Walt Disney World Wait Times for Mid-December 2024
Well, today is the day. We have officially entered the so-called 12 Days of Christmas.
At Disney theme parks, it’s the busiest two weeks of the year at The Happiest Place(s) on Earth.


Magic Kingdom
But how were the crowds last week? Generally, the week before Christmas can go either way.
Here are Walt Disney World’s average wait times for the third week of December 2024.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
We will start at Animal Kingdom, which has become an utterly charming place to spend the holiday season.
Historically, Disney didn’t really do much here, but recent additions like the Merry Menagerie add a lot.


Merry Menagerie
Plus, Disney has started decorating Pandora – The World of Avatar, which I always find delightful.
Not coincidentally, Animal Kingdom has evolved into a more popular holiday destination.


Pandora — World of Avatar Holiday Decorations
Here are the park’s average wait times last week:
- Avatar Flight of Passage – 66 minutes, up 2
- Na’vi River Journey – 50 minutes, up 1
- Kilimanjaro Safaris – 41 minutes, down 5
- Expedition Everest – 31 minutes, no change
- Adventurers Outpost – 29 minutes, down 4
- DINOSAUR – 24 minutes, no change
- It’s Tough to Be a Bug! – 12 minutes, up 2
- Kali River Rapids – 9 minutes, up 1
- TriceraTop Spin – 9 minutes, down 1
Overall, Animal Kingdom attractions averaged a wait of 31 minutes, which is the same wait time as last week.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
In 2024, Hollywood Studios has finally returned to some semblance of normalcy after five years of massive crowds.
The park still experiences steady crowds. It’s just no longer likely to have seven different attractions with hour-long waits.


Hollywood Studios
I should say that’s usually the case. The next two weeks will be anything but typical.
Theoretically, last week should have been fine, though. Was it?


Hollywood Studios holiday decor
Here are the park’s average wait times for the week before Christmas:
- Slinky Dog Dash – 69 minutes, up 5
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – 62 minutes, up 1
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – 57 minutes, up 5
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway – 47 minutes, down 4
- Toy Story Mania! – 42 minutes, down 6
- Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – 40 minutes, down 2
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run – 38 minutes, down 4
- Red Carpet Dreams – 37 minutes, no change
- Alien Swirling Saucers – 30 minutes, no change
- Celebrity Spotlight – 14 minutes, down 4
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue – 11 minutes, down 2
- Muppet*Vision 3D – 10 minutes, no change


Hollywood Studios holiday decor
Overall, the average Hollywood Studios attraction required a wait of 34 minutes, which is actually down a minute from last time.
EPCOT
The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays remains in full swing at the park, although this will be its last full week.
So, the crowds had plenty of incentive to hang out at EPCOT the past few days. But did they?


2024 EPCOT Festival of the Holidays
Here are the park’s average wait times last week:
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure – 53 minutes, down 2
- Frozen Ever After – 52 minutes, down 3
- Soarin’ Around the World – 36 minutes, down 4
- Royal Sommerhus – 32 minutes, down 7
- Meet Mickey & Friends – 22 minutes, down 3
- Living with the Land – 21 minutes, down 5
- Mission: SPACE – 20 minutes, up 2
- Turtle Talk with Crush – 18 minutes, up 1
- Spaceship Earth – 17 minutes, down 3
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends – 16 minutes, down 8
- Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros – 12 minutes, down 3
- Journey into Imagination with Figment – 12 minutes, down 7


Frozen Ever After
Overall, guests stood in line for an average of 25 minutes per attraction, which is four minutes less than last time.
While we still have one theme park to check, the crowds appear to have been slightly lower overall at Walt Disney World last week.
Magic Kingdom


Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks
So, was Magic Kingdom any different? Here are the park’s average wait times:
- Tron Lightcycle Run – 119 minutes, up 21
- Seven Dwarfs Mine – 60 minutes, up 6
- Jingle Cruise – 50 minutes, down 1
- Peter Pan’s Flight – 50 minutes, no change
- Space Mountain – 45 minutes, up 10
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – 39 minutes, up 6
- Haunted Mansion – 37 minutes, down 3
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – 33 minutes, down 2
- Princess Fairytale Hall – 32 minutes, up 1
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin – 31 minutes, no change
- Pete’s Silly Sideshow – 31 minutes, down 1
- Town Square Theater – 30 minutes, up 2
- Ariel’s Grotto – 29 minutes, down 2
- Astro Orbiter – 28 minutes, up 3
- Pirates of the Caribbean – 25 minutes, down 2
- It’s a Small World – 24 minutes, down 1
- Magic Carpets of Aladdin – 22 minutes, up 3
- The Barnstormer – 20 minutes, up 2
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid – 20 minutes, down 2
- Enchanted Tales with Belle – 19 minutes, down 2
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant – 18 minutes, down 1
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic – 18 minutes, no change
- Tomorrowland Speedway – 17 minutes, up 2
- Country Bear Musical Jamboree – 15 minutes, down 2
- Mad Tea Party – 15 minutes, up 1
- Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor – 14 minutes, up 1
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover – 13 minutes, down 3
- Walt Disney World Railroad – 13 minutes, up 1
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel – 12 minutes, up 2
- Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress – 5 minutes, no change
Final Thoughts
Overall, Magic Kingdom attractions averaged a wait of 25 minutes, which is the same as last week.
I strongly suspect that part of the reason for the modest wait times is the compressed holiday timeline.


Gingerbread Popcorn Bucket
With a late Thanksgiving and less than a four-week gap to Christmas and Hanukkah, travel options were limited for many North Americans.
Now that the holiday week has arrived, well, I know what the current wait times are today…and it’s a whole different ballgame!


Magic Kingdom
Have a wonderful holiday, my many loves!
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