Credit: DisneyNew Year’s Eve is one of the busiest days at Walt Disney World, as guests from around the world gather to celebrate the end of 2025 and welcome 2026 with Disney characters, fantastic fireworks, and festive entertainment. This magical night has become a tradition for many families and Disney fans who return each year to enjoy special events and extended park hours.
However, the popularity of the celebration leads to operational challenges, with maximum capacity, long attraction queues, and dense crowds that can test even the most patient visitors.
New Year’s Eve 2025 at Walt Disney World is busy, as usual. As of 11 a.m. on December 31, 2025, the My Disney Experience app shows long wait times in the parks. Even before the special nighttime celebrations start, the parks are already crowded.
Guests waiting to enjoy attractions are facing long lines that are much longer than usual. As the day progresses and more guests arrive for the evening celebrations, these wait times are likely to increase further.
For anyone considering whether to brave the parks today or those who wisely chose to celebrate New Year’s Eve from the comfort of home, the current wait times provide sobering reminder of just how overwhelming the experience can be when Walt Disney World operates at absolute maximum capacity during one of the year’s most popular celebration days.
Magic Kingdom Wait Times
Magic Kingdom transforms into family-friendly party destination on New Year’s Eve with DJ performances on the castle stage, special fireworks at 7:30 p.m. for families with young children, and the main midnight countdown fireworks at 11:50 p.m. to ring in the new year. The park’s popularity as New Year’s Eve destination has created absolutely brutal wait times throughout the morning.
The highest wait times at Magic Kingdom as of the late morning hours (11am) include:
Tron Lightcycle / Run at 130 minutes, making it the longest wait in the park and representing over two hours standing in queue for a coaster that lasts approximately one minute.
Space Mountain at 75 minutes shows that classic Tomorrowland attractions are drawing massive crowds.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at 70 minutes demonstrates that Fantasyland favorites remain popular despite brutal waits.
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at 60 minutes reveals that even attractions typically considered lower-tier are experiencing hour-long queues.
The 60-minute Haunted Mansion shows that classic attractions aren’t providing any relief from the crowds.
The lowest wait times at Magic Kingdom offer some respite: Mad Tea Party at 5 minutes, Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover at 5 minutes, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at 10 minutes, Mickey’s PhilharMagic at 10 minutes, and Enchanted Tales with Belle at 15 minutes.
The surprisingly low 10-minute wait for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, typically one of the park’s most sought-after attractions, reflects the intense cold front currently affecting Central Florida. When temperatures drop significantly, water rides become the last thing guests want to experience, creating a rare opportunity to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure with minimal wait for those willing to brave the cold splash.
EPCOT Wait Times
EPCOT transforms into a massive party venue on New Year’s Eve with DJs stationed throughout World Showcase, creating a club-like atmosphere that many guests describe as a rave experience. The park will present Luminous: The Symphony of Us at 6:30 p.m., followed by Cheers to the New Year: A Sparkling Celebration that kicks off the countdown at 11:54 p.m.
The highest wait times at EPCOT as of 11 a.m. are absolutely staggering:
Test Track at 195 minutes represents over three hours in queue for the high-speed automotive testing experience. This is the longest wait time across all four parks, demonstrating just how popular the newly reimagined attraction remains.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at 170 minutes shows that nearly three-hour waits for the popular indoor coaster are a reality today.
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at 115 minutes reveals that even the family-friendly trackless dark ride through Gusteau’s restaurant is experiencing nearly two-hour queues.
Frozen Ever After at 95 minutes demonstrates that World Showcase attractions are drawing significant crowds.
The lowest wait times at EPCOT include: Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros at 5 minutes, Mission: SPACE at 25 minutes, Turtle Talk with Crush at 25 minutes, and meeting Mickey and Friends at 35 minutes.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios Wait Times
Hollywood Studios offers a variety of live entertainment, including DJs throughout the night, Pixar Dance Party for families, special character experiences, and New Year’s countdown fireworks to celebrate 2026’s arrival.
The highest wait times at Hollywood Studios as of 11 a.m. include:
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at 140 minutes represents over two hours of experience time for the iconic drop tower attraction.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, at 120 minutes, demonstrates that the immersive Star Wars experience continues to draw massive crowds.
Slinky Dog Dash at 80 minutes reveals that Toy Story Land’s family coaster has a substantial queue.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at 75 minutes demonstrates that the Aerosmith-themed launch coaster maintains popularity.
The lowest wait times at Hollywood Studios include meeting Edna Mode (5 minutes), meeting Olaf (10 minutes), Vacation Fun – An Original Animated Short with Mickey and Minnie (10 minutes), and Star Tours (15 minutes).
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Wait Times
Animal Kingdom represents the outlier among the four parks, as it offers no special New Year’s Eve programming and closes at 7 p.m., prompting guests to visit other parks for evening celebrations. This makes Animal Kingdom arguably the best choice for guests seeking to avoid the most extreme crowds, as many visitors skip it entirely to focus on parks with special nighttime events.
The highest wait times at Animal Kingdom as of 11 a.m. include:
Avatar Flight of Passage at 75 minutes remains the park’s most extended wait.
Na’vi River Journey at 45 minutes shows the other Pandora attraction drawing moderate crowds.
Expedition Everest, at 35 minutes, demonstrates relatively reasonable wait times compared to other parks.
The lowest wait times at Animal Kingdom include: Kali River Rapids at 5 minutes (again reflecting the cold weather discouraging water rides), Wildlife Express Train at 5 minutes, and DINOSAUR at 20 minutes.
The Disney World Reality Check
These wait times at 11 a.m. represent just the beginning of what will likely become even more challenging conditions as the day progresses. When special nighttime entertainment begins, and additional guests arrive specifically for evening celebrations, wait times will almost certainly increase beyond current levels. The fact that attractions already have two to three-hour waits before noon suggests that by evening, some queues could reach truly unbearable lengths.
For guests currently at the parks, strategic planning becomes essential. Utilizing Lightning Lane when available, targeting attractions with lower waits, and managing expectations about how many experiences can realistically be accomplished becomes crucial for maintaining sanity during New Year’s Eve at Walt Disney World.
For those celebrating at home, these wait times provide validation that staying away from the parks today was wise decision that avoids hours of standing in queues in favor of more comfortable celebration options.