Hi Emily,
We have traveled to Disney World several times during the long weekend including Martin Luther King Jr Day. It is a great weekend to visit Disney World because the holiday crowds have cleared out, and the
International Festival of the Arts is typically just getting started at EPCOT! This is one of my favorite events of the year because you get to immerse yourself in the magic of EPCOT and artistic works that even include decadent, beautiful food.
Unfortunately, this weekend is typically pretty busy, regardless of which day you visit. Most locals are off on Monday, so you will still have out-of-town visitors and local traffic on both Sunday and Monday. I have not found much of a difference between the two days in terms of crowds on our visits, so I would focus on planning around theme park hours and activities that are must-dos for your crew.
If you are worried about not getting in all of your must-dos since you have a short visit during a busier weekend, the best thing to do is purchase Lighting
Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass. I find that this is essential on busy weekends especially if you are planning to visit Magic Kingdom. There are so many rides and attractions at Magic Kingdom that it is hard to fit them all in on a slow day so utilizing this service helps you maximize your day!
Another great way to experience even more of Magic Kingdom is attending the
Disney After Hours event happening on Monday night. This is a separately ticketed event where they limit attendance and keep the park open until 1:00 AM! Wait times for rides are short during this event and there are special treats to enjoy too. With this ticket, you can enter the theme park at 7:00 PM and start enjoying all the fun.
Happy Planning,
Jenna