The Disney Resort is a magical mix of wonder and chaos. Given its immense popularity and constant state of development, crowds are practically nonstop throughout its four theme parks, with Magic Kingdom being the busiest. When planning your trip you may be wondering when is the best time of day to go to Magic Kingdom?
The time you visit the theme parks can make a big difference in how many other guests you will have to contend with as you make your way through the parks.
Here are a few key factors in planning out your Disney World vacation I received from a cast member. This valuable information will help guide you on how to make the most of your time at the Magic Kingdom.
Visiting the Magic Kingdom at optimal times can greatly enhance your experience by allowing you to enjoy more attractions and experiences with shorter wait times.
The best time of day to go to Magic Kingdom is really a personal preference, but this information, paired with our tips and tricks will help you be able to plan a magical day for you and your family.
Disney World Park Comparisons
The first thing you should know about Disney World is the difference in crowds and attractions in each of its four main theme parks. Magic Kingdom, the most-visited theme park in the world, has the most to see and do but is perpetually crowded.
Everyone wants to see the castle on Main Street, ride the most popular attractions like the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, and the newest attractions: Tron and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
It is especially crowded for the nightly fireworks spectacular Happily Ever After. It also feels more crowded because of its relatively small size; there are not tons of space for people to spread out!
The same is true of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which can feel exceptionally crowded despite lower attendance compared to Magic Kingdom. Epcot is gigantic and allows guests to spread out, while Animal Kingdom tends to have the least overall visitors, feels the least busy, and has fewer attractions overall (despite them all being high quality).
Is the Magic Kingdom More Crowded on Holidays?
All Disney Parks are busier on holidays, especially Magic Kingdom. Since many visitors come over long weekend holidays for a shorter amount of time than a full vacationer, they pick and choose the parks they will visit; and the top choice for nearly everyone is Magic Kingdom.
Major Holidays with High Crowds
Spring Break and Easter (Mid March to April) -Spring Break Weeks and Easter weekend are incredibly busy with high crowds and long wait times.
Fourth of July – Independence Day celebrations, including special night time fireworks, bring in many visitors.
Thanksgiving Week – This is one of the busiest weeks of the year next to Christmas. Many families take advantage of the 4 day weekend to come to the parks. Restaurants usually offer a special Thanksgiving dinner and reservations fill up fast.
Christmas and New Year’s (Mid-December to Early January) – This is the peak holiday season with the highest crowds of the year. Special events, holiday decorations, and extended park hours draw many visitors to the Magic Kingdom. New Year’s Day is especially busy with parks offering extended hours and live music and dance parties with special New Year’s fireworks.
Thanksgiving Week – This is one of the busiest weeks of the year next to Christmas. Many families take advantage of the 4 day weekend to come to the parks. Restaurants usually offer a special Thanksgiving dinner and reservations fill up fast.
Is it Better to go to Magic Kingdom in the Morning or at Night?
A great way to make the most of your time at Magic Kingdom and all of Walt Disney World is to visit early in the morning or later at night. Not everyone will be able to make it to the park right when it opens – and not everyone will stay until the park closes. Both morning and night are great times to be in the parks to ensure you take advantage of lower crowds and lower wait times!
If you have to pick one or the other, it’s most effective to arrive at the park right as it opens. This is called rope drop! Since there’s no one else in the park yet, everything has no wait! You can immediately check off one, two, or even three must-do rides within the first hour of the day.
Whether you want to prioritize thrill rides like Space Mountain, Fantasyland favorites like Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train or Peter Pan’s Flight, character meet and greets with Mickey Mouse or your favorite princesses, the morning is the best time to get things done!
How late can you get into Magic Kingdom?
The Magic Kingdom stays open until the posted closing time. As long as you enter a ride before closing time, you’ll be able to stay in the park longer! If you are looking to stay extra late in the park, Disney offers a variety of special events that happen after normal closing hours.
If you visit any time from late August through December, you could buy a ticket to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas party! Though these parties come at an additional cost, their special entertainment and limited crowds make them well worth the price for some guests!
Is Magic Kingdom less busy at night?
The Magic Kingdom is far less busy at night – especially after the fireworks. Depending on the time of year you visit, the park could stay open until 10 pm, 11 pm, or even midnight or beyond on holidays like New Year’s Eve.
The back areas of the park, such as Adventureland and Frontierland, almost completely clear out once everyone starts heading to the front of the park for fireworks and to depart, meaning that rides have far lower wait times at night!
What is the 2 pm rule for Disney? Is park hopping worth it on a Magic Kingdom day?
If you have a park hopper ticket for Disney, you are allowed to visit multiple parks in a single day! There used to be a rule that you could only enter a second park after 2 pm on the same day. That rule changed on January 9, 2024 and you can now park hop at any time.
Overall, park hopping is not worth the extra ticket price for most visitors – especially on your Magic Kingdom day. Since the park has so much to see and do, you don’t need to head anywhere else!
If you would like to park hop, I suggest taking the Monorail over to Epcot to finish out your day, or start at Epcot and park hop over to Magic Kingdom if they are open later that evening.
What is the Best day of the Week to go to Magic Kingdom?
The best days of the week to visit Magic Kingdom are the middle of the week; Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. This is because most guests typically arrive or leave on the weekend, and want to start their vacation off with Magic Kingdom. Mid week, not during a holiday week usually have lower wait times and less crowds.
What are the Worst Days of the Week for Magic Kingdom?
Weekends are the busiest days for all of Walt Disney World, but especially in Magic Kingdom. That’s because most locals visit on Saturday and Sunday, adding more crowds to the mix and causing longer lines.
That said, here is our listing from worst to best days to visit Magic Kingdom:
Saturday
Busy, busy, busy! All parks will be very busy, but Epcot and Magic Kingdom will be the worst!
If you don’t want to Rope Drop Magic Kingdom, or wait until the end of the night, or you are staying at a resort with extended magic hours, we recommend avoiding Saturdays.
Sunday
Again, very busy for every park. If you have the time in your Disney vacation, consider visiting one of Disney’s water parks on the weekends.
Especially in the Summer months, the weekends make for great down time at the water parks.
Monday
Busy at Magic Kingdom, but other parks are less busy.
Labor Day which is always on the first Monday in September, so go early in the day to avoid the heat and long lines.
Tuesday
Everything is less crowded!
​This is a perfect day to rope drop Magic Kingdom to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
Wednesday
Another day of less crowds. You can usually get to Magic Kingdom in the late morning and not have to buy individual lightning lanes. Just note that if you want to ride Tron or Tiana’s Bayou Adventure you should try to snag a virtual queue at 7 am or be in the park before 1 pm to join the virtual queue via the My Disney Experience app.
Thursday
Another day when most parks are less busy, but especially Epcot and Magic Kingdom, since most guests visit them on other days!
The only exception would be on holidays like Spring break weeks, Thanksgiving week or the week of Christmas.
Friday
Epcot and Hollywood Studios in the evenings get very busy. So Magic Kingdom is a good option as the locals go to the other parks on Friday nights.
What Time Should I get to Magic Kingdom?
As soon as you possibly can! Currently, Disney resort guests get early theme park entry for guests staying at one of their resorts, which could allow you to enter the park 30 minutes before most other guests. This head start gets you ahead of schedule and sets you up for success!
Rope Drop
When you arrive before the park opens, you will be first in line for “rope drop”. The park will officially open at the posted opening time, where a “rope drop” occurs.
Mickey and his friends will hold a small opening ceremony, then cast members will walk guests behind a rope into their chosen land to start their day. Keep in mind that the Magic Kingdom is a bit difficult to get to. If you park in the parking lot, you still need to ride the monorail or take the ferry over to the park entrance itself.
Be sure to allow enough time to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the official opening time. If the park opens at 9:00, plan on parking at 8:30! If you’re a resort guest, be sure to catch the first bus over to the park.
All rides have lower waits right at park opening, so you can target your priorities right off the bat. Later in the day, the most popular rides will all sort themselves out by wait times. This is especially true of rides with lower capacities, such as Space Mountain and Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train.
Classic favorites like the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean can handle more riders per hour, and therefore their wait times stay more consistent despite their popularity.
How Much Does a Ticket Cost to Visit Magic Kingdom?
Currently, ticket prices for a single day at Magic Kingdom are around $150 per guest, though prices for tickets are lower when your purchase more days. A 4-day ticket, allowing you to visit one park per day, is currently around $120 per day, but the price varies depending on the time of year you visit.
Peak times like Easter or the spring break season in March and April are more expensive than slower times like late in the winter season.
Ticket prices per day also drop dramatically if you purchase five or more days. Florida residents can get great 4 day ticket deals, and annual passes, which is the best deal if you plan on visiting the parks multiple times a year.
The ticket price doesn’t include Lightning Lane Multi Pass, so account for that extra cost. The price can fluctuate from $15 to $30 per person per day purchased through the My Disney Experience app.
The Very Best Times to Visit Disney World in 2025
It has been in the news recently that Disney is struggling to maintain high attendance. Though this is true, attraction wait times are still high, and the parks are still crowded. Figuring out a plan for when to visit to optimize your vacation is still extremely important!
If you can choose any time to visit Disney World in 2024 and 2025, you should come during January into February, late September or October. These months are the least busy overall and have great weather to help make your vacation more enjoyable.
Visiting in January
After the holiday season, crowds tend to decrease significantly. The weeks following New Year’s Day are especially quiet. Usually, the first week of January the Christmas decorations are still up as well. The weather is much cooler in the 50s and 60s which makes it more comfortable to stay at the park all day.
Visiting in February
February still has nice weather, and low crowds. Valentine’s Day can be quite busy at the Magic Kingdom with special photo opportunities and snack offerings. You will also want to avoid President’s Day weekend with the higher crowd levels. The Festival of the Arts is going on in February, and it is just a monorail ride away to Epcot!
Visiting in Late September
Late September is a great time to visit Magic Kingdom. The temperatures are starting to come down, hurricane season is almost over and the park has very low crowds. Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is available on select nights, so if you visit Magic Kingdom on a party day you will see very low wait times.
September is known to have some of the lowest prices and special offers on hotels and vacation packages. September is usually the month where you will see the free dining offers pop up.
Visiting in October
October has beautiful weather and moderate crowds at the Magic Kingdom. The fall decorations are so much fun to look at.The parks do fill up for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party. If you don’t plan on attending this special ticketed event you can take advantage of very low crowds on party days.
You will need to leave the park at 7pm, so I recommend hopping on the monorail and going over to Epcot to finish your night out at Epcot’s International Festival of the Arts.
Tips to Beat Magic Kingdom Crowds
The best tip we have on beating the Magic Kingdom crowds is to visit during the less busy times of year. If you find yourself needing to go during a peak season here are some more tips to help you beat the crowds and still have a pleasant day and get a lot done.
Early Theme Park Entry
If you are staying at a resort hotel you can arrive 30 minutes before park opening. If you are not staying on property you can still get a lot done if you arrive as soon as the park opens.
Arriving at park opening “rope drop” allows you to experience popular attractions with minimal wait times. Head straight to the most popular rides, such as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, or Peter Pan’s Flight, to avoid long lines later in the day.
Ride During Parades and Fireworks
If you plan on visiting Magic Kingdom multiple time on your trip, you may have already seen the parades and fireworks. If that is the case then you can knock out a lot of rides when everyone is crowded around Main Street for the parade and the night time fireworks.
There will be much shorter lines and many rides will be walk on. You may even luck out and get to watch the back of the fireworks from a ride or another land. We love riding the Seven Dwarves Mine Train and Dumbo during the fireworks!
Late Afternoon and End of the Night
Crowds often decrease as families with young children leave for the day, especially after the afternoon parade. You can use this time to revisit popular attractions or explore areas that were crowded earlier that day, then stay and enjoy the evening shows and the fireworks.
Deluxe Magic Hours
Deluxe Magic Hours also known as Extra Magic Hours are available to guests staying at Deluxe Resort hotels or Disney Vacation Club resorts. This will give you usually one to two hours to enjoy the parks after all the other guests have left.
This is a good time to enjoy the evening ambience of the park and get some great photos and relax without the busy crowds. There are usually little to no wait times and it is an enjoyable way to get a lot done in a short amount of time.
Take Advantage of Rainy Days
Florida is known for its unannounced rain that can pop up at any time, especially in the late spring and summer. When it starts to rain the parks begin to empty out! When we know it is going to rain we pack up our rain gear and we head into the rain to enjoy the parks!
If you prepare for rain with a change of socks, shoes, and a rain jacket or poncho you can keep going when it is raining and get a lot done. Head to the indoor rides and shows first. Usually, when you are finished the rain may have already stopped and the park is empty!
During inclement weather, the outdoor attractions will stop running, but you can still get a bite to eat inside, visit indoor characters, indoor rides and indoor shows. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy the magic on an otherwise gloomy day.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Magic Kingdom Day
Here are some tried and true tips for getting the most out of your day at Magic Kingdom!
Use Lightning Lane Multi Pass
Purchase a Lightning Lane Multi Pass to be able to schedule out rides and ride more rides with a shorter wait time.
Book Virtual Queues
Make sure you are up early and open up the Virtual Queue on the My Disney Experience app. Refresh your page at 6:58 am to try to get a Lightning Lane for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure or Tron. If you can’t get the morning drop, you can try for it at 1pm if you are inside the park already.
You can not have two lightning lanes reserved at one time, but if you check in to one ride and the other is still available, you can grab that one right away.
Plan Breaks
Take breaks during the peak afternoon heat and crowds. This is the best time to enjoy indoor attractions, shows, or a meal. I like to book a dining reservation at the hottest part of the day and right before the afternoon parade starts.
Check Wait Times
You can use the My Disney Experience app to check the wait times for all the attractions, shows and character meet and greets. This can help you plan which area or land that you want to be in that may have the lowest crowds at a specific time.
Avoid Main Street Crowds
A fun tip for avoiding the main street crowds and staying cool in hot weather is to cut through the Emporium gift shop on Main Street. This is the largest retail location in the park. It spans nearly the entire west side of Main Street, making it a convenient pathway to cut through to avoid crowds, especially during parades and when exiting the park.
The Emporium’s main entrance is located near Town Square, just to the right as you enter the park. Once inside, you can follow the natural pathway through the store as it flows out from one end to the other. There are lots of exits on Main Street, but just keep walking and stay to the right until you get to the final exit near Casey’s Corner.
When you exit here it will place you right near the First Aid Station, the Baby Care Center and Crystal Palace. From there you can head into Liberty Square or Adventure Land.
Check Event Schedules and Park Hours
Don’t forget to check the schedules for any special events going on at the Magic Kingdom, especially during August – December when Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is going on. You don’t want to make the mistake of arriving at a park that is about to close, or closing early for the day for a party.
You can also utilize this for picking if you want to arrive at Magic Kingdom on a party day. If you get there at rope drop and leave at 6:00 pm or 7:00pm you can get a lot done on this lower crowd level day!
Final Thoughts
By arriving early, looking at crowd calendars, strategically using parade times, and staying into the evening, you can maximize your time at Magic Kingdom and enjoy a more relaxed experience.
What is your favorite time of year to go to the Magic Kingdom?
Read Also: The Best Time to visit Walt Disney World
