Is there really a bad time to be at EPCOT?
If the choice was to be at EPCOT or nowhere else, we’d choose EPCOT every time. That being said, there are better days than others to visit any of the parks. If you plan to visit Disney World this fall or winter season, there are a few days that you might want to avoid.
EPCOT, while being one of the larger of the four parks at Disney World, is still vulnerable to massive swings in crowd level. That’s typically one of the main reasons for bringing up a talk about the bad times to go to any of the parks at Disney World. Another reason is when tickets happen to be more pricey on certain days versus other ones.
There is no hard and fast rule on when EPCOT or any of the other parks are going to be the busiest. For example, in years past we had seen incredible numbers of people at the parks on July 4th, but we’ve also had years where at moments, the crowds just weren’t what we expected. Here’s what it looked like over in Magic Kingdom one year:
And here’s what it looked like over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on the same day:
All of that being said, we still want you to be prepared and know what the crowd levels have looked like in the past. These are some upcoming dates that correspond to holidays and events when EPCOT has traditionally been crowded in the past:
- Nov. 3 — Wine and Dine 5K
- Nov. 4 — Wine and Dine 10K
- Nov. 5 — Wine and Dine Half-Marathon and Post-race party
- Nov. 10 — Veterans Day is on a Saturday, which means many people will have Friday off work
- Nov. 11 — Veterans Day
- Nov. 12 — Veterans Day Weekend
- Nov. 22 – Thanksgiving Weekend
- Nov. 23 — Thanksgiving
- Nov. 24 — First day of Festival of the Holidays
- Nov. 25 — Festival of the Holidays opening weekend
- Nov. 26 — Festival of the Holidays opening weekend
- Dec. 23 — Jan. 1 — Christmas/New Year’s
Again, the crowd level at Disney World is always unpredictable, but if the park is filled to capacity, you will still have a great day — you’ll just encounter longer lines for everything you can imagine. The lines for rides, restaurants, and restrooms may stretch seemingly to infinity, so keep that in mind.
So, you can now weigh the pros and cons, and decide if braving the crowds is worth it for you. Remember to plan ahead, stay patient, and embrace the magical moments that Disney World has to offer. Until then, keep it right here for all the latest Disney news!
Heads Up! EPCOT’s After Hours Events Are Beginning To Sell Out!
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How do you feel about being at Disney World during one of the busy times mentioned earlier? Let us know below!
jj skiddy says
so far so good for the worst times so we are planning on Jan 28th thru Feb 3rd…..FIngers crossed no snowstorms here in NY to get us out of airport……So opinions on this time of year to head down???? Thanks…JJ
Candice Jean Weppner says
Don’t wish to comment regarding the above. Just would like to know when that fabulous looking Tearoom & Restaurant at the Boardwalk will be opening, if it hasn’t already. Thanks, AJ. Love your blog.
Dottyanna says
We will be at Epcot on November 30 and December 4 to enjoy Festival of the Holidays. I have never been to this Festival, so looking forward to it! Plus Epcot is my favorite park!
DFB Gigi says
Hi Candice! At this time, all we know is it is slated to be open sometime in 2023. They’re still building and remodeling right now.