Walt Disney World Resort closed out 2025 with one of its most demanding days of the year, as New Year’s Eve crowds filled the parks and pushed attraction wait times to striking levels across the property.
By late morning on December 31, wait times had already surged. At EPCOT, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind reached approximately 170 minutes by 11 a.m., while Test Track climbed close to 195 minutes. These extended queues arrived well before the day’s nighttime celebrations, signaling that the parks were already operating under intense guest volume.
Across the resort, entertainment offerings were in full swing. DJs, dance parties, and New Year’s Eve programming helped set the stage for the evening, but the growing crowds continued to test guest patience as the day progressed. With hours remaining until midnight, the parks saw steady increases in wait times as visitors arrived to ring in the new year inside the Disney bubble.
EPCOT stood out as the location with the longest lines throughout the day, while Magic Kingdom also experienced heavy demand. Attractions such as TRON Lightcycle / Run and Space Mountain posted extended waits as guests packed into the park. Even Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which closed earlier and did not offer New Year’s Eve–specific entertainment, saw longer-than-average waits as guests distributed themselves across Walt Disney World.
Planning played a key role for those navigating the parks. Paid line-skipping options and early arrival strategies were important tools, reinforcing New Year’s Eve’s reputation as one of the most challenging dates on the calendar for a Disney visit.
However, once the celebrations ended and guests officially stepped into 2026, additional details emerged that added new context to the day’s crowds.
According to WDWMagic, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind exceeded its already high posted waits. The attraction peaked at 225 minutes—three hours and 45 minutes—during the holiday period. That amount of time is longer than the full runtime of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023), which clocks in at 150 minutes. Guests waiting could have watched the entire film and still remained in line.
The earlier films in the franchise also fit within that window. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) runs 122 minutes, while Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) comes in at 137 minutes.
Guests hoping to avoid the standby queue through Lightning Lane Single Pass were also out of luck early. Thrill Data reported that availability for Cosmic Rewind was gone by 8:27 a.m.
The combination of long waits and sold-out paid access continues to highlight a broader trend. Despite ongoing discussions about cost increases and operational changes, guests continue to visit in large numbers. Recent earnings reports show that while attendance has softened, overall revenue rose as fewer visitors spent more during their trips.
The question now facing Disney fans is how long guests will be willing to accept extended waits and higher costs—or whether future vacations will shift elsewhere.
How do you feel about the high crowds over the New Year? Let us know in the comments down below!
