Hi, Kathryn!
Your vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort will be here before you know it! I’m glad you’re thinking about your game plan for visiting the theme parks.
Many Guests arrive at the resort on a Sunday and visit Magic Kingdom Park first on Monday morning, so that has historically been its busiest day of the week. There are also heavier crowds on Fridays and Saturdays due to increased nighttime entertainment available and an influx of local visitors. In general, Sundays can be the best day to visit because many people are traveling or settling in.
Crowds are less likely to be “light” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios simply because it is the smallest of the four theme parks so crowds are more concentrated. It’s busier during evenings and special events, like Star Wars Weekends, which will take place on select weekends in May and June this year. I suggest visiting on Monday or Thursday.
Epcot is a large theme park, so even big crowds are easily absorbed. Crowd levels are usually heavier in the evening than in the early morning due to the nighttime entertainment offered daily. Friday and Saturday would be good days to visit this park.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park is large in size, so crowds are easily distributed as you explore the paths. However, there aren’t as many attractions and restaurants compared to the vast area it covers. The hours at this park are shorter (it often closes in the early evening), making the attraction wait times longer. Guests tend to visit early in the week, so I recommend going on Friday, with the option of hopping over to another park in the evening, such as Disney’s Hollywood Studios or Epcot.
I hope this helps, Kathryn, and that you enjoy a pixie-dusted first visit to Walt Disney World! Please write back with any other questions you may have.
Wishing you magic,
Courtney