How To Survive A Very Crowded Day At Walt Disney World

There are many articles out there about how to avoid the crowds at Walt Disney World but what if you have no choice? What if you have to visit during the busiest times of the year?

As a former teacher, I have been “forced” to visit Walt Disney World during its most crowded – school vacations and holiday weekends. And then for a short, but glorious time, as a homeschooling mom, we were able to benefit from low crowds during some of our favorite times of the year to go: early May, during September and early November.

And then one year, even though the kids were young enough to take them out of school for a few days, my non-Disney-fanatic-husband suggested (Yes, even I was shocked) that we surprise the boys with a visit to Walt Disney World as a Christmas present. We packed a suitcase full of their clothes and our Disney reservation envelope, wrapped it like a present and put it under the tree. We left on December 26 and stayed through New Years. Walt Disney World’s hands down, unequivocally, without hesitation, busiest time of year. Without. A. Doubt.

But even crowded days at Walt Disney World are better than no days at Walt Disney World.

Over the years, I’ve learned quite a few tricks to make the crowded visit more enjoyable. Some are gleaned through my veteran friend, others from guidebooks and online discussion boards. Most are from good ol’ trial and error. Want a game plan for even the most crowded day? Follow me.

I. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again (and for my dear followers, you’ve heard this ad nauseam…I’m sorry. But not really. It bears repeating.): get to the parks as early as you can. At least 45 minutes prior to park opening. Sure you’ll have to wait 45 minutes before the park even opens, but I promise you: that is the most you will wait all morning. And then, when the parks are really busy, you can sit back, relax and enjoy the rest of your afternoon, knowing that you’ve knocked out most of what you wanted to do.

2. And along those lines, while the crowds are at their thickest, mid-day is the perfect time to take a break. Go back to your Disney resort and relax by the pool. Or, if you are staying off property or your group has the stamina of the Energizer Bunny, this is the time to sit and watch the afternoon parade, see any one of the Broadway caliber shows offered or enjoy the abundance of street performers that flood each and very park. People watching while enjoying a Mickey Bar is my favorite way to re-charge.

3. Eat light, then heavy, then heavy again and then light. In other words, have a light meal for breakfast in your resort room. Yogurt, cereal bar, peanut butter sandwich. Then have an early lunch, 11am – 11:45am. Eat well enough that this will tide you over until an early dinner between 4pm and 5pm. Then, have a light snack at 8pm. By avoiding the peak dining times, both sit down or counter service establishments, you’ll eliminate a lot of waiting – for a table, for your food, for your check. Valuable minutes saved will add up quickly.

4. Don’t forget to make your FastPass reservations. FastPass allows you to reserve a spot on up to three attractions at a time, per park. This is a  free service and you can reserve 60 days before your visit if you’re staying on Disney property, 30 days if you’re not. There are many theories on the best way to plan your FastPasses.

Option #1 – Some like to plan three, early in the day, allowing you to start adding, one at a time, additional FastPasses.

Option #2 – Others, like to schedule FastPasses in the middle of the day, when the crowds are at their thickest.

Option #3 – You can always spread them out, taking into consideration your dining reservations, stamina of your group and evening plans.

Our family likes options #2 and #3 best. Option #1 only makes sense if you have park hoppers and don’t plan on staying at one park most of the day. We find, if you get there early enough (there’s that pesky tip again!), many attractions are walk-on or less than a 15 minute wait, making option #1 unnecessary.

For a step-by-step guide to making FastPass reservations, click here.

5. Especially if you’ve been to Walt Disney World before, crowded days are the perfect days to visit the less popular attractions. Universe of Energy and The American Adventure in EPCOT. The Hall of Presidents, The Enchanted Tiki Room, Carousel of Progress or The PeopleMover at Magic Kingdom. Finding Nemo – The Musical at Animal Kingdom. All great attractions, but with a fraction of the wait.

6. If you’re staying on-property, take advantage of Extra Magic Hours. Whether you’re a night person or a morning person, Disney offers exclusive access to the parks for Disney resort guests only.  Each day, a park or two, depending on the season, is open either an extra hour in the morning or extra hours at night. This can be the best time, on super crowded days, to knock out the most popular attractions with little to no wait. For more information, click here.

7. Take advantage of the mesmerized crowds during parades and fireworks. Especially if you’re staying several days, and have plenty of time to enjoy a parade or fireworks display, skip it once or twice. And instead, enjoy the shorter lines. My favorite memory is getting “trapped” in Magic Kingdom during the nighttime parade. My daughter and I raced back and forth between Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and rode them over and over, more times than I can count. Experiencing them at night was breathtaking and the dizzying laughter and joy from my daughter was priceless.

8. Download it before your trip and keep My Disney Experience App open and at the ready. This handy application will keep track of all of your FastPasses and dining reservations. It will also tell you the most accurate wait times of any app I’ve tried. Check your app before you venture across the park and you’ll know 712 steps before going out of your way to find out that there is a 5 hour wait for Test Track (true story!)

There you have it. Some of my best tips for surviving Disney World on a crowded day. What are some of yours?