A Walt Disney World visit is an amazing experience, no matter when you go. However, with attendance going up every year, crowds are increasing at a rapid rate, and it can be tough to see everything you want to during a trip to the park. While there’s unfortunately no magic spell to clear walkways or get rid of long lines during a busy day, there are several “hacks” that Walt Disney World veterans use every day to circumvent crowds and make the most of their time.
We’ll bet you’ve heard of some of these before, but if you’re trying to maximize your time at a crowded Disney park, try to use all of them on your next visit! You might be surprised by how much time you really can save with these simple tips.
1. Use the second entrance at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Image: Genevieve Pelletier
There can be long lines at the entrance of the four Walt Disney World parks. No one enjoys waiting in them, but guests accept it as part of the Disney vacation package. Depending on the time you arrive, they can cause considerable wait times, especially when the park is first opening. However, if you are at Disney’s Animal Kingdom there is a secret entrance you can use to bypass the usual line. Locate the Rainforest Café on your left, and enter. As you pass through the gift shop you will see a second park entrance that is usually completely empty! And best of all, this secret entrance can be used by any guest, at any time!
2. Know your Extra Magic Hours, even if you aren’t staying on property
Image: Genevieve Pelletier
Extra Magic Hours (EMH) is a perk for guests staying at an official Walt Disney World Resort. This also includes the Swan, Dolphin, Hilton, and Shades of Green. It means on selected days of the week resort guests can either enter early (1 hour) or stay late (2 hours) at a specific Walt Disney World park. This is a great way to enjoy more time with your family, and if you’re staying on property you’d be foolish not to take advantage of this program.
However, if you aren’t staying on property, knowing when Exta Magic Hours happen can also save you some serious time. Though this doesn’t always apply during the busiest times of the year, often guests will find that parks that have late Extra Magic Hours will have lower crowds on the following day. And if you see that a park has early Extra Magic Hours, it might be best to visit another park on that day, as it will already be populated with guests before opening.
3. Look for the PhotoPass Photographer to be first in line for characters
Image: Genevieve Pelletier
If a PhotoPass photographer is standing alone, and in an unusual spot, take notice. It is a safe bet they are waiting for a character to arrive. Not all character meet and greets are published in the times guide, and there’s a good chance that by sticking around a member of your party could meet their one of their favorite characters with little to no wait time.
If you are curious, ask the PhotoPass photographer if they are waiting for a character to appear. Even if it’s a surprise character (or a limited time test) they’ll generally tell you who is coming to visit (and for how long).
4. Take the scenic route with the Resort Monorail
Image: Genevieve Pelletier
Walt Disney World veterans know the express monorail from the Transportation and Ticket Center to the Magic Kingdom’s lines can extend to infinity and beyond! However, any guest is allowed to take the resort monorail even if they are staying at one of the resorts, and even though a trip on this monorail will include more stops, the line for this monorail is generally much shorter, which may save you time overall.
While this tip probably won’t help during park opening and closing times (when both the resort and express monorail lines are hit hard with crowds), if you see a big mid-afternoon line at the Express stop, do yourself a favor and walk over to the resort monorail. You’ll save a lot of time (and you’ll be able to enjoy the cool monorail cabin a bit longer as well!)
5. No FastPass? Time your attractions to take advantage of diminishing afternoon and evening queues
Image: Genevieve Pelletier
Some attractions are notorious for having long lines throughout the day. Toy Story Midway Mania, Test Track and Peter Pan’s Flight are examples of rides that almost always have a wait time in excess of an hour, no matter when you go. However, the good thing is not all attractions are like this. Some attractions have line waits that tend to be heavy during certain times and light later in the day. The iconic Spaceship Earth at Epcot is an example of this. During the morning, guests rush to this Epcot attraction, and a long line quickly forms. However, if guests wait until after 2 pm to experience this attraction, the line will have all but diappeared!
Believe it or not, the seminal Anna and Elsa meet and greet at the Magic Kingdom also has a line that shrinks in the evening hours. Though guests wanting to meet the Frozen duo in the early morning and afternoon may have to wait several hours, if you wait until the evening hours, you can meet these popular characters in thirty minutes or less! While you might miss out on the Main Street Electrical Parade or Wishes, if meeting these characters is high on your to-do list and you haven’t made a FastPass+ reservation, this is your best strategy.
Of course, there are plenty of other tips besides these that will help guests get the most out of a day at Walt Disney World day, including FastPass+ hacks, the imporance of arriving early and more. Do you have any tips that you use to save time and improve your day at Walt Disney World?
