Disney World Crowd Forecast: Oct 26–Nov 8 by Park

By · Adult Disney · Wisconsin

Published October 27, 2026

Here’s the Disney World crowd forecast for Oct 26–Nov 8: EPCOT is the busiest park, averaging 6.0/10, and Animal Kingdom is the lightest, averaging 2.1/10. Hollywood Studios averages 4.6 and Magic Kingdom 3.1. Halloween (Oct 31) is the peak day at three of the four parks. That’s the big picture, but the number that should change your plan more is the time of day you ride.

SupaPark’s wait data from the last 30 days shows Kilimanjaro Safaris with a median posted wait of 55 minutes at 10 AM and 10 minutes at 3 PM. Same ride, same park, and the late-afternoon wait is about a fifth of the morning one.

The two-week crowd forecast, park by park

As of Oct 27, SupaPark’s forecast for Oct 26–Nov 8 looks like this:

Hourly figures below are SupaPark’s Sep 28–Oct 26 medians, not measurements of future dates. If your trip falls in this window, the forecast doesn’t tell you to avoid a whole week. It tells you how to arrange your days. Put Animal Kingdom or Magic Kingdom on your most crowded calendar day. Put EPCOT on any day except Oct 31, its 7/10 peak, and be there at opening: Test Track averages 30 minutes at 8 AM vs 75 at 11 AM.

Magic Kingdom: watch the party nights

Magic Kingdom forecasts light, averaging 3.1/10. The catch is the calendar. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party runs on Oct 27, Oct 29 and Oct 31, and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party runs on Nov 8. On those dates the park closes early to day guests.

What that means for you:

Rope drop is where Magic Kingdom pays off. SupaPark’s data shows Jungle Cruise at a 5-minute median at 8 AM versus 40 minutes at 12 PM, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at 5 minutes at 8 AM versus 38 minutes at 1 PM. That matches a well-known pattern: Early Theme Park Entry sends most guests to Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. Head for Adventureland and Frontierland first and the shortest standby lines tend to be yours.

EPCOT: ride early, then stop rushing

EPCOT is the park this forecast warns about, and its hourly curve explains why. The median posted wait across its top five rides climbs from 30 minutes at 8 AM to 65 minutes at 4 PM, and it’s still at 48 minutes at 8 PM. Unlike the other parks, EPCOT doesn’t really empty out in the evening.

The headliners follow the same pattern:

At EPCOT, rope drop decides your day. Ride your top two or three first thing, then switch to eating and strolling World Showcase while the afternoon peaks. If EPCOT has to land on Oct 31, its 7/10 peak, that’s the day Lightning Lane Multi Pass is most likely to earn its cost.

Hollywood Studios: Slinky at night, Muppets in the morning

Hollywood Studios averages 4.6/10, and its two headliners are best at opposite ends of the day:

Ride Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at rope drop and Slinky Dog Dash in the last hour. The park’s top five rides drop from a 55-minute median at 11 AM to 33 minutes at 8 PM. Most people try to do Slinky at midday, which is when its median wait is longest.

Animal Kingdom: the afternoon is the good part

Animal Kingdom is the lightest park on the forecast, averaging 2.1/10, and it’s the one park where the usual “go early” advice is only half right.

The park’s top five rides hit their lowest median of the day, 10 minutes at 6 PM, and are down to 15 minutes by 5 PM. So: start in Pandora, take a midday break, and come back mid-afternoon for the Safari and anything you skipped.

Putting the two weeks together

  1. Oct 31: Pick Animal Kingdom (4/10 peak) or a short Magic Kingdom morning before the party close. Avoid EPCOT if you can.
  2. EPCOT: Go any day but Oct 31, and be at the gate for opening.
  3. Magic Kingdom: Do your full day on any date that isn’t Oct 27, 29, 31 or Nov 8.
  4. Hollywood Studios: Plan to stay late. The 9 PM Slinky wait makes it worth it.

SupaPark’s crowd calendar, best-time forecaster and live waits are free at supapark.com. They’re also on iPhone and Android if you’d rather check in the park. Set a wait-drop alert on a ride like Kilimanjaro Safaris and SupaPark notifies you when the posted wait falls, so you don’t have to keep refreshing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Disney World park is busiest from Oct 26 to Nov 8?

EPCOT, averaging 6.0/10 in SupaPark’s forecast and peaking at 7/10 on Oct 31. Animal Kingdom is the lightest, averaging 2.1/10.

Is Halloween a busy day at Disney World this year?

Yes. Oct 31 is the forecast peak for EPCOT (7/10), Hollywood Studios (6/10) and Animal Kingdom (4/10), and Magic Kingdom closes early to day guests that night for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

Which nights does Magic Kingdom close early for parties in this window?

Magic Kingdom closes early to day guests on Oct 27, Oct 29 and Oct 31 for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, and on Nov 8 for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

What is the best time to ride Kilimanjaro Safaris?

Mid-afternoon. Over the last 30 days, SupaPark measured a median posted wait of 10 minutes at 3 PM, compared with 55 minutes at 10 AM.

Do I need Lightning Lane Multi Pass on a low-crowd day?

Often not. At a light park like Animal Kingdom (averaging 2.1/10), riding at rope drop and in the late afternoon can cover most headliners, though Single Pass rides like Avatar Flight of Passage are a separate decision.

Keep planning: today’s crowd forecast · is Lightning Lane worth it

Go deeper — the full guides: The Ultimate Ranked Guide to Walt Disney World’s Must-Do Rides (All 4 Parks, Ranked 1–25) · TRON vs Cosmic Rewind: Where to Spend Your Morning · The Best Row to Request on Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster

SupaPark tracks live wait times and crowd forecasts, and pings you the second a hard-to-get reservation opens or a ride goes walk-on — free to start at supapark.com.

Go deeper: the full guides