Disney’s Hollywood Studios buckled under the weight of holiday crowds this week as Walt Disney World Resort welcomed throngs of guests eager to celebrate the end of the season. With packed walkways and staggering attraction wait times, many visitors found navigating the Disney park daunting.
Holiday Crowds Take Over Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The week between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve is historically one of the busiest times at Walt Disney World Resort, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios was no exception this year. Disney Park Pass reservations, Lightning Lane Passes, and restaurant reservations sold out far in advance, leaving little room for flexibility—guests who faced gridlocked areas and overwhelming crowd levels.
In Toy Story Land, Toy Story Mania! drew particular attention when Redditor u/PokemonPedigree shared a screenshot of a jaw-dropping 205-minute wait for the family-friendly attraction.
“Longest I’ve ever seen Toy Story Mania,” the Disney Parks fan noted.
Longest I’ve ever seen Toy Story mania.
byu/PokemonPedigree inWaltDisneyWorld
While long waits are common for newer attractions like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, many were shocked to see such a high wait time for this established ride.
“I’ve seen longer on Avatar but never expected to see something like this on Toy Story Mania,” they added.
Guest Frustrations Run High
The chaotic conditions sparked debate among Disney Parks fans online. Many shared their experiences and frustrations about visiting during the busiest week of the year. From Redditor u/BingBonger42069:
“The park is crazy crowded today. The exclusivity of the main attractions is wild. 2-3 hours for any of the main rides. 1 hour at least for the lesser attractions too. Mania shut down today during rope drop while we were on it. Then they only give you a Lightning Lane for a ride of the same tier which (I understand but still) really isn’t helpful because rides on that tier are the only Lightning Lanes available to us anyway. Park is crazy overcrowded and if you’re not a pass member or staying at the resorts, you’re kinda screwed.”
Others decided to leave early to avoid the stress, like Redditor u/coldnorthcountry:
“Was there this morning with LLs for everything we wanted to do (including Toy Story Mania), left at 2:00 to head back to the hotel. Crowd was hectic! If I didn’t have LLs I’d literally just not go!”
Some fans shared their determination to avoid Walt Disney World Resort during the holiday season.
“Man, you couldn’t pay me to ever go back to WDW between Christmas and New Year’s,” said Redditor u/tider06. “The crowds are cuckoo bananas.”
“[My] Incredipass isn’t blocked but I’m an out of stater and would never even try to go this week,” u/kimberlyrose616 replied.
Have you visited Walt Disney World Resort during Christmastime? Share your experience with Disney Dining in the comments.
The whole Disneyworld experience was ruined by the crowds. I have been a life long Disney park fan and can say I will NEVER return. Pure greed. I don’t even care about rides. I like the ambiance of just walking around. The crowds made that impossible. Between strollers and scooters the streets were not passible. If you have past Disney experiences, this made it worse. The cost is ridiculous and the parks are miserable. Never again!
I have been st WDW on Christmas Day. It was the worse ever. Wait line at Starbucks was 3 hrs. Barely could get something to eat. I have had it. I am a Florida pass holder. I am NOT renewing in 2025. Between the crowds, the rides break down a lot too.
Wow! That’s crazy and I don’t know why anyone would go now. We still love Disney, but now that our kids are grown, we will never go during holidays or when school is out. It’s not worth it. I don’t see how anyone could still possibly enjoy that!