How to Avoid Holiday Crowd Burnout in Disney World

If you’re visiting Disney World for the holidays, there’s generally one thing you can count on — crowds.

Holiday Crowds

Celebrating the holidays in Disney World is a blast, but the larger crowds aren’t always so fun. So what can you do to beat the crowds? We have a few suggestions you can try when the crowds start to get to you, so take a look!

Take Park Breaks

Taking breaks from Disney Parks is probably the easiest way to escape the crowds. Sure, there might be crowds at your resort too, but they probably won’t be as busy as they are in the parks. Check out the activities you can do around your resort! Sometimes they cost an additional fee, but you usually get to make a fun souvenir to take home, like with this Sand Art Activity at Art of Animation.

Sand Art Resort Activity

You can also just rest! Don’t want to sit in your hotel room? That’s fine! Many Disney World hotels have really nice lounge areas, like the Voyageurs’ Lounge in Disney’s Riviera Resort. Take a seat, grab a coffee (or a cocktail, we won’t judge), and enjoy your break.

Voyageurs’ Lounge

Now, what if you don’t want to waste precious time at your resort? There are options in the parks too!

Check out the Rivera Resort Voyageurs’ Lounge here!

Find a Quiet Corner

You can find less crowded, quiet corners all over Disney World. You just have to look! They’re often tucked away in the far corners of the parks, so they may not always be easy to find. In the Storybook Circus area of Magic Kingdom, near Dumbo, take a rest in the yellow tent where there is plenty of seating AND even outlets for charging your phone.

Storybook Circus Rest Area

In EPCOT, not all the pavilions in the World Showplace are super packed generally speaking. The Morocco pavilion is often one of the more quiet pavilions, with plenty of seating and shady spots for relaxing.

Morocco Pavilion

Next time you’re in Disney World, take a walk to the farthest edge of the park and you might find one of these quiet spots.

Did you know about this secret place to charge your phone in Magic Kingdom?

Use Secret Walkways

Did you know there are secret walkways all over Disney World? They usually have way fewer people than the average walkway, and you can bypass crowds by taking these secret routes. One of the best ones is the walkway between Africa and Pandora in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, where you can not only escape the crowds but take beautiful photos of the landscape.

Pandora/Africa Walkway

Other notable walkways exist between Adventureland and Frontierland in Magic Kingdom, or between Africa and Asia in Animal Kingdom. Take a look at your map and remember that you don’t always HAVE to take the main pathways!

Over 15 secret walkways to beat the crowds in Disney World!

Visit a Long Attraction

Find a long show or ride, take a seat, and escape the crowds for a little while. For example, the Hall of Presidents is 25 minutes long in Magic Kingdom.

Hall of Presidents’

Carousel of Progress, also in Magic Kingdom, is 20 minutes and 45 seconds long! That’s a nice break.

Carousel of Progress

And if you stop by For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, you can sit and enjoy the show for 30 minutes!

Seating in the Frozen Sing-Along Celebration

There are lots of other shows and attractions throughout Disney World with longer experiences, so plan to stop by one if you need a break from the crowds!

Do you know which Disney World rides are the longest?

Make a Dining Reservation

Having a table service reservation is also a great way to sit down, breathe, and enjoy a meal away from crowds. Your restaurant might also be crowded but at least you can take a break from maneuvering through the crowds all over the park.

Our Table at Steakhouse 71

You can book a dining reservation up to 60 days in advance but you can also make same-day reservations if they’re available! So even if you didn’t plan to eat at a restaurant originally, you may be able to find a walk-up waitlist or same-day reservations if you’re in desperate need of a break.

Visit Joffrey’s

And if you want coffee, stop by Joffrey’s instead of Starbucks. Most Starbucks locations are frequently crowded on an average day in Disney World, let alone during a busy time.

Inside Starbucks

Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea, on the other hand, has several locations throughout each Disney Park AND Disney Springs, so you will typically find shorter waits. And some people even prefer Joffrey’s over Starbucks!

Joffrey’s in EPCOT

Although it’s not Starbucks, Joffrey’s has many of your favorite coffee drinks, so give them a try next time you’re not in the mood for a super long line at Starbucks in Disney World.

Checkout our guide to coffee in Disney World!

Get Disney Genie+

The Disney Genie service has two paid options that allow you to bypass standby lines and take the much shorter Lightning Lanes. You can get Genie+ for $15 per, day per person for access to over 40 different rides, or you can pay-per-ride for select popular Disney World rides.

Rise of the Resistance Lightning Lane

So yes, it’ll cost you, but if waiting in crowded lines is an issue for you this is a way to help that wait be a bit shorter. Consider whether Genie+ might be something your family is interested in.

Click here to learn more about Disney Genie+ and pay-per-ride!

There are lots of ways to escape crowds in Disney World but you might have to get creative! Try some of these tips next time you’re feeling overwhelmed by everyone visiting Disney World for the holidays. Keep checking back with DFB for more Disney Park planning tips and tricks!

Photos & Video: You HAVE to see the Thanksgiving crowds in Disney World!

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