Skip to main content
Park Queue TimesPQT
Create accountSign up

Epcot
vs
Magic Kingdom

On a typical day Magic Kingdom queues less: about 25 minutes a ride against 31 at Epcot, a difference of roughly 6 minutes on every queue you join.

See both right nowCompare other parks

01 · On a typical day

What you would normally queue.

Averages across recent weeks, so one broken ride or one wet Tuesday cannot decide it. This is the comparison to plan a trip on; the live figures below are the one to act on today.

Epcot and Magic Kingdom compared on their typical recorded queue times
TypicallyEpcotUnited StatesMagic KingdomUnited States
Average wait per ride 31 min25 min (best of the two)
Rides with recorded waits 1123 (best of the two)
Longest typical queue Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind77 minTRON Lightcycle / Run68 min
Shortest typical queue Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros7 minPrince Charming Regal Carrousel7 min
Average ride uptime Share of opening hours a ride is running93% (best of the two)92%

Averaged across every ride at each park with recorded waits. A ride that never opened is left out, so a park is not flattered by counting a shut ride as a queue of zero.

02 · Right now

Both parks, this minute.

Live queue times at both parks. These fill in as soon as the page loads, and keep updating while you are here.

Epcot and Magic Kingdom compared on live queue times
Right nowEpcotUnited StatesMagic KingdomUnited States
Average wait right now --
Rides open --
Opening hours today --
Longest queue --
Shortest queue --

These keep refreshing while this page is open. A closed park posts no waits, so its rows read as dashes rather than zeroes.

Verdict, on a typical day On a typical day Magic Kingdom queues less: about 25 minutes a ride against 31 at Epcot, a difference of roughly 6 minutes on every queue you join.

03 · Choosing

Which one is your day out.

Every line here is earned by one of the figures above - nothing is a generic sentence with a park name dropped into it.

Pick Epcot if…

  • You will accept a longer queue - 31 minutes a ride here against 25 at Magic Kingdom - for what Epcot has that Magic Kingdom does not
  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is on your list - it is Epcot's longest typical queue at about 77 minutes, so it is the one to do first
  • You want Epcot's own character - the rides, theming and atmosphere described below

Pick Magic Kingdom if…

  • You want shorter queues: Magic Kingdom averages 25 minutes a ride against 31 at Epcot
  • You want more to do: 23 rides here have recorded wait data against 11 at Epcot
  • TRON Lightcycle / Run is on your list - it is Magic Kingdom's longest typical queue at about 68 minutes, so it is the one to do first
  • You want Magic Kingdom's own character - the rides, theming and atmosphere described below

04 · The parks

What each one is.

Epcot

EPCOT sits at the centre of Walt Disney World, split between Future World (with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Test Track, Spaceship Earth, Soarin', and Frozen Ever After) and the World Showcase - eleven pavilions themed around countries including Japan, Germany, France, and the UK. Flower & Garden, Food & Wine and Festival of the Holidays events run through much of the year.

EPCOT's biggest crowd drivers are its festivals rather than just ride popularity. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind consistently posts the longest wait times in the park. Check live queue times on arrival, and use our crowd calendar to pick a lower-crowd date outside the peak festival weekends - the World Showcase pavilions can take a full afternoon to properly explore.

Epcot live queue times

Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom is the original Florida Disney park, opened in 1971, and still the most-visited theme park in the world. The classic line-up is iconic: Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, TRON Lightcycle / Run, and Tiana's Bayou Adventure. Cinderella Castle anchors the central hub with nightly fireworks.

Magic Kingdom is busy almost every day of the year, with peak crowds during US school holidays, the December holidays, and special events like Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Mid-January through early February is the quietest period. Check live wait times across Disney's free Lightning Lane system, and use our crowd calendar to plan your visit around Disney's Extended Evening Hours and holiday patterns.

Magic Kingdom live queue times

05 · Questions

Epcot or Magic Kingdom?

Which is better, Epcot or Magic Kingdom?

If you are judging on queues, Magic Kingdom: it averages about 25 minutes a ride on a typical day against 31 at Epcot, roughly 6 minutes back on every queue you join. Epcot has 11 rides with recorded waits against 23 at Magic Kingdom.

Which has shorter queues, Epcot or Magic Kingdom?

Magic Kingdom, by about 6 minutes a ride. On a typical day Magic Kingdom averages 25 minutes against 31 at Epcot. Queues still move hour by hour, and a midweek day outside school holidays beats the gap at either park. See Epcot best time to visit and Magic Kingdom best time to visit to pick a quiet day.

Can I visit Epcot and Magic Kingdom in the same trip?

Yes - both parks are in United States, so a two-park trip is realistic over a long weekend. Split the days so you start at whichever opens earliest and drive to the other in the evening.

How many rides does each park have?

See the tables above for ride counts - or jump to Epcot and Magic Kingdom for the full ride lists.

Is Epcot bigger than Magic Kingdom?

By rides we track waits for, Magic Kingdom is the bigger day out: 23 rides against 11. Acreage matters less than how many you can actually get on, which comes down to queues and opening hours - and on those Magic Kingdom is the quicker park.

Then pick
the quiet day.

Both parks have a crowd calendar with six weeks of forecast and the best day left to go.

Epcot calendarMagic Kingdom calendarCompare other parks
v7.17.4