It’s the week of Christmas, and you know what that means — Disney World is BUSY.

It’s the holiday season in Disney World!

We saw high crowd levels in Disney World for Thanksgiving week, and we already got a hint of the Christmas crowds last week in Disney Springs. If you’re visiting Disney World for the holidays, we’re here to tell you that the holiday crowds have officially arrived!

Crowds have been picking up throughout the last few weeks of December, and with Christmas on Saturday and a lot of schools now on holiday break, you can expect more people in the parks.

According to Disney World’s Park Reservation Calendar, Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are sold out from December 20th through the 31st. On some days Animal Kingdom is also full. And all four Disney Parks are sold out on December 22nd, 25th, and from the 27th-31st. On December 24th, only EPCOT is still available. Note that Park Pass availability is a bit different for Annual Passholders. Keep in mind this availability is all subject to change.

©Disney

When it comes to crowds, we’ve seen quite a lot of people in the parks recently. This is traditionally a busy time of year in Disney World, so make sure you pack your patience!

Hollywood Studios Crowds

Magic Kingdom was especially crowded near the entrance to the park during one of our visits. This is something you can typically find during busy times, especially first thing in the morning.

Magic Kingdom Crowds

If you’re staying at a Disney World Resort hotel, you might want to get to the front entrance early to take advantage of Early Theme Park Entry, which lets you enter the parks before opening time. Disney World has extended this perk to allow guests to enter the parks 60 minutes early (an increase from 30 minutes) for a limited time from December 19th to January 3rd!

Main Street, U.S.A. Crowds

You might find Disney anticipating long lines in some areas, like with this taped queue for Guest Relations.

Taped line

You may also see long lines at food and drink spots like what we saw at Joffrey’s Coffee. It’s not totally out of the ordinary to find long food lines in Disney World, but you might yourself waiting a bit longer during the holiday period, and especially during peak meal times.

Joffrey’s line

There were also standby lines extending quite a ways out for some popular rides. Be sure to keep an eye out for Cast Members directing guests with the “End of Line” signs, like we saw in Hollywood Studios with Tower of Terror…

Tower of Terror Line

…Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster…

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Line

…and Slinky Dog Dash. The Slinky Dog Dash line extended nearly to the edge of Toy Story Land during one of our trips. If many guests decide to utilize Disney Genie+ and purchase Genie+ or Pay-Per-Ride, you may also find some slightly longer Lightning Lanes, so keep that in mind if you’re planning to rely on Genie+ or Individual Attraction Selection.

Slinky Dog Dash Line

As of Monday, December 20th around 12PM, wait times were trending pretty high, but there were also a few low waits.

©Disney

Some rides hovered around 35 to 40 minutes…

©Disney

…while others were in the 55 to 60 minute range. The Seas with Nemo & Friends was up to 55 minutes!

©Disney

The 65 to 75 minute range had some of Disney World’s most popular rides, like the Haunted Mansion in Magic Kingdom and Kilimanjaro Safaris in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

©Disney

Leading the pack was Avatar Flight of Passage at 185 minutes. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance was at 145 minutes and Frozen Ever After trailed closely behind at 120 minutes.

©Disney

If you’re nervous about visiting for the busy holidays, don’t forget to check if you’re eligible for either Early Theme Park Entry or Extended Evening Hours to get extra time in the parks with potentially slightly less crowds. You can also look at buying Genie+ or Individual Lightning Lanes to bypass some of those LONG standby lines, and see whether that purchase would be worth it for you.

Magic Kingdom crowds

You might have a totally different crowd experience when you visit, so keep in mind that crowd levels can vary depending on which park you’re visiting and what you want to do. If you need a break, find places to stop and take a rest away from the crowds, like we did in Hollywood Studios at the fairly empty Walt Disney Presents: One Man’s Dream.

Find an empty area to take a rest!

If you’re visiting for the holidays, double check that you’ve got all your bases covered!

• Are your Park Passes reserved?
• Find out if you qualify for Early Theme Park Entry or Extended Evening Hours! If you value having extra time to get everything done, make sure you take advantage of these perks.
• Learn more about Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes and decide whether that extra cost may be a benefit during your visit.
• Plan for rests to escape the crowds a bit. You might be able to find less crowded spaces around the parks where you can stop and take a breath.
• You can Park Hop after 2PM, but if a park hits capacity you will not be able to enter. If you’re worried about it, check with a Cast Member or call the dedicated number before Park Hopping!
• Remember that ride lines will not be the only long lines! Schedule your Mobile Orders EARLY so that you don’t end up with a late pick-up window!
• Be kind and patient. Crowds can be stressful on everyone, from guests to Cast Members.

It’s beginning to look a lot like…crowds

We’ll be here with more Disney news, updates, and tips through the week, so stay tuned for more Disney World holiday news!

Click here to see our tips on how to avoid holiday crowd burnout in Disney World!

Are YOU visiting Disney World for the holidays? Tell us in the comments!

The post PHOTOS: See What the Holiday Crowds Are Like in Disney World This Week first appeared on the disney food blog.