Avoid the weekends. For years, that sentiment circled friend groups where word-of-mouth advice was all we had to rely on before the likes of today’s internet took over. Avoid the weekends. It sounds so simple, and yet somehow, at 28.57% of the available week, it’s hard to move too far away from. When you are visiting a Disney resort the size of Walt Disney World, it’s almost impossible to plan your entire vacation to avoid weekend visits, not to mention more difficult for those of us who have business hours and are bound by school attendance.
These days, there is so much more to consider. Magic morning hours, special events, seasonal parties, and local competitions all significantly impact what the parks look like from one day to another. Everything from runDisney marathons to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party dates can change where you should go and when. While the weekends still seem to attract more of a local presence with annual passholders enjoying their downtime in the parks, I’ve seen a significant shift in the popularity of Saturday and Sunday at certain times of the year.
At some points in the year, particularly over the holidays and summer break from school, the weekday theory goes quickly out the window, with more holiday-makers abandoning the expected days of the week to visit. In some cases, I’ve seen the Disney Parks quieter on the weekend. Particularly in Disneyland, on a few occasions recently, I’ve noted a distinct downturn in morning weekend attendance. Perhaps some guests took the weekday preference too seriously and left the park for the ultimately smaller crowds of a Saturday morning, I’m not sure.
In any case, I am curious to know your thoughts. In your experience, what are the best days of the week to visit each of the Disney Parks, and what do you look out for before you make plans?
