The Magic Kingdom is one of the most popular theme parks in the world, attracting millions of visitors each year. If you’re planning a trip to this magical place, you may be wondering when is the best day of the week to visit. In this article, we’ll share some tips to help you choose the best day to visit the Magic Kingdom.
If you are planning the best day ever at Magic Kingdom, then you need to check out our Secrets of the Magic Kingdom article here.
Weekdays vs. Weekends
The first thing to consider is whether you want to visit on a weekday or a weekend. Generally speaking, weekdays tend to be less crowded than weekends. This is especially true during the school year when children are in school. If you have the flexibility to visit on a weekday, do it!
We usually recommend purchasing Genie+ for the Magic Kingdom, but if you visit on a weekday you may find that you don’t need it!
Weekdays for Annual Passholders
Good news for APs! In early 2023 Disney announced that Annual Passholders will no longer be required to make park reservations if they visit after 2:00 PM on the weekdays. For now, you will still need park reservations for Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
Park Reservations are still required for all other guests to enter a Disney park in Walt Disney World.
The Best Day to Visit Magic Kingdom
If you’re looking for a specific day of the week to visit the Magic Kingdom, Tuesday or Wednesday may be your best bet. These days tend to have lower attendance levels than other weekdays. Plus, if you visit on a Tuesday or Wednesday, you’ll have a better chance of experiencing shorter wait times for popular attractions.
Least Busy Days at Magic Kingdom: Ranking All 7 Days of a Week
Each day of the week offers different crowd levels. Let’s rank all of the days against each other to help you plan the perfect Magic Kingdom day!
1. Tuesday
Our followers all agree that Tuesday is the best and quietest day to visit the Magic Kingdom to enjoy lower crowds and wait times. Who’s up for hookey?!
2. Wednesday
If you can’t sneak away for a Tuesday visit, Wednesday is the next best. Happy Hump Day with Mickey Mouse, yes, please!
3. Monday
While other people are heading back to work or school, you can start your week off on the right foot by starting it in the Magic Kingdom.
4. Thursday
Thursday is when you see the crowds start sneaking in. Maybe this crowd is starting the weekend early. We’re here for it.
5. Sunday
Often travelers to Disney are leaving Florida on Sunday to get ready to jump back into reality. Not you. Leave on Monday. Mondays are for the birds. Stay in Disney one more day!
6. Friday
As far as Disney goes, Friday is essentially a weekend. There is no such thing as a bad day in Disney, but you should prepare to share the park with crowds.
7. Saturday
Pack your patient pants and you will have a great time. Saturday is the heaviest day of the week for crowds so wait times will be high. We recommend purchasing Genie+ and enjoying more “filler style” attractions like Carousel of Progress and Monsters Inc Laugh Floor. If you go into the Magic Kingdom expecting to enjoy all 30 attractions in the Magic Kingdom on a Saturday, you will leave disappointed.
Plan for 3 must-do attractions and then everything else is gravy!
Check out our article on what to do when it is crowded in the Magic Kingdom here.
Busiest Days at Magic Kingdom
Our tip, Avoid Holidays and Special Events. While Tuesday or Wednesday may be the best day of the week to visit the Magic Kingdom, you’ll still want to avoid holidays and special events if possible. Obviously, we’re talking about Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and Easter. But this includes low level holidays and 3-day weekends. These are holidays like President’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day, etc.
These times tend to attract higher attendance levels, which means longer wait times for attractions and larger crowds in general. Disney warned when Genie+ was first launched that they would only sell a limited amount of passes each day to ensure quality customer experience. February 2023 was the first time that we actually saw Genie+ sell out. Those 3-day weekend holidays are a sneaky time for high crowds.
Rule of thumb: Disney will be more busy whenever school is out.
Full list of holidays to avoid:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Valentine’s Day
- President’s Day
- Easter
- Memorial Day
- Fourth of July
- Labor Day
- Halloween
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
Check the Park’s Calendar
Before you plan your trip to the Magic Kingdom, be sure to check the park’s calendar. This will give you an idea of what events are happening during your visit and can help you plan accordingly. For example, if there’s a special event happening on the day you plan to visit, you may want to consider visiting another day to avoid the crowds.
We use the Disney Parks Reservation calendar that shows the reservation availability for all 4 parks. When you start seeing yellow and red dates on the calendar, you know to avoid those days!
After Hours Parties
While you’re checking the calendar, be sure to check the dates of Walt Disney World’s After Hours parties in the Magic Kingdom. After Hours events are separately ticketed events that cause the parks to close early to regular day guests.
On party days for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party the Magic Kingdom closes at 6:00 pm to regular guests. Because of this you may be tempted to skip the Magic Kingdom that day.
DON’T!
Every time we visited the Magic Kingdom on a party day the park was dead. Dead dead. As long as it was a weekday and there was a party that evening we found that most attractions were a complete walk on, and Genie+ was not even necessary!
Final Thoughts
The best day of the week to visit the Magic Kingdom is typically a weekday, with Tuesday or Wednesday being the best options. However, you’ll want to avoid holidays and special events if possible, and be sure to check the park’s calendar before you go.
With a little bit of planning, you can ensure that your visit to the Magic Kingdom is as magical as possible!
Plan the Best Magic Kingdom Day Ever!
Every day is the best day ever in the Magic Kingdom, but if you have a really short trip planned, we are here to help!
Here’s a possible itinerary for the best day ever at Magic Kingdom:
8:00 AM – Arrive early and enjoy the Welcome Show at the entrance of the park. This show usually takes place 10-15 minutes before the park officially opens and enjoy the low crowds at Rope Drop!
Check out our article on the biggest mistakes you can make in Magic Kingdom here.
8:15 AM – Head straight to the most popular ride in the park, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and ride it before the lines get too long.
Check out some of the best rides in the Magic Kingdom here!
9:00 AM – Enjoy breakfast at Be Our Guest Restaurant in Fantasyland. This restaurant is themed after the Beauty and the Beast movie, and offers a variety of delicious breakfast items.
10:00 AM – Visit other popular attractions in Fantasyland, such as Peter Pan’s Flight, It’s a Small World, and the Enchanted Tales with Belle.
12:00 PM – Watch the Festival of Fantasy Parade on Main Street USA. This parade is a spectacular display of floats, costumes, and characters.
1:00 PM – Grab a quick lunch at Casey’s Corner or Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe.
2:00 PM – Head to Adventureland and experience Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, and the Swiss Family Treehouse.
4:00 PM – Visit Frontierland and experience Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain.
6:00 PM – Watch Happily Ever After, the nighttime fireworks and projection show at Cinderella Castle. Be sure to find a good spot early, as this show can get very crowded.
7:00 PM – Enjoy a delicious dinner at one of the many restaurants in the park, such as The Crystal Palace or Cinderella’s Royal Table.
8:00 PM – Visit Tomorrowland and experience Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover.
Check out our list of the best rides to ride at night here.
9:00 PM – Enjoy the park’s extra magic hours if you’re staying at a Disney resort, or head back to your hotel to rest up for another magical day at Walt Disney World.
Remember, this is just one possible itinerary, and your best day ever at Magic Kingdom may look different depending on your interests and preferences. Be sure to check the park map and schedule to make the most of your day, and don’t forget to have fun and make magical memories!
Here’s a deeper look into a full one day itinerary for the Magic Kingdom here.
I am a mother of three that has refused to grow up. Adulting is for the birds, so I go to Disney World every chance I get for that magical escape from reality. I believe that Haunted Mansion is the best ride in all of the Disney Parks, and I am fervently in team Happily Ever After for fireworks spectaculars, (sorry, not sorry, Enchanted). Finally, I hope I never grow tired of skipping down Main Street, USA, and my dream come true would be “friends with” the Fairy Godmother in my old age.
