As we experienced President’s Day Weekend, it was clear that crowds were back at Walt Disney World. We are glad that travel is back and so many families are enjoying the magic again; however, this means longer waits and more people throughout Walt Disney World.
Spring break 2023 will arrive at Walt Disney World soon, and we have some tips for avoiding crowds during this busy time of year. These tips will help you navigate the Parks and crowds you will find throughout Walt Disney World. By doing so, you will have a more successful trip that is full of magic.
Avoid Weekends When Possible
As you plan your trip, consider avoiding Magic Kingdom on the weekends. Being the most popular of the four Disney Parks, you will see large weekend crowds. Weekends are typically busier overall as Guests travel over the weekends to get the most out of our vacation. This means that the Parks will generally see larger crowds.
When making your plans, consider using the weekends as your non-Park days. Use these days to enjoy the Resort, visit Disney Springs, or try out some non-park experiences throughout Walt Disney World. You can avoid some larger crowds by avoiding the Parks on weekends.
Plan Your Route
Another great way to avoid crowds is to prepare your overall touring plan for the day. By knowing where you want to go and what you want to do at the Park that day, you can have a clear, set path.
Going back and forth in a busy Disney Park can be highly frustrating. By having a general plan of attack, you can avoid a lot of crisscrossing. This will help you avoid crossing the busier parts of the Parks multiple times. Places such as the hub at Magic Kingdom get highly crowded. If you take time to plan how to navigate the Park, you will be able to avoid a lot crowds.
Go Early
You will want to get to the Theme Parks early to beat the crowd. Those staying at a Walt Disney World Resort will want to take advantage of Early Entry. This allows Guests to enter the Parks thirty minute before posted opening time. Although this is a limited time, it can be a huge advantage.
When we talk about getting to the Parks early, this doesn’t mean to show up at the listed opening time. To get ahead of the crowd, you will want to be at your Theme Park of choice from 45 to 30 minutes before opening.
By getting to the Theme Parks early, you can often hit those highly popular rides such as Avatar Flight of Passage, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Slinky Dog Dash, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train with a little wait.
Getting these rides done early on can set the rest of the day up for success! We know that it isn’t fun to set that alarm during vacation, bu being early is a huge advantage.
Eat at Off Times
Another time when you will want to avoid crowds is during meal time. Most Guests typically eat around the same time of day. This leads to long waits for ordering and picking up food. Consider being strategice when it comes to eating.
Start by thinking about eating at off times. Most Guests plan their meals during “normal” meal hours. At Walt Disney World, you will see the biggest crowds between 11:00 and 1:00 and then again from 5:00 to 7:00. Avoid these times by eating earlier or later in the day.
Consider looking at unique places for a meal as well. Take the monorail over the Steakhouse 71 or Grand Floridian Cafe in Magic Kingdom. EPCOT has numerous options with skyliner available. You can avoid many crowds by leaving the Disney Parks during meal time.
Finally, don’t forget to use mobile ordering. This can allow you to skip the line for ordering and jump right in to pick up your food. This is a feature found in My Disney Experience.
When everyone is hungary, you will want to avoid the crowds as much as possible, and these tips are how to do so.
Use Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes
We know that there are mixed feelings about these features that cost additional money. The reality is that they are a great way to avoid large crowds. By purchasing these for your Park days, you can bypass the longer standby lines and avoid the majority of the crowds.
Take time to learn more about how to use these features throughout your trip on How to Disney.
Experience Things Outside of the Disney Parks
Walt Disney World is more than the four Theme Parks. With two Water Parks, mini golf, Disney Springs, and all the Disney Resorts, there is so much else to see and do.A great way to avoid the big crowds is to schedule activities outside of the Theme Parks. Think about doing a Resort tour and visit all the monorail or Disney Skyliner Resorts for something fun.
See the marvelous horses at the Tri-Circle-D Ranch at Fort Wilderness or shop at Disney Springs during the day.
There are so many experiences outside of the Theme Parks that are just as magical and that can get you away from the larger crowds.
Take Breaks
Finally, a big way to avoid the crowds is to take breaks. Step away from the Parks throughout the day and enjoy the pool at your Disney Resort.
You can also take time to visit other Disney Resorts. Check out the lobbies and the lounges throughout the Deluxe Resorts. This is a great way to enjoy some downtime during your vacation.
Knowing crowds can be difficult for everyone, planning breaks is a great way to help your group have a better vacation overall.
The spring and summer are exciting, but that means crowds. Use these tips and suggestions to help you avoid those crowds and have a magical time at Walt Disney World.
