Weekly Park Report: January 4 - January 10, 2026
Resort-wide median wait times dropped 43% from the previous week. That's not a typo. After the holiday surge pushed the December 28-January 3 period to 35-minute medians, this week crashed back to 20 ...
The Post-Holiday Plunge: January 4-10 Delivered the Lightest Crowds in Six Weeks
Resort-wide median wait times dropped 43% from the previous week. That's not a typo. After the holiday surge pushed the December 28-January 3 period to 35-minute medians, this week crashed back to 20 minutes—matching the quietest weeks we've tracked since early December. Guests who timed their visits for this window were rewarded with exceptional touring conditions, particularly at EPCOT and Animal Kingdom.
Week at a Glance
This week, January 4-10, 2026, registered as the transition period Disney veterans know well: the exhale after New Year's. The resort averaged a 20-minute median wait, down dramatically from last week's 35 minutes and tied with three of the past six weeks for the lightest period since late November. But the week wasn't uniformly quiet. Sunday and Monday still carried holiday momentum with elevated crowds, while Wednesday through Friday delivered genuinely light conditions across most parks. Marathon Weekend's Thursday kickoff added complexity but didn't derail the overall trend.
The headline: patience paid off. Guests who waited until mid-week found a completely different resort than those who arrived on Sunday.
Park-by-Park Analysis
EPCOT: The Quiet Champion
EPCOT posted the week's most dramatic improvement, dropping 40% from its 6-week average. The 15-minute median wait—a 3/10 crowd level—meant World Showcase strollers found walk-on conditions at attractions that typically demand patience. Living with the Land, still running its Glimmering Greenhouses holiday overlay through early January, averaged just 11.7 minutes, a full 50% below its typical 23.4-minute baseline. Even with Festival of the Arts preparations underway, the park delivered consistently light crowds from Tuesday onward. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind remained the exception, driving the 125-minute peak wait, but the overall experience favored guests who chose EPCOT this week.
Animal Kingdom: Four Days of Excellence
Animal Kingdom quietly delivered some of the best touring conditions in recent memory. The 25-minute median (3/10, Light) ran 16.7% below the 6-week average, but the real story emerged mid-week: Wednesday and Thursday both hit 15-minute medians, creating ideal conditions for Flight of Passage without Lightning Lane. Kali River Rapids averaged just 12.2 minutes—43.5% below typical—though January water ride demand naturally softens. DINOSAUR showed 10 downtime incidents across the week, occasionally frustrating guests who planned around it, but the park's overall reliability supported strong touring days.
Hollywood Studios: Holding Steady Despite Downtime
Hollywood Studios maintained its 40-minute median, exactly matching the 6-week average and landing at a 6/10 (Busy) crowd level. The park ran hotter than the resort trend, with Sunday and Monday both hitting 50-minute medians before settling into the mid-30s later in the week. Rise of the Resistance logged 10 downtime incidents, creating morning frustration for rope-droppers on multiple days—guests who built strategies around early Rise rides found themselves pivoting to Tower of Terror or Slinky Dog. Speaking of Slinky, Toy Story Mania led all attractions with 16 downtime incidents, making Toy Story Land reliability a recurring challenge.
Magic Kingdom: Heavy Despite the Lull
Magic Kingdom registered the week's highest crowd level at 7/10 (Heavy) with a 20-minute median, matching its 6-week baseline exactly. The Kingdom doesn't drop as dramatically during post-holiday periods—it remains the default choice for many guests. Sunday through Tuesday hovered around 20-25 minutes before Wednesday delivered a genuine 15-minute day. Haunted Mansion's 13 downtime incidents made it the park's least reliable major attraction; guests attempting late-evening Mansion rides faced unexpected closures on several nights. Prince Charming Regal Carrousel and Mad Tea Party also showed elevated downtime, suggesting Fantasyland operations struggled this week.
Daily Pattern Analysis
| Day | Resort Trend | Busiest Park | Lightest Park | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 1/4 | Elevated | HS (50 min) | MK (20 min) | Holiday crowds lingering |
| Mon 1/5 | Elevated | HS (50 min) | MK/EP (25 min) | Last busy day |
| Tue 1/6 | Moderate | HS (40 min) | EP (15 min) | Transition begins |
| Wed 1/7 | Light | HS (35 min) | AK/EP (15 min) | Week's lightest day |
| Thu 1/8 | Light | HS (40 min) | AK/EP/MK (15 min) | Marathon Weekend starts |
| Fri 1/9 | Light | HS (35 min) | EP/MK (15 min) | Continued light crowds |
| Sat 1/10 | Moderate | HS (40 min) | EP/MK (15 min) | Weekend uptick |
The pattern tells a clear story: holiday guests departed through Monday, creating a two-day overlap before the true post-holiday lull arrived Wednesday. Marathon Weekend—which typically adds 30,000+ runners and their families to the Orlando area—didn't materially impact park crowds Thursday through Saturday. Runners focus on early mornings and recovery; the parks benefit from their presence without the corresponding queue pressure. Hollywood Studios remained consistently busier than other parks throughout the week, likely driven by Rise of the Resistance demand that persists regardless of overall resort crowd levels.
Reliability Report
Test Track led EPCOT's downtime with 15 incidents, continuing a pattern that's persisted since the attraction's post-refurbishment reopening. Guests planning EPCOT days around an early Test Track ride faced morning uncertainty on multiple days. The Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland cluster—Haunted Mansion (13), Carrousel (11), Magic Carpets (10), Mad Tea Party (9)—suggests either staffing challenges or mechanical issues concentrated in that area. Spaceship Earth's 10 incidents at EPCOT surprised; the attraction typically runs reliably. Guests experienced the most consistent operations at Animal Kingdom's headliners (Flight of Passage, Kilimanjaro Safaris) and Magic Kingdom's mountains.
Weather Impact
Weather data wasn't available for detailed analysis this week, but January's mild Orlando temperatures typically support comfortable touring without the summer heat that drives guests toward indoor attractions. No significant weather events impacted operations during the analysis period.
Next Week Outlook
Marathon Weekend concludes Sunday with the full marathon, which may create Transportation and Ticket Center congestion for Magic Kingdom guests. The following week (January 11-17) historically delivers some of the year's lightest crowds—the true "off-season" window before Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. Guests visiting next week should expect continued Light to Moderate conditions, with mid-week days (Tuesday-Thursday) offering the best opportunities. Hollywood Studios will likely remain relatively busier than other parks; consider EPCOT or Animal Kingdom for the lightest crowds. Festival of the Arts preparations at EPCOT continue but shouldn't impact ride availability.
Plan Your Light-Crowd Visit
This week proved that timing transforms the Disney experience. The difference between Sunday's 50-minute Hollywood Studios waits and Wednesday's 15-minute Animal Kingdom conditions is the difference between a stressful day and a magical one. Lightning Brain's crowd modeling identifies these windows before they happen, helping you choose not just the right park but the right day. Now available at lightningbrain.app and on the App Store!