Daily Park Report: December 5, 2025

Daily Park Analysis: Friday, December 5, 2025

Friday delivered near-perfect conditions for a December day at Walt Disney World: mostly clear skies, a high of 83.5°F, and zero precipitation. The humidity sat at 80%, typical for Central Florida, but the lack of rain made for comfortable touring. Two major seasonal events shaped the day's crowd distribution: Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom and the ongoing EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. These events created an unusual split across the property, with guests clustering in specific parks while others remained remarkably quiet.

Park-by-Park Analysis

Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios bore the brunt of Friday's crowds, posting a 6/10 crowd level (Moderate-Heavy) with a median wait of 44.6 minutes—a substantial 27.4% increase over the 30-day average of 35 minutes. Peak hour hit at 11:00 AM with median waits reaching 60 minutes. The elevated crowds likely reflect guests avoiding Magic Kingdom ahead of the Christmas party while still seeking a full-day park experience. With over 2,100 data points collected, this was a reliably busy day at the Studios.

Animal Kingdom

Despite posting a 3/10 crowd level (Light), Animal Kingdom's median wait of 26.7 minutes ran 33.5% higher than its 30-day average of 20 minutes. Peak hour mirrored the other parks at 11:00 AM with 40-minute median waits. The percentage increase sounds dramatic, but in absolute terms, this remained a manageable day for the park. Animal Kingdom continues to see lighter crowds as guests prioritize the holiday-focused offerings at EPCOT and Magic Kingdom.

EPCOT

The Festival of the Holidays drove steady traffic to EPCOT, though wait times stayed reasonable. The park registered a 3/10 crowd level (Light) with a median wait of 22.1 minutes, just 10.5% above its 30-day average. Peak hour came at 11:00 AM with 35-minute median waits. Despite the festival's "very high" crowd impact designation, the 2,557 data points suggest guests were likely spending more time at food booths and holiday entertainment than in ride queues—a typical festival pattern.

Magic Kingdom

Here's where the day got interesting. Magic Kingdom posted a 1/10 crowd level—effectively a ghost town—with a median wait of just 12.3 minutes, running 18% below the 30-day average of 15 minutes. Even peak hour at 11:00 AM saw median waits of only 17.5 minutes. The explanation is straightforward: Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party meant the park closed early to day guests, deterring visitors who wanted a full day of touring. With 5,094 data points (the highest of any park), this wasn't a data anomaly—it was genuinely empty.

Outliers and Surprises

Several attractions posted wait times that deviated significantly from their norms:

• Gran Fiesta Tour at EPCOT averaged 10 minutes, 100% above its typical 5 minutes. Festival crowds funneling through Mexico Pavilion likely explain this doubling.
• Zootopia: Better Zoogether! at Animal Kingdom hit 30 minutes, 100% above its typical 15 minutes. The attraction continues to draw interest as a relatively new addition.
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover averaged 10 minutes, 100% above its typical 5 minutes. Even on a light day, this low-capacity people-eater builds waits quickly.
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run posted 40 minutes, 60% above its typical 25 minutes—consistent with Hollywood Studios absorbing displaced Magic Kingdom crowds.

On the flip side, Space Mountain averaged just 15 minutes (50% below typical), and Astro Orbiter hit 10 minutes (33% below typical). Both reflect the party-night exodus from Magic Kingdom.

Downtime Report

No significant attraction downtimes were recorded on Friday. All major attractions across the four parks operated without notable interruptions exceeding 15 minutes. For a busy Friday in December, this represents solid operational performance from Disney's maintenance teams.

Today's Prediction: Saturday, December 6, 2025

Today brings a shift in conditions: expect a high of 81.5°F with a 62% chance of precipitation and drizzle in the forecast. Two events are scheduled: Disney Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios and the continuing Festival of the Holidays at EPCOT.

Expect Hollywood Studios to see reduced daytime crowds similar to yesterday's Magic Kingdom pattern, as the Jollywood Nights hard-ticket event will push day guests elsewhere. Magic Kingdom should rebound significantly from yesterday's ghost-town status now that no party is scheduled. EPCOT will likely see increased traffic as the Festival of the Holidays continues and guests seek covered pavilion areas if rain materializes.

Best bet today: Hollywood Studios in the morning before the early closure, or Animal Kingdom if the drizzle holds off. The rain chance may suppress crowds across all parks, so those willing to pack a poncho could find shorter waits than yesterday across the board.