Daily Park Report: December 28, 2025

Hollywood Studios Recorded Its Highest Possible Crowd Level Yesterday

Sunday delivered exactly what the data predicted—and then some. Hollywood Studios hit a 10/10 crowd level with a staggering 66-minute median wait, 88% above its 30-day average. This wasn't just busy. This was the ceiling.

The convergence of peak Christmas week, winter break for virtually every school district in the country, and pleasant 77-degree weather created conditions where all four parks simultaneously reached their upper limits. Magic Kingdom matched Hollywood Studios at 10/10, while EPCOT and Animal Kingdom both registered 9/10. In five years of tracking Walt Disney World data, resort-wide extremes like this remain rare even during holiday weeks.

Hollywood Studios: The Epicenter

With a 66-minute median and a 2:00 PM peak pushing 90-minute medians, Hollywood Studios absorbed the full force of Christmas week demand. Star Tours became the day's most dramatic outlier—a flight simulator that typically posts 5-minute waits hit 30 minutes, a 500% spike. When even Star Tours has a queue, every headliner is feeling pressure.

The 2:00 PM peak (rather than the typical late-morning surge) reveals the Sunday pattern: guests sleeping in at resorts, enjoying late breakfasts, then flooding the parks for afternoon and evening hours. For a park that normally peaks before noon, this shifted the pain point into prime touring hours when families expect crowds to thin.

Animal Kingdom: The Surprise Surge

Animal Kingdom posted a 47-minute median—86% above its 30-day baseline—reaching 9/10. The park that guests often treat as a half-day option became a full-commitment destination.

Kali River Rapids tells the story. A water ride in late December typically posts 10-minute waits as guests avoid getting soaked. Yesterday it hit 55 minutes, a 450% increase. The 77-degree high and 84% humidity made the rapids feel like a summer attraction, and crowds responded. DINOSAUR similarly jumped to 45 minutes (typically 15), suggesting guests ventured beyond Pandora into DinoLand USA—unusual behavior that indicates every corner of the park was absorbing demand.

The 1:00 PM peak with 65-minute medians created afternoon gridlock. Guests who arrived expecting Animal Kingdom's usual breathing room found headliner waits rivaling Hollywood Studios on a normal day.

Magic Kingdom: Extremes Across the Board

Magic Kingdom's 27-minute median represents 10/10 conditions—81% above its 15-minute baseline. But the outlier data reveals where the pressure concentrated: Fantasyland.

The Barnstormer, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Under the Sea, Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, and Dumbo all posted waits 200-250% above typical. These are the family-friendly, low-thrill attractions that absorb demand when parents with young children avoid longer headliner queues. When carousel waits triple, the park has reached saturation.

The 1:00 PM peak aligns with Animal Kingdom and EPCOT, confirming the resort-wide late-start pattern. Magic Kingdom's extra magic hours for resort guests likely pulled some morning demand earlier, concentrating day guests into the afternoon surge.

EPCOT: Festival Crowds Hit Critical Mass

EPCOT's 31-minute median and 9/10 crowd level exceeded even Festival of the Holidays norms. The Seas with Nemo and Friends at 30 minutes (typically 10) and Journey Into Imagination at 15 minutes (typically 5) confirm guests were treating attractions as air-conditioned escapes between food booth visits.

Glimmering Greenhouses—the holiday overlay of Living with the Land—likely contributed to World Nature congestion, though the 1:00 PM peak suggests food-and-wine festival behavior: guests touring attractions before settling into afternoon grazing around World Showcase.

Downtime Report

No significant attraction downtimes exceeded 15 minutes yesterday. On a 10/10 day, this is remarkable—and means guests had no excuse to shift plans. Every queue absorbed its full share of demand without operational relief valves.

Today's Outlook: Monday Offers No Relief

Monday, December 29 maintains every pressure factor from Sunday: winter break continues nationwide, Festival of the Holidays runs at EPCOT, and weather improves to mostly clear skies with a 78-degree high. The only variable working in guests' favor is the natural Monday dip as some families begin traveling home.

Strategy: If you must visit today, commit to rope drop at your priority park. Yesterday's data shows the 1:00-2:00 PM window was universally brutal. Morning hours before 11:00 AM and evening hours after 7:00 PM offer the only realistic windows for manageable waits. Hollywood Studios remains the highest-risk choice; consider whether Pandora or EPCOT's World Showcase might deliver comparable experiences with slightly lower crowd levels.

These resort-wide extremes are exactly what Lightning Brain tracks in real time—so you can pivot when one park hits capacity while another offers breathing room. Available now at lightningbrain.app, and coming soon to the iOS App Store.