per day at Walt Disney World (and it ought to prevent cash, too!).
Subsequent, let’s do a fast run-through of the assorted mainstream methods to avoid wasting time at Walt Disney World. This isn’t complete, leaving out the priciest choices–like doing VIP excursions throughout your journey or renting out the parks–for what must be apparent causes. Despite the fact that it’s secure to imagine George Clooney, Oprah, and Carrot Prime are loyal readers of this weblog, most of you most likely aren’t that huge of excessive rollers.
The primary choice is the controversial Lightning Lanes (e.g. Paid FastPass), which provide one strategy to skip standby traces. Sadly, these include a value–not only a financial one, but additionally with frustrations, back-tracking, making journey reservations 3 or extra days earlier than you arrive, and the steep studying curve of mastering the brand new system. Look no additional than our prolonged Information to Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World for a way complicated it may be.
With the change from Genie+ to Lightning Lane Multi Move, there’s as soon as once more and on-site benefit and the power to make 3 picks upfront. With this comes the lack of stacking, an obstacle for off-site company, and probability that you just’ll be scoring fewer Lightning Lanes per day. There’s additionally the fact that you just’re probably committing to purchasing (or not) earlier than beginning your journey and seeing/feeling crowd ranges.
Lightning Lane Multi Move additionally isn’t low-cost. Present per-person costs vary from $16 to $39 earlier than tax every day, with vacation weeks (e.g.Thanksgiving) at Magic Kingdom or a number of parks anticipated to be on the higher finish of that vary. For those who’re on a funds or extra price-sensitive, this provides up–amounting to $400-$800 in added prices for a median household throughout a week-long journey.
The silver lining is that Lightning Lanes should not essential at each park or day-after-day. In reality, at 3 of the 4 parks, there’s superior technique–exactly what we’ll be overlaying right here! So that you’ll solely “want” to purchase Lightning Lane Multi-Move at some point of your journey. A pair different days are elective, however typically really helpful.
Sticking with the pay to play choices of kinds, there’s Early Entry (EE) and Prolonged Night Hours (ExEH), which change Further Magic Hours within the morning and at night time. Early Entry is day by day in any respect 4 parks and all on-site company are eligible, however is simply half-hour lengthy. Against this, Prolonged Night Hours usually is as soon as per week at Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, lasts 2 hours, however is simply obtainable to company staying on the high tier resorts.
These have their very own execs & cons, from being solely obtainable to on-site company (or a subset thereof) to requiring individuals to stand up early or keep late. For those who’re unfamiliar with the ins and outs of every, be taught extra in our Information to Early Entry at Walt Disney World and Information to Prolonged Night Hours at Walt Disney World.
Moreover, we’ve a couple of dozen or so “Further Hours” Photograph Stories, with extra coming in Spring 2025 now that each Tiana’s Bayou Journey and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind have standby traces and the latter is a part of Early Entry. We’re additionally nonetheless hoping to see TRON Lightcycle Run added to the Early Entry lineup, but it surely’s been months and that also hasn’t occurred, so it might not.
Subsequent, there’s tried and true rope drop or common park opening.
For these unfamiliar with this inside baseball-esque time period, rope drop is just when the lands and sights formally open, which is synonymous with the printed park opening time. (It’s literal–there’s a rope that’s dropped, opening the lands to company.) For the reason that entrance gates often admit company earlier than park opening, Disney followers have demarcated the 2 occasions with this rad time period. In follow, rope drop is just about anytime through the first hour of standard operations.
Lastly, there’s the top of the night, which is often the final couple hours of standard operations. We don’t have a rad time period for this one, however I really feel like that’s an enormous missed alternative for a cryptic moniker. Simply think about how most of the uninitiated we might confuse by referring to this as “rope rise.” (Get it? As a result of they drop the rope at the start of the day, so it stands to motive that they decide it–you realize, nevermind.)
If we did name the top of the night time “rope rise,” nobody would know what the heck we’re speaking about, so fewer individuals would take benefit. In any case, wait occasions are typically shorter in the direction of later at night time. When and by how a lot they fall varies by park, and is commonly not absolutely mirrored in posted wait occasions.
After all, there’s additionally the center of the day, or anytime between round 10 am and 6 pm.
With few exceptions, that is the busiest time of day at Walt Disney World–when crowds peak as most company have arrived, however few have left. Nearly all of company go to the parks throughout these hours, making them the worst time to do something common. Conversely, it’s the perfect time to give attention to unpopular, low-wait sights like stage exhibits and different leisure.
Bought all of that? Good. Now let’s go park by park and talk about which strategy is greatest proper now. We’ve examined and retested each single technique for all the parks, and up to date our conclusions as issues have modified. Right here’s the park by park rundown of which time-saving approaches are greatest…
Magic Kingdom
On the subject of beating the crowds at Magic Kingdom, let’s begin with Early Entry. Sadly, we’ve discovered that on-site perk to be much less profitable right here than at some other park. This is because of a mixture of increased demand and solely Fantasyland and Tomorrowland being open. We’ve executed Early Entry at Magic Kingdom over a dozen occasions, and have all the time had much less success there than on the different parks–however that’s beginning to change as of 2025 (see under).
For those who’re not eligible for Early Entry, common rope drop is definitely nonetheless considerably good as a result of Frontierland and Adventureland should not open throughout Early Entry. This makes rope drop alone, or Early Entry plus rope drop an amazing strategy. For those who’re solely eligible for rope drop, doing Frontierland and Adventureland first and saving Fantasyland till later within the day generally is a workable strategy.
There are extra technique choices for Magic Kingdom than some other park taking part in Early Entry and at common rope drop. See our step-by-step Magic Kingdom Morning Suggestions & Methods in 2025: Rides to Do & Keep away from at Rope Drop & Early Entry for a number of choices not only for the primary half-hour, however the first couple hours of the day.
There are additionally sufficient worthwhile secondary sights in Magic Kingdom you could spherical out the remainder of your day with enjoyable, low wait exhibits and extra. Lots of our smartest and sexiest readers get pleasure from filling out the center of their days by watching Nation Bear Jamboree on repeat.
One factor to notice right here is that TRON Lightcycle Run nonetheless doesn’t take part in Early Entry. Regardless of this, TRON has change into the #1 vacation spot for Early Entry, that means that on-site company are taking their 30-minute head begin and utilizing that to pre-queue up for TRON Lightcycle Run. Hurry up and wait.
As defined in Why You Ought to Skip Magic Kingdom’s Largest Journey Throughout Early Entry & Rope Drop, we strongly advocate not doing this. Beginning at Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare, Peter Pan’s Flight, or elsewhere in Tomorrowland are all higher choices. The chance price of utilizing that half-hour to attend for a non-operational journey is simply too excessive, as is the time price. You’re higher off ready till later to do TRON Lightcycle Run, particularly provided that night is the perfect time for the attraction from a subjective perspective.
Talking of switching to standby, it’s value reiterating that Tiana’s Bayou Journey has ditched its digital queue, but it surely additionally shouldn’t be taking part in Early Entry. That is to be anticipated, as Frontierland opens with common rope drop. Nonetheless, as a result of Large Thunder Mountain Railroad is down till 2026, we don’t advocate prioritizing this nook of the park till subsequent yr.
With all of that mentioned, it’s Lightning Lane Multi-Move that works greatest at Magic Kingdom and it’s actually no contest. Due to a excessive worthwhile attraction depend obtainable through Lightning Lanes, Magic Kingdom is the one park the place we extremely advocate shopping for LLMP.
Check out our Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane Multi-Move Rankings & Time-Saving Technique for suggestions as to your first 3 picks, in addition to subsequent picks. Throughout a traditional day at Magic Kingdom, it is best to have the ability to rating a couple of half-dozen good Lightning Lanes.
That is very troublesome on the different parks, particularly Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Not like these, Magic Kingdom is the park the place Lightning Lane Multi-Move is best to make use of and presents the fewest complications. At Magic Kingdom, you can e-book Lightning Lane journey reservations with a extra leisurely strategy and fewer criss-crossing the park.
It’s particularly good that Tiana’s Bayou Journey is included with LLMP. That is the most recent attraction at Magic Kingdom, and it nonetheless has reliability and downtime woes even after switching to standby. Attributable to these points, the attraction might be irritating and wait occasions are inconsistent. The distinction is that, a minimum of should you do get a Lightning Lane, you’re basically assured having the ability to journey Tiana’s Bayou Journey. It’s a great hedge to have on a day when TBA is unreliable.
Subsequent, there’s the top of the night time. Like each different park, wait occasions at Magic Kingdom do fall off within the night as company seize spots for the Fortunately Ever After fireworks. You may get pleasure from shorter waits should you’re prepared to skip these, or watch them from a last-minute location in Fantasyland.
The drop-off isn’t fairly as pronounced as the opposite parks, but it surely’s nonetheless important. That plus queueing up for Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare or TRON Lightcycle Run one minute earlier than park closing is a good strategy should you don’t purchase Lightning Lane Single Passes for them.
For choose company one night time per week, there’s Prolonged Night Hours. We’ve executed this a handful of occasions, so our pattern dimension continues to be comparatively restricted, however our success price is 100%. Low waits all over the place and blissfully uncrowded parks.
Even should you benefit from one of many aforementioned approaches and “conquer” Magic Kingdom earlier than this late night time perk, do it anyway. It’s a pleasant strategy to get pleasure from Magic Kingdom, providing a serene expertise that’s a good way to decompress from the sooner chaos throughout peak season. (See Magic Kingdom Prolonged Night Hours Photograph Report.)
Epcot
Early Entry is one of the best ways to beat the crowds at Epcot. That’s doubly true should you’re arriving through Worldwide Gateway, as you’ll have the ability to do Remy’s Ratatouille Journey with a ten minute wait or much less. (See Early Entry at Epcot through World Showcase.)
From the Rat Journey, it’s fully doable to do Frozen Ever After as a close to walk-on and Soarin’ Across the World with minimal wait…and every part else within the new neighborhoods with no waits. It’s plenty of strolling, however that’s par for the course at Epcot, and you can modify this strategy to reduce steps should you’re staying the total day.
For those who’re coming from the entrance entrance, the plain place to begin is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which now makes use of a standby line. It’s best to have the ability to knock out Cosmic Rewind, probably greater than as soon as, earlier than the common rope drop rush arrives. Or you’ll be able to transfer on to one of many different high sights within the entrance half of the park.
These arriving for normal rope drop will nonetheless get pleasure from success and time financial savings just about all over the place besides Remy’s Ratatouille Journey and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. With each sights, we’ve discovered that there’s a mid-morning lull round 90 minutes after park opening, so it is best to goal one of many two then, and save the opposite for the top of the night time. It’s simpler to do Cosmic Rewind earlier, because it’s nearer to the primary entrance.
For those who’re on the entrance of the pack, doing Cosmic Rewind throughout common rope drop can be doable with a below-average wait. As for Remy’s Ratatouille Journey, it’s straightforward sufficient to avoid wasting for the top of the night time. You may both do it round 8 pm and be executed in time for the Luminous fireworks, or wait till 8:59 pm should you don’t thoughts skipping that nighttime spectacular. Off-site company who aren’t eligible for Early Entry aren’t at too appreciable of an obstacle at Epcot.
Talking of which, the entrance of the park empties out at Epcot within the night hours, as a result of company eat and drink across the World Showcase, and safe spots for the fireworks. Hitting these rides the final two hours of the day generally is a clean transfer, particularly because it’s not crucial that you just get a entrance row view for the fireworks.
For these arriving after rope drop, Lightning Lanes are your default. Epcot is our second least favourite park for the line-skipping service, and we don’t advocate it right here except you’re Park Hopping or can not benefit from the aforementioned methods.
For those who’re visiting on a busier day when Lightning Lane Multi-Move prices probably the most, it’s extremely unlikely that you just’ll rating Lightning Lanes for Remy’s Ratatouille Journey, Frozen Ever After, Soarin. On these days, I nonetheless strongly favor arriving early or staying late, particularly since Lightning Lane Multi-Move at Epcot can pressure you to do plenty of backtracking.
Prolonged Night Hours at Epcot should not fairly as pleasant at Epcot as Magic Kingdom. The decrease journey depend, extra apparent high priorities, and strolling distance between headliner sights means wait occasions for the trio of headliners don’t fall as dramatically and it takes you extra time to perform much less. On high of that, if even one journey is down, it could actually throw an actual monkey wrench into issues.
With good technique, you’ll be able to nonetheless accomplish Remy’s Ratatouille Journey, Frozen Ever After, and Take a look at Observe throughout this post-closing perk, but it surely does require dedication (and luck). You may as well do Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind on the absolute final minute, however that usually comes on the expense of one of many different 3 rides with standby traces. Except you get extremely fortunate, it’s virtually unattainable to do all 4 in a single night time.
Hollywood Studios
We’ve been saying for the previous few years that Hollywood Studios is probably the most irritating park at Walt Disney World. Amongst different issues, that is as a result of top-heavy nature of its attraction lineup, and lack of secondary rides. There was a degree through the phased reopening when this was significantly problematic, but it surely has gotten significantly better with the return of most stage exhibits and leisure.
For a lot of the final two years, wait occasions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios have peaked sooner than some other park at Walt Disney World. Within the final month, this has began to shift with the return of Fantasmic, and we’d anticipate that development to proceed. Even Animal Kingdom, which opens earlier and is usually derided as a half-day park, doesn’t see its longest wait occasions of the day till afternoon.
In opposition to this backdrop, the best choice for beating the crowds at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is Early Entry. Largely, it is because Early Entry encompasses all necessary, high-wait sights at DHS and in addition as a result of it often finally ends up being way more than a 30 minute head-start.
That’s very true should you prioritize Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, with the added upside of doing this primary being that you just’re much less more likely to encounter a breakdown whilst you’re in line for it. Take a look at our report on Early Entry at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that covers our expertise knocking out the “triple digit trio” at DHS earlier than the park opened to common company.
The worst technique for Disney’s Hollywood Studios is counting on conventional rope drop. This must be fairly intuitive for the 2 causes recognized above: wait occasions peak early and all headliners are open for Early Entry.
For those who can’t enter DHS till common park opening time, you’re going to get perhaps 1-2 sights executed with under common waits. Your probability for frustrations–and thus leaving earlier than the top of the night time–may also be increased.
As a substitute, think about a day arrival and staying till park closing. The excellent news is that there’s nonetheless a pronounced drop-off throughout dinner and Fantasmic. If there are two showings of that nighttime spectacular, you’re golden–benefit from decrease crowds through the first Fantasmic, and watch the second at or after park closing.
The unhealthy information is that, like everybody else, you’ll most likely wish to eat and see Fantasmic…and if it solely has one showtime, that is tough. That is undoubtedly an enormous blow for our favourite strategy to do DHS, but it surely’s undoubtedly not a net-negative. Fantasmic is nice, so we’re very comfortable to have it again; additionally, DHS is now drawing crowds away from EPCOT and Animal Kingdom within the night hours, making these comparatively much less crowded.
Posted wait occasions are decrease within the final two hours of the day at DHS, however that solely tells a part of the story. Precise wait occasions are sometimes dramatically decrease, significantly for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Slinky Canine Sprint, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and different headliners.
The one caveat we’ll add right here is that this strategy with the unreliable Rise of the Resistance is dangerous–should you solely have one shot at it and the journey goes down within the final two hours of the day, you is likely to be out of luck. Learn our Journey Information for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, which affords an summary of the perfect & worst methods to try this, and plan accordingly.
Lastly, there’s Lightning Lane Multi-Move. We’ve lined experiences with this extensively, most not too long ago in My Nice Day Utilizing Lightning Lanes at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
DHS has a high heavy lineup, which may make it tough to attain 4 or extra good picks through Lightning Lane Multi-Move. That was the case below the outdated Genie+ system, to the purpose that we heard extra complaints about Lightning Lanes at DHS than some other park. Nonetheless, because the change to LLMP, that has not been our expertise in any respect.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is now the #1 park for buying Lightning Lane Multi-Move at Walt Disney World. As mentioned in our new Prime 10 Suggestions & Methods for Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World in 2025, there are a couple of causes for this. Greater than the rest, it’s as a result of DHS has gotten higher as Magic Kingdom has gotten barely worse.
Past that, Disney’s Hollywood Studios affords probably the most upside with LLMP. It’s the park with the very best common standby wait occasions, the #1 total Lightning Lane Multi-Move, and simpler same-day availability for tier two sights and journey reservation refills should you leverage the rolling 3 rule and put a bit elbow grease into your refresh sport.
Lightning Lane Multi-Move at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is now an amazing choice more often than not, however we’d nonetheless advocate viewing it as a security web. It’s nonetheless the perfect follow to reach for Early Entry and/or keep late, however should you can’t for no matter motive, you should buy LLMP and presumably Lightning Lane Single Move for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Any of those time-saving methods for Disney’s Hollywood Studios might be headache-inducing, however not any extra so than standby traces, that are simply brutal at DHS. You really want to make the most of savvy technique to forestall Disney’s Hollywood Studios from being downright disagreeable. And with an “all the above” strategy and a bit luck, you would possibly end up in a position to expertise a number of rides on every of the headliners at DHS in a single day!
Animal Kingdom
We go from probably the most irritating park to the simplest one. Technique for Animal Kingdom basically quantities to “don’t go through the center of the day and stand in lengthy traces,” which appears to be what the overwhelming majority of company do for some odd motive.
Going early, staying late, or utilizing Lightning Lane Multi Move are all stable methods. Nearly equally so. We’d give the sting to Early Entry, which begins at 7:30 am on most dates. That’s absurdly early, and an enormous barrier for many company. For those who’re in a position to arrive to Animal Kingdom by 7 am, this offers you an enormous benefit.
Conventional rope drop additionally works, as long as you prioritize one thing aside from Avatar Flight of Passage. Once more, most individuals aren’t up and out the door this early within the morning on trip, and that applies even to common park opening time at Animal Kingdom. (With the height season 8 am official opening, you would possibly have the ability to hit Flight of Passage with minimal wait even at conventional rope drop.)
Personally, I’m a fan of doing Animal Kingdom later within the day (see Animal Kingdom Afternoon Arrival Technique). Subjectively, that is good as a result of Animal Kingdom is the most popular park at Walt Disney World, and hitting it when the solar is decrease knocks a great 10-20 levels off the appears like temperatures. The environment at sundown and night time can be unbelievable, and one thing few followers see.
Sadly, wait occasions aren’t plummeting in the direction of the top of the day like they had been a couple of yr in the past, which is probably going as a consequence of extra leisure having returned. Whereas most different rides shall be walk-ons or near it, you’ll be able to nonetheless anticipate prolonged traces for the 2 Pandora – World of Avatar sights.
Lightning Lane Multi Move is the objectively higher choice at Animal Kingdom than staying late. Despite the fact that the lineup is restricted, most eligible sights have availability nicely into the afternoon. I’m disinclined to purchase LLMP at Animal Kingdom as a result of arriving early or staying late works nicely and the eligible attraction roster is so restricted, but it surely nonetheless affords time financial savings.
Personally, I solely purchase LLMP at Animal Kingdom when Park Hopping. It’s our advice then as a result of you’ll be able to knock out the few sights the place Lightning Lanes are helpful at Animal Kingdom and in addition use LLMP to skip a couple of traces in one of many different parks, too. Outdoors of Lightning Lane Multi Move, Avatar Flight of Passage might be value the price of the Lightning Lane Single Move, however we often hit it early, late, or through the lunch lull as an alternative.
Finally, there are plenty of methods to beat the crowds at Walt Disney World, and that applies even through the peak weeks of summer season and past. Strategizing has undoubtedly gotten extra difficult within the final yr, and we’ve heard from numerous very long time guests who really feel left behind or overwhelmed. The unhealthy information is that there are extra pay-to-play choices and so they’ll both price additional or have much less eligibility.
The excellent news is that there’s truly better accessibility to saving time at Walt Disney World. For those who learn this ~4,000 phrase submit the night time earlier than visiting Walt Disney World, you can benefit from a lot of the following tips. That merely was not doable right now a couple of years in the past, when pre-booking FastPass+ as much as 60 days upfront closed the door for lots of first-timers who, fairly understandably, had no clue journey reservations had been booked months upfront.
Now, techniques are uneven and inconsistent among the many parks, however there’s just about one thing for everybody. Whether or not you wish to pay additional, not pay additional, rise early, or keep late. As all the time, we extremely advocate our Walt Disney World Park Itineraries for extra granular, step-by-step recommendation for planning out your whole day.
About the one factor you’ll be able to’t do is sleep in, go to the parks from 11 am till 4 pm, and depart early. This has all the time been the worst strategy to do Walt Disney World, and that is still true to this present day. But, for causes past me, that continues to be the “most well-liked” strategy for therefore many company. For those who merely don’t try this, you’re mechanically forward of the pack!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about resorts on our Walt Disney World Resorts Evaluations web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Evaluations. To save cash on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys submit takes a novel have a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Journey Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every part you have to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Ideas on our advised methods for every of the Walt Disney World theme parks? Do you favor rope drop, “rope rise,” Early Entry, Prolonged Night Hours, or Lightning Lane Multi Move and Single Move? Or, do you like a miss of approaches when touring the parks? How do you do issues otherwise in every park? Every other suggestions on arriving early or staying late on the Walt Disney World theme parks? Agree or disagree with our recommendation or strategy? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
