Traveling to Walt Disney World when parties are scheduled presents its own challenges, including deciding the best time to visit Magic Kingdom during your trip.
Here are some thoughts to help you decide when to go.
Are low crowds your top priority?
With Magic Kingdom closing to day guests hours earlier than normal on party days, many people will choose another park where they can stay all day.
That makes Magic Kingdom much less busy on party days, so it’s a great time to visit the park if you don’t mind leaving before it gets dark.
If you want to hop to another park after leaving Magic Kingdom, you can do that if you have park hopper tickets.
Are fireworks important to you?
The biggest downside to leaving early on a party day: not being able to see fireworks.
If fireworks are important to you (and we definitely suggest seeing Happily Ever After if you can), going on a party day isn’t a good choice unless you can go on another non-party night.
Pro-tip: if you don’t want to buy a party ticket but you’d like to see the party fireworks, book a dining reservation at California Grill or a Magic Kingdom fireworks cruise on a party night to view from outside the park.
Get more planning info
- 2024 Disney World Vacation Planner
- Is it worth it to stay onsite Disney World? (Or is offsite better?)
- Complete Guide to Lightning Lane Passes at Walt Disney World
- Lightning Lane and Virtual Queue Booking Strategy & Timeline
- How to buy (and modify) Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass (Step-by-Step)
- Guide to Using Lightning Lane Passes at Hollywood Studios (Priorities for 2024)