Theme Park Scope

UPDATE: It appears Disney World has added more reservation availability later in the day.

If you opened the Disney World app this morning hoping to snag a last-minute park reservation and were met with a big, polite wall, you are not alone.

Annual Pass reservations are currently fully booked for three of the four Walt Disney World theme parks today, and one park is already booked tomorrow.

On Tuesday, October 13, Annual Pass reservations are no longer available for Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT. Disney’s Animal Kingdom still had reservations at the time of the reports. On Wednesday, October 14, Magic Kingdom is fully booked, while Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom still had reservations available at the time of writing.

This specifically is for Annual Passholder park reservations. Guests with date-based tickets do not need park reservations, which is an important distinction if you are a visitor with a regular ticket. However, if you’re a Disney World Annual Passholder and intend to park-hop to other parks, it may still be possible after checking into your first park for your chosen reservation or after 2 PM; however, if the park’s capacity is raised, that might not be guaranteed either.

Lightning Lane Premier Pass has reportedly sold out on several days this week as well, so if you are hoping to add that to a busy day, flexibility will help. And more Annual Pass reservations may be released as Disney adds capacity or as other guests change their plans, so a quick refresh later in the day is not a bad idea.

Why is it so busy? Well, it could be lingering effects of the Columbus Day holiday crowds even after the weekend has passed. In general though, October is a popular time for family trips, fall breaks, and Halloween season, and that combination tends to bring a lot of people to Central Florida. That is a theory, not a fact.

The good news is that a crowded week at the parks is not a reason to cancel your plans. If you are a passholder with young kids, a booked-out park may be the nudge to try a different one, and Animal Kingdom is often a nice option when your first choice is full. If you are traveling with little ones, it is worth planning a rest break, a snack plan, and a backup idea for the moment when the line for your favorite ride is longer than the nap window.

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Here is where I land. I always find it a little bittersweet when the parks hit capacity. On one hand, it is a sign that families are having a great time at Disney. On the other hand, nothing deflates a magical morning faster than a screen that says “unavailable.” If you are a passholder, my advice is to stay flexible and keep checking, because plans can shift and spots can open up. If you are a visitor with a date-based ticket, you may have a little more freedom, though I would still go in with realistic expectations on a busy day. And if you do end up at a different park than you planned, remember that some of the best Disney memories happen when the day does not go exactly according to the plan. I will take a spontaneous Animal Kingdom afternoon over a stressful scramble any day.

Are you a passholder who got caught by the full reservation screen, or are you heading to Disney World this week? Tell me in the comments, and keep coming back to Theme Park Scope for the latest park news, crowd updates, and family-friendly tips from one Disney fan to another.