Walt Disney World is coming into the house stretch of the 12 months, with the height season crowds across the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Yr’s Eve. This shares our greatest time-saving methods, and high twelve suggestions & tips for beating 10/10 crowd ranges throughout the vacation season (and past) at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and even Animal Kingdom.
Just a few notes earlier than we dig into the information & tips for beating peak season crowds. First, Magic Kingdom closes on a number of nights per week at 6 pm to day visitors for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together. These separately-ticketed occasions start at 7 pm and runs till midnight and happen a number of nights per week. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together is nearly completely bought out for the rest of the vacation season, with just a few dates remaining.
Alternatively, Disney Jollywood Nights Christmas Get together has not bought out most dates. That vacation particular occasion at DHS is actually an honest “comfort prize” different should you didn’t purchase MVMCP tickets, however remember that the 2 are very completely different experiences. Jollywood Nights is a low crowds occasion that’s loads like Disney After Hours, making it a great way to beat the crowds.
Actually, Disney Jollywood Nights might be higher than something on this record…but additionally with the next value. Nonetheless, we’d sooner advocate DJN tickets than shopping for Lightning Lane Premier Go for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, because it ought to will let you trip many headliners over the course of the occasion–and greater than as soon as, should you so want. The Christmas social gathering is healthier, cheaper, and presents leisure!
This isn’t to say Lightning Lane Premier Go is a foul possibility. On the contrary, it’s an effective way to purchase your method out of traces and unpleasantness on the busiest days of the 12 months in case your price range permits. (Ditto a VIP tour, for that matter.) It’s simply that the majority budgets don’t permit. Additionally, this record isn’t precisely insightful if we simply level you to the priciest picks that must be givens for beating crowds.
On that notice, let’s dig into our favourite free or low-cost choices for beating the crowds…
Select the Proper Days Throughout Get together Season – I don’t wish to beat a lifeless horse, however Get together Season working hours trigger chaos with crowds, pushing attendance a lot larger on the dates that MVMCP is just not occurring and decrease on the dates it’s occurring. It is because Magic Kingdom closes to day visitors at 6 pm on occasion nights, so intuitively, many (many!) visitors keep away from Magic Kingdom on these shortened days and cram into the complete days.
Lengthy story quick, we strongly advocate visiting Magic Kingdom throughout the day on MVMCP nights. That is one thing we’ve lined at size, time and again. Somewhat than belaboring the purpose, I’ll direct new readers to our record of the Greatest & Worst Days to Do Magic Kingdom in Late 2024 for a rundown of when crowds will likely be particularly good or dangerous.
This features a handful of ‘crimson flag’ dates to keep away from in any respect prices the remainder of this month and December. These are non-party dates which can be sandwiched amongst a number of social gathering dates. There are some 4-5 days stretches when Magic Kingdom is just open till 10 pm or 11 pm as soon as. This creates main issues, as there are a number of days of crowds consolidated right into a single date by advantage of these concentrated 6 pm closings.
Suffice to say, it is best to keep away from Magic Kingdom on the next dates: November 28, 2024; December 4, 7, 11, 14 & 18, 2024. (Be aware that this dynamic exists, besides in reverse, with Jollywood Nights. We advocate going on social gathering days, even should you received’t attend. Longer clarification right here, in order for you it.)
Rope Drop Rounds 1-2: Rides – There are two rope drops in every park, even when unofficially. First is Early Entry, which supplies all on-site visitors at the very least a 30 minute head-start. There’s additionally common rope drop, which is when (kind of) the entire park opens to everybody. This distinction is just significant in Magic Kingdom, the place round half the park isn’t open till common rope drop.
Nonetheless, the complete wave of crowds doesn’t hit all points of interest on the identical time, permitting you to make the most of Early Entry after which common rope drop. The optimum points of interest for every will differ, as you’ll wish to do the preferred rides throughout Early Entry, adopted by the highest second-tier rides at rope drop.
We’re enormous advocates of Early Entry in 3 of the 4 parks. Magic Kingdom is generally the exception when the park opens at 9am. Nonetheless, it’s a distinct story completely when transferring that ahead by an hour to eight am–particularly for the households with young children to whom Magic Kingdom and its Fantasyland headliners most enchantment.
It’s {a partially} completely different dynamic on 8am to 11pm days at Magic Kingdom. On party-shortened days when the park opens at 8am, it’s a visitor courtesy for the reason that park closes at 6pm. Total crowd ranges are 1/10 to three/10. In contrast, throughout peak weeks when hours are 8am to 11pm, anticipate crowds to be larger.
This weblog focuses loads on Early Entry and cord drop, so I’m not going to fixate on it right here since there’s lots of floor to cowl and extra under-the-radar zig after they zag park touring suggestions. See our Information to Early Entry at Walt Disney World for more information & technique.
Rope Drop Spherical 3: Characters – Regardless of which park you’re doing, it’s usually the case that character meet & greets open an hour or 90 minutes after rope drop. That is particularly the case in Magic Kingdom, which has a half-dozen character spots with delayed opening.
It’s additionally an effective way to knock out Crimson Carpet Desires or Pixar Place at DHS, Adventurers Outpost in Animal Kingdom, and Royal Sommerhus or Mickey & Mates at EPCOT. Even meet & greets that open earlier normally don’t begin getting busier till ~90 minutes after park opening. On the one hand, this is sensible–folks prioritize rides.
Alternatively, it may be good to get character photographs as early as potential whereas traces are quick and your loved ones continues to be wanting contemporary. Our normal rule is prioritizing princesses: Royal Sommerhus, Princess Fairytale Corridor, Ariel’s Grotto, and Mirabel.
Rope Drop Spherical 4: Eating places – I imply no disrespect to the senior residents on the market, who’re recognized for having their meals just a few hours sooner than the overall inhabitants. There’s a motive they are saying with age comes knowledge. I, too, eat early.
A part of it’s because my day begins early. I’m doing Early Entry each single day at Walt Disney World, which implies I’m out the door of my lodge room earlier than 7 am most days. Consequently, I’ve a second rope drop every morning: when counter service eating places open and begin serving lunch.
That is actually excellent. Even the preferred counter service eating places are lifeless at this hour, and I not often have anybody anyplace close to me. I typically don’t even trouble with Cellular Order, as a result of there’s at all times no line on the money registers.
Belief me, the period of time you’ll save–and stress you’ll keep away from–by consuming at or earlier than 11am is enormous. In my view, this is among the most underrated suggestions for coping with crowds at Walt Disney World. Since eating places don’t have wait instances, folks are inclined to ignore this kind of recommendation…however they actually shouldn’t.
Noon Resting & Recharging – You can not do all of it. Park hours are longer throughout peak weeks, and it’s virtually unimaginable to reach early and keep late. That’s, after all, if your loved ones is stuffed with Energizer Bunnies and endurance is not any challenge.
In the event you’re mere mortals, you most likely aren’t going to have the ability to maintain going and going and going (and so on.) the complete day. Nonetheless, you continue to shouldn’t select between arriving early and staying late. As an alternative, reduce out noon portion. It’s probably the most crowded and congested, with the longest wait instances and least fascinating climate.
The primary 2 hours the parks are open are going to be the most efficient hours of your day. Getting up on the first light and being to the parks early doesn’t jive with the notion of stress-free and unwinding on trip, however the easy actuality is that you just’d be higher off exhibiting up for the primary 2 hours and final 2 hours and skipping the (roughly) 8 hours in between than you’d by exhibiting up 2 hours late, doing these 8 hours in the midst of the day, and leaving 2 hours earlier than park closing.
Return to your lodge to take a nap or benefit from the pool throughout the worst hours of the day. In the event you’re staying off-site or simply don’t wish to head all the way in which residence, decompress by visiting a monorail loop lodge or making time for stage reveals. No must go go go between 11am and 3pm, although.
LLMP Maximization – In the event you’re arriving early or staying late–nevermind arriving early and staying late–Lightning Lane Multi-Go is just not a strict necessity. On these longer days, you may accomplish most of every park with out Lightning Lanes. It’s just about a numbers sport–the additional time offsets the longer waits, and you’ll beat the crowds originally and finish of the day.
With that mentioned, Lightning Lane Multi-Go will assist you to accomplish rather more when the hours are longer and the crowds are larger. Once more, this can be a math downside. Longer hours means extra time to make use of Lightning Lanes, and better standby wait instances means extra time saved. So although LLMP will undoubtedly attain peak season costs, its worth can be larger throughout weeks like this.
Lightning Lane Multi-Go is nice at Magic Kingdom on account of longer hours and the upper trip depend. It’s additionally wonderful at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as a result of distribution of “huge” rides which can be standard. In the event you’re solely going to buy LLMP at two parks, make it these two. EPCOT is extra borderline, and we normally keep away from it at Animal Kingdom, until we’re not arriving early or staying late (which occurs roughly by no means).
Temperamental Temperatures – There are misconceptions about how the climate impacts attendance at Walt Disney World. A little bit rain doesn’t filter crowds, until it’s a veritable monsoon. If the parks weren’t busy every time it’s wet, they’d be uncrowded like one-quarter of the time! Vacationers and locals put together for moist climate with instruments akin to umbrellas and ponchos, so it doesn’t ship them heading for the exits.
What does make a distinction is colder climate and, extra importantly, a wider vary of climate. If the daytime excessive is within the higher 70s or low 80s however the nighttime low is within the low 50s, that is the candy spot. It’s even higher if a bit of little bit of precipitation, or higher but, wind, is thrown into the combo.
A whole lot of guests will gown for no matter season it’s after they head out the door, and received’t be ready for a dramatic drop when the solar goes down. At that time, their choices are to purchase a sweatshirt (an costly proposition), bear the chilly climate, or head residence. Individuals begin dropping like flies.
One of the simplest ways to ‘forecast’ a decrease crowd degree within the night at Magic Kingdom throughout the winter is taking the distinction between the day’s excessive and low temperatures. The larger the unfold, the extra possible crowds will likely be decrease. That’s a greater predictor than day of week traits, crowd calendars, or anything. I’m 100% severe.
Night time Instances Two – We love Magic Kingdom. Now we have spent many lengthy days right here, and the entire suggestions listed below are talking from expertise throughout visits throughout the vacation season–and particularly the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Yr’s Eve. However I’ll be trustworthy with you: we seldom do the complete day in a single park, particularly when that one park is open from 8am till 11pm or later.
More often than not, we head elsewhere for the center of the day. I’m not a giant napper and do have Energizer Bunny endurance, so it’s normally not the lodge, both. Our default is normally EPCOT. It’s best on the monorail, we take pleasure in consuming on the competition cubicles, and EPCOT is our favourite place to be. However that’s not what we’d advocate to you. Or not the one park we’d advocate.
As an alternative, take into account Animal Kingdom. Sundown throughout the vacation season is ~5:30pm in Orlando, and should you arrive at Animal Kingdom round 3pm, you may take pleasure in Merry Menagerie and knock out a lot of the park with minimal waits after the day crowd departs. When you’re executed with rides, you should definitely stick round and benefit from the brilliance of bioluminescence in Pandora at evening, the Tree of Life Awakenings, and Discovery Island Luminaries. You’ll virtually have the park to your self within the final hour of the day at DAK, and you’ll nonetheless make it again to Magic Kingdom in time for Fortunately Ever After.
Fantasyland Fireworks – Cinderella Citadel the centerpiece of the Magic Kingdom fireworks, and everybody ought to watch from Essential Avenue as soon as. Nonetheless, it may be downright uncomfortable crowded and congested earlier than, throughout, and after the fireworks–particularly throughout peak weeks of the 12 months. On these dates, there are exponentially extra folks in Magic Kingdom than will safely match on Essential Avenue.
Luckily, there’s one location within the park that’s outdoors of Essential Avenue the place you will have virtually the entire upside however not one of the draw back. Immediately behind Cinderella Citadel! It’s a very completely different perspective of the present, and far much less crowded again there. That is our favourite “secret spot” as a result of it feels such as you’re within the midst of the fireworks, with bursts each in entrance of and behind you.
You’ll additionally take pleasure in pyro over Beast’s Citadel above Be Our Visitor Restaurant, which is immersive and distinctive. Granted, I’ve seen the fireworks many instances, however on peak season dates, there’s no method on earth I’d attempt to watch Fortunately Ever After from Essential Avenue. It simply is just not value enduring the chaos and crowds.
Oh, identical recommendation applies to watching Luminous from deep within the Japan pavilion (attempt the steps to the eating places) or from close to EPCOT’s Christmas tree. Ditto seeing the second exhibiting of Fantasmic as an alternative of the primary. Recreation-changers.
Beat the Put up-Fireworks Journey Rush – The opposite upside to watching the fireworks from Fantasyland is you can beat the push to Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare or Peter Pan’s Flight. Each time we watch from the situation above, we inch our method in direction of a type of two points of interest throughout the grand finale, after which bounce in line the prompt the fireworks are over.
The “prompt” half is vital. You solely beat the push as long as you’re not half of the push, and 1000’s of your closest buddies may have the very same thought. You wish to be forward of that tidal wave, not a part of it or, worse but, behind the wave. That’s actually the worst case situation.
You’ll know whether or not you’ve beat the gang, however what you received’t know is the precise wait time. It’s normally inaccurate–massively inflated. It’s typically the case there that the posted wait time will likely be 60+ minutes, and the precise wait round then will likely be 15-20 minutes–generally much less!
Alternatively, the plaza round TRON Lightcycle Run is a enjoyable and immersive location for fireworks viewing. That is not so good as the center of Fantasyland, nevertheless it’s new and distinctive, with TRON’s lightcycles whizz by overhead and the dancing lights of the Add Conduit cover. Whereas we don’t advocate it in your first or solely viewing, it’s one among our favourite “secret” or “low-stress” places for fireworks viewing in Magic Kingdom. In any case, now you can do the very same factor there and race to the TRON standby line as quickly because the fireworks finish.
Rope Drop Spherical 5: Reverse – There’s the tried and true method for any headliner attraction: 1 minute earlier than park closing. That is just like the reverse rope drop, or ‘rope rise’ possibility. All you’ve gotta do is bounce in line earlier than the clock strikes the highest of the hour at park closing.
Disney doesn’t reduce traces for points of interest till park closing, which implies you may queue up proper till the clock strikes midnight or every time the parks shut. This successfully extends your day and is when the precise wait time is lowest for all headliners in all 4 parks at Walt Disney World.
Ignore the posted wait time. Disney intentionally inflates wait instances on the finish of the evening to discourage visitors from getting in a single final trip. The extra individuals who bounce in line for the thrill beater method, the longer it takes to clear the park, which implies extra $$$ for Disney in staffing.
Now we have executed the ‘buzzer-beater’ method to Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare, TRON Lightcycle Run, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Avatar Flight of Passage, Slinky Canine Sprint, Remy’s Ratatouille Journey, and different top-tier points of interest dozens and dozens of instances. Nearly each single evening, the truth is. The overwhelming majority of the time, our precise wait time for any of those points of interest has been between 10 and quarter-hour. There have been instances after they’ve been walk-ons!
Keep & Store Late – I hate procuring. Each in actual life and at Walt Disney World. A giant a part of that is navigating claustrophobic aisles and shops not designed for the degrees of crowds throughout the vacation season. I additionally suppose merchandise is mostly overpriced, however that’s probably not germane to this publish.
I’m however a sucker for espresso mugs (not overpriced) and I like to examine these out on the finish of the night. Many of the marquee reward retailers in every park keep open at the very least half-hour or extra after the park closes. The optimum method is doing a trip one minute earlier than closing after which procuring. Hitting up shops proper on the park closing exodus is a recipe for chaos and crowds. Give it one other ~29 to 45 minutes, and shopping is a breeze!
Actually, that is my excellent option to finish the night at Magic Kingdom. Do TRON or Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare on the final second, exit into an empty Tomorrowland or Fantasyland, absorb the colourful lighting, clear background music, and brisk air earlier than heading onto Essential Avenue to see the nice and cozy glow of the popcorn lights and nostalgic music filling the air–and possibly do a little bit of procuring. I’m reminded of why I fell in love with Walt Disney World within the first place, and really feel that magic as soon as extra. Even on a ten/10 crowd day, you’re 100% assured to go away Magic Kingdom with a smile in your face!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about lodges on our Walt Disney World Resorts Opinions web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Opinions. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a singular have a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Journey Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, one of the best place to begin is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every part you might want to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever executed a busy days at Walt Disney World throughout the vacation season? Had been you in a position to accomplish loads with savvy technique? Planning on being within the parks between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve this 12 months? In the event you’ve executed it prior to now, what do you consider our suggestions? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
