Shockingly low wait times at Walt Disney World theme parks on July 4

Jul 04, 2023 in "Fourth of July at Walt Disney World"

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Posted: Tuesday July 4, 2023 4:29pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Guests celebrating the Fourth of July at Walt Disney World are seeing surprisingly short wait times across all four theme parks today.

Fourth of July is usual a very busy day at Walt Disney World

As of mid-afternoon, and after park hopping became available to guests, the longest wait was at Frozen Ever After in EPCOT, at 90 minutes. Most rides have a 30-minute wait, including Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Slinky Dog Dash, Big Thunder Mountain, and Mission: SPACE. Only four attractions have waits in excess of 60 minutes.

Many attractions have wait times of less than 20 minutes, including Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run, Soarin', Expedition Everest, and Tower of Terror.

Two shockingly low wait times are at Disney's Hollywood Studios, with Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway at 5 minutes, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at just 20 minutes.

Possibly explaining the low crowds at Disney's Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios is the lack of fireworks tonight. Guests will likely spend the day at either EPCOT or Magic Kingdom, with both parks offering special fireworks shows for July 4. However, wait times at both of those parks a significantly below the usual Fourth of July levels which have typically seen waits in excess of 3 hours at popular rides.

Disney executives have previously expressed concern about summer attendance, and if today's wait times are an indication of a new normal, this July may be a great time to visit.

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erasure fan112 hours ago

I'll give you that you could just casually show up and enjoy a day at a park. But I took my now wife to Disney and her parents in 96' and we did 5 days and were no way close to doing everything. I'll give you when it was just MK and Epcot because we did it all the time when I was a kid. But it's been at least a 6 or 7 day thing, 5 min, for a long while.

Tha Realest13 hours ago

In 1998, they had three operating water parks, DisneyQuest, expansive water recreation at CBR and Seven Seas Lagoon, and Pleasure Island.

GhostHost100014 hours ago

Just saw a report that the MK had very light crowds today. I’m sure it was the heat though.

AEfx14 hours ago

I hope so! I have my doubts, but it would be nice. It would be so nice to have some more reasonably priced options for lodging and food in the area.

Andrew2515 hours ago

Eh not really, this resort is rather old and in prime real estate between both Universal campuses... I'd imagine this is a real estate deal. Just google map it, within walking distance of dozens of restaurants (and I-Drive 360), and a 5 min drive from UOR (just two major spotlights away), and a 8 min drive to the Convention Center. One of the positive effects of Epic Universe will, hopefully, be a revitalization of older/abandoned structures along I-Drive to be replaced with newer businesses and to spruce up the area nicely. There isn't much empty land available anymore along the tourism corridor, so replacing stuff is now the ideal business move.

Disstevefan115 hours ago

Built around 1972. It was a good run for an off site.

GhostHost100015 hours ago

Unprecedented demand

wannabeBelle15 hours ago

And in related news: https://www.wftv.com/news/local/i-drive-hotel-close/7WPOK2UNHBBERJQUHUSX5GZWKI/?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1V5bdyNqQME_REg8nJHAoPvt-NYG3CswRrYjFhvHoXFXWQTG9JOE0EMXM_aem_Ac1Px3B3CvL5OndudTHjix0mQCKck2-oj4Zb9dzZcfUmg03ayBhYkxiOCPiVZcdxcBqjyBxLsrclpstfr6wEN6iL

erasure fan115 hours ago

This is it exactly. Modern Disney has no fear of losing their loyal customers. They believe they'll show up anyway. And if not, their place will be taken by someone new who isn't as hard to please and is going to spend more. I was an every year 8 or 9 day vacation since around 95/96. Since 2016 we've been once and that was last year. So for 7yrs not a promo or insensitive or even a hey, where have you been email. Why? We don't fall into their magical demographic of consumer spending.

GhostHost100016 hours ago

We keep hearing all these excuses about the heat... but we all really know what would "turbocharge" attendance back this summer:

Sirwalterraleigh16 hours ago

There’s not substantially more there now than there was in 1998…if you want to break it down

GhostHost100016 hours ago

"package includes 1 visit to Disney Springs... no mobile ordering allowed" "water parks and more option available"

disneyflush16 hours ago

I'd love to see them offer a package called 'Phone-free vacation package' where you could go the whole time without needing your phone somehow. Sounds so appealing.

disneyflush17 hours ago

Disney today is this monstrous vacation thing that almost demands a week there to not leave feeling like you shorted yourself and/or your family of the ability to fully consume it. So booking a full week there in the summer feels like such a waste anymore with the weather. I could argue as a kid when we went pre-2000 that families were able to visit Florida/Orlando and WDW would be a day or 2 on the agenda next to Gatorland, Cape Canaveral, the beach, etc. so casually showing up and enjoying it for a brief stint was fun and affordable despite the heat because you weren't all-in on it. But now it needs to be a week and they have elevated the price point past actual world travel destinations so its easier to head to Ireland or Italy for a week in the summer instead of Florida 100 degree days in July for more money.