It’s official! Between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve has surpassed all the “competitors” to assert the crown because the #1 worst week of 2023 at Walt Disney World. This put up covers the astronomical attendance and horrible triple-digit wait occasions proper now at Walt Disney World, plus Genie+ promoting out in two parks for the primary time ever, together with commentary about crowding.
Let’s begin by speaking crowds. As famous, we’re within the midst of what’s going to nearly definitely go down because the worst week of 2023 when all is claimed and finished. It’s presently #1, simply forward of the very first week of the yr. To that time, the present crowd circumstances will proceed into early 2024, which is why all the large modifications don’t take impact till January 9. Like final yr, the primary week of 2024 will in all probability be worse than the week main as much as Christmas.
It’s solely half over, however the present week has a median wait time of 56 minutes and a crowd degree of 10/10. That’s 2 minutes worse than the primary week of January, however 5 minutes behind the identical week final yr. Nonetheless, the common wait time remains to be growing and can doubtless slim the hole by the point New Yr’s Eve rolls round.
Midway via the day yesterday, we reported that December 27, 2023 was tied on the time for the busiest day of the yr (with January 3, 2023). At that time, we indicated that wait occasions had in all probability peaked for the day, and we anticipated the common dip again to 64 minutes.
That was incorrect! Wait occasions didn’t drop–they elevated by one other 2 minutes. In the long run, December 27 went down because the busiest day of 2023 and is tied for the busiest day within the final 365–with December 29, 2022. That’s truly the very best/worst wait time we’ve on document within the post-reopening period.
Nonetheless, the day remains to be younger and there’s a shot for as we speak (December 28, 2023) to surpass yesterday. The present common is “solely” 63 minutes, however that quantity nonetheless seems to be rising. Sufficient for it to surpass yesterday? That appears unlikely to me, however I’ve already been fallacious about that pattern as soon as within the final two days.
In any case, on daily basis for the remainder of this week/yr has an opportunity of being the busiest of the week/complete yr. In equity, we warned you that crowd ranges could be 10+/10 this week! Right here’s a have a look at simply how unhealthy present wait occasions are at Walt Disney World:
For these maintaining rating at dwelling, there are presently 8 points of interest with wait occasions at or above 2 hours. There are one other 4 rides with triple-digit waits. Add to that 16 extra points of interest with hour-plus wait occasions.
Most notable of those is Avatar Flight of Passage with a 280 minute wait time. That’s, uh, rather a lot! It’s even greater than the height we noticed yesterday, which was 260 minutes. Each days, Flight of Passage beat the competitors by 100 minutes! Nonetheless, this truly just isn’t a document for the attraction. In line with the DTB archives, Avatar Flight of Passage had a 6-hour wait time again in 2019. (It has had 200+ minute wait occasions on so many events that we don’t even hold rely. That is, sadly, not irregular.)
That is clearly very unhealthy and we really feel for caught in these strains. That’s particularly the case in relation to households who’ve heard Disney executives communicate for the final couple of years about how the reservation system prevents overcrowding, and deliberate a visit on that foundation. Although this week is a traditionally busy time and that’s “widespread data” to Disney followers, not everybody is aware of that. There are lots of people who nonetheless mistakenly suppose that greater costs equals decrease crowds!
As we’ve mentioned at size on many events–most notably in Disney Doesn’t Need Decrease Crowds–that is false. That title just about says all of it; not one of the firm’s insurance policies or modifications made below the guise of prevented overcrowding have been for that function. Not now, not up to now, and never sooner or later. There are at all times for optimization.
If Walt Disney World may have each greater crowds and better spending, they might completely take each. The week between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve is Exhibit A on this argument each single yr, and it’s truthfully astounding to me that we hold having this debate. There’s a standard viewpoint that worth will increase are truly good as a result of they lower attendance and assist minimize crowds. That’s misguided. This can be a go-to line when elevating ticket costs, and one which has been mindlessly parrotted by a sure subset of Walt Disney World followers.
We have now rejected this attitude time and time once more. For one factor, there may be ample proof on the contrary, as attendance has elevated by tens of millions of company per yr within the pre-closure decade. For an additional, if Disney needs to cut back crowds, there are methods to perform that–constructing extra points of interest or not taking 84 years to open a cloned curler coaster in an in any other case empty warehouse. In actuality, Disney has little want to cut back attendance–they wish to “optimize” wait occasions, staffing, and pricing.
Simply placing this clarification right here, as soon as once more, so I can share this hyperlink the subsequent time somebody praises worth will increase within the feedback or requests extra of them to cut back crowds. (Sure, that could be a factor that individuals truly say!) Anyway.
Talking of upper costs, listed here are the costs for Genie+ at Walt Disney World for December 28, 2023:
- A number of Parks (legitimate with Park Hopper tickets): $39
- Magic Kingdom: $39
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $35
- EPCOT: $32
- Animal Kingdom: $29
These record-high quantities began on December 23 and we count on these exact worth factors to proceed via New Yr’s Eve. On January 1, 2024, it’s doubtless the max worth will fall again to $29. Don’t be stunned if Genie+ sells out a number of occasions within the days and week to return regardless of the document excessive costs.
Regardless of the document excessive costs, December 28, 2023 is the primary time ever that Genie+ has bought out at Animal Kingdom. It’s additionally bought out at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the second time ever…and second consecutive day!
I discussed this again when the change was made to per-park pricing, however it was my understanding on the time that ‘points’ with Animal Kingdom final yr at Christmas have been truly a primary motivation for the transfer to per-park pricing. Not the one cause Walt Disney World did it, however one among many elements.
Mainly, Animal Kingdom does a nasty job of dealing with crowds as a result of it has so few headliners and since folks typically arrive late and go away early. Consequently, there’s inadequate capability for the height hours when the park is packed. That’s why Animal Kingdom oscillates between having very low and really excessive crowds–as soon as it reaches a sure tipping level, the park is a nightmare. Earlier than that, it’s normally comparatively manageable. It must be self-evident that the purpose was reached as we speak.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a considerably comparable story, besides with extra capability but additionally extra demand. Its high heavy lineup is why it averages the very best wait occasions (by far) in all of Walt Disney World. This dynamic at each parks can also be why they are often surprisingly straightforward to strategize–folks hit a wall at each and head for the exits in consequence. We’ve mentioned that in numerous crowd experiences, although.
As I’m penning this, Genie+ has not but bought out for Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. Judging by Lightning Lane availability, I’d be stunned if both did. I presently see choices for almost each headliner in each parks (a part of that’s that I seem to have hit a experience reservation refill time at EPCOT). Magic Kingdom being open till midnight additionally helps on the capability aspect.
As beforehand talked about, the subsequent two weeks or so will see peak season plus attendance, with crowd ranges of 10+/10, for lack of a greater time period. That will not make full sense, however final yr’s peak week between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve is an efficient illustration. December 20 was a ten/10 crowd degree day with a median wait time of 54 minutes–that was just one minute greater than a 9/10 crowd degree. In contrast, December 29 was the worst day of final yr, additionally with a ten/10 crowd degree however a median wait time of 67 minutes.
That’s a 13 minute unfold–which is completely huge–however the very same crowd degree. Nowhere else on the size (besides, I assume, 1/10 because it may theoretically begin at 0 minutes–however that by no means occurs in follow) has that vary. Often a crowd degree has a spread of some minutes earlier than it strikes up or down. Not 10/10. It may be 54 minutes, 67 minutes, 80 minutes, and so on. Therefore the ten+/10 crowd degree.
Hope that is smart. Even when not, the salient level is that there are various levels of ‘unhealthy’ crowds and that 10/10 isn’t a static degree of awfulness. Proper now could be fairly unhealthy, however subsequent week will nearly definitely be method worse. On the plus aspect, the parks might be working in ‘most effectivity’ mode, which presents extra alternatives for beating the crowds if you happen to’re keen to work a bit.
We’d as soon as once more advocate studying Making the Most of Midnight in Magic Kingdom & Beating Peak Season Crowds! That’s a latest put up that I put a ton of labor into based mostly on my midnight expertise, and it was comparatively ignored by readers. The guidelines there can prevent a ton of time and stress if you happen to’re visiting Walt Disney World within the subsequent two weeks.
It’ll be fascinating to see what number of days Genie+ sells out between now and January 6, 2024. My earlier guess was 3-4, with all the promote outs occurring later within the week as NYE attracts nearer and crowds crescendo.
Genie+ promoting out regardless of greater costs truly shouldn’t be a shock. For one factor, there’s a specific amount of worth inelasticity in relation to paid line-skipping. Most company who don’t balk on the $35 worth level are also unlikely to be dissuaded from shopping for the service when it’s priced at $39. That’s particularly true of tourists who pay peak season costs to go to Walt Disney World–they’re much less prone to be cost-sensitive (in the event that they have been, they’d select cheaper dates within the first place).
There’s additionally the sensible actuality that Genie+ is extra helpful when crowds are greater. As we’ve mentioned beforehand, there’s a “candy spot” for purchasing the Genie+ service, and you might be arguably higher off skipping it in favor of superior technique when costs are highest because of lack of Lightning Lane availability (see When to Skip Genie+ at Walt Disney World).
Nonetheless, that’s not precisely intuitive to lots of people who aren’t savvy planners. On the whole, the extra company see longer wait occasions, the extra doubtless they’re to wish to skip these standby strains. Worse wait occasions creates the next incentive for bypassing strains, that means greater uptake of Genie+ even when it prices extra. Demand for beating crowds will increase as crowds improve, and as such, Genie+ will at all times be hottest when it’s costliest. That’s true even when its benefit is considerably illusory in 10/10 crowds, since availability worsens and so too do the Lightning Lane return strains.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study motels on our Walt Disney World Inns 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 Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a singular 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, one of the best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every little thing it’s worthwhile to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Genie+ setting a brand new all-time document excessive worth of $39? In the event you’re visiting in the course of the week of New Yr’s Eve, what’s the utmost worth you’ll pay for the line-skipping service? Ideas on our perspective that demand for Genie+ will proceed to be highest on the busiest/costliest days? Another concerns we did not keep in mind or particulars we missed/acquired fallacious? Do you agree or disagree with my evaluation? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
