Weekly Park Report: January 18 - January 24, 2026
The same resort, the same week, two completely different experiences. Hollywood Studios guests faced 45-minute median waits and Very Heavy crowds at 8/10, while Animal Kingdom visitors just a few mile...
Hollywood Studios Surged to Very Heavy While Animal Kingdom Stayed Quiet
The same resort, the same week, two completely different experiences. Hollywood Studios guests faced 45-minute median waits and Very Heavy crowds at 8/10, while Animal Kingdom visitors just a few miles away enjoyed Light conditions at 3/10 with 25-minute medians. This divergence—the widest gap between parks this year—defined January 18-24 and created a clear touring strategy for guests who knew where to look.
Week at a Glance
This week, January 18-24, 2026, registered a 25-minute resort-wide median—up from 20 minutes the previous two weeks and marking the busiest non-holiday week of January. The Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday weekend drove Sunday and Monday crowds, while two After Hours events (Magic Kingdom on Monday, EPCOT on Thursday) reshaped evening demand. The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts ran all week, adding foot traffic without dramatically impacting queue times. Saturday delivered the week's heaviest crowds across all four parks as weekend visitors returned in force.
Park-by-Park Analysis
Hollywood Studios: The Week's Crowd Magnet
Hollywood Studios absorbed the bulk of the week's demand, running 12.5% above its 6-week average with an 8/10 Very Heavy rating. The 45-minute median represented the highest sustained crowds at any park this week, with peaks hitting 150 minutes on headliner attractions. Sunday and Saturday both posted 50-minute medians, while even the lightest day (Tuesday at 40 minutes) still qualified as Busy.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run emerged as the week's biggest outlier, averaging 67 minutes—54% above its typical 43.5-minute baseline. This surge suggests guests are prioritizing the interactive experience over other Galaxy's Edge offerings, or operational factors compressed capacity. Star Tours ran in the opposite direction at just 7.8 minutes, 41% below baseline, likely benefiting from guests flooding toward Smugglers Run instead.
Toy Story Mania logged 16 downtime incidents across the week, frustrating guests who planned around the popular attraction. Mid-morning visitors on multiple days found the ride cycling through extended recovery periods.
Animal Kingdom: The Hidden Opportunity
Animal Kingdom delivered exceptional touring conditions that most guests missed. The 25-minute median matched its 6-week average exactly, but the daily pattern revealed the real story: Wednesday and Thursday both hit 15-minute medians, and even the MLK holiday Monday topped out at 40 minutes. The park's Light 3/10 rating made it the clear choice for guests seeking shorter waits.
Kali River Rapids posted 10.5-minute averages—45% below its typical 19 minutes. January water ride avoidance explains part of this, but guests willing to brave cooler temperatures walked onto an attraction that commands 45+ minute waits in summer. Flight of Passage held steady without unusual spikes, making rope drop particularly effective this week.
Magic Kingdom: Heavy but Predictable
Magic Kingdom earned a 7/10 Heavy rating with a 20-minute median, matching its 6-week baseline but running hotter than the post-holiday lull many expected. The Monday After Hours event compressed daytime crowds, pushing the regular-ticket median down to 15 minutes that day. Sunday and Tuesday-Thursday also delivered 15-20 minute medians, while Saturday's 25-minute median reflected weekend surge patterns.
Reliability issues plagued classic attractions. Mad Tea Party led the resort with 20 downtime incidents, while Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover logged 16 and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh recorded 14. Guests building touring plans around these attractions faced repeated disruptions, particularly during morning hours when rope drop strategies depend on consistent operations. The Hall of Presidents also went down 12 times—a notable frequency for a theater attraction.
EPCOT: Festival Crowds, Moderate Queues
EPCOT's Moderate 5/10 rating belied a more complex story. The Festival of the Arts drove significant foot traffic to World Showcase, but Future World attractions absorbed crowds without major queue spikes. The 20-minute median matched the 6-week average, though the 180-minute peak wait—highest of any park—suggests Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind or Test Track created bottlenecks at specific times.
Test Track and Spaceship Earth each logged 18 downtime incidents, tying for the highest at EPCOT. Remy's Ratatouille Adventure added 13 incidents, and Journey Into Imagination With Figment contributed 12. Living with the Land also went down 12 times. The Thursday After Hours event cleared regular guests by 7 PM, making that evening unavailable for day guests but potentially lightening Thursday daytime crowds.
Daily Pattern Analysis
| Day | Resort Avg | Busiest Park | Lightest Park | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 1/18 | 31 min | HS (50 min) | MK (15 min) | MLK weekend peak |
| Mon 1/19 | 30 min | HS (45 min) | MK (15 min) | MLK Day + MK After Hours |
| Tue 1/20 | 24 min | HS (40 min) | EP (15 min) | Post-holiday drop |
| Wed 1/21 | 23 min | HS (40 min) | AK/EP (15 min) | Week's lightest day |
| Thu 1/22 | 23 min | HS (40 min) | AK/MK (15 min) | EPCOT After Hours |
| Fri 1/23 | 28 min | HS (45 min) | MK/EP (20 min) | Weekend build begins |
| Sat 1/24 | 36 min | HS (50 min) | MK/EP (25 min) | Week's busiest day |
The pattern is unmistakable: Hollywood Studios dominated every single day, while the lightest park rotated between the other three. Wednesday and Thursday delivered the week's best conditions with 23-minute resort averages. Saturday's 36-minute average ran 57% higher than mid-week lows, demonstrating how dramatically day selection affects the guest experience. The MLK holiday weekend front-loaded crowds into Sunday and Monday before the typical mid-week drop took hold.
Reliability Report
Guests targeting classic Magic Kingdom attractions faced a frustrating week. Mad Tea Party's 20 downtime incidents meant the spinning teacups were unavailable multiple times daily, disrupting Fantasyland touring plans. PeopleMover's 16 incidents removed a reliable crowd-escape option from Tomorrowland, and Winnie the Pooh's 14 incidents created gaps in Fantasyland rotations.
EPCOT's anchor attractions struggled equally. Test Track and Spaceship Earth each going down 18 times meant guests arriving for rope drop sometimes found one or both temporarily unavailable. Remy's 13 incidents and Figment's 12 created similar unpredictability in World Celebration and World Showcase. For guests with limited park time, these reliability issues made flexible backup plans essential.
Next Week Outlook
The week of January 25-31 should continue the post-holiday normalization pattern. No major events beyond the ongoing Festival of the Arts are scheduled, suggesting mid-week conditions will remain favorable. Target Tuesday through Thursday for the lightest crowds, and consider Animal Kingdom for the best overall experience if last week's patterns hold. Hollywood Studios will likely remain elevated—guests prioritizing that park should rope drop Rise of the Resistance and build plans expecting 40+ minute waits on other headliners. Saturday will again be the week's busiest day; those with flexibility should avoid it entirely.
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