Walt Disney World · the four parks
Disney World Crowds by Day: How Busy Each Park Was, and What to Ride First
How busy each of Disney’s four parks was, day by day and by weekday, measured by Disney’s own posted standby waits, read every ten minutes from 9 September to 25 October 2026. And at each park, the rides that are usually half as long or less first thing in the morning. Every figure is what was posted on the days read: nothing here is a forecast, and a day that has not happened yet is not on this page.
Trixie’s tip: 24 of the 47 rides here with a posted wait are usually half as long or less in their first hour. If your hotel is Disney’s, early entry is the time for them.
Magic Kingdom
How busy each day was
The middle of its rides’ average posted waits from 10 AM to 6 PM, on 47 days read from 9 September to 25 October 2026. The busiest was 14 October (about 38 minutes), the quietest 24 September (about 7). On the 23 days Disney’s calendar showed a ticketed event after the park closed to the day’s guests (the purple bars), the middle was about 10 minutes; on the other 24 days, about 26. Weekends are the gold bars.
- Monabout 29 minutes6 read
- Tueabout 9 minutes6 read
- Wedabout 19 minutes7 read
- Thuabout 11 minutes7 read
- Friabout 10 minutes7 read
- Satabout 28 minutes7 read
- Sunabout 11 minutes7 read
Shortest first thing
9 of its rides usually post half their busiest wait or less in their first hour:
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad about 5 minutes around 8 AM; about 40 around 6 PM.
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin about 5 minutes around 8 AM; about 40 around 4 PM.
- Haunted Mansion about 13 minutes around 8 AM; about 30 around noon.
- Jungle Cruise about 5 minutes around 8 AM; about 40 around noon.
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh about 15 minutes around 8 AM; about 35 around noon.
- Pirates of the Caribbean about 5 minutes around 8 AM; about 28 around noon.
- Space Mountain about 5 minutes around 8 AM; about 35 around noon.
- Tiana's Bayou Adventure about 5 minutes around 9 AM; about 40 around 3 PM.
- Under the Sea - Journey of The Little Mermaid about 5 minutes around 8 AM; about 20 around 6 PM.
EPCOT
How busy each day was
The middle of its rides’ average posted waits from 10 AM to 6 PM, on 47 days read from 9 September to 25 October 2026. The busiest was 21 September (about 29 minutes), the quietest 23 September (about 12). On the 5 days Disney’s calendar showed a ticketed event after the park closed to the day’s guests (the purple bars), the middle was about 23 minutes; on the other 42 days, about 21. Weekends are the gold bars.
- Monabout 24 minutes6 read
- Tueabout 19 minutes6 read
- Wedabout 15 minutes7 read
- Thuabout 22 minutes7 read
- Friabout 21 minutes7 read
- Satabout 24 minutes7 read
- Sunabout 20 minutes7 read
Shortest first thing
6 of its rides usually post half their busiest wait or less in their first hour:
- Frozen Ever After about 20 minutes around 8 AM; about 65 around 1 PM.
- Living with the Land about 5 minutes around 9 AM; about 30 around 11 AM.
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends about 5 minutes around 8 AM; about 30 around 11 AM.
- Soarin' Across America about 5 minutes around 8 AM; about 35 around 11 AM.
- Spaceship Earth about 5 minutes around 8 AM; about 25 around 11 AM.
- Test Track about 30 minutes around 8 AM; about 75 around 3 PM.
Disney's Hollywood Studios
How busy each day was
The middle of its rides’ average posted waits from 10 AM to 6 PM, on 47 days read from 9 September to 25 October 2026. The busiest was 11 October (about 61 minutes), the quietest 1 October (about 30). Weekends are the gold bars.
- Monabout 44 minutes6 read
- Tueabout 40 minutes6 read
- Wedabout 38 minutes7 read
- Thuabout 40 minutes7 read
- Friabout 46 minutes7 read
- Satabout 50 minutes7 read
- Sunabout 44 minutes7 read
Shortest first thing
6 of its rides usually post half their busiest wait or less in their first hour:
- Alien Swirling Saucers about 5 minutes around 8 AM; about 35 around 11 AM.
- Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway about 15 minutes around 8 AM; about 50 around 11 AM.
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run about 10 minutes around 8 AM; about 40 around 11 AM.
- Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets about 15 minutes around 8 AM; about 55 around 11 AM.
- Toy Story Mania! about 15 minutes around 8 AM; about 45 around 11 AM.
- The Twilight Zone™ Tower of Terror about 13 minutes around 8 AM; about 40 around 11 AM.
Disney's Animal Kingdom
How busy each day was
The middle of its rides’ average posted waits from 10 AM to 6 PM, on 47 days read from 9 September to 25 October 2026. The busiest was 12 October (about 50 minutes), the quietest 23 September (about 9). Weekends are the gold bars.
- Monabout 28 minutes6 read
- Tueabout 24 minutes6 read
- Wedabout 14 minutes7 read
- Thuabout 24 minutes7 read
- Friabout 33 minutes7 read
- Satabout 38 minutes7 read
- Sunabout 38 minutes7 read
Shortest first thing
3 of its rides usually post half their busiest wait or less in their first hour:
- Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain about 5 minutes around 8 AM; about 35 around 11 AM.
- Kali River Rapids about 5 minutes around 9 AM; about 30 around noon.
- Na'vi River Journey about 15 minutes around 8 AM; about 45 around 11 AM.
From Disney’s posted standby waits and open status, read every ten minutes, 9 September to 25 October 2026. A ride’s first hour is most days Disney’s early entry, open to guests of Disney’s own hotels before the park opens to everyone. Each ride’s own day, hour by hour, is on its own page. Ticketed nights as Disney’s calendar showed them: Powered by ThemeParks.wiki. Credits
