Attendance at Walt Disney World varies relying upon the day and season, with high and low wait instances for fashionable rides additionally being potential based mostly on time of day. In different phrases, crowds or the notion of them is very variable–with one fairly huge exception.
For many of the final year-plus, Magic Kingdom has been chaotic and congested earlier than, throughout, and after the nightly fireworks. This started with the return of Happily Ever After through the summer season season and solely bought worse with the debut of Disney Enchantment for the fiftieth Anniversary. As attendance has elevated this 12 months, it’s solely gotten worse.
Fantasmic’s return will certainly assist treatment this to some extent, though that’ll possible be offset by larger crowds through the vacation season. That plus Animal Kingdom having nothing to supply at evening means Magic Kingdom and EPCOT have seen an inflow of friends every night for his or her nighttime spectaculars. This has resulted in some bonkers crowds, particularly on and round Main Street–World Showcase is a lot better at absorbing friends. In quick, Magic Kingdom has been a madhouse earlier than and after the fireworks.
Not simply on Main Street throughout Disney Enchantment, but additionally outdoors Magic Kingdom on the monorail system and buses that service the mass exodus of friends leaving the park instantly after the fireworks.
In all honesty, the aim of this submit is to scare you (with the very best of intentions, after all). We will hopefully accomplish that feat by sharing pictures of the scene outdoors Magic Kingdom proper after the fireworks finish…
While approaching the Main Street USA Train Station, you’ll see Cast Members with indicators for the monorail, boats, buses, and parking. They’ll direct you to the fitting or left facet so you have got a neater time of getting into the corrals for every transportation possibility.
Don’t let the above photograph idiot you–this was taken in the direction of the tail finish of the exodus.
Getting via the tunnels is chaotic, as visitors merges from a big mass into just a few slim lanes.
Good luck if you could return a stroller or cease to marvel on the Country Bear Jamboree attraction poster. It’s tough to navigate via right here. (We strongly suggest having your whole get together collectively earlier than going via this space.)
Outside the park, you may as soon as once more see the indicators for the monorail, ferry, buses, parking, and many others.
While it would seem that there’s some “available space” within the center, these are switchbacks for the monorail that’ll quickly replenish as extra friends circulation out of Magic Kingdom.
Another have a look at the gang heading to the monorail.
Apologies for the pictures that mainly appear to be a “found footage” horror film. (In a method, that’s very apt.) It’s tough/unattainable to cease for good pictures amidst the chaos with out being mowed down by a double-wide stroller. Justifiably, I would add. No cause to cease and impede visitors out right here! (I took these over the course of a number of months, and these are nonetheless the very best of the bunch.)
Turning the opposite course, we take a look at individuals hustling to beat the crowds to the bus stops. Moving so rapidly they actually blur via the photograph!
Despite the congestion, these individuals really shouldn’t have a lot of a await the buses. They’ll be on the entrance of the pack, and can arrive to possible discover “fully-stocked” bus stops ready to replenish with the primary load of departing friends.
To that time, right here’s a have a look at the bus stops in the beginning of the post-fireworks exodus from Magic Kingdom.
You can see the overfill switchbacks arrange, however not but in use. If you’re in a position to beat the gang out, you received’t have a lot of a wait. You will be packed elbow to armpit with different friends, which isn’t all the time one of the simplest ways to finish of a protracted day after everybody has slow-cooked within the Florida solar. (It could be an, ahem, olfactory overload.) But a minimum of the bus will load rapidly and be on its method!
Back outdoors Magic Kingdom, we are able to begin to see the overflow queues filling up for the ferry and monorail. It’s exhausting to inform what’s happening in these pictures…and likewise once you’re on this mass of humanity outdoors the park.
To the credit score of Disney’s transportation community, these waits often aren’t too horrible–actually not as dangerous because the traces would counsel–buses, monorails, and boats are deployed just about nonstop in an extremely environment friendly method.
To the immense credit score of Cast Members, they do a actually good job with crowd management.
Some of them have enjoyable with giving instructions over their audio system, and it’s about as organized as chaos can presumably be. But there’s solely a lot that may be accomplished. People are attempting to go all totally different instructions, and gridlock can ensue.
Our honest hope is that this scares you out of leaving Magic Kingdom instantly after Disney Enchantment.
While you can beat the crowds and keep away from the majority of the congestion outdoors the park, that’s of venture. Even then, you virtually actually will be unable to keep away from a packed journey on the monorail or buses.
With that mentioned, in the event you’re going to ignore our recommendation and depart proper after Disney Enchantment, you actually need to watch the fireworks from close to the tip of Main Street.
We usually like this location because it’s good for seeing the projections on the constructing facades and is much less crowded than spots nearer to Cinderella Castle. With that mentioned, “less crowded” remains to be very a lot a relative time period. Up within the Central Plaza, you’ll be packed like sardines. Back right here, you’ll be packed like, I dunno…salmon?
Our precise advice is to not depart any park proper at closing. If you don’t get fortunate with leaving the park rapidly, you’ll have a number of monorail or busloads of different friends in entrance of you.
You’re going to be ready 30+ minutes by hook or by crook, so spend that point on Main Street, absorbing the ambiance of World Showcase, and many others., slightly than standing in an uncomfortable and irritating bus line.
Better but, do fashionable points of interest!
Disney Enchantment is at the moment being introduced nightly at 8:15 pm above Cinderella Castle. Magic Kingdom is closing at 10 pm or 11 pm nightly. That offers you ~90 minutes or extra to benefit from the park after the fireworks. That’s sufficient to do fashionable rides (plural) throughout probably the most gratifying time of day in Magic Kingdom.
What you may accomplish varies dramatically based mostly on crowd ranges, the place you watch the fireworks, park closing time, and the way rapidly you escape of the gridlock. In quick, it’s unattainable to supply technique that’s universally-applicable.
If you don’t watch the fireworks from Main Street and as a substitute do immediately behind Cinderella Castle, we’d suggest leaping into line for Peter Pan’s Flight proper after Enchantment ends. Other choices embody the Magic Kingdom Mountain Range, Astro Orbiter, or something that’s higher at evening. It doesn’t save a ton of time, however we’re huge followers of doing a late evening spin aboard the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover.
Whatever you do, our robust recommendation is to queue up for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train about 1 minute earlier than park closing. Disregard the posted wait, because it’s usually inflated to discourage individuals from lining up final minute. There are instances the posted time has been 90 minutes and we’ve waited (actually) 7 minutes. Our common at the moment of evening is about 10 minutes, with a standard vary of about 5 to fifteen minutes.
The different upside to doing Seven Dwarfs Mine Train on the finish of the evening versus earlier within the day is the ambiance. Not thematically, however in a literal sense. The overhead followers are often nonetheless on, and can hit you with a blast of cool air. While that is refreshing within the night, it’s downright needed through the day as this line can get scorching and uncomfortable. (Also no standing within the solar at evening!) Doing Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a lot simpler and extra nice on the finish of the evening, which is an enormous cause we’re so vehemently against doing it throughout Early Entry or round regular park opening.
You’ll get off Seven Dwarfs Mine Train about 20 minutes after park closing, however even then, there’s no rush to depart Magic Kingdom. Slowly make your method in the direction of Main Street, stopping to get memorable household pictures within the now-deserted Fantasyland. Stop to check your energy on the Sword within the Stone. Marvel at Cinderella Castle from the bottom, which is arguably prettier than the entrance.
Even in the event you take as a lot time as you may and it feels such as you’re the one individuals left in Magic Kingdom, there’s likelihood the Central Plaza and Main Street will nonetheless be busier when you arrive up there. Keep going sluggish, absorbing the ambiance, taking extra pictures, and even purchasing.
Walt Disney World won’t strand you on the park. We’ve left (actually) 2 hours after park closing earlier than and there was a non-public bus ready for us. Buses are idling on the cease till Magic Kingdom is cleared of all friends. There’s completely no upside to dashing to depart with a view to stand round and wait. You don’t want to depart a full hour or 90 minutes after park closing, however it’s actually a a lot better thought than leaving proper when the fireworks finish!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you skilled the post-Enchantment exodus at Magic Kingdom? How dangerous had been the crowds on the night(s) you exited the park following the fireworks? Do you like leaving instantly, or ready out the crowds? What have you ever been in a position to accomplish within the final 90 minutes or so in Magic Kingdom? Transportation experiences upon leaving? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Other ideas or issues? Any questions we might help you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!