Disney World crowds are NO joke around the holidays.

We’ve seen some seriously big crowds in Disney World (particularly on popular event days, like the start of an EPCOT Festival). But sometimes crowds have been surprising — slightly less than what you might expect. So just what are the crowds like during the week leading up to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day? We’re taking you with us to Disney World to give you an honest look at the crowds so you know what to prepare for!

December 19th, 2022

We’ll start our journey on December 19th (the Monday before Christmas). Over at Magic Kingdom, the crowds were in full force on Main Street U.S.A. The term “a sea of people” comes to mind. 😮

Things were also getting PACKED at Splash Mountain. Holiday crowds combined with the ride’s upcoming permanent closure and re-theme (to a Princess and the Frog-themed ride) can lead to some seriously LONG wait times at this ride.

Want a tip? As temperatures drop in Florida these upcoming days, look for water rides (like Splash Mountain) to have shorter wait times. Not everyone loves getting wet in the cold, but if you bring a poncho and can stay (mostly) dry, it could be a great time to hop in line and get on this ride with a shorter wait.

If you’re even considering Splash Mountain today…and really any time before in closes next month…prepare to wait! pic.twitter.com/deLf1bbi75

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) December 19, 2022

On the 19th, there were some spots that felt less crowded, but other places felt VERY tight. Be aware that places that normally become bottlenecks (like this Fantasyland corridor) can feel especially crowded during the holidays. You’ll want to avoid those if you can or try to hit them earlier in the mornings or later at night when some of the crowds may have lessened.

There are some spots in Disney World that can feel less crowded, and other spots that can feel A LOT like Fantasyland does right now. 🫣 pic.twitter.com/AiCU0gQdwJ

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) December 19, 2022

Other popular rides had waits in excess of 1 hour — so these days might be the ones when you really need Genie+.

One problem to be prepared for on these busy days — if you need an ECV, be sure to get those early in the day as they can run out.

At EPCOT, our morning started with a LONG parking line. If you’ll be driving your car to Disney World this week, make sure you leave enough time in your plans to get through these longer parking lines, into your parking spot, and all the way to the front of the park.

Things were busy at the entrance to the park…

…but other spots had a bit more breathing room.

At Spaceship Earth there was quite the line!

A big reminder for the holidays is to remember that you may have to wait for little things too — like just getting a free sip of soda at Club Cool…

…or getting coffee at a Joffrey’s Coffee spot.

Some longer lines will pop up at popular rides too.

But other parts of the park will be MUCH emptier — it can really just depend on where you are.

World Showcase areas were pretty busy on the 19th…

…so expect to be joined by LOTS of friends as you eat and drink your way around the countries.

December 20th, 2022

December 20th brought some complications to the crowd situation. On our way into the World today, there were some cars around us but things weren’t too bad.

A view that never gets old. ✨🥹 pic.twitter.com/joGM8Rjn41

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) December 20, 2022

At Magic Kingdom, Main Street, U.S.A. was busy (as you might expect)…

…but things were much more relaxed over in Tomorrowland.

Our DFB team member who was in the park said that the crowds were fairly mellow and it didn’t really feel like a Christmas week in terms of crowd levels today! That’s a noticeable change compared to what we saw the day before. One thing to note, however, is that the 20th was a Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party night in Magic Kingdom, so the park’s early closure might have deterred guests from visiting.

In terms of wait times, at around 1:11PM, wait times ranged from just 5 minutes at Living with the Land…

…to 175(!!) minutes over at Flight of Passage. 

But there were plenty of rides with wait times right in the middle range — around 45 minutes or less, including Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Journey of the Little Mermaid, and even Space Mountain (it was at a 35-minute wait when we checked!).

December 21st, 2022

In case you were wondering where all of the crowds ended up on Wednesday, December 21st, they were ALL riding Slinky Dog Dash! We did notice a spike in crowds at Hollywood Studios as expected.

Where are the Disney crowds today? In Hollywood Studios! 😱 pic.twitter.com/aUi5IWaNKp

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) December 21, 2022

This wasn’t the only park with long lines at rides. At one point there was over 10 rides in Disney World with over 100 minute waits each. Wowza!

When we passed by Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster in the middle of the day, it stood at a 105 minute wait.

We headed to Magic Kingdom in the morning and Main Street, U.S.A. was covered in people who were excited to celebrate the holidays in the parks!

In Fantasyland, there were pretty packed crowds — this spot is usually very busy during a regular day, let alone during a holiday week!

Compared to the crowds we saw this weekend in Disney Springs, the crowds were more dispersed on Wednesday. There were still a lot of guests shopping for last-minute gifts, but it felt a little more manageable.

December 22nd, 2022

By the time Thursday, December 22nd rolled around, it seemed like the crowds were here to stay. We stopped by the Mexico  Pavilion in EPCOT and the area was pretty congested!

And, the line to get into the Mexico Pavilion was wrapped all the way outside the building and down the stairs!

We also visited Animal Kingdom, and found quite a few people crowded over in Pandora. The line for Flight of Passage was extended pretty far out into the land.

Seriously, check out this line!!

Just for your daily crowd check knowledge…here’s the LINE for Flight of Passage in Animal Kingdom. 😱 Maybe you should…pack a lunch? pic.twitter.com/KMQ0xhej6B

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) December 22, 2022

Over near Expedition Everest, there were lots of people waiting in both the standby line and the Lightning Lane queue. It seems like everywhere we go in Disney World, we’re running into people!

December 23rd, 2022

The crowds didn’t go away on December 23rd, either! Here’s a look at Main Street, U.S.A. heading toward Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom.

And over in Fantasyland, things seemed pretty shoulder to shoulder as far as congestion goes. Chances are, these crowds will only continue as we get closer to Christmas!

Check out the crowds in Tomorrowland and heading out to the rest of the park, too! Disney World is pretty darn packed — we even saw several rides with 100+ minute waits earlier this week.

December 24th, 2022

What does Christmas Eve look like in Disney World? The crowds are out in full force in some areas — and they’re bundled up! It’s pretty cold by Central Florida standards.

BUNDLE UP! It’s cold out here! ❄️ pic.twitter.com/z06gGGhuAf

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) December 24, 2022

Here’s a look at folks milling about on Main Street, U.S.A. There were quite a few people entering the park, but we didn’t see anything too chaotic just yet.

Merry Christmas Eve from Main Street U.S.A! 🎄✨❄️ pic.twitter.com/iIXq6Cdz1k

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) December 24, 2022

And over in Frontierland, we hardly noticed anyone at all! This could be because of the cold weather, or maybe because both Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain were temporarily closed on Christmas Eve morning.

So what does it all mean? Well, it means Christmas week crowds are…complicated! Things can be very busy on some days or in some areas, while they aren’t quite as bad on other days or in other spaces.

We’ll be in the parks during the upcoming days and we’ll keep an eye out for more information as to how these crowds fluctuate. Remember that bad weather and other factors can impact crowd levels too.

Want top tips for handling trips during the busy season? Click our links below:

• 7 places to escape in EPCOT when your anxiety is through the roof
• 5 places to escape in Animal Kingdom when your anxiety is through the roof
• 5 places to escape in Hollywood Studios when your anxiety is through the roof
• 5 places to escape in Magic Kingdom when your anxiety is through the roof
• 50 ways to AVOID the crowds in Disney World

Click here to get Genie+ tips for the most CROWDED days in Disney World

Are you going to Disney World soon? Tell us in the comments!