Hollywood Studios Crowds Dec 7–9, 2026: Forecast

By Chris M. · Park news & crowds · Lake Buena Vista, FL

Published November 9, 2026 · Updated November 14, 2026

Here’s the number that should shape your plan. SupaPark’s wait data shows Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets at a 15-minute median at 8 AM versus 53 minutes at 11 AM over the last 30 days. That’s more than three times as long, just three hours later. For Dec 7–9, the hour you arrive at Hollywood Studios will matter about as much as the day you pick.

Forecast as of November 9, 2026. Live numbers here: Hollywood Studios crowd calendar for December 2026.

The day still matters, though. As of Nov 9, SupaPark forecasts Hollywood Studios at 7/10 on Dec 7 and Dec 8, then 5/10 on Dec 9. If you can choose, go on Dec 9.

The verdict for Dec 7–9

Hollywood Studios averages 6.3/10 across the three days. That puts it in the middle of the pack:

• EPCOT: 8.3 average (peak 9 on Dec 7). The busiest park in the window.
• Hollywood Studios: 6.3 average (peak 7 on Dec 7).
• Magic Kingdom: 4.7 average (peak 5 on Dec 7).
• Animal Kingdom: 4.0 average (peak 5 on Dec 7). The lightest park in the window.

My call: do Hollywood Studios on Dec 9. Arrive for the first hour, ride Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster first, take a break in the middle of the day, and come back in the evening. If Dec 9 doesn’t work for you, Dec 8 is manageable if you start early. Dec 7 is harder, because it’s a Disney Jollywood Nights night and the park closes early to day guests. On a 7/10 day, a late start costs you more here than at Animal Kingdom.

Day by day

These are SupaPark crowd forecast levels out of 10, as of Nov 9:

Dec 7 (Hollywood Studios 7/10). This is the peak day for every park in the window. Hollywood Studios is busy here, but EPCOT at 9 is worse. It’s also a Disney Jollywood Nights night, so Hollywood Studios closes early to day guests. If you want Hollywood Studios today, go early and ride Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway before evening, not at the end of the night. Magic Kingdom (5) is the lighter choice if you’re flexible.

Dec 8 (Hollywood Studios 7/10). This day is tricky. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is on at Magic Kingdom, so the park closes early to day guests. Magic Kingdom’s 5/10 forecast only covers a shortened day. That leaves Animal Kingdom (5) as the best full-day option, with Hollywood Studios (7) behind it. EPCOT is at 9 again.

Dec 9 (Hollywood Studios 5/10). Every park drops on this day. Hollywood Studios falls two levels to 5, and Animal Kingdom falls all the way to 2. This is the day to do Hollywood Studios. It’s also the day Animal Kingdom is close to empty, so you’ll need to choose between them. That trade-off is covered below.

Planning around this? See crowds for my dates.

Best and worst hours at Hollywood Studios

The numbers below are the recent pattern: SupaPark measured the median posted wait across Hollywood Studios’ five busiest rides from Oct 11 to Nov 8. They are not measurements of Dec 7–9. They show how a typical day at this park plays out, and it usually looks like this:

• 8 AM: 25 min (the lowest of the day)
• 9 AM: 40 min
• 11 AM: 50 min (the highest)
• 2 PM: 50 min
• 5 PM: 45 min
• 8 PM: 33 min

Waits climb fast and then stay high. From late morning through mid-afternoon the median sits around 50 minutes and barely moves. Unlike Animal Kingdom, this park doesn’t empty out in the afternoon. Arriving at 1 PM and hoping it gets better isn’t a plan here.

Two rides show that pattern clearly:

• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets: 15 min at 8 AM vs 53 min at 11 AM. Ride it first. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster also has a single rider line. If your group doesn’t mind splitting up, check it before you join standby later in the day.
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 10 min at 9 PM vs 48 min at 12 PM. This ride runs the other way. It’s at its worst at lunchtime and is close to a walk-on at night, so save it for your last hour.

That gives you a simple plan: coaster at opening, a break in the middle of the day, Runaway Railway at the end of the night. Plan your break for the 11 AM–2 PM stretch, which is when this park is hardest to get through. Hollywood Studios also has more dead ends than the loop-style parks, so it helps to plan your route by area. Zigzagging between Sunset Boulevard and Galaxy’s Edge at noon is a good way to lose your midday.

Which park to pick instead

Animal Kingdom if you want a later start. It’s the lightest park in the window, and its recent pattern fits people who don’t want to rope drop. Its five busiest rides peaked at 40 min at 11 AM, then fell to 25 min at 2 PM, 21 min at 5 PM and 10 min at 7 PM. Kilimanjaro Safaris went from 55 min at 10 AM to 10 min at 3 PM. Na’vi River Journey went from 45 min at 11 AM to 10 min at 7 PM. If you only get one late morning on this trip, spend it on Animal Kingdom.

Magic Kingdom if you want an early start, but not on Dec 8. Its first hour has the shortest waits in this data: Jungle Cruise at 6 min at 8 AM vs 40 min at 12 PM, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at 6 min at 8 AM vs 35 min at 1 PM. The busiest rides peaked at 45 min around 3 PM. Dec 7 (5) or Dec 9 (4) are both good Magic Kingdom days. Dec 8 is party night.

Avoid EPCOT if you can. It’s at 9 on Dec 7 and Dec 8. Its recent pattern also gets worse as the day goes on: 30 min at 8 AM, rising to 60 min at 5 PM. Test Track hit 70 min at 4 PM (30 min at 8 AM), and Frozen Ever After hit 65 min at 2 PM (23 min at 8 AM). If EPCOT is a must, Dec 9 (7) is the least bad choice, and you’ll want to arrive early.

A three-day plan: Dec 7 Magic Kingdom (go early), Dec 8 Animal Kingdom (start late, stay into the evening), Dec 9 Hollywood Studios. That puts Hollywood Studios on its lightest day, keeps you away from Magic Kingdom on party night and out of EPCOT at its peak. You do give up Animal Kingdom’s 2/10 day. But Animal Kingdom at 5 with a late start still works well, while Hollywood Studios at 7 and at 50 minutes all afternoon is the day you’d feel most.

On the day itself, waits can move faster than any forecast. SupaPark can alert you when a ride’s wait drops or a ride goes down, so you don’t have to keep refreshing. A watch on Runaway Railway for the evening is a good use of the one live watch on the free plan. Live waits, the crowd calendar and the best-time forecaster are free at supapark.com, and SupaPark is also free on iPhone and Android.

The one thing to remember

Pick Dec 9 for Hollywood Studios (5/10, compared with 7/10 on Dec 7 and Dec 8). Whichever day you go, ride Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster in the first hour and avoid the 11 AM–2 PM peak. On Dec 8 or Dec 9, leave Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway for the end of the night. On Dec 7, the park closes early to day guests for Jollywood Nights, so ride it earlier.

Does Jollywood Nights Change Your Dec 7 Hollywood Studios Plan?

Yes. Dec 7 is a Disney Jollywood Nights night on the published calendar. That’s a separately ticketed evening event, so Hollywood Studios closes early to day guests. The 7/10 forecast for Dec 7 covers a shorter day, not a full one. Check that day’s park hours in My Disney Experience before you build your plan around it.

What it breaks

The evening half of the usual plan stops working. Saving Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway for the last hour only pays off when the park stays open late for day guests. Its low recent waits come from the 9 PM hour, and on Dec 7 your day ticket may not get you there. With fewer hours, a 7/10 crowd also has less time to spread out, so the afternoon stretch around 50 minutes is likely to feel tighter.

If Dec 7 is your only Hollywood Studios day

• Be there for the first hour. Ride Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets first, while waits are lowest. You can’t make up a late start that evening.
• Ride Runaway Railway earlier. Book it with Lightning Lane Multi Pass for a midday slot so you skip the lunchtime peak.
• Skip the long midday break. On a short day, a long break means fewer rides. A short sit-down fits better.

The better move

If you can choose, Dec 7 is a weak Hollywood Studios day: a 7/10 forecast with fewer hours. Dec 9 (5/10) is still the pick. If you’re doing three parks, the plan above already puts Magic Kingdom on Dec 7, so this early close doesn’t affect you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How crowded will Hollywood Studios be December 7–9, 2026?

As of Nov 9, SupaPark forecasts Hollywood Studios at 7/10 on Dec 7, 7/10 on Dec 8 and 5/10 on Dec 9, an average of 6.3. That’s busier than Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom but lighter than EPCOT.

Which day is best for Hollywood Studios between Dec 7 and Dec 9?

Dec 9 is the lightest at 5/10, two levels below Dec 7 and Dec 8. If you can only go on Dec 7 or Dec 8, arrive for the first hour, when waits are usually lowest. Dec 7 is a Jollywood Nights night with an early close to day guests, so Dec 8 is the better of the two.

What’s the best time to ride Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets?

First thing in the morning. Over the last 30 days, SupaPark measured a 15-minute median at 8 AM versus 53 minutes at 11 AM.

When is Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway shortest?

At night. Over the last 30 days, SupaPark measured a 10-minute median at 9 PM versus 48 minutes at 12 PM, so it works well as your last ride of the day.

Should I go to Magic Kingdom on December 8, 2026?

Not as a day guest if you can avoid it. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party closes the park early that night, so Animal Kingdom (5/10) is the better full-day choice.

Is Hollywood Studios open late for day guests on December 7, 2026?

No. Dec 7 is a Disney Jollywood Nights night on the published calendar, so the park closes early to day guests. Check the exact hours in My Disney Experience.

Can a regular ticket get me into Jollywood Nights?

No. Jollywood Nights is a separately ticketed evening event, so a standard day ticket doesn’t let you stay once the park closes to day guests.

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

Go deeper — the full guides: Disney World Crowds Nov 9–14, 2026: Forecast · Magic Kingdom Dec 21–23, 2026: Crowd Levels and Best Hours · Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2026: The Complete Planner (Is It Worth the Ticket?)

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.

Heading to Hollywood Studios? Check Hollywood Studios wait times right now and how busy Hollywood Studios is today.