Disney’s Magic Kingdom typically has the highest daily attendance of Disney’s theme parks. On average, 57,000 guests visit the park each day seeking magical Disney experiences.
In comparison, Animal Kingdom sees an average of 38,000 visitors each day. Next comes EPCOT, with an average of 34,000 daily guests.
Finally, Disney’s Hollywood Studios has the lowest average daily attendance at an estimated 31,000 guests.
Clearly, there are big differences in attendance at the Disney World parks. However, each of the Walt Disney World theme parks has features that can make them seem more or less crowded.
For example, Animal Kingdom is the largest park by area. Also, it has several theater shows that can absorb thousands of guests at a time. So even on days with relatively high attendance, Animal Kingdom can feel less crowded.
Disney’s Magic Kingdom has the highest number of rides and attractions. Even on busy days at Magic Kingdom, rides like It’s A Small World (Fantasyland) or Carousel of Progress (Tomorrowland) can have minimal wait times.
Still, you’ll have the best chance of experiencing lots of rides with minimal wait times if you visit on a day with lower crowds.Â
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What is the busiest day at Magic Kingdom?
Saturdays are typically the busiest day of the week at Magic Kingdom. Locals with or without annual passes often visit when they’re off work (and kids are out of school) on weekends. Sundays are busy, too, but they tend to be slightly less crowded than Saturdays.
Plus, families taking a weeklong Disney resort vacation often schedule their arrival and departure dates on weekends. With the double whammy of locals and resort guests, you can expect Main Street USA to be slammed.
What is the slowest day at Magic Kingdom?
Days in the middle of the week (Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays) tend to be the least busy days at the Magic Kingdom. Mondays and Fridays often get included in long weekend trips. As a result, they tend to be busier than days in the middle part of the week.
Sometimes Tuesdays and Thursdays make the cut for a long weekend, too. So generally speaking, Wednesday is probably your best bet for avoiding crowds.
So why do you want to visit on a slow day? Because visiting Magic Kingdom on a slow day can make it possible to ride a lot of rides.
The waits will be shorter on popular rides like Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
Also, rides like Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise may have no wait at all.
Lighter crowds can also mean lower ticket prices and a decreased cost for Genie+ or Individual Lightning Lanes on the most popular attractions.
Is the Magic Kingdom more crowded on holidays?
One thing to keep in mind is that the Saturday crowds tend to be the worst during months when Christmas and Halloween parties are scheduled.
Weekend crowds are higher in August, September, October, November and December.
On the other hand, Saturdays in January, February, March, April, May, June and July may not be quite so busy.
Crowds can surge for holidays and breaks in school calendars. For example, May is a great month to visit if you’re looking for light crowds. However, expect crowds to balloon at the end of the month for Memorial Day weekend.
Similarly, you shouldn’t expect the middle-of-the-week days to be slow when kids are out of school for Thanksgiving.
Read Also: The Best Time to Visit Disney World: 12 Months, Ranked
What is the best day of the week to visit Magic Kingdom?
Keeping the seasonal crowd surges in mind is important when planning your vacation. Otherwise, here are the best days to visit the Magic Kingdom, ranked from worst to best:
Read Also: Disney World in January, Is It a Good Time to Visit?
7. Saturday
On average, Saturday is going to be the busiest day of the week at Disney’s Magic Kingdom.
If you can avoid visiting on a Saturday, you’ll probably be rewarded with smaller crowds.
6. Sunday
Sunday can be a popular day for resort guests to visit the Magic Kingdom. Additionally, it’s a popular day for locals.
5. Monday
Monday is the busiest weekday at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Many families plan a weeklong Disney vacation that begins and ends on a weekend.
And international guests traveling from Europe or Australia often visit for two weeks at a time.
In either case, families traveling over the weekend often schedule their first park day on a Monday. And where do you think they want to go first? That’s right, the Magic Kingdom.
4. Friday
Although Friday can get included in a weekend getaway, it’s probably not the busiest weekday.
3. Tuesday
This is a popular departure day for people visiting Walt Disney World for a long weekend. Again, locals are less likely to visit during the middle of the week.
2. Thursday
Many folks arriving for a long weekend will be busy settling into their hotels on Thursday and won’t hit the parks until Friday. Plus, most locals will be working. This makes Thursday a great option.
1. Wednesday
It’s best to avoid weekends if you want to avoid crowds at Magic Kingdom. And, Wednesday is the furthest day from a weekend.
This means it’s going to be your best bet most of the time.
The only exception would be if a holiday like New Year’s Eve falls on a Wednesday.
Also, if a special event is scheduled for a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, that day is likely to be less crowded. This happens because people tend to avoid visiting Magic Kingdom on these days since the park closes early for day guests. A lot of people will choose to visit a different park.
For example, if Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is scheduled for a Wednesday in September, Magic Kingdom will be less busy that day. The park hours will be shortened due to the party, so many guests will choose to visit another Disney park.
Keep in mind that September tends to be a less busy month, too.
The same strategy might work with Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party dates. I’d suggest looking for a day in November with a party scheduled for the middle of the week.
What have you found to be the best day to visit the Magic Kingdom? Let us know in the comments!
