Happy 2026! Can you believe we’re already here? We feel like 2025 just began!
Happy New Year from Disney World!
The holiday season is one of Disney World’s most popular times of year, beginning with holiday offerings like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Jollywood Nights, as well as all the seasonal treats and events that you can experience, but New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are also incredibly popular. Who doesn’t want to spend the first day of the new year in Disney World? We stopped into Magic Kingdom to see just how many people had the same idea, and let’s just say, we weren’t expecting this.
Coming into Magic Kingdom parking, we noticed things were moving really slowly, but the TTC itself wasn’t too bad. Don’t be afraid of long lines around security, because they often move quick! Once we got to the front gates of the park, we noticed it was a tad backed up, but not nearly as bad as we were expecting.
Line to tap in
Once we got to Main Street, U.S.A., we noticed that crowds were…not as intense as we expected! It was a complete 180 from what we saw on Main Street last night for the countdown, but this actually isn’t super unusual — a lot of people were up late, so rope dropping in the morning isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Crowds on Main Street
Right before noon, we took a look at our My Disney Experience App to check out what wait times were looking like throughout the whole resort. The highest wait times in the park were Rise of the Resistance at 110 minutes, Flight of Passage at 105 minutes, Slinky Dog Dash at 100 minutes, and TRON Lightcycle / Run at 95 minutes.
©Disney
Below that was Cosmic Rewind at 95 minutes, Soarin’ at 90 minutes, Test Track and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at 80 minutes, and Mission: SPACE at 75 minutes. All that being said, crowds were DEFINITELY lower than New Year’s Eve, and don’t seem to be any worse than the days we’ve seen leading up to this holiday.
©Disney
As you get further into the day, though? You’ll want to prepare yourself, because again, a lot of people likely decided to sleep in/have a lazy morning and get into the parks later in the afternoon/evening since many of them are open later than usual tonight, yet again.
Want to avoid the crowds today as much as you can? Check out our video below!
We’ll be sure to keep you updated on all the latest Disney World news this year, so stay tuned to DFB!
20 BIG Changes Disney Has Already Announced for 2026
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
Are you planning to visit Disney World in 2026? Tell us in the comments!
