Anyone planning a visit to a theme park knows that crowds are vary on different days. Knowing the best day of the week to go to the Magic Kingdom can help you plan a fun visit to Disney World without worrying about extensive crowds.
Why Some Days are Better Than Others
When someone is planning the best day to visit a theme park, they are generally looking for days with the smallest crowds. Visiting on these days has many benefits, including:
- Fewer People: Fewer guests in the park means there will be more space in public areas such as restrooms, restaurants, shops, and shows. This can give you a better experience during your day at the park.
- Shorter Lines: Along with lower crowds comes shorter lines for the most popular attractions. At the Magic Kingdom, not only does this mean lines will be shorter for rides such as Space Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, but lines to meet characters will also be shorter, making it easier for impatient young guests to meet their favorite Disney friends.
- More Relaxing: When you aren't worried about line length or struggling through a crowd, a visit to a theme park can be a more relaxing and enjoyable experience. This permits a gentler pace during your visit, even if you need to take a short time out to feed an infant or give a young child a short nap.
Problems With Slower Days
While low crowd days can be some of the best days to visit the Magic Kingdom and other Disney theme parks, they can have problems as well. Depending on the time of year and the expected crowd levels, slower days may mean:
- Fewer operating trams between parking lots or resorts and the park entrance.
- Fewer show performances or missing shows when performers have days off.
- Rides not operating at full capacity as regular maintenance is performed.
- Shorter overall operating hours for the park.
Guests who understand these possible restrictions can still enjoy a phenomenal visit to the Magic Kingdom even on its slowest days.
Best Days of the Week to Go to the Magic Kingdom
In general, the best days of the week to go to any theme park, especially one as busy as the Magic Kingdom, are Tuesdays and Thursdays. These mid-week days avoid the weekend crowds as well as long weekend vacationers, though Mondays can also be excellent days to visit the park if that Monday is not part of a long weekend such as President's Day or Memorial Day. Many inexperienced guests assume that Wednesday, the very middle of the week, would be the best day, but the "secret" of that day is not as secret as many guests believe, and Wednesdays can frequently be just as crowded as weekend days.
Combining the best time of year to attend with the best day can give some Disney vacationers the best, low crowd experience. January and September are historically the best months to visit any of the Disney theme parks, but there are other factors families need to consider when planning their theme park getaway, including:
- Resort prices or other accommodations
- Climate and weather patterns
- School calendars
In general, fall and winter months are the best times to visit Walt Disney World, since local schools are in session and the weather is cooler and drier, particularly when compared to the heat and humidity of the summer months in Florida. These are also the time periods when hotels at Disney World are more likely to offer special discounted rates or packages.
Days Not to Visit Disney
It is no surprise that the worst days of the week to visit the Magic Kingdom are Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Other poor choices include any long weekend holiday or during popular holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Easter, or the Fourth of July. The period from mid-March to the end of April can also be more crowded at the park, since Disney World is a popular Spring Break destination for families. Summer afternoons are also poor options, since Florida's climate leads to frequent afternoon rainstorms and high heat and humidity that can make being outdoors at a theme park an uncomfortable experience.
Make the Most of Your Day
No matter what day you plan to visit the Magic Kingdom, there are tricks that can make it a pleasant and productive day.
- Take advantage of Disney's FASTPASS line system to avoid long waits for the most popular attractions.
- Use a Disney World map to plan an efficient route through the park and avoid excessive backtracking.
- Avoid eating during the most popular mealtimes, and instead take advantage of shorter attraction lines during meal periods.
- Allow older, responsible children time on their own in the park to visit attractions younger family members may not be eligible to ride.
With the right planning for when to visit the Magic Kingdom and how to make the most of either the slowest or busiest day, any day can be a fantastic experience.
