If you’re trying to plan a last-minute trip to Disney World, there may be one hurdle standing in your way…the Disney Park Pass reservation system!
Magic Kingdom
Since the parks reopened, guests have been required to make reservations to visit, and sometimes those reservations book up rather quickly. We’ve seen popular travel dates fill up months in advance in the past, and the same is the case with one seemingly random date this fall!
When checking out the Disney Park Pass availability, we noticed that Magic Kingdom is completely booked up for theme park ticket and resort guests on Monday, October 10th, 2022. This date may seem odd, but this year, it’s the Columbus Day holiday.
Keep in mind that we’ve seen days fill up in the past and then later get restocked, so this availability can change.
©Disney
UPDATE: Sure enough, availability has CHANGED! October 10th is now fully open for all parks for Theme Park Tickets guests…
©Disney
…and guests staying at select resort hotels.
©Disney
On holiday weekends like Columbus Day, Labor Day, Presidents Day, and the like, the parks tend to get really crowded with guests who have an extra few days off of school. Columbus Day weekend is also a popular time for school districts to plan a “fall break” for students, so some places will even have an entire week free.
Columbus Day crowds from Disney World in 2021
If you’re planning a visit during this time, be prepared to deal with heavier crowds than you’d normally expect during Disney’s “off-season.” The wait times will probably increase as well, so it would be a great idea to rope drop the park. You may also want to think about purchasing Genie+ for your visit to avoid some of those long lines.
Fall Break Crowds 2021
It’s also important to note that October 10th is a date when Magic Kingdom will host Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, so the park will be closing early that day. This means that guests with park passes booked for October 10th who AREN’T attending the party will need to leave around 6PM (Magic Kingdom closes EARLY on party days) and will not get to see fireworks at Magic Kingdom (since Disney Enchantment doesn’t show on Halloween party nights).
On August Halloween party dates, the park opens 1 hour early, at 8AM. There’s a chance this may also be the case on October Halloween party dates (keep checking to see if this adjustment occurs). So, if you’re one of the guests who booked a park pass for that day, you may at least get 1 extra hour under your belt before you’ll need to leave early at 6PM. But, if you’re hoping for more time in Magic Kingdom, you might want to reconsider your plans to get the most “bang for your buck.”
Mickey Pumpkin
However, if you’re set on visiting Magic Kingdom on October 10th, there are few ways to get more time in the parks. You can upgrade to a Park Hopper ticket and head on over to a park that stays open later — especially EPCOT or Hollywood Studios. EPCOT is an especially solid choice if you want to see fireworks.
You could also purchase a ticket to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, and then you’ll get to stay in Magic Kingdom until midnight, go trick-or-treating, watch special entertainment, and meet rare characters. It’s a blast!
Halloween parties at Magic Kingdom
So here’s your general warning if you’re planning a trip to Magic Kingdom in the latter part of this year: First, make sure to book your Park Pass well in advance. If you don’t, you could end up being stuck visiting other parks if the parks of your choice have filled up on the dates you want to go. If a date does fill up, be sure to check back and see if availability changes later on.
Second, double-check those dates when booking your park passes and make sure you’re not visiting on a Halloween or Christmas party day! If you don’t realize that you’ve timed your Magic Kingdom visit for a date on which a party takes place and the park closes early, you’ll have to leave the park early and won’t get to experience a “full” day there.
Magic Kingdom
The parties happen multiple nights a week from August-December (hopping from Halloween to Christmas between then), so be on the lookout!
For more planning tips, click here to see our entire page about tips, hints, lists, and videos for planning the best trip! Or click here to learn about some of the latest deals and discounts that could help you save serious cash on your trip!
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So nice to see all of Magic Kingdom come out to recognize Canadian Thanksgiving day. Thanks and have an extra serving of dressing to celebrate.