Heads up! There are special dates coming up in EPCOT that could mean big crowds — and we want to keep you informed!
EPCOT
There are six upcoming dates where EPCOT could see higher crowds than usual. Rather than getting stuck in a busy park, we wanted to warn you of some of these dates!
While we expect these days to be more crowded, crowd levels are unpredictable at Disney World and can change. There have been times when the parks are empty on days that are expected to be crowded, and the same goes for days when we expect the parks to be relatively empty, and they wind up super crowded!
EPCOT
While the park is not guaranteed to be busy or crowded on these six dates, it is just good to keep them in mind when planning which days to go to EPCOT.
Here are some upcoming dates you should avoid EPCOT if you want to stay away from crowds:
March 29th — March 31st — Easter Weekend — Crowds tend to be higher around holidays since many people have this time off. Currently Park Pass Reservations have only been sold out for Magic Kingdom on March 31st, but it is important to watch availability for other parks this weekend as well.
May 27th — End of the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival — This will be the last day to enjoy all of the offerings for the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival. We suggest making a trip before the end of the festival to avoid crowds trying to get everything in last minute.
April 18th — April 21st — runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend — runDisney Weekends draw large crowds to the parks. During this weekend, certain roads will be unavailable at earlier parts of the day. Due to this, you will want to give yourself more time to get to your destination. And, of course, the races bring lots of people to the parks, including EPCOT!
June 10th — CommuniCore Hall and Plaza open — More walls will be coming down at EPCOT when CommuniCore Hall and Plaza open on June 10th! Whenever something new opens at Disney World, we tend to see higher crowd levels as people want to experience new offerings. This will also be the first performance dates of “¡Celebración Encanto!” which will be a NEW Encanto show that will be brought to life on the CommuniCore Plaza stage.
Late July — Usual start of the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival — While no dates have been announced for the start of the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, last year the festival started in late July. There is some speculation that the festival could start earlier this year since the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival was cut short this year. The start of the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival could align closely with the opening date for CommuniCore Hall and Plaza open. Once we know a date for sure, we will make sure to update you!
Late November — Usual start of the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays — Just like the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, we are still waiting on the official start date for the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. This festival normally starts in late November, and we expect for it to start around a similar time. As always, as soon as we get the date we will make sure to let you know!
EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival
If you are already planning to go to EPCOT on one of these days, don’t stress! Crowds may not even be that bad! There are so many ways to combat crowded days at the parks.
The first option you have is to buy Genie+. This service allows you to reserve Lightning Lanes for different rides and attractions. This means you can skip the standby line and save time! Normally, we don’t recommend buying Genie+ for EPCOT because EPCOT has fewer rides. On busier days, utilizing Genie+ at EPCOT can be worth it.
Genie+
You also do not have to pay to have shorter wait times! You can get to the park before open and Rope Drop! This means that you arrive to EPCOT well before it opens so you can be one of the first people in line for some of EPCOT’s most popular attractions. A good rule of thumb is to be at the park entrance at least a half hour prior to open.
EPCOT Rope Drop
Good news! If you are staying at a Disney World hotel, you can utilize Early Theme Park Entry and gain access to the park a half hour early! This time can help guarantee that you make it on at least one popular attraction before crowds arrive!
Early Entry at EPCOT
You also do not have to be the first one in the park to guarantee that you will get to ride popular rides! We sometimes like to go to the parks in the evening. Not only can it be cooler during the summer months, but we tend to see wait times drop in the evening. It can be cool to experience the parks at night with low crowds!
Spaceship Earth at night
If you are planning to go to EPCOT soon, make sure to pay attention to these dates to avoid any possible crowd surprises. If you do find yourself at EPCOT during these times, the park can still be just as enjoyable!
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I have a question. I’ve read your story about a HUGE hotel being built near WDW. When it opens, what do you think will happen with crowd sizes? Sounds like they are bringing too many people near WDW.