Weekly Park Report: December 21 - December 27, 2025
This week landed in the top 6% of all days measured in 2025. The December 21-27 period didn't just bring holiday crowds—it brought a 50% jump in resort-wide wait times compared to the six-week basel...
Christmas Week Pushed Disney World to Its Busiest Levels of the Year
This week landed in the top 6% of all days measured in 2025. The December 21-27 period didn't just bring holiday crowds—it brought a 50% jump in resort-wide wait times compared to the six-week baseline. Magic Kingdom hit 9/10 (Packed), Hollywood Studios registered 8/10 (Very Heavy), and even traditionally manageable Animal Kingdom saw its median waits climb 50% above normal. Christmas week delivered exactly what the data predicted: peak season at full intensity.
Week at a Glance
The resort recorded a 30-minute median wait this week, up from 20 minutes in each of the previous four weeks. That 50% increase represents the sharpest week-over-week climb since we began tracking. Christmas Day itself provided a brief respite—guests choosing the holiday morning found surprisingly moderate conditions—but the days surrounding it compressed demand into predictable surge patterns. Friday and Saturday delivered the week's heaviest crowds as post-Christmas visitors flooded the parks. The headline: Christmas week 2025 matched its billing as peak season, with only strategic day selection offering relief.
Park-by-Park Analysis
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom earned its 9/10 rating with a 25-minute median wait—66.7% above the six-week average of 15 minutes. The numbers tell a story of sustained pressure rather than single-day spikes. Sunday's Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party created the week's lightest conditions at 15 minutes median (party nights compress regular hours), while Saturday's 30-minute median marked the peak.
Tiana's Bayou Adventure averaged 41.8 minutes, running 88.8% above its 30-day baseline of 22.2 minutes. Space Mountain climbed to 44.1 minutes (+55.5%), and the family attractions absorbed tremendous demand: It's a Small World (+57.5%), Dumbo (+57.3%), and Barnstormer (+61.7%) all reflected families with young children flooding Fantasyland. The 160-minute peak wait occurred on the headliners, but the real story was how even secondary attractions faced substantial queues throughout the week.
Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios posted an 8/10 (Very Heavy) with 45-minute median waits, 28.6% above its already-elevated 35-minute baseline. Monday's Jollywood Nights created the week's most interesting divergence: that party day registered just 35 minutes median, matching Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Sunday and Saturday both hit 55 minutes, demonstrating how weekend demand overwhelms even high-capacity parks.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run averaged 43.5 minutes (+48.9% vs baseline), while Star Tours surged to 13.7 minutes (+95.1%)—likely benefiting from guests seeking shorter-wait alternatives to Galaxy's Edge headliners. Rise of the Resistance experienced 11 downtime incidents across the week, frustrating guests who built morning strategies around early boarding.
EPCOT
EPCOT's Festival of the Holidays ran all seven days, driving a 7/10 (Heavy) rating with 25-minute median waits (+25% vs baseline). The festival concentrates crowds around World Showcase food booths while Future World attractions remain more accessible. Saturday's 30-minute median marked the peak; Sunday and Tuesday both registered 20 minutes.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Test Track both struggled with reliability. Guardians recorded 9 downtime incidents, while Test Track led EPCOT with 18 incidents. The 180-minute peak wait occurred at Guardians, and guests attempting virtual queue strategies faced repeated frustration when the ride cycled through operational issues.
Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom delivered the week's best relative value at 4/10 (Comfortable) despite a 30-minute median—50% above its 20-minute baseline. The park's shorter operating hours concentrate demand, but Christmas Eve's 20-minute median proved that strategic day selection still works even during peak week. Friday and Saturday both hit 40 minutes, revealing the post-Christmas surge pattern.
Flight of Passage averaged 91.7 minutes, a substantial 65.3% above its typical 55.5 minutes. Kali River Rapids posted the week's most dramatic outlier: 35.5 minutes versus a 7.3-minute baseline (+387.5%). December temperatures kept guests willing to brave the water attraction, and holiday crowds eliminated the usual walk-on conditions.
Daily Pattern Analysis
| Day | Resort Trend | Busiest Park | Lightest Park | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 12/21 | Moderate | HS (55 min) | MK (15 min) | MVMCP compressed MK hours |
| Mon 12/22 | Moderate | AK (40 min) | HS (35 min) | Jollywood Nights at HS |
| Tue 12/23 | Moderate | HS (50 min) | EP/MK (20 min) | Pre-Christmas buildup |
| Wed 12/24 | Lighter | HS (35 min) | AK (20 min) | Christmas Eve surprise dip |
| Thu 12/25 | Moderate | HS (35 min) | AK (25 min) | Christmas Day steady |
| Fri 12/26 | Heavy | HS (45 min) | EP/MK (25 min) | Post-Christmas surge begins |
| Sat 12/27 | Peak | HS (55 min) | MK (30 min) | Week's busiest day |
The Christmas Eve dip surprised: guests apparently chose family time over park time, creating the week's best touring conditions at Animal Kingdom (20 min) and Hollywood Studios (35 min). This pattern reversed immediately on December 26th, when post-Christmas visitors arrived in force. Saturday delivered peak conditions across all four parks, with Hollywood Studios returning to 55-minute medians.
Reliability Report
Toy Story Mania frustrated Hollywood Studios guests with 19 downtime incidents across the week. Guests rope-dropping Toy Story Land found the attraction cycling through closures during prime morning hours, forcing pivots to Slinky Dog Dash and creating secondary queue pressure. Test Track's 18 incidents at EPCOT created similar challenges for guests building touring plans around the attraction's standby line.
Rise of the Resistance's 11 incidents hit hardest during morning hours when guests most needed reliable operations. Magic Kingdom's reliability issues concentrated on lower-capacity attractions—Prince Charming Regal Carrousel (21 incidents) and Magic Carpets of Aladdin (18 incidents)—creating backup effects in Fantasyland and Adventureland during peak afternoon hours.
Next Week Outlook
New Year's week (December 28 - January 3) will maintain or exceed this week's intensity. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day historically rank among the year's busiest dates. The Festival of the Holidays continues at EPCOT through December 30th. Strategy: Animal Kingdom mornings remain the best option for manageable waits. Guests seeking lighter conditions should consider January 2-3, when New Year's visitors begin departing. Avoid Magic Kingdom on New Year's Eve entirely—the park will reach capacity.
Christmas week confirmed what the historical data predicted: peak season means peak crowds. Lightning Brain's daily crowd modeling identified the Christmas Eve dip and the post-Christmas surge before they happened. When you're navigating the busiest week of the year, real-time park comparison transforms your strategy. Available now at lightningbrain.app, and coming soon to the iOS App Store.