Best Day to Visit Disney World Parks

Best Day to Visit Disney World Parks

Best Day to Visit Disney World Parks

This article is your complete guide on the best days to visit Disney World! And based on the last 12 months of wait time data, Sunday is the best day to visit Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, while Wednesday is best for EPCOT and Animal Kingdom.

After years of working as a Cast Member selling park tickets—and watching the crowds ebb and flow with my own eyes—I’ve spent the last year tracking actual wait times across all four Walt Disney World parks. The data reveals some surprising patterns that go against conventional wisdom. For instance, Friday is actually now the worst day to visit Hollywood Studios, with Monday being the worst day at EPCOT. This goes completely against what historical data would tell us, but the parks are changing, and so is the data behind picking the best day to go to each Disney park.

The good news? Once you know the patterns, you can use them to your advantage.

In this guide, I’ll break down:

• The best and worst days for each Disney World park (with data to back it up)
• How the party season completely changes the rules at Magic Kingdom
• Which holidays and busy periods to plan around
• Seasonal strategies to maximize your time

Ready to see which days work best for your trip? Check out our Disney World Crowd Calendar for specific date recommendations, or get a personalized plan with our free vacation planning tools.

 Disney World Crowd Calendar

Best Days to Visit Disney World

According to the last 12 months of wait time data, Sunday is the best day to visit Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, with Wednesday being the best day to visit Epcot and Animal Kingdom. And the trends have changed over the past year, due in part to new extended evening hours at deluxe Disney World hotels, and the increased popularity of the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas party events, which typically always fall on Sunday. From my experience as a Cast Member at Walt Disney World, it’s also easy to see that Mondays and Saturdays are the busiest days. This surge in attendance is because families are eager to jump-start their Disney experience upon arrival. We have also seen recent Lightning Lane data, which backs this observation up with the most expensive day of the week for the Disney World Lighting Lane Multi-pass being on a Monday.

Another trend that amplifies the crowd size is the Florida locals’ preference. Many Floridians visit Disney World during the weekends. This local influx, combined with vacationing families, ensures that the middle of the week becomes some of Disney World’s slowest days, which you can also see on our Disney World crowd calendar.

Disney World Park	Best Days	Worst Days
Magic Kingdom	Sunday, Friday, Thursday	Saturday, Wednesday, Tuesday
EPCOT	Wednesday, Tuesday, Thursday	Monday, Saturday, Friday
Hollywood Studios	Sunday, Monday, Saturday	Friday, Thursday, Tuesday
Animal Kingdom	Wednesday, Thursday, Tuesday	Saturday, Sunday, Friday

Related Page: Disney World Ticket Deals and Discounts

Breaking it Down By Park

As discussed above, the best days of the week can vary based on which of the four Disney World parks you plan to visit. We have also seen a change in crowd trends now that Disney no longer changes the park they are open for early morning magic hours and typically have extra evening hours for deluxe guests. Below is the updated list of the best days to visit each of the four Disney World parks.

Best Days to Visit Magic Kingdom

🟢 BEST: Sunday → Friday → Thursday → Monday → Tuesday → Wednesday → Saturday 🔴 WORST

Why Sunday is Best for Magic Kingdom

• Most families are checking out of hotels and traveling home
• Popular day for Mickey’s Not So Scary and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas party events
• Locals less likely to visit on Sunday (work Monday)

Best Days for Magic Kingdom

1. Sunday – #1 best day based on our wait time data
2. Friday – Tourists winding down trips, great option
3. Thursday – Consistently solid choice

Days to Avoid at Magic Kingdom

• Saturday (WORST) – Locals + weekend tourists + check-in day crowds
• Wednesday (2nd worst) – Mid-trip day for most visitors
• Tuesday – Still in the busy zone

Party Day Strategy (August-December)

• CRITICAL INSIGHT: Magic Kingdom is LESS crowded on party days because the park closes at 6 PM
• Most families avoid these party days because they feel like they are missing out, but they actually will get on more rides
• Wait time differential: 20-30 minutes per ride
• We recommend upgrading and purchasing a park hopper ticket so that you can hop over to another park at 6 PM

Best Days to Visit EPCOT

🟢 BEST: Wednesday → Tuesday → Thursday → Sunday → Friday → Saturday → Monday 🔴 WORST

Why Wednesday is Best for EPCOT

• Right in the middle of the week, when families start to take breaks back at the hotel
• Florida locals are at work and typically wait until the weekend to visit for the festivals
• Disney typically has extra evening hours for deluxe guests on different nights

Best Days for EPCOT

1. Wednesday – #1 best day, consistently lowest wait times
2. Tuesday – Excellent alternative
3. Thursday – Still a great option

Days to Avoid at EPCOT

• Monday (WORST) – Tourists hitting high-priority attractions early in trip
• Saturday (2nd worst) – Locals + “Drinking Around the World” crowds
• Friday – Weekend crowds starting early

Best Days to Visit Hollywood Studios

🟢 BEST: Sunday → Monday → Saturday → Wednesday → Tuesday → Thursday → Friday 🔴 WORST

Why Sunday and Monday are Best

• Sunday: Checkout day for many, crowds dispersing
• Hollywood Studios also has after-hours events and their own Christmas party which causes the park to close early on certain nights

Best Days for Hollywood Studios

1. Sunday – #1 best day based on our data
2. Monday – Great option, contradicts typical historical data going back past last year
3. Saturday – Surprisingly good, most likely due to after-hours events

Days to Avoid at Hollywood Studios

• Friday (WORST) – End-of-trip crowds + weekend arrivals
• Thursday (2nd worst) – Building toward Friday peak
• Tuesday – Mid-week surge

Best Days to Visit Animal Kingdom

🟢 BEST: Wednesday → Thursday → Tuesday → Monday → Friday → Sunday → Saturday 🔴 WORST

Why Weekends are Worst for Animal Kingdom

• Saturday is WORST day (similar to Magic Kingdom)
• Sunday is 2nd worst – differs from MK and DHS patterns
• Locals love Animal Kingdom for half-day trips

Best Days for Animal Kingdom

1. Wednesday – #1 best day, significantly lower waits
2. Thursday – Excellent second choice
3. Tuesday – Strong midweek option

H3: Days to Avoid at Animal Kingdom

• Saturday (WORST) – Locals + weekend tourists
• Sunday (2nd worst) – Still heavy local attendance
• Friday – Weekend crowds beginning

Sample itinerary for six days at Disney World

• Magic Kingdom – Sunday
• Hollywood Studios – Monday
• Rest Day – Tuesday
• EPCOT – Wednesday
• REST Day – Thursday
• Animal Kingdom – Thursday
• Magic Kingdom – Friday

Related post: What are the Best Disney World Hotels for Families?

Understanding Halloween and Christmas Party Season (August through December)

As we have been discussing above, a lot of the crowds at Magic Kingdom between the months of August through December are impacted by Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party events. These events typically happen on select Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday nights. And as you can imagine it makes sense as to why these days would be some of the best to visit Magic Kingdom park as a regular daytime guest.

Understanding Party Season Crowd Dynamics

On party days, Magic Kingdom operates on a modified schedule. The park opens early—usually 8:00 or 8:30 AM—but closes to regular day guests at 6:00 PM so Disney can prepare for the ticketed event. When you compare that to non-party days during this same period, Magic Kingdom opens at 9:00 AM and stays open until 10:00 or 11:00 PM. At first glance, the choice seems obvious. Why would anyone pay full price for a day that ends at 6:00 PM when you could get 13+ hours on a non-party day? That’s exactly what most visitors think. And that’s exactly why they’re wrong. The result? Everyone piles into Magic Kingdom on non-party days, which makes the park busier than normal. During party season, non-party days at Magic Kingdom regularly hit 7/10 to 9/10 crowd levels. We’re talking 60-90 minute waits for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, 45-minute waits for Pirates of the Caribbean, and wall-to-wall crowds on Main Street. Meanwhile, party days typically see crowd levels of just 3/10 to 4/10 during daytime hours.

The math is counterintuitive but undeniable:

• Party day: 10 hours with 15-25 minute average waits
• Non-party day: 13 hours with 45-70 minute average waits

You’ll actually ride more attractions on the shorter party day because you’re not spending half your time standing in line. Our wait time data shows guests save 20-30 minutes per major attraction on party days compared to non-party days during the same week. That’s 2-3 extra hours of actual ride time over the course of a day—more than making up for the earlier closing.

The biggest downside that you do have to take into account is that you will not be able to see the nighttime parade or fireworks show, which brings us to our park hopper strategy below.

The Park Hopper Strategy

Want to maximize party season even further? Here’s the strategy I recommend to everyone planning an August-December trip:

Step 1: Visit Magic Kingdom on a party day morning.

Check the party calendar and pick a date that works for your trip. Sunday party days are ideal since Sunday is already the best day of the week for Magic Kingdom crowds.

Step 2: Take advantage of early opening and rope drop your priorities.

Hit your must-do attractions first thing. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, TRON Lightcycle Run, and Peter Pan’s Flight should be your first three stops. With party-day crowd levels, you can realistically knock out 8-10 major attractions before lunch.

Step 3: Leave by 3:00 PM.

At 4:00 PM, party guests with event tickets start entering Magic Kingdom (this is called “mix-in time”). The park gets noticeably more crowded as party guests arrive and start riding attractions before the official event begins at 7:00 PM.

Beat the rush by heading out around 3:00 PM. You’ve already accomplished more than most guests do in a full non-party day.

Step 4: Hop to another park.

If you have a Park Hopper ticket, head to Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom for the evening. You’ve already conquered Magic Kingdom—now enjoy a leisurely dinner and a few more attractions without the pressure.

This strategy gives you the best of both worlds: low crowds at Magic Kingdom plus evening hours at a second park.

How Party Days Affect Other Parks

There’s one trade-off to be aware of: when Magic Kingdom has a party, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom get slightly more crowded.

Think about it—all those guests avoiding Magic Kingdom’s 6:00 PM closure have to go somewhere. They spread across the other three parks, bumping up crowd levels by about 1-2 points on a 10-point scale.

This is why your non-party days matter too. On days when Magic Kingdom is open late, you’ll want to:

• Visit EPCOT on Wednesday (still the best day based on our data)
• Visit Hollywood Studios on Sunday (when MK isn’t having a party)
• Visit Animal Kingdom on Wednesday or Thursday

Check the party calendar before finalizing your park schedule. Map out which days have parties, then plan your other park visits around them.

Party Season Schedule Recommendations

Here’s a sample week during party season, assuming Magic Kingdom has parties on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday:

A few additional notes:

Jollywood Nights: During November and December, Hollywood Studios runs its own ticketed event on select nights. Check those dates and avoid DHS on Jollywood evenings—the same party-day logic applies, but Hollywood Studios is a smaller park so the impact is more noticeable.

Party tickets as backup: If you really want a full evening at Magic Kingdom, consider buying party tickets for one night. You’ll get guaranteed park access, lower crowds during the event, plus exclusive entertainment, characters, and trick-or-treating (Halloween) or cookies and cocoa (Christmas). Many guests find the party experience worth the extra cost.

Book dining early: Restaurants inside Magic Kingdom on party days close to regular guests around 5:30-6:00 PM. If you want a sit-down meal, book an early lunch reservation or plan to eat at another park.

Party season is when the “best days” strategy pays off the most. The difference between a party day and a non-party day at Magic Kingdom can mean the difference between a magical experience and a frustrating one. Plan accordingly, and you’ll wonder why anyone visits Magic Kingdom on those packed non-party evenings.

Tips & Tricks for Picking The Best Days to Go to Each Disney World Park

Ticket Prices indicate the best days to visit each Disney World Park

One of the easiest ways to determine the best day of the week to go to Disney World in 2025 is to look at ticket prices during your visit. One of the ways Disney tries to entice people to visit during slower periods is with cheaper prices. We typically see the cheapest Walt Disney World tickets earlier in the week on Monday or Tuesday.

• Monday: 30 days out of the top 180 cheapest days of the year
• Tuesday: 29 days out of the top 180 cheapest days of the year
• Sunday: 26 days out of the top 180 cheapest days of the year
• Wednesday: 25 days out of the top 180 cheapest days of the year
• Saturday: 25 days out of the top 180 cheapest days of the year
• Friday: 23 days out of the top 180 cheapest days of the year
• Thursday: 22 days out of the top 180 cheapest days of the year

Avoid parks that are hosting extra evening hours

Another one of the old tricks that we love is to avoid the parks, which Disney has extra evening hours planned on that day. The reason is families will typically plan to visit that park to get a few extra hours at night, however, because of this, crowd levels tend to be higher than normal during the day. We are currently seeing that at EPCOT as one of the slowest days prior to 2024 was Monday which has not flipped to one of the busiest. Guests with Disney World park hopper tickets and who are also staying at a Disney Deluxe resort could always hop over to that park later in the day.

Visit Magic Kingdom Park on the day of a special ticketed event

Another great way to pick the best day of the week specifically for Magic Kingdom park is to visit on one of the days when the park has a Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas party. Now, it’s important to note that because of these two events, the park will close earlier than normal at 6:00 PM and there will not be a nightly fireworks show. However, from the wait time data, these can be some of the slowest days in Magic Kingdom.

Avoid the weekends when possible

Weekend foot traffic at Walt Disney World can be unpredictable. Walt Disney World is home to so many festivals throughout the year, such as EPCOT Flower and Garden during spring break, the Festival of the Arts, and the Food and Wine Festival during Labor Day, that more locals are visiting now than ever before. The best way to plan around these crowds is to plan your full days at the parks on weekdays. The middle of the week generally tends to be the best day to visit Disney parks.

Related post: Complete Guide to Disney World Payment Plans

Best Days to Go to Disney FAQ

Q: What is the least crowded day of the week at Disney World?

A: It varies by park. Based on our wait time data: Sunday is best for Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, while Wednesday is best for EPCOT and Animal Kingdom.

Q: Is Saturday or Sunday better for Disney World?

A: Sunday is significantly better! Saturday is the worst day for Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. Sunday is actually the BEST day for Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.

Q: Why is Friday the worst day for Hollywood Studios?

A: Our data shows tourists often save their “favorite” park for the end of their trip, with Saturday being the most popular day for Magic Kingdom. Plus, weekend arrivals start hitting the parks Friday afternoon.

Q: Should I avoid Disney World on weekends?

A: Not entirely! Sunday is actually great for Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, but you just have to be mindful of the special Halloween and Christmas events going on in the parks. Saturday should be avoided at most parks, especially Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom.

Q: What day should I visit Magic Kingdom?

A: Sunday is our #1 recommendation based on the last 12+ months of wait time data, followed by Friday and Thursday.

Q: Should I avoid Disney World during party days?

A: Counterintuitively, no! Party days often have lower daytime crowds at Magic Kingdom because most guests avoid the 6pm closing.

Q: How much do crowds vary between best and worst days?

A: Wait times can differ by 10-30 minutes per ride, adding up to 1-2 hours saved over a full day.

Q: What’s the worst day to visit Disney World?

A: Saturday at Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom, Monday at EPCOT, and Friday at Hollywood Studios are the worst days at each respective park.

Are You Ready to Plan Your Next Disney World Trip?

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Disney World Deals and Discounts 

Don’t forget to join our Disney community to learn about any additional deals and promotions on discounted Disney World tickets. All community members are always guaranteed to save vs. buying their tickets directly. Plus, you can opt into our concierge service, which includes custom Disney park plans to save up to three hours each day, dining recommendations, and price monitoring to ensure you always get the best Disney World deal!