What is a 'Crowd'?
Sounds like a silly question but it may not be as simple as you think. You might say, "a crowd is a crowd, of course" but do we all define it the same way? When we say that we want to measure how crowded a theme park resort is we might be referring to any one of the following possibilities.
- How hard is it to walk around the parks?
- How far in advance do I have to book my hotel to make sure I get a room?
- How long do I have to wait to experience the most popular attractions?
- What is the total attendance across the resort?
- When I tour around the parks how does it feel? Do I feel like people are in my personal space or is there room to breathe?
There are lots of other ways too: parking lots, restaurants or how many people are on the bus. All perfectly valid ways to define a 'crowd' and it really doesn't matter which one you choose. All that matters is that the definition is clear and that we all know which one we are using.
Touring Plans Crowd Calendar
We at Touring Plans define a 'crowd' as the average posted wait time for the key attractions between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm. We selected this definition for many reasons.
- It is data-driven, using data that we can collect
- It relates best to the other definitions listed above
- It has fixed park hours to make fair comparisons between parks
- It can be objectively evaluated for accuracy
That last one is important. Two guests who tour the Magic Kingdom on the same day may not agree on how the crowd felt. It will depend greatly on their personal perspective: what time of year they usually visit the parks, how experienced they are, what touring plan they used, etc. However, we all ought to agree on what the average posted wait time was between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm.
Feelings Matter
This is not to say that how a crowd 'felt' isn't important. Quite the opposite! Anyone who has tried to navigate Main Street U.S.A. on New Year's Eve knows that it's not just about the wait times. On days like this you can walk to the hub without seeing a single brick beneath your feet. However, most guests judge the crowds by how much they get to see and how long they wait in line. So, a calendar based on wait times is the best way to do that objectively.
What Do The Crowd Levels Feel Like In The Parks?
You can get a good sense of how the parks will feel to you based on our wait times pages. For example, a 70-minute average wait at Space Mountain is a '7' on our scale. If a 70-minute average wait seems reasonable to you, you should feel comfortable at a '7' or '8' day. If it makes you shudder in anguish then stick to the '5's or lower.
If you have dates planned, click on the "view park wait times" on the Crowd Calendar day page you're viewing, or by navigating to it from a park's wait times page (see Magic Kingdom's Wait Times page for reference). You'll be able to see predicted wait times for every attraction for every hour of the day.
If you haven't set your dates yet, or just want to see what the wait times look like in aggregate, visit the pages below to see tables of wait times like the example for Space Mountain below. Use them to get a sense of how crowded each attraction will be:
Magic Kingdom Crowd Levels to Wait Times
|
Crowd Level |
Attraction |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
Space Mountain |
13-64 |
27-71 |
32-72 |
44-74 |
49-91 |
53-100 |
58-105 |
69-118 |
78-120 |
96-175 |
Some Notes About Special Events
Special events are scattered throughout the Disney calendar, most often between September and June. They involve all sorts of groups including runners, foodies, partiers and Star Wars fans. Corporations will occasionally book events, as well, either during park hours or as a closed event. If you are attending an event, check our blog for details on how to tour effectively. If you are not attending, check the list below for information about how you may need to alter your plans.
Gay Days
What is it? |
An annual, unofficial event where gay, lesbian and bisexual guests visit a park a day |
Impact on wait times |
Modest impact |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Gay Day-ers can be loud and proud but most guests won't even notice the event is taking place |
Tips & Tricks |
Gay Days rotate daily among the 4 parks, pick another park just in case the turnout is larger than expected |
Flower & Garden Festival
What is it? |
A 10-week festival from early March to mid-May at Epcot |
Impact on wait times |
Little impact |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Beautiful topiaries around Epcot attract photographers and green thumbs, otherwise little impact |
Tips & Tricks |
Enjoy the park as you would any other time |
Food & Wine Festival
What is it? |
A 7-week festival from late September to mid-November at Epcot |
Impact on wait times |
Minimal |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Draws a jubilant, festive mass of foodies and guzzlers to World Showcase, especially on weekends. The large crowds fill the walkways but don't take in attractions |
Tips & Tricks |
Huge crowds and low wait times make a deceiving combo. Avoid Fridays and weekends or stick to Future World. If participating, go early and expect long lines at the pavilions |
Holidays Around The World
What is it? |
Countries around Epcot's World Showcase present their holiday traditions |
Impact on wait times |
No impact |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Small crowds gather in World Showcase to hear storytellers and admire the decorations |
Tips & Tricks |
Tour normally, check schedules for specific times |
Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
What is it? |
Annual early-January weekend of long distance races around the resort |
Impact on wait times |
No impact |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Hotels are heavily booked and busy, traffic is slower along roadways affected by the race route |
Tips & Tricks |
Take the morning off on race day if you can. Plan a little more time to travel to the park in the morning if you do decide to visit a park. |
Christmas Parade Recording at Magic Kingdom
What is it? |
Early November filming of the parade to air on December 25 |
Impact on wait times |
Minimal to none |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Temporary stages for performances may block access to certain portions of the parks, especially Magic Kingdom's Hub. |
Tips & Tricks |
Avoid Magic Kingdom or give yourself extra time to get through the mobs watching and participating in the recordings. Strangely, once you get past the performance areas, the rest of the parks are generally fine. |
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
What is it? |
Hard-ticket after hours event at Magic Kingdom, September to early November |
Impact on wait times |
Very low wait times until 4pm |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Dressed-up partygoers hit the park late afternoon. Expect lots of little princesses and pirates |
Tips & Tricks |
Park hours are shorter for regular guests so avoid the park. Great choice for a half day though, morning waits will be low |
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
What is it? |
Hard-ticket after hours event at Magic Kingdom, mid-November to mid-December |
Impact on wait times |
Very low wait times until 4pm |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Merriment begins late afternoon. Festive atmosphere |
Tips & Tricks |
Park hours are shorter for regular guests so avoid the park. Great choice for a half day though, morning waits will be low |
Night of Joy
What is it? |
After hours event at Magic Kingdom hosting Christian youth |
Impact on wait times |
Low wait times all day |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Usually during September low season, the closed event brings a notable abundance of pre-teens to the host park. Your tolerance for pre-teens will dictate your experience |
Tips & Tricks |
Park hours are shorter for regular guests so avoid the park. Great choice for a half day though, morning waits will be low |
Cheerleading & Dance World Championships
What is it? |
National competition for young cheerleaders |
Impact on wait times |
Minimal |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Hotels are heavily booked with teens and their families. Expect impromptu rehearsals |
Tips & Tricks |
Events are held at Wide World of Sports, tour the parks normally |
Wine & Dine Half Marathon
What is it? |
Running competition during Epcot's Food & Wine Festival |
Impact on wait times |
No impact |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Hotels are heavily booked and busy, traffic is slower |
Tips & Tricks |
Take the morning off on race day if you can. If you decide to hit the parks, plan for a little extra travel time to the park entrance |
Pop Warner Football Championship
What is it? |
National early-December competition for young cheerleaders and footballers |
Impact on wait times |
No impact |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Hotels are heavily booked with pre-teens and families. Value resorts are particularly overrun so if you are staying there your experience will be dictated by your tolerance for the under-13 demographic |
Tips & Tricks |
Events are held at Wide World of Sports, tour the main parks normally |
Anniversaries, Media Events & Special Appearances
What is it? |
Presidential visits, attraction (re)openings & park anniversaries |
Impact on wait times |
Usually no impact unless a particular attraction is the subject of the event in which case the increase in wait time will be proportional to the hype |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Designated areas become jam-packed with press, dignitaries and Disney-philes. Security may be tighter |
Tips & Tricks |
These special events can come in various sizes. The official opening event for Star Tours: The Adventure Continues brought all night camp-outs while The Animal Kingdom's 15th anniversary was a subdued celebration. Unless the event interests you, it is better to avoid the designated area or the affected park if possible |
Conferences & Corporate Events
What is it? |
Corporate arrangements for special access to lands or parks |
Impact on wait times |
Minimal impact |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Corporations may arrange to access a park outside regular hours or access a certain area during park hours |
Tips & Tricks |
Thousands of corporate visitors sound impactful but rarely are so. Avoid the designated area or park if you must but usually touring normally will be fine |
Some Notes About Holidays
Holidays can be some of the busiest times of the year. The fact is, most plan their Disney trips around days off work and days when school is not in session. The resort handles extreme crowds very well and most guests have a positive experience in spite of the crowds. Holidays are also when our touring plans work best. The more crowded it is, the more time you'll save by using them.
Like special events, not all holidays are created equal. Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving are week long (or more) holidays with perennially extreme wait times but other holidays can be excellent for touring. Some bring an increase to wait times that last a few days while others bring only a small bump in attendance. Our comments below about how the holidays affect wait times are relative to the adjacent days around the holiday. For example, Columbus Day wait times are below average for the year but higher than the other days in October. Here is how the holidays stack up, year to year.
Labor Day
When is it? |
First Monday in September |
Impact on wait times |
Minimal impact |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Least crowded of the statutory holidays |
Tips & Tricks |
Tour normally, enjoy the light holiday crowds but choose the park with the lowest crowd level, if possible |
Columbus Day
When is it? |
Second Monday in October |
Impact on wait times |
Significant bump in wait times relative to the adjacent October days |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Bump in crowdedness is more noticeable because Columbus Day occurs in low season |
Tips & Tricks |
Touring plans are suggested |
Halloween
When is it? |
October 31 |
Impact on wait times |
Modest increase in waits, mostly at the Magic Kingdom. At other parks wait times are actually below average for the year |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Slightly busier than adjacent days but equally as festive as the preceding week. Halloween is a month-long affair at Disney World |
Tips & Tricks |
Tour normally, choose the park with the lowest crowd index if possible |
Jersey Week
When/what is it? |
1st or 2nd week of November New Jersey State Schools off Thursday & Friday |
Impact on wait times |
Waits are double the norm for that season |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Though schools are off Thursday and Friday, many Jersey visitors start arriving the previous Saturday and Sunday |
Tips & Tricks |
Touring plans are suggested. The impact of Jersey Week usually fades the following Tuesday |
Veterans Day
When is it? |
November 11 |
Impact on wait times |
Modest increase in waits, more significant increase if it overlaps with Jersey Week |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Bump in attendance but still relatively low crowds unless it coincides with Jersey Week |
Tips & Tricks |
Touring plans are suggested especially if Veteran's Day and Jersey Week overlap |
Thanksgiving Day
When is it? |
Fourth Thursday in November |
Impact on wait times |
Extremely long lines everywhere |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Third busiest week of the year behind Christmas and Easter. Parks, hotels, buses and parking lots overflow with guests |
Tips & Tricks |
Touring plans are mandatory. Arrive early, follow them strictly and check Lines for updates. Crowds start building the preceding weekend and last until the following Tuesday. The further away from Thanksgiving Day, the lower the crowds |
Christmas Eve
When is it? |
December 24 |
Impact on wait times |
Very long lines everywhere |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Incredibly crowded but incredibly festive |
Tips & Tricks |
Holiday touring plans are mandatory, but crowds are actually worse December 28 to 31 |
Christmas Day
When is it? |
December 25 |
Impact on wait times |
Extremely long lines |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Incredibly crowded but incredibly festive |
Tips & Tricks |
Holiday touring plans are mandatory but crowds are actually worse December 28 to 31. Epcot is a good choice because it handles extreme crowds better than the other parks. |
New Year's Eve
When is it? |
December 31 |
Impact on wait times |
Extremely long lines everywhere, busiest day of the year |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Incredibly crowded but incredibly festive, especially in the evening |
Tips & Tricks |
Magic Kingdom and Epcot will reach capacity. Arrive early, follow a holiday touring plan and stay all day to enjoy the fireworks. Studios is the lightest park, by far, that hosts fireworks. Animal Kingdom crowds can be surprisingly manageable, a great choice if midnight fireworks are not part of your plans. Magic Kingdom fireworks on December 30th are identical to those on the 31st |
New Year's Day
When is it? |
January 1 |
Impact on wait times |
Extremely long lines mid-day and evening |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Continuation of the extreme Christmas crowds |
Tips & Tricks |
Early morning crowds (especially at Magic Kingdom) are light and provide the best touring conditions between December 24 and January 2 |
Martin Luther King Junior Day
When is it? |
Third Monday in January |
Impact on wait times |
Significant increase in waits compared to adjacent days |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Larger crowds than normal in mid-January. It is usually more crowded the preceding Saturday and Sunday than the holiday Monday itself. |
Tips & Tricks |
Touring plans are suggested |
Super Bowl Sunday
When is it? |
First Sunday in February |
Impact on wait times |
No impact unless the host city is within 500 miles of Orlando (Miami, Tampa or Jacksonville). The impact occurs Monday through Wednesday after the game. |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
If the host city is near enough, fans, press and their families can inundate the resort after game-day. Often the MVP marshalls the Magic Kingdom daytime parade on Monday |
Tips & Tricks |
Tour normally but be cautious of the Magic Kingdom on the Monday after the game |
Valentine's Day
When is it? |
February 14 |
Impact on wait times |
No impact |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
No impact but may coincide with Presidents Week which does increase crowds significantly |
Tips & Tricks |
Touring plans are suggested if February 14th coincides with Presidents Week |
Presidents Day
When is it? |
Third Monday in February |
Impact on wait times |
Very high wait times |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Largest crowds since New Year's Day, busy all around. Increase in crowds begins the Thursday before and doesn't fade until the Sunday after |
Tips & Tricks |
Touring plans are strongly suggested all week |
Mardi Gras
When is it? |
47 days before Easter (between February 3 and March 9) |
Impact on wait times |
Significant increase in waits, extreme increase if overlapping with other February holidays |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
School breaks in New Orleans bring in substantial crowds. When Mardi Gras overlaps with other February holidays, we see Christmas-like wait times |
Tips & Tricks |
Touring plans suggested. If it overlaps with other February holidays consider touring plans mandatory. Some of the highest wait times we have on record occurred during Mardi Gras |
Spring Break
When/What is it? |
Recess of Schools in March and April |
Impact on wait times |
High to very high wait times depending on how many school boards are in session |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Young adults and families flood all parks and resorts |
Tips & Tricks |
The most difficult time of the year to predict crowds, touring plans are mandatory. Check the crowd calendar to see crowd predictions during your spring break. If your break is a different week than the majority, crowds may be modest. Beware of weeks that abut Easter |
St. Patrick's Day
When is it? |
March 17 |
Impact on wait times |
No impact |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Lots of green, Raglan Road at Downtown Disney hosts an all-day party |
Tips & Tricks |
Tour normally, wear green |
Good Friday
When is it? |
Friday before Easter Sunday |
Impact on wait times |
Extremely long lines |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
All days around Easter are very busy, second only to Christmas |
Tips & Tricks |
Touring plans are mandatory, expect extreme crowds |
Easter
When is it? |
First Sunday after full moon following March equinox (between March 22 & April 25) |
Impact on wait times |
Very long lines |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
All days around Easter are very busy, second only to Christmas. But surprisingly, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday have lower wait times than Good Friday and Saturday |
Tips & Tricks |
Touring plans are mandatory, expect extreme crowds. Epcot is likely your best choice, it handles extreme crowds better than the other parks |
Easter Monday
When is it? |
Monday after Easter Sunday |
Impact on wait times |
Very high wait times |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
All days around Easter are very busy, second only to Christmas although Easter Monday is much lighter than the days leading up to Easter weekend |
Tips & Tricks |
Touring plans are mandatory but crowds are worse on the Friday-Saturday. If there is such thing as a lighter day during Easter weekend this would be it. Likely your best day for Magic Kingdom especially if Sunday night hosted Extra Magic Hours. However, expect large crowds |
Cinco de Mayo
When is it? |
May 5 |
Impact on wait times |
Modest increase in waits |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Small influx to Mexico pavilion at Epcot otherwise minimal impact |
Tips & Tricks |
Tour normally |
Mother's Day
When is it? |
Second Sunday in May |
Impact on wait times |
No impact |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Mothers get well-deserved attention |
Tips & Tricks |
Tour normally - call your mother |
Memorial Day
When is it? |
Last Monday in May |
Impact on wait times |
Significant increase in waits relative to adjacent days |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Heavy crowds all weekend but crowds are actually larger on the Saturday and Sunday immediately before Memorial Day Monday. The increase in crowds is short lived compared to holidays like Christmas and Easter but at times can be equally as extreme |
Tips & Tricks |
The holiday Monday is surprisingly a better choice for touring the Magic Kingdom, mostly because it usually follows an Extra Hour Evening which draws larger crowds than Memorial Day itself |
Father's Day
When is it? |
Third Sunday in June |
Impact on wait times |
No impact |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
Fathers get special attention |
Tips & Tricks |
Tour normally |
Independence Day
When is it? |
July 4 |
Impact on wait times |
Very high wait times |
Impact on the park(s)/resort |
If July is busy then Independence day is jammed, especially in the evening. Almost as busy on July 3 and July 5 |
Tips & Tricks |
Tour in the morning, stake out your nighttime viewing spot early. Magic Kingdom and Epcot may hit capacity. Fireworks on July 3rd are identical to July 4th |
More Questions?