1 of 37

Disney World Wait Times

Presented by: Jim Long

Last Updated: April 1, 2022

2 of 37

Agenda

  • Objective
  • What does the data show?
    • Compare posted wait times from before the Covid-19 pandemic started until now
    • Compare the posted wait times by month to observe the best time to visit WDW
    • Look at the effect of new rides on wait times to other attractions
  • Summary Of Each Data Analysis
  • Appendix

3 of 37

Objectives

  • Overall Goal
    • Observe Overall Trends in Disney World Wait Times

​

  • Key focus of this presentation
    • How do current posted wait times compare to posted wait times before the Covid-19 Pandemic?
    • When would be the best time to travel when low wait times are prioritized?
    • What effect does a new attraction or new area have on wait times of existing rides?

​

4 of 37

Breakdown of average wait times by month

A yearly overview of wait times

Highlight specific dates of when new attractions opened

Compare current wait times to Pre-Pandemic wait times

When is the best time to visit?

Show the effect on wait times when new attractions open

5 of 37

How do current posted wait times compare to posted wait times before the Covid-19 Pandemic?

  • Compare across all 4 theme parks

​

  • All wait times shown are posted wait times (not actual wait times)

​

  • 1 Major Attraction per park
    • Animal Kingdom → Flight of Passage
    • Magic Kingdom → 7 Dwarfs Mine Train
    • Epcot → Soarin’
    • Hollywood Studios → Slinky Dog Dash

6 of 37

Flight of Passage Overview

  • Opened in May of 2017

Covid-19

WDW Shut Down

7 of 37

Flight of Passage Overview

  • Opened in May of 2017

Covid-19

WDW Shut Down

  • June 2019 – 127 minutes
  • June 2021 - 73 minutes
    • 43% decrease

8 of 37

Flight of Passage Overview

  • Opened in May of 2017

Covid-19

WDW Shut Down

  • July 2019 – 140 minutes
  • July 2021 - 115 minutes
    • 18% decrease
  • June 2019 – 127 minutes
  • June 2021 - 73 minutes
    • 43% decrease

9 of 37

Flight of Passage Overview

  • Opened in May of 2017

Covid-19

WDW Shut Down

  • December 2019 – 146 minutes
  • December 2021 - 108 minutes
    • 26% decrease
  • July 2019 – 140 minutes
  • July 2021 - 115 minutes
    • 18% decrease
  • June 2019 – 127 minutes
  • June 2021 - 73 minutes
    • 43% decrease

10 of 37

Mine Train

Covid-19

WDW Shut Down

11 of 37

Mine Train

Covid-19

WDW Shut Down

  • June 2019 – 88 minutes
  • June 2021 - 56 minutes
    • 36% decrease

12 of 37

Mine Train

Covid-19

WDW Shut Down

  • June 2019 – 88 minutes
  • June 2021 - 56 minutes
    • 36% decrease
  • July 2019 – 97 minutes
  • July 2021 - 78 minutes
    • 20% decrease

13 of 37

Mine Train

Covid-19

WDW Shut Down

  • June 2019 – 88 minutes
  • June 2021 - 56 minutes
    • 36% decrease
  • July 2019 – 97 minutes
  • July 2021 - 78 minutes
    • 20% decrease
  • December 2019 – 80 minutes
  • December 2021 - 76 minutes
    • 5% decrease

14 of 37

Soarin

Covid-19

WDW Shut Down

More on this later

15 of 37

Soarin

Covid-19

WDW Shut Down

  • June 2019 – 43 minutes
  • June 2021 - 39 minutes
    • 9% decrease

16 of 37

Soarin

Covid-19

WDW Shut Down

  • June 2019 – 43 minutes
  • June 2021 - 39 minutes
    • 9% decrease
  • July 2019 – 33 minutes
  • July 2021 - 27 minutes
    • 18% decrease

17 of 37

Soarin

Covid-19

WDW Shut Down

  • June 2019 – 43 minutes
  • June 2021 - 39 minutes
    • 9% decrease
  • July 2019 – 33 minutes
  • July 2021 - 27 minutes
    • 18% decrease
  • December 2019 – 46 minutes
  • December 2021 - 40 minutes
    • 13% decrease

18 of 37

Slinky Dog

Covid-19

WDW Shut Down

19 of 37

Slinky Dog

Covid-19

WDW Shut Down

  • June 2019 – 81 minutes
  • June 2021 - 73 minutes
    • 10% decrease

20 of 37

Slinky Dog

Covid-19

WDW Shut Down

  • June 2019 – 81 minutes
  • June 2021 - 73 minutes
    • 10% decrease
  • July 2019 – 81 minutes
  • July 2021 - 90 minutes
    • 11% increase

21 of 37

Slinky Dog

Covid-19

WDW Shut Down

  • June 2019 – 81 minutes
  • June 2021 - 73 minutes
    • 10% decrease
  • July 2019 – 81 minutes
  • July 2021 - 90 minutes
    • 11% increase
  • December 2019 – 76 minutes
  • December 2021 - 81 minutes
    • 7% increase

22 of 37

Summary

  • 3 out of 4 popular attractions have lower wait times when compared to their wait times before the Covid-19 pandemic began
    • Flight of Passage (Animal Kingdom)
    • Mine Train (Magic Kingdom)
    • Soarin (Epcot)
  • 1 out of the 4 popular attractions has higher wait times when compared to its wait time before the Covide-19 pandemic began
    • Slinky Dog Dash
  • Analysis
    • Overall, wait times are still lower
      • Park capacity limits, Genie+, willingness to travel
    • Further analysis needed
      • Slinky Dog Dash - popularity of Hollywood Studios?

23 of 37

When would be the best time to travel when low wait times are prioritized?

  • Compare across all 4 theme parks

​

  • Each individual month from 2015 will be averaged
    • Rides chosen have been opened since at least 2015

​

  • 1 Major Attraction per park
    • Animal Kingdom → Everest
    • Magic Kingdom → Mine Train
    • Epcot → Soarin’
    • Hollywood Studios → Rock N Roller Coaster

24 of 37

Mine Train

  • Data since 2015
    • 6-7 data points for each month
  • Average for the year = 77 minutes
  • Months below average
    • May
    • August - November
  • Highest Wait Times
    • December - March

25 of 37

Soarin

  • Data since 2015
    • 6-7 data points for each month
  • Average for the year = 46 minutes
  • Months below average
    • January
    • July-October
  • Highest Wait Times
    • December, March, June

26 of 37

Rock N Roller Coaster

  • Data since 2015
    • 6-7 data points for each month
  • Average for the year = 59 minutes
  • Months below average
    • April-May
    • August-October
  • Highest Wait Times
    • December, March
    • June, July

27 of 37

Everest

  • Data since 2015
    • 6-7 data points for each month
  • Average for the year = 32 minutes
  • Months below average
    • May-October
  • Highest Wait Times
    • December and March

28 of 37

Summary

  • The lowest wait times occur between August and October
    • Best time to visit based solely on wait times
  • Consideration could be given to late April (after Easter) until the end of May
  • Months to Avoid
    • Generally late Thanksgiving through Easter (or late Spring Break)
      • Special attention to December and March

29 of 37

What effect does a new attraction or new area have on wait times of existing rides?

  • Flight of Passage (Pandora) Effect on Animal Kingdom
    • Dinosaur, Everest, Safari

​

  • Toy Story Land Effect on Hollywood Studios
    • Rock N Roller Coaster

​

  • Galaxy’s Edge Effect on Hollywood Studios
    • Rock N Roller Coaster, Slinky Dog Dash, Alien Swirling Saucers

30 of 37

Pandora - Animal Kingdom

  • Flight of Passage Opened in 2017
  • All measured attractions saw an increase in wait times
  • The rate in which Dinosaur and Everest wait times slowed between 2018 and 2019

31 of 37

Hollywood Studios - Toy Story Land

  • Toy Story Land opened in 2018
  • Rock N Roller Coaster had an initial decrease in wait times but increased from 2018 to 2019

32 of 37

Hollywood Studios - Galaxy’s Edge

  • Galaxy’s Edge opened in August 2019

​

  • All 2018 to 2019 comparisons will be from the same month
  • September
    • Rock N Roll
      • 43 minutes to 33 minutes
      • 23% decrease

​

    • Slinky Dog
      • 61 minutes to 46 minutes
      • 25% decrease

​

    • Alien Swirling Saucers
      • 31 minutes to 19 minutes
      • 39% decrease

33 of 37

Hollywood Studios - Galaxy’s Edge

  • Galaxy’s Edge opened in August 2019

​

  • All 2018 to 2019 comparisons will be from the same month
  • October
    • Rock N Roll
      • 65 minutes to 47 minutes
      • 28% decrease

​

    • Slinky Dog
      • 74 minutes to 59 minutes
      • 20% decrease

​

    • Alien Swirling Saucers
      • 35 minutes to 23 minutes
      • 34% decrease

34 of 37

Hollywood Studios - Galaxy’s Edge

  • Galaxy’s Edge opened in August 2019

​

  • All 2018 to 2019 comparisons will be from the same month
  • December
    • Rock N Roll
      • 81 minutes to 64 minutes
      • 21% decrease

​

    • Slinky Dog
      • 95 minutes to 76 minutes
      • 20% decrease

​

    • Alien Swirling Saucers
      • 42 minutes to 31 minutes
      • 26% decrease

35 of 37

Epcot - Frozen Ever After

  • Frozen Ever After opened June 2016
  • Soarin decreased in wait times, however Spaceship Earth increased in wait times
    • Soarin underwent renovations and re-opened in 2016
      • New hangar = increased capacity by 50%!
      • Increased capacity = decreased wait times
    • Frozen Ever After is one of the least reliable rides for staying open
  • Both Spaceship Earth and Soarin saw a decrease in wait times after 2018
    • Correlates with the opening of Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge

36 of 37

Summary

  • Flight of Passage, Toy Story Land, Frozen Ever After
    • Wait times still increased for other attractions
      • More people in the park
  • Galaxy’s Edge
    • Decreased wait times for other attractions, including newer attractions
    • Not enough data for long term effect
  • The opening of Galaxy’s Edge had a greater effect on spreading out crowds as compared to Toy Story Land and Pandora

37 of 37

Appendix

​

Data has been made available for public use by TouringPlans.com

Disney World Ride Wait Time Datasets, TouringPlans.com, June 2018, https://www.touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/crowd-calendar/#DataSets, Accessed 05 March 2022