Happy Fourth of July!
WOW!
In Disney World, the Fourth of July promises three things: fireworks, patriotic treats, and…crowds. We headed out to the parks and braved those crowds today so we could bring you the most accurate information on what the Disney World crowds are like on a holiday!
We braced ourselves for the worst when we entered the parks, but actually…we were VERY surprised by what we saw in terms of crowd levels today. Apparently, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the place to be on the 4th of July. Crowd levels were pretty low when we were there earlier today.
It’s not too crowded!
In some areas of the park, there were very few people around us at all!
It’s like a ghost town!
Basically, if seeing 4th of July fireworks isn’t important to you, you might want to consider heading to Animal Kingdom next Independence Day!
Consider Animal Kingdom if you’ll be in Disney World on July 4th!
Disney’s Hollywood Studios saw more crowds than Animal Kingdom, but still not what would be expected from a holiday like the 4th of July. The most popular rides saw some crowding near them as people were waiting in lines, but it wasn’t anything too dramatic.
Hollywood Studios was a little busier
Looking at the wait times throughout the day, the park didn’t seem much busier than any other day. For a holiday weekend, this is very unusual!
Hollywood Studios didn’t seem busier than any other day
The same was true at Magic Kingdom, where there were some crowds at the front of the park as guests were waiting for the Festival of Fantasy Parade and taking photos in front of Cinderella Castle, but once you got deeper into the park, it wasn’t too bad.
It was busy near Cinderella Castle
There was plenty of room to move around and it didn’t feel overly crowded. How is this happening??
We had plenty of room to move around
It’s possible that the heat and assumed large crowds made some guests choose not to brave the parks today. It’s also possible that guests are waiting until later this evening to enter the parks, especially Magic Kingdom, as they want to arrive closer to the time of the fireworks.
If you’re in Disney World this holiday weekend, there are lots of limited-time treats you can try for the holiday! In Magic Kingdom, you can head over to Casey’s Corner and try the Chicago-style All Beef Hot Dog, or visit Plaza Ice Cream Parlor for the Red Velvet Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich.
Red Velvet Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich
And, as always, stay tuned to DFB for the latest Disney news.
10 Not So-Magical Truths in Disney World
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
Are you visiting Disney World today? Let us know in the comments!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
Other possible reasons for low park attendance might be that either: we’re beginning to see the effects of people who have chosen not to give Disney any more of their hard-earned money; or people just cannot afford to visit Disney anymore.
Then again, the thousands of flights that have been cancelled could be another culprit too.
It’s hard to know which effected crowds more:
WDW’s own limitation of capacity to staffing levels
People not loving the idea of visiting in July 4th sardine conditions during a flare of southern summer Covid.
Will Crowd Level 11’s be a thing of the past?
Shocking! My family and I were in Magic Kingdom on July 4th, 1984 and it was insane! I was only ten but I vividly recall waiting in a very. long. line for the Monorail just to get back to the parking lot. Oh my lord I think I’m still traumatized from that. People were trying to carry strollers over their heads–that didn’t work really well. My mom had been sick the day before and wasn’t feeling well but she handled it like a trooper. I will say that the fireworks were AWESOME. Someday I’m going to take my son to WDW and make a new and better memory, hopefully with a DFB guide in hand!
Sometimes the simplest explanation is the most likely. Pay for Magic bands now, pay for Genie plus now, price increases for everything, no more magical express aka Mickey Bus…
I fell in love with Disney World years ago when my little girl and I were in the Magic Kingdom and she reached up, took my hand, and we skipped down Main Street USA together. We still have fun and I cherish and am grateful for the moments, but it’s not the same.
Steve I agree fully. The greed is overpowering the magic at this point. As a DVC owner for many years and a Disney fan since childhood…I feel I have a valid opinion in that it is a very different experience now. It has become a greedy greedy greedy administration. So sad. Its not the original Disney vision!
It has gotten so expensive now, and they are making you pay for more every chance you get. Genie+ was a real turning point. With Genie+ taking over, attendance is going to continue to decline. It’s becoming harder to give kids their dream of going to Disney. I was there in October 2019 and how you operate within the parks has completely changed. Disney continues to rub salt in the wound of the pricing. It’s sad because we really love Disney.
The only way Disney Management will take notice of all the poor choices and horrible changes they have made is if attendance and spending go down. Going to Disney is now an incredible hassle that many of us no longer think is worth it. The loss of Magical Express, the park reservation system, genie+ , and spending your entire vacation on your phone has turned my family off. We headed to Universal!
Darn it! We should have went! Lesson learned. Can’t wait to get back!
Yes, Steve! Disney has become a whole lot less Marry Poppins and a whole lot more Mr. Banks. Walt Disney’s favorite song “Feed the Birds”….. all he wanted to do with his parks was “feed the birds”. Now you have to go to the bank and start a savings account to even try to afford all the magic you want to, otherwise you go on a budget trip and don’t even get what you pay for bc even that is expensive!
I have to agree with some of the comments above. I think all the price hikes and all the Nickel & Dining of everything is catching up with DW guest. Not to mention inflation and the high prices for everything and anything outside of Disney like gas, groceries, rent, utilities, as well as travel expensive. If Disney is trying to price out certain guest to limit daily crowds, I think it is working now as many people simply can’t afford DW anymore. Plus, you throw in the political issues Disney is dealing with Florida where as some people refuse to go based on their beliefs and principals. But in the end, we can all blame Bob Chapek for all this. But yet somehow his contact was extended. Go figure?
I think Disney might be starting to see the long term effect of high prices. We know a few families that decided to start exploring other parts of the country and even abroad, diverting funds usually saved for Disney vacations. Additionally, unreliable air travel, high fuel prices and just general uncertainty could all be causing many to reconsider how they vacation. We still visit Disney parks but we are more selective how we spend our money.
Prices, scandal, a tarnishing of Disney as a family brand. Just wait till revenge vacations are over–wait times for everything will be 10 minutes
THE MAGIC IS GONE. Disney is just an over priced resort and amusement park. Nothing more, nothing less. The only memory take away is how much it cost. Too bad!
We are locals and we had annual passes which we let expire since we no longer support the Disney greed. It’s interesting that when we spoke with our neighbors a few homes away, they told us that they also let their passes expire. They now go to Universal, which they love. We have plans to go with them in three days. Disney better be careful or another park will take their business. They deserve it!
Absolutely agree Steve. Hopefully they get the message if this continues.
I totally agree with the previous comments. We started going to DW 30 years ago for our 25th anniversary and then every few years after that. We liked the fact that once we stepped on the plane at home we never had to do any more until we picked up our luggage at home. While at DW we were able to enjoy a total resort experience. We were able to enjoy the dinner shows, fine dining, resort hopping, and many time visiting all 4 parks in the same day to either see a show or enjoy or drinks a meal in different locations. going to things like the wine tastings, and the Wanyama safari. It is now an amusement park with restrictions on where and when you can go. we stopped going 5 years ago and have no plans to ever go again. If I did go to Orlando I would only go to Disney Springs restaurants, and not spend the money to go to DW.
What were the numbers like compared with the 3rd? I believe a lot of people went to Animal Kingdom on the 3rd, so they could go to EPCOT for the 4th. Also the fact money is tight at the moment, there is still a pandemic going on, prices are extreme, gas prices are high and you are in the middle of summer break. With the heat Florida has been having I would guess a lot of families would be finding cooler places to celebrate.
Disney is on a quest to hold on and increase stockholder value which as taken a beating the past 18 months. A real good barometer would be to check the parking lots, empty, full, over full, and where are the plates from that will tell you if the visitors are local or from out of state. Is Disney berating it’s own crowds or are Americans willing to travel. I was at Typhoon lagoon where the parking lots were over full, which tells me the locals are coming in for the day…it was hot.
I have spent lots of hard earned money at Disney World, but in good conscience, I can’t anymore.
First, it was due to the crowds and exorbitant cost. Then there came a noticeable lack of professionalism, kindness, and “chipperness” from cast members. It’s no longer the A-team.
Most disappointing and despairing is the Disney company’s disrespect for the traditional family unit and Mr. Walt Disney’s legacy. For me and my family, it has become unacceptable.
I’d have to agree with FL-Dad. I was in the MK on memorial day and I’d say it was the same as MK was described in this article. I was truly surprised.