What to Expect When Visiting Disney World During the Holidays

Welp, Thanksgiving came and went with some truly unexpected crowds.

Thanksgiving Week Crowds in Magic Kingdom

If you don’t want to experience high wait times all around Disney World, you probably want to avoid visiting during the holidays, and Thanksgiving is no exception. Like we do every week, it’s time to take a look at the average times from the past week, although you can probably predict what they looked like.

Now that Disney has discontinued the FastPass system, replacing it with the paid Genie+ system, getting access to shorter wait times will cost you. With Genie+, you’re looking at spending between $15 to $29+ per person, per day, but when used correctly you’ll spend less time waiting in line — and more time on the fun.

Lighning Lane entrance for Jungle Cruise in Magic Kingdom

So if you’re wondering whether the Genie+ splurge is worth it, it’s a good idea to consider a few factors, including WHEN you’re visiting Disney World as well as what your favorite rides are. We suggest noting the average wait times of your favorite rides below, as well as considering whether visiting during the holidays is a good idea for you or your group.

Thanksgiving week crowds, line for Mad Tea Party

Scroll down to see all the average wait times for Disney World rides this past holiday week!

Magic Kingdom

In Magic Kingdom, Jungle/Jingle Cruise was at 58 minutes (last week the average time was 56), Peter Pan’s Flight was at 60 minutes (versus 56 last week), and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train was at 76 minutes (up from 58 minutes last week).

Jingle Cruise

Take a look at the average weekly wait times for each ride below, from shortest to longest wait times.

Hall of Presidents: 0 minutes
Tom Sawyer Island: 0 minutes
Country Bear Jamboree: 0 minutes
Enchanted Tiki Room: 1 minute
Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse: 1 minute
Liberty Square Riverboat: 4 minutes
Carousel of Progress: 5 minutes
Mad Tea Party: 12 minutes
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover: 12 minutes
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel: 13 minutes
Mickey’s PhilharMagic: 14 minutes
Tomorrowland Speedway: 15 minutes
Dumbo the Flying Elephant: 16 minutes
Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini: 17 minutes
Magic Carpets of Aladdin: 18 minutes
Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid: 19 minutes
it’s a small world: 20 minutes
Astro Orbiter: 25 minutes
Splash Mountain: 27 minutes
Pirates of the Caribbean: 27 minutes
Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: 27 minutes
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin: 33 minutes
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: 36 minutes
Haunted Mansion: 38 minutes
Space Mountain: 43 minutes
Jungle Cruise: 58 minutes
Peter Pan’s Flight: 60 minutes
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train: 76 minutes

Considering the holiday week, it’s not surprising that wait times overall increased in Magic Kingdom.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

In Hollywood Studios, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror again topped the list with an average of 134 minutes (versus 105 minutes last week). Rise of the Resistance came in second place with an average of 121 minutes this week (compared to 97 minutes last week), while Slinky Dog Dash had an average wait time of 119 minutes (up from 93 minutes last week).

Slinky Dog Dash

Scroll down to see the rest of the Hollywood Studios ride wait times averages below, from low to high:

Walt Disney Presents: 6 minutes
Muppet Vision 3D: 11 minutes
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy: 15 minutes
Star Tours – The Adventures Continue: 26 minutes
Alien Swirling Saucers: 41 minutes
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith: 92 minutes
Toy Story Mania: 80 minutes
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: 73 minutes
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 74 minutes
Slinky Dog Dash: 119 minutes
Rise of the Resistance: 121 minutes
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: 134 minutes

Pretty much every Hollywood Studios ride wait time increased this week, so Genie+ would be very useful there especially.

EPCOT

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure had the highest average wait time in EPCOT at 92 minutes (versus last week’s average of 82 minutes). Next was Frozen Ever After at 78 minutes (the average was 76 minutes last week) and Test Track averaged 70 minutes (versus 66 minutes last week).

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

See the average EPCOT attraction wait times from the week below:

Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along: 0 minutes
Pixar Short Film Festival: 0 minutes
Impressions de France: 0 minutes
Reflections of China: 0 minutes
Awesome Planet: 0 minutes
Living with the Land: 10 minutes
Gran Fiesta Tour: 13 minutes
Journey into Imagination: 13 minutes
Turtle Talk with Crush: 14 minutes
The Seas with Nemo and Friends: 15 minutes
Spaceship Earth: 23 minutes
Mission: SPACE: 30 minutes
Soarin’: 52 minutes
Test Track: 70 minutes
Frozen Ever After: 78 minutes
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: 92 minutes

Wait times also increased in EPCOT, so if you’re interested in riding those top three rides, you might want to consider getting Genie+.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Finally, Flight of Passage had the longest average wait time at Animal Kingdom, coming in at 135 minutes (up from 115 minutes last week). Then, Na’vi River Journey averaged 65 minutes (compared to last week’s 67 minutes), and Kilimanjaro Safaris averaged 64 minutes (versus 60 minutes last week).

Kilimanjaro Safaris

The average wait times for the rest of Animal Kingdom’s attractions this week were as follows:

Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail: 0 minutes
The Boneyard: 0 minutes
It’s Tough to Be a Bug: 13 minutes
TriceraTop Spin: 14 minutes
Kali River Rapids: 19 minutes
Dinosaur: 30 minutes
Expedition Everest: 39 minutes
Kilimanjaro Safaris: 64 minutes
Na’vi River Journey: 65 minutes
Avatar Flight of Passage: 135 minutes

Overall, Disney World wait times increased across the board, which is not unexpected when it comes to the holidays. If you hate big crowds and long wait times, you might not want to plan a visit during a holiday. But if you must visit on a holiday, you probably want to research Genie+ and consider purchasing it. Read more about Genie+ by clicking here