If you’re headed to Walt Disney World soon, you may be wondering how long you’ll have to wait in line to ride some of your favorite attractions now that there is limited capacity in the parks and Park Pass reservations are required in order to enter.
We took a look at the wait times this week, and we’ve got a list of the 7 attractions with the shortest wait times from this week! Read through and let us know — how many did you guess??
Our Scientific Method
To determine which attractions had the shortest wait times, we took some screenshots of the wait times at all four parks as displayed on the My Disney Experience app at various times each day throughout the week.
We mainly looked at the wait times from Monday, Tuesday, and Friday of this week. We also glanced quickly at the wait times on Wednesday and Thursday to make sure none of the attractions with wait times on the lower end had busier days that would knock them off the list. (And we’re glad we did because some attractions — like Kali River Rapids — which had really low wait times for most of the week, was a bit busier on Thursday and ended up being taken off of our list.)
If the attraction was temporarily unavailable at any time, we simply didn’t count that into the average. But enough about the method to the madness…let’s check out the results!
1 — The Barnstormer
It’s probably no surprise that The Barnstormer in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom had an average wait time of about 6 minutes throughout the week. It had some days where the wait time hit 10 minutes, but we really didn’t see it go above that.
It’s definitely a good introductory roller coaster for the little ones. Before they hit Space Mountain or even Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, you can take your kids on this ride to see if they’re ready for the bigger thrills. It’s pretty quick and, with that short wait time, may be a good choice if you’re just looking for a quick walk-on ride. The wait time is also low because it’s usually only popular with only the youngest Disney fans (and their parents).
2 — Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Another one for the kiddos, Dumbo the Flying Elephant in Magic Kingdom had an average wait time of about 5 minutes throughout the week. It was pretty consistently at a 5 minute wait, but hit 10 minutes on occasion.
While Dumbo may not be the most thrilling ride in Magic Kingdom, it’s definitely a classic. Whether you’re 6 or 26, it’s sure to bring a smile to your face. Plus, you can get some nice views of Magic Kingdom while you’re soaring up in the air.
Why does this one have a shorter wait? Basically it’s TWO rides! Because everyone who was anyone wanted to ride Dumbo, Disney World expanded it and doubled capacity when Storybook Circus was built. So now it can accommodate a lot more folks!
3 — Carousel of Progress
Carousel of Progress in Magic Kingdom was almost always at a 5 minute wait when we checked the My Disney Experience app, although we did see it hit 10 minutes occasionally. Typically, the most you’ll wait for this attraction is just for the next section in the rotating theatre to open up.
This attraction is another classic, especially for fans of Disney history. Originally created for the 1964 World’s Fair, this ride has been touted as the longest running stage show in American history. It’s definitely a bit longer in terms of ride length, but it’s indoors, in air conditioning, and gives guests a chance to sit down and enjoy a fun story all about family and progress. Plus, how cute is Rover?
Why is this one on the lower end of wait times? It’s not as popular as other attractions, for one. But also because it can accommodate a LOT of people at once, since it’s basically a show.
4 — TriceraTop Spin
Over in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, there were a few attractions with some relatively short wait times. But the winner was definitely TriceraTop Spin. It essentially had a 5 minute wait all week.
If you’ve never ridden this attraction, it’s over in DinoLand USA, and is very much like Dumbo, except you ride along in a triceratops instead of a flying elephant. It’s a ride designed primarily for kids, but if you’re over in this part of Animal Kingdom and looking for something quick to do, the short wait time at this attraction may make it a good option for you!
5 — Journey Into Imagination With Figment
It’s probably no surprise that Journey Into Imagination With Figment in EPCOT had a pretty consistent wait time of 5 minutes throughout the week.
This attraction has been changed significantly from its previous iterations, but Figment has endured and has become the mascot, in a sense, of EPCOT festivals. It’s an attraction the whole family can enjoy as it is not a thrill ride by any means, but it does have some moments that may not be ideal for those who are sensitive to loud sounds or…different…smells, so keep that in mind for your family. But, if you’re looking for a fun attraction with a short wait time and a verrrry catchy theme song, you should stop by this ride during your next trip!
Journey Into Imagination has lost a lot of its popularity over the years, largely since its refurbishment and also since EPCOT brought in some other heavy hitter rides to take its place at the top of the heap. So this attraction doesn’t have a high wait time on the busiest of days.
6 — Spaceship Earth
Throughout this past week, Spaceship Earth in EPCOT had an average wait time of about 5 minutes. This grand and miraculous ride is a continuous, slow-moving attraction that takes you through various moments in the history of our planet and provides a fun glimpse at the potential future toward the end.
It’s definitely on the longer side in terms of attraction length, but it is air conditioned and you get to sit the entire time, so it can definitely provide a much needed break from the Florida heat.
The attraction was slated to close earlier this year, but it reopened with EPCOT after the park closures and we’ve been able to enjoy it ever since. We’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for any refurbishment news related to this ride and keep you posted on all the latest updates. But, until the situation changes, it’s a ride you can enjoy with a (typically) short wait time, so it may be something you’ll want to add to your park plans for your next visit!
Why is the wait so low — thank the Omnimover! This type of continuously moving ride vehicle means people can be loading and unloading simultaneously — ALL. THE. TIME. It makes sure the line is consistently moving.
7 — The Seas With Nemo & Friends
Last, but not least, we’ve got The Seas With Nemo & Friends in EPCOT. At some points, it had wait times of 10 or 15 minutes, but overall, the average wait time for this ride was about 6 minutes this week.
If you’ve never been on this ride, it’s a continuously moving dark ride that gives you the chance to see some of our favorites from Finding Nemo including Nemo, Marlin, Dory, Bruce, Crush, and more! At the end, you’ll actually see some of the tanks with live fish in them in the background. It’s got a beautiful queue line, and is a great attraction for families to enjoy together. Once you’ve exited the ride, you can then explore all of the amazing sea creatures in the large tanks throughout the space. Again, it’s not the most thrilling ride, but it’s definitely cute and fun!
This one has a short wait time for a combo of the reasons above — only the littlest Disney fans are super excited to ride usually (I know, I know, you love it too!), and the omnimover clamshells mean it’s being loaded and unloaded simultaneously!
What About Disney’s Hollywood Studios?
You may have noticed that none of the attractions on this list were from Disney’s Hollywood Studios! While some attractions there, like Alien Swirling Saucers, had some wait times of 5 minutes at certain points throughout the day, the Studios attractions with the shortest wait times overall had average wait times of about 10 to 12 minutes.
This could be for a couple of reasons: 1) this is usually the most crowded park as so many guests are clamoring to ride Disney World’s current headliner: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and 2) Hollywood Studios has the fewest open attractions and rides of any park right now! That means that, while all those people are waiting for their Rise Boarding Group to be called, they’re stuck riding other things. So those lines stay longish throughout the day.
Well, that was a look at the SHORTEST wait times this week! Wondering if things changed on Disney World’s first completely sold out day since reopening?
Check out the situation in Disney’s Hollywood Studios TODAY — the FIRST sold out day in Disney World since reopening!
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