My family and I recently spent four days and nights at Disney World [1] during one of the park's busiest weeks of the year [2] (Christmas through the first week in January are notoriously packed, but they have very busy times all year long). Were they magical? Absolutely. Did we get the full Mickey experience? I think so. Were our days also filled with the kind of crowds that leave kids and parents alike exhausted [3], overwhelmed, and craving some serious personal space? Um, yeah. That, too.
If you're visiting Disney World [4] during a time when you know it's going to be crazy crowded — any time school is out of session is pretty much guaranteed to be nutty — you have to be prepared. Yes, you need to do your pre-Disney due diligence [5] by making resort, dining, and FastPass+ reservations as soon as possible, but once you arrive at the parks, there are ways to make the most of your time, even on the most crowded of days. Here are nine tips you need to know to survive a high-traffic Disney day.
Get to the Park Before It Opens
Notice I said "before" and not "when." On the day we visited Toy Story Land [7] in Hollywood Studios, the park's posted opening time was 9 a.m. We arrived at 8:40, were let right in the park, and ran to Slinky Dog Dash, where we were greeted with an already 75-minute wait time at 8:45. My husband balked, I jumped in line, and 20 minutes later, the line was at 2.5 hours, where it remained for the rest of the day.
If you're staying on property, transportation to the parks officially starts about 30 to 40 minutes before they open, but on super busy days, it usually starts earlier than that. Be on that first bus and you might just get in a couple of rides before the crowds create crazy wait times.
Head Directly to the Ride You Couldn't Score a FastPass+ For
On super busy park days, your FastPass+ isn't just cool, it's a freaking golden ticket, but if you couldn't get one for a popular ride your kids just have to experience (think Slinky Dog Dash in Toy Story Land, Avatar Flight of Passage in Animal Kingdom, and Peter Pan's Flight and Seven Dwarves Mine Train in Magic Kingdom), make that your first stop of the day. Even if the line is already long (and it probably will be as many other people will have this same plan), it's guaranteed to get much crazier throughout the day.
Come Prepared For Long Lines
The truth is, unless your kids don't want to go on rides (and seriously, why would you bring them to Disney if that was the case?), you're going to have to wait in at least a few long lines, so come prepared. In almost every case, you won't be able to bring your stroller in the line, so prep your child that a lot of standing around will be involved (and wear good shoes for when they beg you to hold them). Pack snacks and drinks in a backpack. Plan games you can play as a family [8], download the new Play Disney Parks app [9], and bring an external charger so you're not choosing between entertaining your kids now and being able to communicate with the other adults you've come to the park with later.
Know Your Kids' Limits, and Take Breaks
Visiting Disney is expensive and super entertaining, so it can be difficult to walk away when there's still more on your to-do list. Trust us, don't make your little ones miserable because you're certain they have to see one more attraction (admittedly, I have been guilty of this more than once). Speaking from experience, it will not end well (i.e. my 7-year-old daughter crying throughout all 30 minutes of Finding Nemo the Musical). Know when it's time to take a break and head back to your hotel for a nap or some pool time. You can always return to the park later.
Be Flexible
When the parks are at their most crowded, you're just not going to make it on every ride, and that's OK. Set priorities for what you want to see and do, try to get those things done, and then relax. Arrive super early for a parade and spend some time just sitting and chatting. Look for hidden details in the parks (there are tons of them). Disney fun is all around in unexpected places.
Make a Safety Plan
If you have kids who tend to wander off or older children you're going to set free in the park, be sure to create a safety plan. Tell younger kids to find a cast member if they get lost and pick a meeting spot they can remember. Put your phone number in a pocket or write it inside a shoe — or enlist the help of some new tracking tech [10].
Don't Schedule Back-to-Back Park Days
Dealing with a long day of crowds for a single day is exhausting. Doing it for multiple days in a row is a recipe for disaster. If you're planning on going to multiple parks during your Disney stay — during busy times, it's probably best to stick to one park a day as park hopping just eats up time — schedule a down day in between to get your energy back up. You'll need it.
Don't Wait For Bathroom Emergencies
If you see a bathroom that's not crowded while you're roaming from one part of a park to another, use it. Even if your kids say they don't really have to go, force them to try. Nothing's worse than having to get out of line because of a bathroom request or waiting until it's super urgent only to find the closest bathroom has a line out the door.
Watch the Fireworks Outside of the Park
No one wants to miss the big fireworks show, especially at the Magic Kingdom, which means crowds are at an all-time high and it can take forever to get out of the park after it's over. If your family's running on empty close to the big show, consider watching it outside of the park. You can see the Magic Kingdom's fireworks from resort beaches at Fort Wilderness, the Grand Floridian, the Polynesian, and from California Grill at the Contemporary. You need a dining reservation for the last spot, but it can be for any time during the evening. Just save your receipt, and you can come back up later to watch the show. The music and sound effects from the fireworks are piped in to each location, so you'll still feel like you're part of the action.