Weekly Park Report: November 24 - November 30, 2025

Weekly Park Analysis: November 24-30, 2025

Executive Summary

Thanksgiving week at Walt Disney World defied expectations, delivering remarkably manageable crowd levels across all four theme parks. With an overall median wait time of just 20 minutes—placing this week at only the 43rd percentile for the year—guests experienced what can only be described as a holiday gift from the theme park gods.

The headline story: Magic Kingdom recorded a ghost-town crowd level of 1/10, with median waits hovering around 15 minutes for the week. Meanwhile, Animal Kingdom showed the most significant deviation from recent norms, running 66.7% higher than its 6-week average despite still maintaining light crowd levels overall.

For visitors planning trips in the coming weeks, this data suggests that the traditional Thanksgiving rush may be shifting. Consider mid-week visits and leverage the hard-ticket party nights at Magic Kingdom, which clearly suppressed daytime crowds.

Crowd Level Analysis

This week's overall median wait of 20 minutes matched the 6-week rolling average exactly, though the week-over-week comparison tells a more nuanced story. Last week (November 17-23) saw lower median waits at 15 minutes, suggesting a modest uptick as Thanksgiving approached.

The 43rd percentile ranking means this Thanksgiving week was actually quieter than 57% of all days tracked this year—a remarkable statistic given the holiday's reputation as a peak travel period. For context, peak waits topped out at 180 minutes at both Hollywood Studios and EPCOT, while Magic Kingdom's maximum reached only 125 minutes.

Tuesday, November 25th, stood out as the most polarized day of the week. Hollywood Studios posted its highest median of 65 minutes, while Magic Kingdom simultaneously recorded its lowest at just 10 minutes. Thursday (Thanksgiving Day itself) and Saturday proved to be the week's lightest days overall, with all parks showing subdued activity.

Park-by-Park Breakdown

Hollywood Studios led crowd intensity with a 5/10 rating and 40-minute median waits—14.3% above its recent average. The park's compact layout and headline attractions (particularly in the Galaxy's Edge and Toy Story Land areas) continue to concentrate guests.

Animal Kingdom presented the week's most interesting statistical story. Despite a light 3/10 crowd level, its 25-minute median represented a striking 66.7% increase over the 6-week average of 15 minutes. This suggests a temporary surge rather than a new baseline.

EPCOT maintained perfect consistency at 20 minutes—exactly matching its 6-week average with a 2/10 crowd level. The launch of the International Festival of the Holidays on November 28th appeared to generate incremental rather than overwhelming traffic.

Magic Kingdom earned the remarkable distinction of a 1/10 "Ghost Town" rating. Its 15-minute median matched the 6-week average, but the sheer volume of sub-20-minute days (five of seven) speaks to genuinely light conditions at Disney's flagship park.

Notable Patterns and Events

The week's crowd dynamics were heavily influenced by hard-ticket events. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party ran four nights (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday), which systematically reduced daytime capacity at Magic Kingdom. This explains the paradox of the most popular park recording the lowest crowd levels.

Disney Jollywood Nights operated Monday and Saturday at Hollywood Studios, though the impact on daytime crowds was less pronounced than at Magic Kingdom. The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays launched Friday, November 28th, adding food booths and entertainment without dramatically affecting wait times.

Thanksgiving Day itself (Thursday, November 27th) showed moderate crowd distribution rather than the overwhelming surge some might expect. Hollywood Studios dropped to a 35-minute median from 55 minutes the day before, suggesting many families opted for resort dining over park touring.

Attraction Outliers

Several attractions significantly exceeded their 30-day baselines this week:

• Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom averaged 33.6 minutes—a substantial 61.4% above its typical 20.8 minutes. This thrill ride remains a must-do for many guests, and cooler November weather makes the outdoor queue more tolerable.
• Avatar Flight of Passage continued its reign as Animal Kingdom's most in-demand attraction at 75.1 minutes average (+37.8%), explaining much of that park's elevated wait times.
• Kilimanjaro Safaris ran 35.5% above baseline at 36.7 minutes, likely benefiting from pleasant weather conditions ideal for animal viewing.
• Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom averaged 36.5 minutes (+30.3%), notable given the park's overall light crowds.

Star Tours and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run both ran elevated at Hollywood Studios, contributing to that park's higher overall crowd levels.

Reliability Report

Several attractions experienced notable operational interruptions this week:

• Spaceship Earth at EPCOT led with 13 downtime incidents
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and The Magic Carpets of Aladdin each recorded 11 incidents at Magic Kingdom
• The Seas with Nemo and Friends (10 incidents) and Prince Charming Regal Carrousel (10 incidents) also showed elevated downtime
• DINOSAUR at Animal Kingdom and Rise of the Resistance at Hollywood Studios each logged 9 incidents

Guests should factor potential closures into touring plans, particularly for the attractions listed above.

Looking Ahead

The data from this Thanksgiving week suggests that strategic planning—particularly around hard-ticket events—can yield excellent touring conditions even during traditionally peak periods. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party continues through December 22nd, and guests targeting Magic Kingdom should consider party nights for reduced daytime crowds.

The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays runs through December 30th, offering an additional draw that has historically distributed crowds without overwhelming the park. Disney Jollywood Nights continues select nights at Hollywood Studios.

Visitors in early December should anticipate gradual crowd increases as the holiday season intensifies, but this week's 43rd percentile ranking suggests that strategic timing can still yield manageable wait times throughout the season.