Daily Park Report: December 23, 2025

Hollywood Studios Hit Maximum Capacity While Tower of Terror Vanished for Three Hours

Hollywood Studios recorded a 10/10 crowd level yesterday—the first time this season the park has maxed out our scale. With a 50-minute median wait representing a 45% surge above the 30-day average, Tuesday delivered the kind of Christmas week crowds that separate casual visitors from strategic tourers. The real story? Tower of Terror went down for nearly three hours during peak morning, and the ripple effects reshaped the entire park.

Weather played no role in yesterday's surge. Mostly clear skies, a comfortable 78-degree high, and zero precipitation created ideal touring conditions across all four parks. This was pure Christmas week demand—winter break is in full swing, and yesterday's numbers prove it.

Hollywood Studios: A Perfect Storm of Crowds and Downtime

Tower of Terror's 177-minute closure from 10:03 AM to 1:00 PM created chaos in a park already straining at capacity. Before that closure, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster had already been down for 99 minutes during early entry. Guests hunting for thrill rides found themselves funneled toward the remaining headliners, and the data shows exactly where they went.

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run averaged 53 minutes—110% above its typical 25-minute wait. Tower of Terror, when it was actually operating, averaged 120 minutes, nearly 2.5 times its normal wait. Even Star Tours, usually a walk-on alternative, climbed to 15 minutes (200% above typical). The 11:00 AM peak hour recorded a 70-minute median across all attractions—guests were spending more time in queues than on rides.

Toy Story Mania added insult to injury with three separate closures totaling nearly two hours throughout the day. Families in Toy Story Land faced a grim choice: wait 45+ minutes for Slinky Dog Dash or hope Alien Swirling Saucers could absorb the overflow.

Magic Kingdom: Heavy Crowds Build Through the Afternoon

Magic Kingdom posted a 7/10 crowd level with a 19-minute median—28% above its 30-day average. Unlike Hollywood Studios' morning surge, Magic Kingdom's peak hit at 4:00 PM with a 30-minute median, suggesting guests arrived later in the day after attempting other parks first.

Fantasyland bore the brunt of the demand. Under the Sea averaged 25 minutes (400% above its typical 5-minute wait), transforming a usually-reliable walk-on into a 30-minute commitment. Dumbo, Small World, and Magic Carpets all doubled their normal waits. Mad Tea Party—typically empty—hit 15 minutes, a 200% increase that signals just how compressed Fantasyland became.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure continued its post-opening demand with a 45-minute average, triple its baseline. Morning downtimes at Pirates of the Caribbean (54 minutes) and Winnie the Pooh (93 minutes) compressed early crowds into fewer attractions, though both recovered before the afternoon peak.

EPCOT: Festival Crowds Stay Manageable

EPCOT's 6/10 crowd level and 20-minute median represented just a 4% increase over baseline—remarkable given the Festival of the Holidays is in full swing. Festival guests continue to prioritize food booths over attractions, keeping queue times predictable despite high foot traffic.

Frozen Ever After's 75-minute midday closure likely pushed some guests toward World Showcase food booths rather than alternative rides. Journey Into Imagination's hour-long late afternoon downtime had minimal impact with park crowds already thinning. The 11:00 AM peak (35-minute median) aligned with guests finishing morning attractions before transitioning to festival food and drinks.

Animal Kingdom: The Comfortable Alternative

At 4/10 with a 30-minute median, Animal Kingdom offered the most comfortable touring of the day despite a 22% increase over its baseline. Guests who chose this park over Hollywood Studios made the right call.

The major outlier: Kali River Rapids averaged 40 minutes—700% above its typical 5-minute wait. December guests rarely expect water rides to draw crowds, but 78-degree weather and overflow from other parks created unexpected demand. DINOSAUR's 42-minute afternoon closure briefly concentrated Dinoland crowds, but the impact stayed contained.

Today's Forecast: Christmas Eve Demands Strategy

Christmas Eve historically splits into two patterns: morning crowds from guests trying to squeeze in one last park day, and afternoon emptying as families transition to evening plans. Today's clear skies and 78-degree high remove weather as a limiting factor.

The play: Target Animal Kingdom or EPCOT before noon, then evaluate. Hollywood Studios showed no signs of easing yesterday, and Christmas Eve won't help. Magic Kingdom's afternoon peak pattern suggests morning touring works better than fighting the 4:00 PM crush.

Festival of the Holidays continues at EPCOT, but yesterday proved the festival crowds don't translate to attraction waits. If you want rides without the queue investment, World Showcase remains your best bet. Animal Kingdom's comfortable 4/10 makes it the low-risk choice—even Kali's inflated waits beat anything at Hollywood Studios right now.

Watch for operational issues. Yesterday saw over 15 significant downtimes across the resort, with Hollywood Studios particularly unstable. Build flexibility into your plan.

Track the Patterns That Matter

Yesterday's Hollywood Studios meltdown—maximum crowds colliding with major headliner downtimes—is exactly the scenario that separates frustrating park days from successful ones. Lightning Brain's real-time tracking helps you spot these developing situations before you commit to a park. Available now at lightningbrain.app, and coming soon to the iOS App Store.