It’s a fairly well-known fact that the theme parks at Walt Disney World are at their most crowded during the middle of the day. The early morning hours may bring early risers and the late evening sends them to bed leaving only night owls, but in the middle of the day, the parks face the onslaught of both types of vacationers. Everyone is up and at the parks, and big name rides see their absolute longest waits.
So where do you go when Splash Mountain has an hour-long queue or Test Track is posting 90 minutes? These attractions offer some surprisingly short wait times, even at the peak of the day, making them a smart choice when you’re hot, tired, and looking for something to do.
1. The Enchanted Tiki Room
This whimsical 11 minute show runs continuously, which means that even if you miss a show by only a few seconds, you’ll be under a shaded area before you know it and inside an air conditioned theater within 15 minutes. Even if you hit the queue just as the doors close ahead of you, your wait time will only be a few minutes longer than the duration of the show itself. Compare this to rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad where you can wait an hour for a thrill that’s over in three minutes, and you can see why this attraction offers great value for the wait.
Sure, the Enchanted Tiki Room is far from being a thrill ride, but this timeless classic offers a whimsical musical break in the hot afternoon, and has absolutely no height restriction so everyone can join in the fun.
2. The Liberty Square Riverboat
Running at the top and bottom of every hour, the riverboat is a great choice for something to do while you wait for your Fastpass+ time to roll around. The 20 minute trip and large capacity make it easy to get on when you need to. Like the Enchanted Tiki Room, this attraction has a surprisingly long duration for its minimal wait. Time your visit right and you can typically walk right on. If you do have to wait a bit for the next trip, there are covered benches at the landing.
3. The TTA People Mover
Offering a non-stop circular tour of Tomorrowland, even a seemingly long line for the people mover will disappear quickly. This attraction is what’s known as an omni-mover, meaning quite simply that the ride track never stops, so guests are continually boarding and the line almost never slows to a standstill. The smooth tour of Tomorrowland lasts about 10 minutes. The seats are comfortable, many of the tunnels are air conditioned, and everyone can ride.
4. The Carousel of Progress
Image: Disney
The Carousel of Progress is a classic Disney attraction that every fan should see at least once. The rotating theater offers a show that lasts over 20 minutes, so you’ll have plenty of time to kick back, cool down, and even take a nap. You don’t have to wait the full 20 minutes to get on, though, as there’s a separate theater for each scene. This attraction rarely has a line.
5. Wildlife Express Train
The Wildlife Express Train acts both as an entertaining attraction and a means of transportation. The ride from Africa to Rafiki’s Planet Watch takes about seven minutes, while the return trip lasts just five. Even if you watch the caboose pull out as you step up, you won’t wait long for the next train to arrive. You can stay on-board and enjoy the round trip, or hop off at Rafiki’s Planet Watch. While other attractions in Animal Kingdom have long afternoon waits, this is one area you can explore at your leisure. Enjoy live presentations, educational activities, and some rare character meet and greets.
6. Gran Fiesta Tour
This attraction is perfect if you’re looking to beat the heat and the lines at Epcot. Hidden away inside the Mexico pavilion at Epcot’s World Showcase, this slow moving boat ride is both air conditioned and rarely crowded. Guests often find a walk-on even at the height of the day. Since boats load quickly, even impressive-looking queues tend to empty quickly.
7. Spaceship Earth
Probably the biggest attraction on the list, Spaceship Earth is most busy during the early morning hours. Many guests do the first thing they see, and Epcot’s giant landmark is it. But once the initial rush of people has passed, the lines dwindle to a more respectable length. Spaceship Earth was once a relative walk-on, even in the afternoon. FastPass+ has slowed this queue, but only moderately. Even long lines tend to clear up in less than 15 minutes for this omnimover.
8. Muppet*Vision 3D
Like the Enchanted Tiki Room, Muppet*Vision 3D is a continuously running show. The Muppet theater has a capacity of over 500 guests for each show. Get out of the sun for a while in the indoor, air conditioned pre-show room that boasts a video that rivals the main show. The attraction itself lasts 17 minutes, so guests rarely face a long wait, and even a longer line feels much more bearable in the cool space.
If you’re planning to stay in the park all day, you can avoid long lines and keep cool during the worst of the day with these shorter waits.
