5 Unexpected Problems to Plan for During the Holidays in Disney World

No matter what time of year you go to Disney World, there are problems you’ll want to look out for.

However, visiting Disney World during the holidays is a whole different beast. You’ll want to prepare for long wait times, booked dining, surge pricing, and more. These are just a few of the unexpected problems you may want to look out for when visiting Disney World during a holiday week!

Early Closures

This is a big one you’ll want to look out for in Magic Kingdom! On dates when Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is happening, you’ll want to keep in mind that the park WILL close early for all non-party guests.

Typically, this will take place on select nights from early November through late December. The party takes place from 7PM through midnight, meaning the park will close at 6PM for regular guests.

On Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party days, if you won’t be attending the party, you may want to consider rope-dropping the park to get the most out of your day. Additionally, this may be a day to consider doing Genie+ or buying Individual Attraction Selections to make sure you get on all of the rides you want to.

Alternatively, if you are able to, you may want to plan for your Magic Kingdom day to be on a non-party night to get the most out of the park!

Click here to read more about our experience at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party!

Parking

During the busiest times of the year, Disney World will often limit hotel parking to ONLY guests with a confirmed resort or dining reservation.  

That means if you are looking to dine at one of the hotels, or resort hopping without a reservation you will likely not be able to park without a confirmed reservation there.

Now, it is necessary to note that this can be up to the discretion of the hotel security guard at the entrance, but we would definitely recommend erring on the side of caution.

Instead, you can use Disney’s transportation to get from resort to resort. If you are staying off-property, you can also use rideshare options to get to where you need to go.

Click here for our best Disney World transportation tips

Capacity

With the Disney World Park Pass reservation system, you can make a Park Pass for the park you want to go to on any given day. If you have a Park Hopper, you can then change parks any time after 2PM.

However, during particularly busy times of the year, we have seen certain parks reach capacity and no longer allow new guests in.

So, how can you avoid this? Well, the best thing to do is keep an eye out for the park you’re looking to hop to. You can call the hotline number at 407-560-5000, which will tell you whether a certain park is closed for park hopping.

While any park can fill to capacity and not accept new guests, it’s also worth noting that the two parks where this is most likely to happen are probably Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.

Merchandise and Supply Issues

Bigger crowds mean more people buying things in the parks. This can lead to items selling out, and dining reservations filling up fast.

What it also means is you will more than likely see long lines for food. In fact, some of the longest lines we saw last holiday season were for quick service meals and food booths at EPCOT!

If you’re looking for a sit-down meal, you’ll want to make your dining reservations well in advance. Additionally, for quick service meals you can place a mobile order early on in the day to ensure you get your food when you need it. Waiting until lunchtime will only lead to a long wait time.

Looking to shop? You may want to consider grabbing those popular items when you see ’em, because there’s no guarantee they won’t sell out with the crowds.

Click here for our tips on mobile order in Disney World

Long Wait Times and Surge Pricing

It may seem obvious, but it bears repeating — you will see long wait times while you’re in Disney World during the holidays.

Now, there are plenty of tips you can keep in mind to help. For one, if you’re staying at a Disney World hotel, take advantage of Early Theme Park Entry to get into the park 30 minutes early and get on some of the most popular rides.

Staying at a Deluxe Resort? You can also do Extended Evening Hours for much shorter waits after the park has closed to other guests.

And if you want to ride as many things as possible, you will want to make sure you have a plan of attack with Disney Genie+. Familiarize yourself with the platform so you can use it to your fullest advantage in the parks.

Click here for our tips on Genie+ in Disney World

For more on the holidays in Disney World, make sure to check out our full experiences at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays. Plus, read more about the wait times we’ve been seeing, and the crowds!

 

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