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Park Queue TimesPQT

Hersheypark
vs
Magic Kingdom

Side-by-side queue times, ride counts and opening hours for Hersheypark and Magic Kingdom, with a straight recommendation.

See both right nowCompare other parks

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.

Hersheypark and Magic Kingdom compared on live queue times
Right nowHersheyparkUnited 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.

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 Magic Kingdom if…

  • TRON Lightcycle / Run is on your list - it is Magic Kingdom's longest typical queue at about 54 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.

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

Hersheypark or Magic Kingdom?

Which is better, Hersheypark or Magic Kingdom?

Neither is better across the board - it depends whether you are optimising for shorter queues or for the rides you actually want. This page puts live queue times, ride counts and opening hours side by side so you can judge on your own priorities.

Which has shorter queues, Hersheypark or Magic Kingdom?

Queues change hour by hour. The typical figures above are the fair answer for planning; the live table answers today. Mid-week visits outside school holidays give the shortest queues at either park. See Hersheypark best time to visit and Magic Kingdom best time to visit to pick a quiet day.

Can I visit Hersheypark 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 Hersheypark and Magic Kingdom for the full ride lists.

Is Hersheypark bigger than Magic Kingdom?

Park size is less useful than how many rides you can actually get on in a day - that comes down to queue times and opening hours. The comparison above shows ride counts and wait times for both.

Then pick
the quiet day.

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

Hersheypark calendarMagic Kingdom calendarCompare other parks