10 Tips to Beat the Crowds at Disney During Busy Season

Disney parks are some of the most magical places on earth, and for that reason, they can attract quite a crowd! But not all times of year are created equal when it comes to how busy the parks are. 

Being at Walt Disney World or Disneyland when there’s a big crowd can be intimidating, but sometimes it’s not possible to avoid the busier seasons. Thankfully, there are a lot of ways to combat the crowds to ensure you still enjoy your trip!

As we document in our Disney World dates to avoid and Disneyland dates to avoid articles, these final weeks of the year are always the busiest times of year.

The Busiest Times of Year at Disney Parks

The first thing to know is when can you expect peak crowds at the Disney parks. It’s impossible to predict exactly how big crowds will be and when, but there are definitely particular times of year that tend to be busier than others.

Spring Break season usually brings out peak crowds at Disneyland and Disney World from March through mid-April. In addition to the crowds that result from kids being on school breaks, Easter also usually falls during this time, and the weather in Florida and California is certainly a draw for many at this time of year.

Any holiday weekends are also quite busy at the parks. For instance, Martin Luther King weekend in January, Memorial Day weekend in May, and Labor Day in September are typically crowded times to visit. To go along with that, major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's are some of the busiest times of the year to be at the parks.

Now that we’ve covered when the parks tend to be at their busiest, let’s delve into how you can manage the crowds in order to make the most of every moment!

Have A Plan

The best thing you can do to manage the crowds at Disney is to have a plan going into your trip. While every moment doesn’t have to be planned out, you should have a solid idea of how you’ll spend each day of your visit. Make your park reservations (which are required for each day until January 9, 2024 at Walt Disney World) well in advance to avoid the risk of your park of choice being completely sold out on a given day during the busiest seasons. 

Beyond that, familiarize yourself with the park map going into each day and plan out your “must-do” items. Every Disney park has so many amazing rides, shows, and attractions that it’s impossible to fit them all in, even on a slower day. On a crowded park day, it’s even more important to be in agreement with your party on what you are okay waiting for and what you’re willing to skip.

Other items to have planned out are advanced dining reservations (“ADR”s), whether you’re going to utilize Genie+ and Lighting Lane selections, and entering virtual queues as needed—read more on those items below!

Make the Most of the Disney Parks Apps

When it comes to visiting Walt Disney World or Disneyland during a crowded time, technology is your friend! In preparation for your trip, download the My Disney Experience app (Disney World) or the Disneyland app. You can link your park tickets, resort hotel stays, and dining reservations in the app to keep all of your plans organized. Beyond that, use the app to check ride and attraction wait times in real-time, mobile order food, help navigate the parks with the map, and make Genie+ and Lightning Lane selections. 

Get an Early Start…

Getting up and into the parks early is a great way to make the most of your time during even the busiest of days. Getting an early start when crowds are high will give you a better chance of knocking the most popular rides off your list before the lines become super long. 

This is a great time to use what’s called the “rope drop” strategy! This term refers to arriving at the park a little before it opens so that you can hit popular rides and attractions first thing with a (hopefully) minimal wait time.

At both Walt Disney World and Disneyland, if you’re staying at an official Disney resort or other designated resorts in the area, you’ll automatically be able to enter the parks 30 minutes before they officially open every day. Because early entry is only for resort guests, keep in mind that you have to be staying at one of these properties in order to take advantage of this perk. 

…Or Stay Late

If you’re not as much of an early bird, staying until park closing is another great option to make the most of your time. If you’re staying at a Deluxe Resort at Walt Disney World—the highest tier of Disney-owned properties—you may have the chance to attend extended evening hours at select parks on specific evenings. Taking advantage of late-night park hours may allow you the chance to experience lower crowds and lessened wait times during the busier seasons at the parks!

See also our Disneyland evening strategy for how to make the most of your time if you're planning on staying until park closing.

Build In Breaks

Let’s face it: navigating the Disney parks when crowds are high can be a bit tiring and it can even get frustrating. That’s why this is the most important time to build breaks into your park day schedule. Especially if you’re getting an early start, taking time to go back to your hotel or use an alternate method of unwinding will prevent frustration from building. 

If you don’t want to go back to your hotel for a break, there are certainly other fun things you can do that will allow you the chance to relax! One idea is to check out different Disney resorts. If you’re visiting during the holiday season, each resort has festive installations that are well worth checking out, such as the famous gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian in Walt Disney World. You can easily access many of these resorts using Disney transportation, making it even more of a no-brainer as a fun break.

Be Smart About Dining

Dining at the Disney parks isn’t as straightforward as making a restaurant reservation on the fly. Particularly during the busiest times of the year at the parks, it can be tough to get a reservation at highly coveted restaurants even 60 days in advance, which is when dining reservations open.

With that being said, make sure you make your dining plans for your “must-visit” restaurants as soon as your reservation window opens. Beyond that, be smart about how you dine when you’re actually in the parks. If you’re planning to use the app to mobile order quick-service food, do so well in advance in case wait times are high. Another great option is to order at off-peak times of the day in order to avoid waiting too long for your meal.

Find Ways to Make Lines Fun

During the most crowded seasons at Disney parks, long lines can sometimes be unavoidable, but don't let waiting in line for your favorite ride or attraction ruin your mood! Believe it or not, there are ways to make the waiting process a more fun experience. One way to liven up the wait is to grab a snack on your way to the line so you can fuel up as you wait. Whether it’s a Mickey ice cream, churro, or a famous Magic Kingdom spring roll, a little treat is bound to take the edge off of the wait. 

You can also make the most out of wait times by playing games. Try playing “I Spy” in the queue, download the Play Disney Parks App, or see how many Disney-themed items you can name to match each letter of the alphabet. While these games may seem silly, they will make the time pass faster and will help you make treasured memories with your loved ones!

Spend Your Money Wisely

Disney vacations can add up quickly, but not all money spent is created equal. That’s especially true during the peak busy seasons at the parks. If you’re operating under a budget, you may want to consider allocating funds to Genie+ and Lightning Lane selections. 

While Disney Genie is a free service integrated into the Disney World and Disneyland park apps, Genie+ is a paid service that allows you to make Lighting Lane selections for different rides and attractions, allowing you to bypass the standby line and wait in a much shorter queue during the time period you select for your return window. 

You can also opt for Individual Lightning Lane selections that are available for select, highly popular rides throughout your visit that aren't offered through the Genie+ service. Doing so will, again, allow you to skip the standby line and enjoy a much shorter wait. 

These luxuries do come at a price, which can be quite steep. Because these options utilize dynamic pricing that differs per park and per day, you'll have to pay for Genie+ for each day of your visit and per person. Individual Lighting Lane selections are also per person, which means that these additions can add up quickly. 

However, if you're in a position to splurge on these, they can make a big difference in your experience when the parks are super busy. You may even want to consider cutting back on spending on expenses like dining by bringing snacks into the parks to reallocate your funds, but that all comes down to personal preference!

Be Strategic About Entertainment

One of the most alluring parts of the Disney parks are the parades and spectacular nighttime shows! With that being said, though, it could be a sound strategy to use entertainment-heavy times at the parks to hit more popular rides. A large number of people watching a parade or show could prompt a dip in attraction wait times. 

Of course, this strategy comes down to personal preference. But, if you weigh going on certain rides as a higher priority than seeing the fireworks to end your evening in a park, this tip could help you save some time.

Manage Your Expectations

Perhaps the most useful thing you can do when you know you're visiting Disney at a busy time of year is to set your expectations correctly. Understand that peak crowds mean that certain things will take longer, you may have to wait in bigger lines, and getting around the park may be more challenging. 

No matter how busy it is, Disney parks still hold a great deal of magic. Go into your trip ready to go with the flow and make the best of it, and you'll be sure to make amazing memories along the way!

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