Attendance at Walt Disney International varies relying upon the day and season, with high and low wait occasions for well-liked rides additionally being imaginable in keeping with time of day. In different phrases, crowds or “seems like” congestion is very variable–with one lovely large exception. (Up to date August 8, 2024.)
For a lot of the previous few years, Magic Kingdom has been chaotic and congested ahead of, all over, and after the nightly fireworks. This has been true for each the not-so-dearly departed Disney Appeal and Thankfully Ever After fireworks. Whilst attendance has bogged down with pent-up call for hard itself, that is nonetheless an issue all over sure seasons.
Other folks Park Hopping from Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, the latter of which has not anything to provide at evening, way Magic Kingdom and EPCOT have observed an inflow of visitors each and every night for his or her middle of the night spectaculars. This has led to bonkers crowds, particularly on and round Major Side road–International Show off is far better at soaking up visitors. In brief, Magic Kingdom has been a madhouse ahead of and after the fireworks.
August 8, 2024 Replace: With the coming of “Celebration Season” at Magic Kingdom, the multi-month stretch of the 12 months when the park closes early a number of nights a week for Mickey’s Now not So Horrifying Halloween Celebration and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Celebration, there’s a really perfect typhoon of instances making this post-fireworks exodus particularly dangerous.
The primary issue is that Celebration Season consolidates crowds into a couple of nights a week when fireworks may also be observed with out paying additional for a different occasions price ticket. The results of that is (kind of) that more than one nights’ value of visitors cram onto Major Side road (or strive to take action) to peer Thankfully Ever After. Even on a regular evening, Major Side road doesn’t have sufficient room for everybody.
That is even worse all over Celebration Season. It additionally continuously catches folks through wonder–particularly all over the autumn season when the park isn’t that busy all over the day. Even though crowds are manageable, it may be natural chaos at evening because of Park Hopping and the easy incontrovertible fact that area is proscribed on the entrance of the park. (See our Easiest & Worst Crowd Days at Magic Kingdom in 2024 for once we suggest visiting and heading off Magic Kingdom.)
An similarly major factor is the sundown time all over the primary part of Celebration Season, which dictates the time of the Thankfully Ever After fireworks. The showtime gets step by step previous because the sundown time strikes ahead, however Thankfully Ever After be at or round 9 pm firstly of Celebration Season. That is vital for the reason that fireworks received’t end till virtually 9:30 pm, and if the park closes at 10 pm, many visitors will deem it isn’t “value it” to check out to squeeze in a single ultimate trip ahead of leaving. That suggests better crowds all over the exodus, while a fireworks time of (as an example) 8 pm and a park final time of eleven pm way a enough hole that areas out departure occasions.
The secret’s that this post-Thankfully Ever After night exodus goes to be at its worst for August thru October, and that coupled with the distinction between daylight hours and middle of the night crowds can actually catch folks through wonder. In all honesty, the aim of this put up is to scare you (with the most productive of intentions, in fact). We can expectantly do so feat through sharing pictures of the scene outdoor Magic Kingdom proper after the fireworks finish…
The crowds are dangerous no longer simply on Major Side road all over Thankfully Ever After, but in addition outdoor Magic Kingdom at the monorail device and buses that provider the mass exodus of visitors leaving the park instantly after the fireworks.
Whilst drawing near the Major Side road USA Teach Station, you’ll see Solid Contributors with indicators for the monorail, boats, buses, and parking. They’ll direct you to the precise or left facet so you might have an more uncomplicated time of getting into the corrals for each and every transportation choice.
Don’t let the above picture idiot you–this used to be taken against the tail finish of the exodus.
Getting throughout the tunnels is chaotic, as site visitors merges from a big mass into a couple of slender lanes.
Excellent good fortune if you wish to have to go back a stroller or forestall to surprise on the Nation Endure Jamboree enchantment poster. It’s tough to navigate thru right here. (We strongly suggest having all your celebration in combination ahead of going thru this space.)
Out of doors the park, you’ll as soon as once more see the indicators for the monorail, ferry, buses, parking, and so forth.
Whilst it would seem that there’s some “to be had area” within the heart, the ones are switchbacks for the monorail that’ll quickly refill as extra visitors glide out of Magic Kingdom.
Any other take a look at the gang heading to the monorail.
Apologies for the pictures that principally appear to be a “discovered photos” horror film. (In some way, that’s very apt.) It’s tough/not possible to forestall for just right pictures amidst the chaos with out being mowed down through a double-wide stroller. Justifiably, I may upload. No explanation why to forestall and obstruct site visitors out right here! (I took those over the process a number of months, and those are nonetheless the most productive of the bunch.)
Turning the opposite course, we take a look at folks hustling to overcome the crowds to the bus stops. Shifting so briefly they actually blur throughout the picture!
Regardless of the congestion, those folks in fact shouldn’t have a lot of a watch for the buses. They’ll be on the entrance of the pack, and can arrive to most probably in finding “fully-stocked” bus stops ready to refill with the primary load of departing visitors.
To that time, right here’s a take a look at the bus stops firstly of the post-fireworks exodus from Magic Kingdom.
You’ll see the overfill switchbacks arrange, however no longer but in use. Should you’re in a position to overcome the gang out, you received’t have a lot of a wait. You will be packed elbow to armpit with different visitors, which isn’t all the time the easiest way to finish of a protracted day after everybody has slow-cooked within the Florida solar. (It may be an, ahem, olfactory overload.) However a minimum of the bus will load briefly and be on its approach!
Again outdoor Magic Kingdom, we will begin to see the overflow queues filling up for the ferry and monorail. It’s onerous to inform what’s happening in those pictures…and likewise while you’re on this mass of humanity outdoor the park.
To the credit score of Disney’s transportation community, those waits most often aren’t too horrible–not at all as dangerous because the traces would counsel–buses, monorails, and boats are deployed just about nonstop in a surprisingly environment friendly approach.
To the immense credit score of Solid Contributors, they do a actually just right activity with crowd keep an eye on.
A few of them have a laugh with giving instructions over their audio system, and it’s about as arranged as chaos can perhaps be. However there’s handiest such a lot that may be accomplished. Individuals are looking to move all other instructions, and gridlock can ensue.
Our honest hope is this scares you out of leaving Magic Kingdom instantly after the fireworks.
When you can beat the crowds and keep away from the majority of the congestion outdoor the park, that’s a big gamble. Even then, you probably will be unable to keep away from a packed trip at the monorail or buses.
With that stated, in case you’re going to put out of your mind our recommendation and go away proper after Thankfully Ever After, you actually need to watch the fireworks from close to the tip of Major Side road.
We normally like this location because it’s just right for seeing the projections at the development facades and is much less crowded than spots nearer to Cinderella Fortress. With that stated, “much less crowded” continues to be very a lot a relative time period. Up within the Central Plaza, you’ll be packed like sardines. Again right here, you’ll be packed like, I dunno…salmon?
Our exact advice isn’t to go away any park proper at final. Should you don’t get fortunate with leaving the park briefly, you’ll have more than one monorail or busloads of different visitors in entrance of you.
You’re going to be ready 30+ mins in some way, so spend that point on Major Side road, absorbing the ambience of International Show off, and so forth., somewhat than status in an uncomfortable and irritating bus line.
Higher but, do well-liked points of interest!
Thankfully Ever After is these days being introduced nightly at 9 pm above Cinderella Fortress. Magic Kingdom is final at 10 pm or 11 pm nightly. That provides you with a while to benefit from the park after the fireworks. That may be sufficient to do well-liked rides (plural) all over essentially the most stress-free time of day in Magic Kingdom.
What you’ll accomplish varies dramatically in keeping with crowd ranges, the place you watch the fireworks, park final time, and the way briefly you escape of the gridlock. In brief, it’s not possible to provide technique that’s universally-applicable.
Should you don’t watch the fireworks from Major Side road and as a substitute do at once in the back of Cinderella Fortress, we’d suggest leaping into line for Peter Pan’s Flight proper after Thankfully Ever After ends. Different choices come with the Magic Kingdom Mountain Vary, Astro Orbiter, or the rest that’s higher at evening. It doesn’t save a ton of time, however we’re large lovers of doing a overdue evening spin aboard the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover.
No matter you do, our robust recommendation is to queue up for Seven Dwarfs Mine Teach about 1 minute ahead of park final. Overlook the posted wait, because it’s continuously inflated to deter folks from lining up ultimate minute. There are occasions the posted time has been 90 mins and we’ve waited (actually) 7 mins. Our reasonable at the moment of evening is ready 10 mins, with a regular vary of about 5 to fifteen mins.
The opposite upside to doing Seven Dwarfs Mine Teach on the finish of the evening versus previous within the day is the ambience. Now not thematically, however in a literal sense. The overhead lovers are most often nonetheless on, and can hit you with a blast of cool air. Whilst that is refreshing within the night, it’s downright important all over the day as this line can get sizzling and uncomfortable. (Additionally no status within the solar at evening!) Doing Seven Dwarfs Mine Teach is such a lot more uncomplicated and extra delightful on the finish of the evening, which is a large explanation why we’re so vehemently antagonistic to doing it all over Early Access or round customary park opening.
You’ll get off Seven Dwarfs Mine Teach about 20 mins after park final, however even then, there’s no rush to go away Magic Kingdom. Slowly make your approach against Major Side road, preventing to get memorable circle of relatives pictures within the now-deserted Fantasyland. Forestall to check your power on the Sword within the Stone. Surprise at Cinderella Fortress from the bottom, which is arguably prettier than the entrance.
Even though you are taking as a lot time as you’ll and it feels such as you’re the one folks left in Magic Kingdom, there’s a great opportunity the Central Plaza and Major Side road will nonetheless be busier while you arrive up there. Stay going gradual, absorbing the atmosphere, taking extra pictures, and even buying groceries.
Walt Disney International is not going to strand you on the park. We’ve left (actually) 2 hours after park final ahead of and there used to be a personal bus looking ahead to us. Buses are idling on the forestall till Magic Kingdom is cleared of all visitors. There’s completely no upside to speeding to go away with a view to stand round and wait. You don’t wish to go away a complete hour or 90 mins after park final, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly a significantly better thought than leaving proper when the fireworks finish!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever skilled the post-Thankfully Ever After exodus at Magic Kingdom? How dangerous have been the crowds at 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 perform within the ultimate 90 mins or so in Magic Kingdom? Transportation reports upon leaving? Do you compromise or disagree with our review? Different ideas or issues? Any questions we will permit you to resolution? Listening to your comments–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please percentage your ideas beneath within the feedback!
