It’s beginning to look at lot like the week after Christmas at Disney Parks on both coasts of the United States, as Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World saw huge, record-setting crowds and long lines throughout all six American theme parks during what is undeniably one of the busiest times of the year.
Indeed, as posted here on Laughing Place, the wait time averages for Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World were jaw-droppingly high. And those who dared brave the crowds found interminable waits outside the parks as well. At Walt Disney’s original Magic Kingdom in Anaheim, California, guests found the security lines stretching out to Harbor Boulevard. Naturally, fans took to social media to post their reactions to the walls of people surrounding them.
Inside Disneyland, it looks difficult to move around New Orleans Square.
Across the Esplanade at Disney California Adventure, wait times have stretched out over three hours for popular attractions like Soarin’ Around the World.
https://twitter.com/MattDotDisney/status/1078373877850370048
Down in Florida, another massive security line meant a sea of heads waiting to get into Magic Kingdom park.
And wait times inside the park had folks wondering how many attractions they can possibly squeeze into their visits.
There were even some unhappy customers anxiously awaiting their exit from the madness.
Over at Epcot, fewer people seem to be complaining about the crowds than the purported theft of the Buzzy animatronic, but it’s still a busy period at Walt Disney World’s second gate.
During a transitional period at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, there aren’t very many attractions open, generating long queues at often-underappreciated gems like Muppet*Vision 3D.
Of course, the recently unveiled Toy Story Land is drawing tremendous throngs of attendees, while older favorites like The Twilight Zone Tower have lengthy waits as well.
At Disney’s Animal Kindom, the posted wait time for Flight of Passage at Pandora: The World of Avatar neared five and a half hours.
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So what do you think? Is it worth it to attend Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort during the holiday break, with the threat of facing some of the biggest crowds and longest lines? If being present in the parks with friends and family is enough to make your vacation satisfying, then, by all means, don’t give it a second thought. But if you want to get the most out of your trips to the Happiest Places on Earth, maybe consider going during another time of year.
Check out Walt Disney World’s dynamic pricing calendar to get a great deal during the off-season, and as always, be sure to monitor Laughing Place’s current wait times pages for Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.