Planning out your day at Walt Disney World is a lot easier thanks to the park’s new FastPass+ system that lets you reserve up to three FastPasses at a time in advance. However, this still leaves visitors with the question of what to do in between their reserved times to make the most of the day.
This article covers the best early morning attractions for guests to hit before the real crowds descend on the park!
1. Magic Kingdom: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
As the newest Disney attraction, it’s no surprise that the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train regularly boasts one of if not the longest wait time in the park. If you want to check out this roller coaster without a FastPass+ reservation and without waiting an hour or more in line, your best bet is to rush there first thing in the morning. Since the coaster is at the back of the park, some of the crowds may thin out along the way as guests are distracted by other areas of the park. Resist the temptation to jump into other short lines that you pass along the way. Those will last a lot longer than the lull for the Mine Train does.
2. Magic Kingdom: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad can boast long waits in the afternoon, but lines often stay short till mid-morning. This is another great pick if you’re in the park as soon as it opens. Since this attraction doesn’t have the shiny new appeal of the Mine Train, however, you can hit it up any time during the first few hours of the day.
3. Magic Kingdom: Space Mountain
Image: Disney
Space Mountain is a perpetual favorite in the Magic Kingdom. It also has the distinct advantage of being an indoor attraction. If there’s an early thunderstorm during your visit, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will both be closed. Space Mountain, however, will continue to operate. Head here first thing to take advantage of shorter lines before they have a chance to get long. During busy seasons, lines of an hour or more are not uncommon for this attraction.
4. Epcot: Soarin’
Make Soarin’ your first stop in Epcot and you can enjoy a relative walk-on. Jump in line even if the posted wait time is longer. On a few recent visits, we waited less than ten minutes, though the posted time was nearly half an hour. Later in the day, Soarin’s wait time is around an hour, if not longer.
4. Epcot: Test Track
Image: Disney
Test Track is another great early morning option that has long waits later in the morning, once the park starts to fill up. Drop in early if you don’t have a FastPass+ reservation to enjoy the shortest wait. Keep in mind, however, that Test Track does have an outdoor track, so it will close if there’s lightning in the vicinity.
5. Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Toy Story Mania
Image: Disney
Toy Story Mania almost always boasts the longest wait time in all of Hollywood Studios. Located toward the back of the park, you can get a little bit of an advantage if you head straight to this attraction first thing in the morning, but you won’t be the only one to have this idea.
If you want to ride without a FastPass+ reservation, get in line as soon as you can no matter what the posted wait time is. This line only gets longer as the day goes on. It’s one of the rare attractions in this park without a height limit, and doesn’t close as early as the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure or Studio Backlot Tour. Do keep in mind that this attraction will close early over the summer for the Frozen Fireworks – just one more reason to hit it up early on.
6. Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is an indoor favorite at Hollywood Studios, and it’s located fairly close to the front of the park, so the line can grow early in the day. If you’re a thrill seeker, head toward this and its neighbor Tower of Terror as early as you can.
7. Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Like Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, the Tower of Terror is one of the few thrill rides available in Walt Disney World. Hit it up early to avoid longer lines. By the end of the day, these Sunset Boulevard attractions can have wait times around an hour.
8. Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Expedition Everest
Expedition Everest
Expedition Everest is the one and only big thrill ride in Animal Kingdom, so if that’s what you’re after, hop in line early for a walk-on experience. (Dinosaur is relatively thrilling as well if that’s what you’re into, but it will enjoy a shorter wait for much longer.) If the line is already starting to grow by the time you make it to Everest, use the single rider line to bypass much of the wait. Keep in mind that Everest is an outdoor attraction, so it will not operate if there’s lightning in the area.
9. Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Kilimanjaro Safaris
Kilimanjaro Safaris is a good early morning choice for two reasons. The most obvious is that you can often get there ahead of the line if you head straight back to Africa. The less obvious perk is that you can enjoy some really great views of the animals during early hours. In the heat of the day, many animals will take a long nap or laze away in the shade. In the morning, they tend to be more active. Even if you have a FastPass+ reservation later on, you may want to try a morning safari just so you can see the difference.
Many parts of planning your day will naturally happen on the fly, but keep these attractions in mind if you want to make the most of quieter park hours before the big rush. Keep in mind, however, that crowds vary with the season and there’s no foolproof way to avoid all the lines. Improvise when you have to, but keep at least a few big attractions in mind when you make it to the parks early so you don’t waste these precious hours meandering around.
