Why do Disney World parks close early?

Early closures are typically due to private events taking place at the park, including Cast Service celebrations (which honors long-serving Cast Members), media events, and private park buyouts. View full Walt Disney World operating hours calendar.



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Typical Hours at Magic Kingdom The typical hours for Magic Kingdom's are 8AM or 9AM to 10PM or 11PM, but hours vary even beyond that. On nights where Magic Kingdom hosts an After Hours or holiday party event, the park may close earlier than other days.

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Can you believe it? Magic Kingdom Park closes at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, August 18th, because Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is taking place from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight. Unfortunately, this means Happily Ever After won't be lighting up the sky above Cinderella Castle that night.

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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Extra Magic Hours have been on hold indefinitely. However, Disney announced today that Extra Magic Hours have been permanently cancelled and instead will be replaced with new “Early Theme Park Entry” for all resort guests.

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Disney After Hours is a specially ticketed event (meaning it's a ticket that is purchased separate from regular park tickets) that allows people to enter Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom at 7 p.m. and stay until midnight or 1 a.m. (ending time varies by date).

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All guests are allowed to tap into the Magic Kingdom when it opens. Guests planning to rope drop Early Entry will want to hustle down the right side of Main Street to be closer to EE tap in. Tap in begins 45 minutes before EE on 8:30am days and 30 before EE on 7:30am days. Main Street is open to all guests who enter.

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Magic Kingdom Least Busy Days in Order:
  • Tuesday (best day to go to Magic Kingdom)
  • Thursday.
  • Wednesday.
  • Sunday.
  • Friday.
  • Saturday.
  • Monday (busiest day at Magic Kingdom)


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Sometimes, Fridays are even busier than Saturdays! But if you want that lower-crowd experience, just swap your Magic Kingdom park day to a Tuesday. Since it's toward the middle of the week, it tends to be less busy and you might be able to hop on your favorite rides with shorter wait times.

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In general the best days of the week to visit the Disney World parks are Tuesday and Wednesday. The reason being is many families find that you need an entire week for a Disney vacation and typically arrive on Saturday or Sunday. We find weekends and Monday to be the busiest days at Walt Disney World.

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When Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park closes and the evening party begins, discover plenty to see and do. Listen to live performances and celebrated curated tunes into the night. Ride select attractions throughout the night—usually with shorter wait times.

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The closure of the Orlando-area Disney parks has only happened eight times before now, according to media reports: For Disneyland, the two parks, Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure, will close at midnight tonight and will stay closed until next month.

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Here's a look at 10 of the oldest attractions at Disney World that are still enjoyed by Guests today.
  • Jungle Cruise.
  • Haunted Mansion.
  • The Walt Disney World Railroad.
  • Dumbo the Flying Elephant.
  • Country Bear Jamboree.
  • “it's a small world”
  • Carousel of Progress.
  • Prince Charming Regal Carrousel.


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The Disney After Hours at EPCOT event takes place from 10.00pm to 1.00am. You can get a head start on the fun by entering EPCOT at 7.00pm. You do not need a Disney park reservation or additional ticket to enter EPCOT after 7.00pm.

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Inclusions At-a-Glance Complimentary snacks like ice cream, popcorn, and select bottled beverages at snack carts around the park.

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If you are a ride junkie looking to fit as many attractions as possible into the shortest amount of time, then a Disney After Hours event may be worth the cost. Or, if you're someone who doesn't love the idea of standing amongst thousands of other people all day long, an After Hours event may be an enticing option.

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Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom are on hold from late September 2023 as the popular resort guest benefit shifts from Magic Kingdom to Disney's Hollywood Studios. During September, Magic Kingdom will host Extended Evening Hours on Sep.

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Disney World's Extended Evening Hours are available for those staying at Disney World Deluxe Resorts, Deluxe Villa Resorts, as well as the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels, Walt Disney World Swan Reserve, and Shades of Green.

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Guests of Disney Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resorts and a few select hotels have access to Extended Evening Theme Park Hours on select nights in select theme parks (similar to evening Extra Magic Hours of years past).

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Magic Kingdom. At Magic Kingdom, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train unsurprisingly led the list with an average wait of 67 minutes.

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Go Early If you want to avoid long lines there's no simpler way than to wake up early and get to the park before it opens. Whether you have access to early entry or not, being at the park entrance before it opens will save you lots of time. Usually, you can get in 2-3 rides during the first hour of park operation.

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Arriving at the Magic Kingdom 30–60 minutes before official opening ensures the shortest possible waits for rides. Off-site guests, who aren't eligible for Early Theme Park Entry, should arrive 30 minutes before official opening on all days.

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