Holiday celebrations are in full swing in Disney World with holiday decorations and treats for guests to enjoy.

Holidays in the Magic Kingdom

But, with the holidays comes something else…crowds. With Thanksgiving just a few days away, we noticed that the holiday crowds have definitely arrived in the parks.

This past weekend and today (Monday, the 22nd) we’ve started to see quite a few more guests in the parks as Thanksgiving draws near. Here’s what we’ve seen and what you should keep in mind if you’re planning to visit the parks during the busy holiday season.

Crowds

You might see some big crowds near the entrance to the parks, particularly just as the parks are opening for the day. We spotted some substantial crowds in Hollywood Studios near the entrance.

Entrance Crowds

This can vary depending on when you enter the park and what park you visit.

Animal Kingdom Entrance Crowds

If you’re hoping to enter the parks without a big line, consider using the Early Theme Park Entry benefit if you’re staying at a Disney World resort hotel. Or, consider getting there very early or waiting a little bit past the opening time, so you can potentially beat or miss the early morning rush.

Entrance Crowds

Some of the places where you’ll spot the biggest evidence of crowds will be at lines for spots to grab some food or the attraction queues. We spotted some particularly long lines for popular rides like Slinky Dog Dash in Hollywood Studios…

120 Minute Wait!

…Tower of Terror in Hollywood Studios…

WOW

…and other rides. You may even find that lines for Lightning Lanes may be longer than you might have expected. Be sure to look for those “Enter Here” or “End of Line” signs that Cast Members near the end of the lines will typically hold up, so you know where to enter.

Look for These “Enter Here” Signs

You may see backstage areas utilized for the lines of select spots also, like the backstage area that was being used for the Kilimanjaro Safaris line in Animal Kingdom today.

Backstage

In terms of wait times, when we checked at around 2:45PM ET on Monday the 22nd, there was a mixed bag. Some attractions and experiences had low waits.

Wait Times

Others had waits of 15-20 minutes — not too bad.

Wait Times

Some rides were closer to the middle, with 30-35 minute waits.

Wait Times

But, if you’re hoping to go on some of Disney World’s most popular rides during the holiday season, be prepared to wait in more substantial lines. When we checked, several rides had waits of an hour…

Wait Times

…or more.

Wait Times

Really popular rides like Test Track and Frozen Ever After were closer to 90 or 100 minutes.

Long Waits

And Flight of Passage had a 160 minute wait, and Rise of the Resistance led the pack with a 195 minute wait.

Longer Waits

If you’ll be heading to the parks during this busy season, consider whether purchasing a Lightning Lane or Genie+ is something your family wants to do, or if you can take advantage of things like Early Theme Park Entry or Extended Evening Hours to get some extra time in the parks to do what you want.

You Won’t Be Alone

As we’ve seen on other busy days though, there were pockets of spaces where the crowds weren’t as bad.

Not Bad Here

If you’re heading to the parks now, you may find pockets of emptier spots, which can give you some more space to spread out.

Look for Those Empty Spaces

Another big thing to keep in mind when it comes to crowds is the weather.

Crowds and Rain

When it rains in Disney World, you may find many guests flock to nearby stores, rides, or restaurants with some kind of cover to escape the weather. 

Finding Cover

You may encounter large crowds near those areas, so keep that in mind.

The Rain Can Cause Some Crowding

Even if the weather doesn’t necessarily call for a lot of rain during your visit, you’ll want to come prepared as Florida weather can be a bit unpredictable!

Time to Wait

And be prepared to face some larger crowds and lines in indoor spots during the bad weather.

Crowded

During the rain, you may notice crowds thinning out in some outdoor spots.

Crowds Thinning Out

In fact, over at EPCOT, we noticed that the crowds were significantly reduced in some spots due to the rain.

Things Are Looking Better

If you come prepared to brave the rain (a.k.a. bring those ponchos and umbrellas!) then you could take advantage of some shorter lines.

Ready to Brave the Rain?

Overall, our reporters shared that the parks do feel much more crowded now than they did last week.

Crowds Walking In

Again, the level of crowding you’ll face will depend on what park you visit, when you visit, where you spend your time in the park, etc. But, overall, as Thanksgiving draws near, be prepared to wait more in some lines for food, merchandise, and rides; and be prepared to encounter more crowds throughout the parks.

Crowds

A few things to keep in mind as you visit during the busy season:

• Make sure you’ve got your Park Passes set up well in advance.
• Be sure to check if Park Hopping is restricted at any point as it is based on availability (we haven’t really encountered an issue with hopping due to capacity, except on Disney World’s 50th Anniversary, but things can change).
• Be sure to place those mobile orders well before you’re hungry so you aren’t stuck waiting for a much later pick-up time.
• Take advantage of any extra time you might have in the park (early entry or extended evening hours).
• Pack your patience — it can get stressful with big crowds!

Time to Get in Line

We’ll keep an eye out for more Disney news and updates throughout the holidays, so stay tuned for the latest updates!