Weekly Park Report: December 1 - December 7, 2025

Weekly Park Analysis: December 1-7, 2025

Executive Summary

The first week of December delivered what seasoned visitors dream about: genuinely light crowds across all four Walt Disney World theme parks. With an overall median wait time of just 20 minutes, this week landed in the 43rd percentile for the year—meaning more than half of 2025's recorded days have been busier than this past week.

Three headline insights emerged from the data. First, Magic Kingdom posted "Ghost Town" conditions with a crowd level of just 1 out of 10, likely influenced by multiple Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party dates reducing regular park hours. Second, Animal Kingdom was the week's outlier, running 25% above its 6-week rolling average despite maintaining an overall "Light" designation. Third, Hollywood Studios held steady as the busiest park by median wait time at 35 minutes, though this still represents moderate conditions.

For visitors planning trips in the coming weeks, this data suggests the post-Thanksgiving, pre-Christmas window remains one of the best times to visit—provided you account for party nights at Magic Kingdom.

Crowd Level Analysis

This week's 20-minute median wait time matched the 6-week rolling average exactly, indicating stable and predictable crowd patterns. Looking back, the past six weeks have oscillated between 15 and 20 minutes, with only the week of November 17-23 dipping to the lower figure. This consistency suggests visitors can plan with reasonable confidence during this seasonal window.

The 43rd percentile ranking deserves attention. Based on 310 days of data collected this year, more than half of 2025 has seen higher wait times than what guests experienced this week. For context, if you visited during spring break or the summer peak, you likely encountered significantly longer queues.

Friday, December 5th emerged as the busiest day, with Hollywood Studios hitting a 45-minute median and Animal Kingdom reaching 30 minutes. Conversely, Magic Kingdom's quietest days—Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday—all posted 10-minute medians. The 120-minute peak waits recorded at Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Magic Kingdom likely concentrated on headliner attractions during midday hours, while the 90th percentile figures (ranging from 45 to 60 minutes) indicate that even longer waits remained manageable compared to busier periods.

Park-by-Park Breakdown

Hollywood Studios led in crowd intensity with a 35-minute median wait and a 4/10 "Moderate-Light" crowd level. This held exactly even with its 6-week average, suggesting consistent demand for attractions like Rise of the Resistance and Tower of Terror. Friday's 45-minute median marked the week's single-day peak across all parks.

Animal Kingdom came in second at 25 minutes median but told the more interesting story: a 25% increase over its 6-week average of 20 minutes. The 3/10 "Light" designation still signals comfortable touring, but the elevated numbers suggest guests concentrated here more heavily than in recent weeks. Saturday's 35-minute median represented the park's busiest day.

EPCOT maintained stability with a 20-minute median, matching its 6-week average precisely. The 2/10 "Very Light" crowd level reflects the park's expanded capacity following recent additions, though the Festival of the Holidays likely distributed guests toward World Showcase food and beverage locations rather than rides.

Magic Kingdom posted the week's lightest conditions at a 15-minute median and 1/10 "Ghost Town" crowd level. Four nights of Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party during this week meant early closures for day guests, likely depressing overall traffic and creating unusually favorable conditions for those visiting during operating hours.

Notable Patterns and Events

The special events calendar heavily influenced this week's crowd distribution. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party ran on four of the seven days (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday), which correlates directly with Magic Kingdom's unusually low crowd levels during regular park hours. When the park closes early for a separately ticketed event, day guests either leave early or choose a different park entirely.

Disney Jollywood Nights operated on Monday and Saturday at Hollywood Studios, yet the park still maintained its position as the busiest of the four. This suggests strong baseline demand for the park's attractions regardless of evening event programming.

EPCOT's International Festival of the Holidays ran daily throughout the week, though wait times remained light. Festival events typically draw crowds toward food booths and entertainment rather than attractions, which may explain why ride waits stayed at or below typical levels despite the seasonal overlay.

Weather data was not available for this reporting period.

Attraction Outliers

Two attractions posted wait times significantly above their 30-day baselines, both warranting attention from planners.

Wildlife Express Train at Animal Kingdom averaged 10.7 minutes, representing an 86.2% increase over its typical 5.7-minute average. This transportation attraction takes guests to Rafiki's Planet Watch, and the elevated waits suggest either increased interest in that area's offerings or potential operational factors affecting train frequency.

Living with the Land at EPCOT averaged 25.6 minutes, a 70.3% jump from its typical 15-minute wait. This boat ride through working greenhouses has seen renewed interest following recent updates to its agricultural displays. The Festival of the Holidays may also drive traffic toward Future World attractions as guests explore between food booths.

Both outliers remain modest waits in absolute terms, but visitors specifically targeting these attractions should plan accordingly.

Reliability Report

Several attractions experienced multiple downtime incidents during the week, with The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at Magic Kingdom leading the list with 23 recorded incidents. Prince Charming Regal Carrousel and Spaceship Earth each recorded 12 incidents.

Notable high-capacity attractions affected included Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (10 incidents), Expedition Everest (9 incidents), Test Track (9 incidents), and Haunted Mansion (9 incidents). Guests with limited time should consider Lightning Lane options for these attractions to mitigate potential disruption risk.

Magic Kingdom accounted for the highest concentration of affected attractions, with six different rides recording 8 or more incidents during the week.

Looking Ahead

Based on this week's patterns, the pre-Christmas window appears to offer continued favorable conditions, though visitors should expect gradual increases as the holiday approaches. The Christmas Party schedule at Magic Kingdom will likely maintain depressed daytime crowds at that park through the event's run.

Visitors planning trips in the coming weeks should prioritize Magic Kingdom during morning hours on party days, arrive at Animal Kingdom with a plan given its elevated waits compared to recent weeks, and consider EPCOT for a relaxed experience with festival food and entertainment as a bonus.

Flexibility remains key. With special events running across multiple parks, strategic park-hopping can help guests avoid closures while maximizing their time during this genuinely light period.