2. Disneyland

Image: Disney

Estimated attendance: 18.3 million

Though Disneyland may only be the second-most-attended park in the country, it's certainly the most crowded. That's because Disneyland's quaint pathways and 1950s-infrastructure weren't exactly built with being a global destination in mind. It's not unusual for Disneyland to close for reaching capacity during the holidays, and even on days when that doesn't happen, Disneyland has some spots that are perpetually gridlocked.

But here's the twist: Disneyland has more rides than any other Disney Park on Earth (36)! So the problem isn't a lack of things to do... it's FastPass. That's why in our Editorial: Disney Should Get Rid of FastPass, we argued that FastPass has turned Disneyland's paths into bumper-to-bumper gridlock while the park's E-Ticket queue are empty... an absurd and unsustainable strategy! So while Disneyland has the ride count to support its upcoming Galaxy's Edge, Disney has spent all of 2018 trimming back planters, relocating light posts, and removing benches in an effort to squeeze even just a few extra square feet into pathways.

Image: Disney

So when you visit Disneyland during the holidays, you'll find plenty to do... It's just tough to get to it. Stroll along Main Street and take in the often-missed experiences like The Disneyland Story and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Go for the full circle tour on the Disneyland Railroad, taking in the sights of the Primeval World and Grand Canyon dioramas. Spend some time in the Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough. Depending on the time of day, some Fantasyland dark rides – like Snow White's Scary Adventures and Pinocchio's Daring Journey tend to have shorter waits. Even the holiday-overlay "it's a small world" Holiday retains its high capacity, making a nice holiday E-Ticket.

Image: Disney

Once you make it to the Rivers of America, avoid the gridlock along the water and instead enjoy a ride on the Mark Twain Riverboat or the Sailing Ship Columbia. If the time of year is right, you can likely walk right onto the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes and paddle your way around Tom Sawyer Island – another sure-fire place to escape the mayhem of a busy day on the mainland. If you can make it around the bend, The Many Adventures of Winnie Pooh tends to not top a 10 minute wait, even on busy days... but maybe for good reason. If you can make it to the entrance, Pirates of the Caribbean is almost assuredly a short wait... after all, it's one of the highest capacity rides Disney has ever designed.

In Adventureland, enjoy the tropical serenade of the Modern Marvel: The Enchanted Tiki Room – a true classic that deserves to play to full houses. Disney's hoping that afterwards, you'll retire to their new Tropical Hideaway – a sort of "Dole Whip and chill," Millennial friendly, riverside hangout spot. If you're going to wait, it might as well be for the Modern Marvel: Indiana Jones Adventure, queuing in the ruined tropical splendor of the Temple of the Forbidden Eye.

Best advice? Avoid Tomorrowland. 

1. Magic Kingdom

Image: Disney

Estimated attendance: 24.5 million

Recognizing that they had the chance to learn from the "mistakes" of Disneyland, designers decided to build Magic Kingdom with international audiences, crushing crowds, and capacity in mind. With the benefit of hindsight and master-planning, Magic Kingdom looks and feels a lot different from Disneyland during peak seasons. Imagineers intentionally stocked Magic Kingdom with wide, concrete plazas rather than Disneyland's narrow paths; with high-capacity theater rides; with double-capacity attractions rather than intimate dark rides. The ripples of those decisions still reverberate. So while Magic Kingdom hosts more guests every year than Disneyland, photos of gridlocked paths are rare.

Image: Disney

Take Tomorrowland. While we explicitly say to avoid Tomorrowland in California, it's a pretty laid-back place in Florida thanks to outrageously high-capacity attractions like Carousel of Progress and the Peoplemover; two of Disney's most efficient rides ever. (Disneyland has the infrastructure for both, but Carousel is occupied by the space-wasting Star Wars Launch Bay, and the Lost Legend: The Peoplemover is rotting in plain sight). Likewise, Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor can swallow massive crowds, as could its one-time neighbor, the now-closed Declassified Disaster: Stitch's Great Escape. Consider Magic Kingdom's Space Mountain, which is comprised of two side-by-side roller coasters to increase capacity.

Trusty walk-throughs like the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse also make for great experiences where you're able to linger and enjoy without the pressure of crowds.

Image: Disney

See also, the doubled Dumbo The Flying Elephant (smartly cutting queues for the perennial favorite, and employing a new virtual queue system to boot). Though all of Fantasyland's dark rides tend to fill up during busy times, Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid tends to have a shorter wait thanks to the Omnimover ride system (though it's still curiously longer than the same ride at California Adventure). 

The Enchanted Tiki Room is a smart go-to for holidays here, too, as is the Country Bear Jamboree. Likewise for the Liberty Belle Riverboat, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Walt Disney World Railroad. 

To go, or not to go?

Braving any Disney Park during the month of December is a brave endeavor. With schools out across much of the hemisphere and the parks dolled up in their holiday best, Disney magic is in high demand.

Image: Disney

So should you visit Disney Parks during "the most busiest time of the year?" At the end of the day, the choice is yours. But if you want to enjoy yourself at Disney Parks around the holidays, simply remember that it's all about your expectations. Precious few E-Tickets make it on our itineraries for low-wait rides. If you're determined to make it to a Disney Park over the holidays, it's because you want that special holiday ambiance, right? You'll get plenty of it. Just know that you probably won't make it onto many of the park's headlining, anchor E-Ticket attractions... and that's okay!

What other low-wait or no-wait experiences are your go-to's for Disney's busiest days? Let us know in the comments below!