WATCH OUT! Major Crowds Expected in Disney World This Weekend

Although things have been relatively quiet in Disney World recently, at least since Spring Break, things are about to get a lot busier this weekend.

We expect to see a lot of people in Disney World this weekend

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend, which is pretty much the official start of summer. You know what that means, right? EVERYONE has plans to visit Disney World (well, maybe not EVERYONE, but a lot of folks). So we can safely expect that there will be big crowds at Disney World throughout the weekend.

Here’s the thing. Not only will you have to contend with regular Memorial Day crowds, but Memorial Day weekend is also when ESPN Wide World of Sports is hosting the 2024 Disney Memorial Day Soccer Tournament. So you’ll have crowds coming in for that, too.

ESPN Wide World of Sports

So what does that mean for you? It means you’ll probably find yourself waiting in long lines at the parks, not just for food, but also for rides. But, don’t worry, because we’re going to tell you how to navigate those crowds. Of course, the first piece of advice we’re going to give you is to be patient. That’s hard to do when you’re in a crowd, but if things become overwhelming, find a quiet spot to take a break or head back to your hotel for some pool time (or a nap — your choice).

Take a break if the crowds get to be too much

Also, be sure to take advantage of Early Theme Park Entry, which is available to those staying in Disney World hotels. This gets you into the parks 30 minutes before everyone else, giving you a little extra time in the morning to knock out your must-ride lists. Note that if you’re staying at one of Disney World’s deluxe hotels, you can also take advantage of Extended Evening Hours at EPCOT on Monday, May 27th from 9 to 11PM.

Don’t forget to take advantage of Extended Evening Hours at EPCOT on Monday

You might also want to consider purchasing Genie+, as well as Individual Lightning Lanes for those rides that offer it. This will allow you to bypass the long standby lines and access the shorter Lightning Lanes at attractions. Now, Genie+ often sells out during busy periods, so you’ll want to be up at midnight the day you’re visiting the parks and get it then. You can make your first Lightning Lane selections at 7AM.

Using Genie+ on our phone

For rides with virtual queues, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and TRON Lightcycle/Run, you can try to get a boarding pass for those rides at 7AM, too.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

When it comes to dining, you’ll want to already have your dining reservations made for table service restaurants. However, if you’ll be dining at counter service locations that offer Mobile Order, you’ll want to place your orders earlier than when you want to eat. You can still set what time you’ll be picking your meal up, but getting those orders in early means you won’t have to wait as long for your food when you arrive at that restaurant.

Mobile Order at PizzeRizzo

We also have to share some airport tips with you because this is going to be a busy traveling weekend, too. According to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, today, May 23rd will be the busiest day at the airports, with 53,515 people expected to fly somewhere.

We’re anticipating today to be the busiest day for air travelers this Memorial Day holiday travel weekend.

Go to https://t.co/htXzk0fHoJ for real-time airport updates. pic.twitter.com/BKh6tEtszm

— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) May 23, 2024

This means you’ll want to get to your home airport early, but you’ll also want to get to Orlando International Airport early when you return home. The Orlando Airport is almost always busy, but will be even more so over the weekend. You’ll want to get there at least three hours before your flight. If you don’t have TSA Precheck, you can use MCO Reserve to secure a spot in a shorter security line — which we highly recommend. The service is free and will get you through airport security a LOT faster.

So, yes, it will be a busy weekend at both the airport and Disney World, but you can handle it if you just do a little planning in advance.

Stay tuned to DFB for more.

The Weird Parking RULE That Only Applies When It’s SUPER BUSY in Disney World

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Will you be in Disney World this weekend? How do you prepare for the crowds? Let us know in the comments!