Daily Park Report: January 12, 2026

Animal Kingdom Dropped to Ghost-Town Levels While Magic Kingdom Stayed Heavy

A 49% plunge in wait times at Animal Kingdom created the widest park split we've seen in weeks. Yesterday's Monday data reveals a tale of two resorts: guests packed into Magic Kingdom for a 7/10 crowd day while Animal Kingdom sat nearly empty at 2/10. The gap between these two parks—a 15-minute median at Animal Kingdom versus 18.5 minutes at Magic Kingdom—doesn't capture the full story. Animal Kingdom's baseline runs higher than Magic Kingdom's, making yesterday's light crowds there even more dramatic relative to expectations.

Weather played no role in this split. At 69°F with clear skies, conditions were ideal across all four parks. Something else drove guests away from Animal Kingdom and toward the castle.

Animal Kingdom: The Empty Park Nobody Expected

Animal Kingdom recorded its lowest crowd level since the holiday surge ended, with waits running 49% below the 30-day average. At a 15-minute median, guests experienced what amounts to walk-on conditions for most attractions. DINOSAUR posted 10-minute waits—half its typical 20 minutes. Kali River Rapids dropped to 5 minutes, though January temperatures likely contributed to guests avoiding a water ride despite the pleasant weather.

The most telling data point: Avatar Flight of Passage, typically the resort's longest wait, went down for a full hour during the midday peak. Even with the outage, surrounding Pandora attractions absorbed the displaced guests without creating visible spillover. That's how light this park ran.

Zootopia: Better Zoogether also experienced a 51-minute closure during early afternoon, but with crowds this thin, the operational hiccup barely registered in the overall wait time data.

Magic Kingdom: Heavy Crowds Despite Monday Timing

Magic Kingdom defied typical Monday patterns with a 7/10 crowd level and 18.5-minute median waits. The 1 PM peak hour suggests guests arrived late and stayed through afternoon—classic behavior when a Disney After Hours event is scheduled for that evening. After Hours ticket holders often spend their daytime in the park before the premium event begins, inflating regular-hour attendance.

The outliers tell an interesting story. "it's a small world" posted 25-minute waits, running 67% above its 15-minute baseline. This Fantasyland classic absorbs families looking for air-conditioned, low-thrill options—and yesterday's crowd density in that zone created unusual backup. Meanwhile, Tiana's Bayou Adventure ran at just 20 minutes, 33% below typical, suggesting the initial rush on the newer attraction has normalized.

Operational issues compounded the crowd pressure. Haunted Mansion went down for nearly two hours starting mid-morning, pushing Liberty Square guests toward Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain. Pirates of the Caribbean followed with a 72-minute afternoon closure. When two major capacity attractions go offline on a heavy day, the ripple effects touch every neighboring queue. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh's 135-minute closure added further strain to Fantasyland.

Hollywood Studios: Steady But Strained

Hollywood Studios posted a 6/10 at 38.5 minutes median—essentially matching its 30-day average. The 10 AM peak hour indicates rope-drop crowds hitting Rise of the Resistance and Slinky Dog Dash before dispersing.

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster's 222-minute closure from mid-morning through early afternoon created the day's most significant operational disruption. Nearly four hours of downtime on a headliner attraction during peak touring hours forced thrill-seekers toward Tower of Terror, where waits climbed accordingly. Families in the Sunset Boulevard area found themselves without their planned anchor attraction and likely pivoted to Toy Story Land, explaining some of the sustained morning pressure.

EPCOT: Festival Crowds Stay Light

EPCOT recorded a comfortable 3/10 at 14.5 minutes—42% below its recent average. This tracks with post-holiday Festival of the Arts attendance patterns, where guests prioritize food booths and galleries over attraction queues.

Spaceship Earth's 5-minute average (67% below baseline) reflects both light overall attendance and a late-afternoon closure. Soarin' at 20 minutes—43% below its 35-minute typical—gave guests rare walk-up access to the park's most popular attraction. Frozen Ever After's 67-minute evening closure had minimal impact given how light the park ran overall.

Downtime Impact Summary

Today's Outlook: Tuesday, January 13

The FETC education technology conference continues today, bringing convention-center crowds who occasionally make evening park visits. With temperatures climbing to 73°F and only a 24% precipitation chance, outdoor touring conditions remain favorable.

The strategic play today: Animal Kingdom. Yesterday's 49% drop below average signals genuine low demand, not a fluke. Without special events pulling guests elsewhere, expect Animal Kingdom to run light again—ideal for Flight of Passage and Kilimanjaro Safaris without significant waits. EPCOT's Festival of the Arts crowds remain manageable for attraction-focused touring.

Magic Kingdom carries risk. Yesterday's After Hours event inflated daytime crowds, and Tuesday typically sees similar patterns to Monday. If you're heading to the castle, arrive at rope drop and complete Fantasyland before the 1 PM peak hour hits.

Hollywood Studios normalizes without last night's event pressure elsewhere, but Rock 'n' Roller Coaster's reliability yesterday raises questions worth monitoring.

Track the Patterns That Matter

Yesterday's 49% gap between Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom is exactly the kind of split that separates informed touring from wasted hours. Lightning Brain detects these park-to-park dynamics in real time, helping you choose the right park before you commit to a day. Now available at lightningbrain.app and on the App Store.