Disney: America’s iconic theme park has a reputation for long lines, and as the economy improves, they’re only getting longer.
Since the park in Anaheim, California re-opened for the season, some rides boast wait times as long as five hours, though thankfully that seems to be the exception and not the rule.
Still, wait times are on the rise, especially for the resorts most popular rides. For the first half of 2017, wait times for Disneyland’s most popular rides averaged just over 24 minutes — a 28 percent increase over the same period in 2015 when the park had record-high attendance, according to an L.A. Times review. But the average wait time is now up to 28 minutes — which is probably a heck of a lot longer than your little ones are willing to wait.
Don’t let a few lines spoil your trip — there are a few Disneyland line hacks that can cut down your wait times and make your experience all the more enjoyable.
Tips to avoid lines at Disney
1. Pick the right time: The best days to visit the parks are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and the best months to visit are September and January when the average wait time per ride is less than 15 minutes. Definitely avoid the holidays, that’s when wait times are highest.
2. Get there early: Wait times are the shortest right when the park opens at 8 p.m. and visitors at nearby resort hotels have the option of entering an hour earlier at 7 a.m. Kids wake up early anyway, take advantage of it.
3. Don’t travel with a friend: Much like ski resorts, you’ll power through lines much faster in the single-rider line. This allows the park to fill rides to capacity, thus getting everyone on board sooner. As a single rider, you can save yourself more than an hour of time but cutting the line.
4. Hit the popular rides first: Since you’ll be hitting the park early, make sure to book it over to the more popular rides before the lines settle in.
