Peak holiday crowds don’t have to ruin your Disney World trip. Here’s how to plan your park days so the busiest time of year still feels manageable.

Visiting Disney World over the holidays doesn’t have to be a deal breaker. Sure, the parks and resorts are at their most-crowded, but it’s also often the best time for families with busy school and work schedules to visit. Plus, Disney World over the holidays is simply magical! I’ve been to the parks over the holidays many times over the years, and these 7 tips and tricks help make my trips both manageable and fun even with peak crowds.

Lower Your Expectations

The holidays aren’t the time to try to fit every single thing Disney has to offer into one trip. The parks are crowded, lines are long, and it can be hard to get dining reservations. Instead of focusing on how many rides you get to, adjust your expectations for what you’ll be able to get done in one day. Pick one or two must-dos per park each day of your trip and treat everything else you manage to get to as a bonus. You’ll be surprised by how productive your day feels and how much more holiday magic you’re able to soak in.

Commit to Mornings or Evenings, Not Both

Disney knows that the holidays are their busiest time of the year, so they help guests by opening the parks early and leaving them open late. However, that doesn’t mean that you should commit to a week of 12-hour park days. The mornings tend to be more crowded, with a quieter window opening up later into the night after the fireworks crowd thins out. Decide whether your family is a park-opening family or an after-9 p.m. family and build your park days around that instead of trying to caffeinate your way through entire days.

Photo by WDW Magazine Photography team

It’s also worth noting that if you’re staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort or Villa, Extended Evening Hours are your key to getting the most value out of your trip. The parks offering extended hours change based on the day of the week, so be sure to check the schedule when you arrive and plan to stay in the parks late on those nights.

Buy Lightning Lane Single Passes & Skip Multi Pass

Disney’s Lightning Lane Multi Pass is priced at its highest over the holidays, and so many people are purchasing it that it becomes difficult and competitive to get Lightning Lanes for rides (including the ones that are less popular). When I’ve purchased Multi Pass over the holidays, I’ve found it difficult to get the full value out of it because return times book up quickly for the day so you’re left standing in long lines anyway.

Photo by Judd Helms

Because of this, I often recommend purchasing up to two Lightning Lane Single Passes per day and skipping the Multi Pass service. This guarantees that you’ll be able to ride the most popular attractions with little to no wait time, and then you spend the money you save on Multi Pass on other things that make your holiday trip more special.

Eat at the Wrong Times

Rides aren’t the only place you’ll find long lines when you visit over the holidays — there are long lines for food too. To avoid standing in line for thirty minutes just to order your food or having to wait an hour for the next Mobile Ordering pick-up window, plan to eat your meals outside of regular meal times. The majority of the crowds are focused on other things during this time, so you get to enjoy your meal when you want it and it’s much easier to find a seat.

Photo by Cliff Wang

Try to eat lunch outside of the 12 PM to 1:30 PM window, and have dinner before 5:30 PM or after 7PM. If you find yourself hungry during those times, grab a snack from a stand with a short line or try to get into one of Disney’s lounges for a little break. It can also be a good idea to check dining reservations the week (or even day) of your trip, since people are always canceling and adjusting their dining plans and you might be able to snag a reservation you were really hoping for.

Do the Holiday Stuff That Doesn’t Have a Line

If you visit Disney World over the holidays just to ride rides, you’re missing out on the best part of being in the parks during this time of year. All of the theme parks, resorts, and even Disney Springs get decked out for the season, so there’s plenty to do that is guaranteed to have no wait time at all. For example, select Disney Resort hotels set up large gingerbread displays, each EPCOT country around World Showcase feature holiday storytellers that put on small shows throughout the day, and the Living with the Land attraction is turned into a winter wonderland with a special holiday overlay. All of these things (and more!) and things that make it feel like Christmas and they don’t cost you a two-hour wait.

Watch Fireworks From Somewhere Else

It’s nearly impossible to avoid the crowds during the Happily Ever After fireworks display at Magic Kingdom…nearly. While Main Street, U.S.A. and the hub by Cinderella Castle are the most popular places to watch the fireworks show, they’re not the only place. All three of the monorail resorts offer viewing areas and they even pipe in the music so you feel like you’re getting the full experience. If you’d prefer not to leave Magic Kingdom but still want to be removed from the crowds, you can consider purchasing tickets to one of Disney’s fireworks dessert parties or watching from the back of the castle in Fantasyland.

Build In A Rest Day

It’s easy to feel like you’re losing your mind when you’re constantly surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people every day in Disney World. That’s why it’s so important to build in time away from the crowds during your holiday trip. Plan to spend one day mid-trip at the resorts with no park ticket and no plans. Use the time to enjoy your hotel, spend time at the pool, explore other resorts, or even visit Disney Springs. You’ll find that it’s a much needed break that leaves you ready to take on more busy park days.

Photo by CJ Ayd

Of course, planning a successful holiday trip starts with knowing what there is to do. Check out our complete guide to the holidays at Disney World here so you don’t miss a thing!