• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Motor City Mouse

Motor City Mouse

Disney Locals Sharing Tips and Tricks

  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Facebook
  • Disney Parks
    • Ride Guides
    • Food
    • Resorts
    • Park Style
  • Magic at Home
  • Cruises
  • Central Florida
    • Orlando Area
    • Universal Studios
  • OUR STORY
Facebook0Tweet0Pin1Share1

Braving the Holiday Crowds at Walt Disney World

Avatar photoOctober 21, 2022 by Sarah Lemp

I’m sharing all my tips for visiting Walt Disney during the busy season.

The Magic Kingdom is beautiful at Christmas time!

Visiting Disney World During the busy Season

If you’re headed to Walt Disney World during the busy season, you will want to have a game plan! Walt Disney World is busy no matter what time of year you go, but the Christmas season is arguably the busiest. Be prepared for extra crowds, longer wait times and parks that reach capacity. If you’ve planned far enough ahead and have park reservations already in place, you’re off to a great start! If you haven’t made a park reservation yet and are watching spots fill up, there is still hope! I’m going to share a few tips that will help make your visit to the parks at peak season, as enjoyable and stress-free as possible.

Magic Kingdom at Christmas

What to Do When There Are No Reservations Left at the Park of Your Choice

To visit any of the four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom), you will need to make park reservation in addition to having a valid theme park ticket. You can check to see what parks are available before purchasing tickets, here.

  • Step 1: Create a Disney account online or through the My Disney Experience app.
  • Step 2: Purchase theme park tickets (get the Park Hopper option added if the park of your choice is out of reservations!)
  • Step 3: Make a park reservation for the theme park of your choice or at whatever park has availability.

If there are no spots available for the park of your choice during the week of your visit, your best bet is to purchase a Park Hopper ticket.  This is an additional fee that is added to your base ticket. The Park Hopper ticket allows you to visit any other park of your choice after 2:00PM. If there are no park reservations left for Magic Kingdom but there is for Epcot, grab the Epcot reservation.

Start your day at Epcot and leave the park around 1:30 to head to the Magic Kingdom. Important: this is still not a guarantee you will be able to get into Magic Kingdom. When holiday crowds are at their peak, parks have been know to reach capacity. You may want to check with a cast member first to see if the Magic Kingdom has reached capacity and closed the gates. If Magic Kingdom is closed to any additional guests, you may want to head to Animal Kingdom instead. Animal Kingdom is the largest of the four parks and least likely to be at capacity.

Example Game Plan

To summarize, I’ll lay out an example game plan. Let’s assume the day you want to visit the Magic Kingdom, there are no park reservations available. Here are the steps you need to take:

  • Step 1: Create a Disney account online or through the My Disney Experience app.
  • Step 2: Purchase theme park tickets with the Park Hopper option added on!
  • Step 3: Make a park reservation for whatever park is available, for example, Epcot.
  • Step 4: Start your day at Epcot, or whatever park you have a reservation at. I recommend being there at “rope drop” which is roughly an hour before the park opens.
  • Step 5: Around 1:00 start making your way to the Magic Kingdom. Park Hopper options are supposed to kick in after 2:00PM, but on a busy day, you may want to get there early. You can check with a Cast Member or on the My Disney Experience app to see if the park is already closed and not accepting any more people. If you are at Epcot, you can ride a Disney bus or the monorail over to the Magic Kingdom. The Skyliner does not go to the Magic Kingdom. I recommend the Monorail.
  • Step 6: Be prepared to pivot. If the Magic Kingdom is at capacity, hop on a bus and head to the Animal Kingdom. This is the largest of the Disney parks and the least likely to be full during peak crowds.
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at Epcot

Tips for Making the Most of Your Day During Peak Season

If you have your tickets and your reservations, here are a few tips you may want to keep in mind when visiting the parks.

Go Early

Especially during peak season, time will be limited because everything takes longer. I recommend arriving at the park by “rope drop.” This has historically been around an hour before the actual opening time. You will either wait in your car at the gate, or be allowed into the park to wait. In the past, guests could gather just inside the park gate and wait for an actual rope to drop. Then it’s a mad dash back to your favorite ride to get in line! Sometimes this method pays off and you’re rewarded with a shorter line.

Read: Guide to Holiday Celebrations at Disney World 2021

Go with a Game Plan

During peak season, lines will be extra long for the most popular rides. I recommend having a list of your must-do attractions and getting them done first. If you are starting the day at Epcot, you may want to head straight to Norway to ride Frozen Ever After. Our family loves this ride and it has the longest wait time in the park.

When heading straight to your must-do ride, you will be tempted to stop at the other awesome attractions along the way. Stay focused! Make a B-line strait to your favorite ride and go back to the other things afterward.

Adjust Your Expectations

Make your must-do rides a priority, but be prepared to change your plans. Take a moment and breath. Take it all in! Be present in the moment and careful not to allow yourself to feel panicked. Adjust your expectations to allow extra flexibility. Don’t worry, be happy! Do what you can and release feelings of disappointment over the things you can’t.

Consider paying for Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes

You may be aware of the new Genie+ system. Fast Passes were phased out this past year and the Genie+ system has taken their place. You can access this service through the My Disney Experience mobile app. Genie+ allows you to cut the line and experience drastically shorter wait times for an added fee with certain rides only available with an extra Lightening Lane pass.

Lightning Lane Rides Included with Genie+ include:

Magic Kingdom

  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
  • Dumbo the Flying Elephant
  • Haunted Mansion
  • “it’s a small world”
  • Jungle Cruise
  • Mad Tea Party
  • Mickey’s PhilharMagic
  • Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
  • Peter Pan’s Flight
  • Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Space Mountain
  • Splash Mountain
  • The Barnstormer
  • The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
  • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
  • Tomorrowland Speedway
  • Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid

Epcot

  • Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
  • Frozen Ever After
  • Journey into Imagination with Figment
  • Living with the Land
  • Mission: SPACE – Green
  • Mission: SPACE – Orange
  • Soarin’ Around the World
  • Spaceship Earth
  • Test Track
  • The Seas with Nemo & Friends
  • Turtle Talk with Crush

Hollywood Studios

  • Alien Swirling Saucers
  • Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
  • Disney Junior Play & Dance!
  • For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
  • Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
  • Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
  • Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
  • Muppet*Vision 3D
  • Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
  • Slinky Dog Dash
  • Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
  • The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™
  • Toy Story Mania!

Animal Kingdom

  • Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King
  • DINOSAUR
  • Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
  • Feathered Friends in Flight!
  • It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
  • Kali River Rapids
  • Kilimanjaro Safaris
  • Naʻvi River Journey
  • The Animation Experience at Conservation Station

Individual Lightning Lane rides include:

Magic Kingdom

  • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Epcot

  • Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

Hollywood Studios

  • Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Animal Kingdom

  • Avatar Flight of Passage

What I Would Do

If you have your heart set on riding as many rides as possible during peak hours, you may have to pay for the Genie+ pass. If there are specific rides you REALLY want to do, consider paying for a couple of your favorite must-do rides with a Lightning Lane pass. For example, start your day at Epcot and pay for either the Frozen Ever After or Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure Lightning Lane pass. Both of these rides are fantastic for kids and adults of all ages and arguably the best rides at Epcot.

Read: Free Things to do at Disney World at Christmas Time

My Must-Do Recommendations

Everyone has different interests and favorite rides. I always recommend basing your choices on your kids or your family’s personal interests. Here are a few of my favorites at each park:

Magic Kingdom

  • Stroll down Main Street and get pictures in front of the castle (ask a cast member to take your picture!)
  • Mobile order Dole Whip at Aloha Isle
  • Ride Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Ride It’s a Small World
  • Ride Space Mountain
  • Ride Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
  • Grab a quick service snack at the Friar’s Nook
  • Meet a Princess
  • Take pictures in front of the purple wall outside Tomorrowland
  • Watch fireworks over Cinderella’s castle

Tip: Buy the refillable popcorn bucket at any park! It’s the cheapest and easiest snack to eat all day long, plus it makes a great souvenir.

Epcot

  • Ride Frozen Ever After
  • Ride the Seas with Nemo and Friends
  • Ride Soarin’
  • Ride Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
  • My big kids have to do Test Track and Mission Space
  • Eat all the things
  • Visit Mexico and ride the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
  • Honorable mentions: Spaceship Earth, Journey Into Imagination

Hollywood Studios

  • Ride Star Wars Rise of the Resistance
  • Ride Star Wars Smugglers Run
  • Walk around Galaxy’s Edge
  • Ride Slinky Dog Dash
  • Walk around Toy Story Land
  • My big kids love the Tower and Terror and the Rocking Rollercoaster
The Millennium Falcon at Galaxy’s Edge in Hollywood Studios

Animal Kingdom

  • Get pictures in front of the Tree of Life
  • Head straight to the back of the park to ride the Kilimanjaro Safari
  • Ride Flight of Passage
  • Get a Night Blossom drink
  • Ride the Na’vi River Journey
  • Return to Pandora when it’s dark
  • Grab a meal at Flame Tree Barbecue
  • My big kids love Expedition Everest
  • Catch “It’s Tough to be a Bug”
  • Watch “Festival of the Lion King”
  • Catch nighttime projections on the Tree of Life

Pin-It for Later!

Category: Disney ParksTag: holiday
Facebook0Tweet0Pin1Share1

come to disney with us!

We’re in the parks several times a week and would love to have you join us for the fun. Follow along on Instagram!

follow on instagram
Avatar photo

About Sarah Lemp

Sarah grew up in Michigan, taking trips to Disney World as often as she possibly could! She began writing about Disney vacation planning advice in 2012 when she started her blog, All Things with Purpose. Sarah and her family recently moved from the Motor City to Orlando, FL and are now living the Disney Passholder life!

Previous Post:Disney’s Fantasmic! is Coming back this November
Next Post:New Holiday Merchandise for the 2022 Holiday Season

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sidebar

motorcitymouse

motorcitymouse
Sharing some of my favorite AMAZON dresses to wear Sharing some of my favorite AMAZON dresses to wear to the Disney parks! I like wearing lightweight dresses that feel casual but also a little bit princessy. And why not!? All linked in my Amazon shop. Find it in my stories and in my profile.
Comments overhead while walking around the Polynes Comments overhead while walking around the Polynesian Resort with 40th birthday balloons: “40 was ok. 50 killed me.” “No way! 40?” “4 was a good year. Oh, there’s a zero!” “Have a magical day!” and “Wait, when is your birthday again?” (said by my 15 year old son). Happy birthday to me! I’m officially 40!! 😆🥳
Why should you choose to stay at @grandlegacyhotel Why should you choose to stay at @grandlegacyhotel while visiting Disneyland?? Here’s a few reasons we love it:

💜 Walkability - We did not rent a car while we were in Anaheim. Grand Legacy is literally across the street from Disneyland, and just a couple blocks away from countless shops and restaurants. 
💜 Value - You can’t beat the price when you look at all you get while staying at Grand Legacy compared to other area hotels.
💜 Amenities - Our luxury plus room included a mini fridge, coffee maker and microwave, which is almost a necessity when staying multiple days. There are also beverages and snacks in the lobby, a pool, hot tub, and laundry facilities.
💜 Great for Families - We have stayed here with our family as well. There are lots of great options for families, including connecting rooms.
💜 View - There are many spots on property where you can view the Disneyland fireworks at night. Even though our room was not advertised as a firework view room, we were still able to catch a glimpse of them. There are rooms available with even better views of the theme parks and fireworks. We also enjoyed watching the fireworks from up top at @thefifthoc where they dim the lights and play Disneyland music during the show. 

#grandlegacyhotel #grandlegacy #disneyland #disneycreators #disneyadult #disneylandfamily
Happy World Princess Week!! *SAVE FOR LATER* We w Happy World Princess Week!! 
*SAVE FOR LATER*
We were honored to be a part of a special princess event at @waltdisneyworld last year. This year, you’ll find special treats at each of the Disney parks and in many of the resorts. Who is your favorite princess and why? 

Here’s where you can meet your favorite princesses at WDW (subject to change):

EPCOT
- Aurora (in France)
- Anna and Elsa (in Norway)
- Mulan (in China)
- Snow White (in Germany)
- Belle (in France)
- Princesses you may see at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall include: Belle, Aurora, Snow White, Tiana, Ariel and Mulan.

MAGIC KINGDOM 
- Cinderella (Princess Fairytale Hall)
- Tiana (Princess Fairytale Hall)
- Rapunzel (Princess Fairytale Hall)
- Ariel (Ariel’s Grotto)
- Belle (Enchanted Tales with Belle)
- Princesses you may see at Cinderella’s Royal Table: Cinderella, Aurora, Jasmine, Snow White and Ariel
- Multiple princesses seen in parades throughout the day 

ANIMAL KINGDOM 
- Moana (Character Landing)
- Pocahontas (on a river boat)

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS 
- Live Action Ariel (Walt Disney Presents)

RESORT HOTELS
- Snow White (Storybook Dining at Artist Point)

Did I miss one?? Let me know!

#worldprincessweek #ultimateprincesscelebration #disneyprincess #disneycreators
I felt like this footage deserved a permanent home I felt like this footage deserved a permanent home in my feed 😆 Pay close attention to Jay’s face as he prepares to ride Rise of the Resistance for the first time!! This ride has remained my favorite ride at Disney World since it opened but I have never been able to convince Jay to ride it. He does tend to get motion sickness on rides, and had said he would ride it if the wait was less than 10 minutes. I figured that meant he would never get to ride it, but the other night after a storm, the park had cleared out and we saw a 10 minute wait right before closing!! Jay now says it’s his favorite ride ever - his previous favorite was Frozen 😁

#batuubound #galaxysedge #starwars #disneycreators #riseoftheresistance #batuu #brightsuns #wdw #starwarsfamily
🧡AHSOKA!!!!🧡 Thank you @disneyparks for host 🧡AHSOKA!!!!🧡
Thank you @disneyparks for hosting us at an awesome Ahsoka Tano fan event last night to celebrate the release of @ahsokaofficial on @disneyplus 

We bounded as some of our favorite characters, built a droid and rode the best ride in the galaxy (Rise of the Resistance), before grabbing some blue milk and screening the first two episodes of Ahsoka, the new series coming to Disney Plus August 23rd. You are going to LOVE this show! 

To end the night, we all gathered in front of the Millennium Falcon to light up our Ahsoka sabers! 🧡
#ahsoka
First time in Vegas! It’s been fun to see everyt First time in Vegas! It’s been fun to see everything, but in reality, we came for the cheap flights and close proximity to the National Parks 😆 We’re celebrating our anniversary today with dinner at the (Vegas) Eiffel Tower, but we’ve been on the go everyday seeing the Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, and Zion National Park! The heat is no joke, it has actually made me appreciate the weather in Florida 🤣
💜20 years of adventures with you💜 💜20 years of adventures with you💜
Our 20th anniversary trip is officially off to a g Our 20th anniversary trip is officially off to a great start!! We are so thankful to be here together. When we first started talking about going away for our anniversary, we were coming out of an incredibly challenging time in our life and barely making ends meet. Our best idea was to attend a timeshare presentation to get a free hotel stay (anyone else been there? 🙋🏻‍♀️). We’re grateful for some very special people in our life that encouraged us to make plans and helped make it possible to think a little bit bigger. We will be packing in as much fun as we can, with a road trip to Palm Springs, Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree and Zion National Park. We added on a stop at Disneyland and are proud to be partnering with the @grandlegacyhotel for the next couple days. This is our second time staying here, but the first time without kids!! We love the Grand Legacy because it is stylish and modern, but also affordable. It’s located RIGHT across the street from Disneyland and just a block from all kinds of shopping and entertainment. They had a beautiful anniversary basket waiting for us when we arrived and we enjoyed dinner with a fireworks view last night at @thefifthoc ✨
We tried the infamous dill pickle milkshake at the We tried the infamous dill pickle milkshake at the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival! It’s one of those things that you just have to try! We were surprised how NOT disgusting it was. It started sweet and has an interesting flavor, but it wasn’t terrible. Find it at the Brew-Wing Lab at the Odyssey. Which is a cute, Muppet, themed food lab with all kinds of tasty concoctions!

🥒 BOOK YOUR TRIP TO EPCOT USING THE LINK IN MY PROFILE TO SAVE MONEY ON DISNEY TICKETS AND HOTELS!!
POLLY HAS SOLD!! Taking suggestions now for the n POLLY HAS SOLD!! 
Taking suggestions now for the next subtle Disney theme we should do in an RV! 👇🏻

#glampingwithpolly #rvrenovation #rvreno
What’s your favorite Disney Channel original mov What’s your favorite Disney Channel original movie?? Mine go waaay back before High School Musical. As a kid, my favorites were Brink and Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century. The Disney Channel is celebrating their 40th anniversary (I turn 40 this year too)!! We’re excited to watch the new Disney Channel original movie, The Slumber Party, now on @disneychannel and @disneyplus #theslumberparty
MOM’S NIGHT OUT AT EPCOT
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Five stars, would recommend - Food and Wine with friends! If you’ve never experienced the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival with your girlfriends, call 1-855-GET-AWAY immediately and book your trip!! 

Thank you @getawaytoday and @thehappiestclubonearth for inviting us to experience such a fun night!!

The EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival is officially here and there is so much to see and do (and eat and drink). Are you going this year??

#tasteepcot #disneycreators
We love the SEA LIFE Aquarium at Great Lakes Cross We love the SEA LIFE Aquarium at Great Lakes Crossing in Auburn Hills, Michigan! There are SEA LIFE Aquariums nationwide, so check out visitsealife.com to find a location near you. It’s a great time to visit SEA LIFE Michigan because Shark Days are here all week (July 23-29)! Discover new shark facts during a Summer shark talk, and dive into more fun with a sea of shark activities. Come see the sharks – including Florence, the 6ft Nurse Shark, in the breathtaking Ocean Tunnel. Get the ultimate shark selfie as they glide just inches away from you for an unforgettable shark encounter.

CoComelon is also making appearances until August 13! This meet and greet is included in the regular ticket price. For an additional fee, you can schedule a behind-the-scenes tour to see how they care for and feed the sharks at SEA LIFE.

Thank you to @sealife_michigan for inviting us this week! I sent my sister and her kids to check it all out and they had a lot of fun!
Polly is officially listed! We have a couple littl Polly is officially listed! We have a couple little things to do today, but I’ve been anxious to get her on the market before the Summer is over. What do you think?? Do you see the Polynesian Resort theme coming through loud and clear?? 
#glampingwithpolly 

**DM me for the link to the Marketplace listing with all the details!**
Happy National Dole Whip Day! #glampingwithpolly Happy National Dole Whip Day! 

#glampingwithpolly #dolewhip
We’re working on exterior paint this week!!

I’m so happy with how these colors are turning out! I found the cutest Dole Whip decal to put on the door. We still need to finish the exterior paint, replace the awning fabric, finish interior paint, install a new kitchen faucet, and about a million little things. 

If you’re in the market for a small trailer, send me a DM!

#rvrenovation #rvreno #rvexterior
Happy 68th anniversary Disneyland! Look how cute a Happy 68th anniversary Disneyland! Look how cute and tiny the kids were last time we were there. 😍 Jay and I are heading back (kid free) next month and I can’t wait!! We will be trying out @breezeairways flying nonstop from Disney World to Disneyland, then continuing on from there for our 20th anniversary trip. We’re going to pack a lot into a really quick trip, with stops at the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park. But we couldn’t get that close to Disneyland and not stop in for a quick visit 😊
Happy National Ice Cream Day!! This was my favori Happy National Ice Cream Day!! 
This was my favorite thing I’ve had recently. The Moana Cone at Typhoon Lagoon. The coconut dipped cone was my favorite part. 😋 What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream? 

#nationalicecreamday #disneystyphoonlagoon #typhoonlagoon
Progress on Polly, our Polynesian Resort themed RV Progress on Polly, our Polynesian Resort themed RV! After several hours of taping and lots of touch ups later, it’s almost done 🤪
Load More Follow on Instagram

Recent Posts

Complete Guide to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground

Little Mermaid Disneybound Ideas

Easy BB-8 costume

Easy Marvel Themed Costumes

Creative Ways to Save for a Disney Trip

Copyright © 2023 · Motor City Mouse · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme