Well hey there Ryan, and welcome to planDisney!
I'm guessing when you say you've been going to Disney for your entire life, you probably mean you're one of our fellow Walt Disney World Resort pros who've been able to observe the way that crowd levels fluctuate over the years. From the sounds of it, you've definitely got a great idea of the way that Theme Park guests plan their visits whenever any
special events are scheduled on select nights; as a certified Duncle (Disney Uncle) to a handful of little ones myself I totally get why it's key to make the most of the time that you have to work with before they tap out for the day!
I also previously reasoned that guests were more likely to choose to spend their time at the other Theme Parks on
days when the Magic Kingdom Park hours were shorter due to special separately-ticketed events and last year my husband and I put this hypothesis to the test. (After all, families who don't get the opportunity to visit as often would probably see greater value in making sure they had as many hours as possible at each Theme Park during the week!) Based on our personal experiences and my observations last September, here's what we found:
- We decided to spend the day at Magic Kingdom Park before sticking around for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and definitely experienced lighter crowds, shorter waits in standby queues and an overall more easygoing time compared to the day before and after. The lowest waits that we experienced were earlier in the morning and again in the afternoon around 2:00 p.m. as Park Hoppers made their way over to the other Theme Parks.
- We did notice a lot of local Annual Passholders roaming about who had a similar idea, but it did seem like there were less families with younger children - especially with the designated stroller parking locations being less full than we've seen. (The Cast Members were doing their best to remind folks about the earlier closing time due to the event that evening, but there were still a few guests who seemed surprised when they heard the park-wide announcements informing them who likely didn't check the Park Hours prior to their visit.)
Be sure to keep an eye out for the
Disney Parks Blog's Food Guide for the special Halloween-themed treats as some of them may be available during regular park hours, which could result in busier locations for your family to be aware of when trying to find seating! I also recommend checking out the
planDisney Guide To Attractions with Little Ones at Walt Disney World Resort so that you're well equipped for your first time with the twins!
Hope your Mark Kingdom Park experience will be double double without the toil and trouble!
Prince