Walt Disney World has added extra hours to the calendar by way of mid-December at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios & Animal Kingdom, and prolonged hours in Fall 2024. This put up covers the modifications plus zig after they zag technique for Magic Kingdom throughout the Halloween and Christmas seasons.
We’ll begin with the most recent launch of recent working schedules. All 4 theme parks have had hours for one more week added to DisneyWorld.com’s park hours, and the present calendar now runs by way of December 12, 2024. Listed here are the hours for the newly-added dates throughout the vacation season in December 2024:
- Magic Kingdom: 9 am to 9 pm*
- EPCOT: 9 am to 9:30 pm*
- Hollywood Studios: 9 am to 9 pm*
- Animal Kingdom: 8 am to six pm
- Blizzard Seashore: 10 am to five pm
- Disney Springs: 10 am to 11 pm (11:30 pm on Fridays & Saturdays)
As a reminder, Walt Disney World’s regular apply is to launch boilerplate or placeholder hours earlier than extending these based mostly on attendance and lodge occupancy projections. This has been widespread apply for years, and can proceed for the rest of this 12 months and doubtless in 2025, 2026, and so forth–till the rise of the machines.
One exception to the park hours above is that Magic Kingdom closes on a number of nights per week at 6 pm to day friends for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Celebration over the course of the subsequent three months. These separately-ticketed occasions start at 7 pm and runs till midnight, and happen a number of nights per week.
Just like Magic Kingdom on MNSSHP or MVMCP nights, Hollywood Studios closes at 7 pm on evenings when the Disney Jollywood Nights Christmas Celebration is held. That arduous ticket occasion happens with far much less frequency than Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Celebration.
Talking of early closings, EPCOT is scheduled to shut at 5 pm on October 22, 2024 for a park buyout throughout a colossal convention, the Gartner IT Symposium.
A number of readers have requested us how it will influence crowds given how we talk about to demise how Celebration Season throws a monkey wrench into Magic Kingdom attendance patterns. The underside line is that it will scale back attendance at EPCOT on October 22, and enhance numbers all over the place else. Particularly Magic Kingdom and, to a lesser extent, Disney’s Hollywood Studios (the 2 different parks with nighttime spectaculars).
Don’t count on something excessive, although. The distinctions between this and Celebration Season are that this can be a one-off and it’s not at Magic Kingdom. I’d count on it to end in 1/10 crowd ranges at EPCOT, but it surely’s most likely not spiking ranges a lot past their baselines that week on the different parks.
Truthfully, the larger factor is likely to be the Gartner IT Symposium and return of conference ‘season’ as a complete. Whereas attendees themselves aren’t spending all day within the parks, they’ll find time for evenings at EPCOT and elsewhere. Not solely that, however many spouses and kids tag alongside and go to the parks whereas the conventioneers sit in Crescent Lake convention rooms. Conference ‘season’ is likely one of the huge the reason why October stopped being the low season over a decade in the past!
In different EPCOT information, Walt Disney World has revealed that EPCOT hours can be prolonged once more for the 2024 EPCOT Worldwide Pageant of the Holidays.
Beginning on November 29, EPCOT can be open till 9:30 p.m. fairly than its beforehand scheduled closing time of 9 p.m. The park will proceed to open at 9 a.m., with Early Entry starting earlier than that at 8:30 a.m. EPCOT will even proceed internet hosting Prolonged Night Hours on Monday nights, from 9:30 to 11:30 pm.
Our hope is that EPCOT will get even later closing occasions throughout the coronary heart of the Christmas season. That is often the busiest time of the 12 months due to Candlelight Processional and Pageant of the Holidays, together with nicer climate that pulls out locals. I nonetheless don’t fairly perceive why EPCOT doesn’t shut later. Absolutely the meals & beverage gross sales alone would justify one other half-hour?
Along with these newly added hours, Walt Disney World has additionally prolonged park hours all through October 2024.
That is important as a result of we haven’t actually been seeing a lot in the way in which of park hours extensions over the past a number of months. There have been some extensions at Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom (together with a pair at DHS), but it surely’s been very sporadic. A part of it is because the boilerplate Magic Kingdom closing time over the summer time was 10 pm (and it’s now 9 pm); a part of it was due to decrease crowd ranges since Easter.
Whatever the cause, we’re getting into the house stretch of the 12 months when crowds can spike resulting from lengthy weekends, faculty breaks, holidays and different particular occasions. Because of this, you possibly can count on much more extensions–on a weekly foundation–from Walt Disney World going ahead.
Anyway, on with the primary waves of extensions for October 2024…
Magic Kingdom
- October 4, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 5, 2024: 9 am to 11pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- October 6, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 7, 2024: 9 am to 11 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- October 9, 2024: 9 am to 11 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- October 10, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 11, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 12, 2024: 8 am to 11 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- October 13, 2024: 9 am to 11 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- October 14, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 15, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 16, 2024: 8 am to 11 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- October 17, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 18, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 19, 2024: 8 am to 11 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- October 20, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 21, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 22, 2024: 9 am to 10 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- October 23, 2024: 9 am to 10 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- October 25, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 26, 2024: 8 am to 11 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
The explanation for these extensions is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration.
As we’ve mentioned numerous occasions, Celebration Season working hours trigger chaos with crowds, pushing attendance a lot larger on the dates it’s not occurring and decrease on the dates it’s occurring. On occasion nights, Magic Kingdom closes to day friends at 6 pm. It is usually more and more opening at 8 am (one thing that wasn’t true with regularity on August and September occasion dates). Due to this, Early Entry begins at 7:30 am, which makes it extremely really useful.
Once more, we’d strongly advocate visiting Magic Kingdom throughout the day on MNSSHP or MVMCP nights. That is one thing we’ve coated at size, repeatedly. See Finest & Worst Days to Do Magic Kingdom in 2024 for a rundown of when crowds can be particularly good or dangerous, together with a handful of ‘pink flag’ dates to keep away from in any respect prices this month by way of December.
Within the subsequent few months, you possibly can count on to see party-shortened days at Magic Kingdom have crowd ranges of two/10 as a substitute of 1/10. This may occur as a result of crowd ranges as a complete are growing–they’ll be larger throughout the board for fall break, that means on each get together and non-party days. Second, get together dates have gotten extra frequent, making them tougher to keep away from. Meaning extra friends could have no alternative however to do Magic Kingdom on get together days.
The upside, if you wish to name it that, is that much more individuals will try to do Magic Kingdom on these uncommon non-party days, particularly Saturdays. Which means that the hole in wait occasions between get together and non-party days will really develop. (If this doesn’t make full sense, the ethical of the story is: DO MAGIC KINGDOM ON A PARTY DAY! Significantly, we’re imploring you.)
Ideally, you’ll have Park Hopper tickets and can have the ability to bounce to a different park at round 4 pm. Animal Kingdom will at all times be your only option for lower-crowd evenings throughout the fall.
Animal Kingdom
- October 4, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 5, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 6, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 7, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 8, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 9, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 10, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 11, 2024: 8 am to eight pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 12, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 13, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 14, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 15, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 16, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 17, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 18, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 19, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 20, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- October 25, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- October 26, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
As with Magic Kingdom, the 8 am opening time is clutch at Animal Kingdom, and that’s the ‘new regular’ going ahead for late October by way of December. That’s actually excellent news even a baseline perspective, because it means extensions can be closing at 7 pm or 8 pm–which additionally means nighttime at DAK throughout the vacation season!
Critically, the brand new baseline 8 am opening additionally means Early Entry at 7:30am, which is fairly sparsely attended. See Animal Kingdom Park Opening & Early Entry Trip Technique (or, “How I Did Each Trip at DAK Earlier than 10:30am.”)
It’s nice to see a daily return of those 8 am openings, in addition to the 7 pm or 8 pm closures. Truthfully, it’s additionally a bit stunning. Many Walt Disney World followers complain in regards to the early closing time of Animal Kingdom, and I agree with them in spirit. That means that we love Animal Kingdom at night time and are upset that it’s not open after darkish many of the summer time.
However we additionally get why. There’s as soon as once more a really actual ‘afternoon exodus’ at Animal Kingdom, and the previous few hours of the day are useless. Truthfully, I don’t suppose present crowds even justify the 6 pm closures and suspect the one cause DAK is open that “late” is as a result of hours sign worth to friends, and shorter hours would end in fewer individuals attending. It could be a vicious cycle of shorter hours and decrease crowds, and Walt Disney World doesn’t need to have that occur.
Our Animal Kingdom Afternoon Arrival Technique is as soon as once more the perfect strategy for this park. Even on busier dates like a few of these 7 pm or 8 pm closing days, Lightning Lane Multi Go is pointless with even a modicum of strategizing. Please don’t be fooled by the “discount” pricing on LLMP at Animal Kingdom. Bear in mind, one thing is just a deal in case you really want it–in any other case, you’re only a hoarder. (Nicely, you possibly can’t actually hoard Lightning Lanes in the identical sense…however you get the thought!)
In the end, it’ll be attention-grabbing to see how dangerous crowds find yourself being in October, and what occurs with hours for the vacation season that begins in early November 2024. Whereas the park opening occasions are high quality (save for Magic Kingdom on 9 am days), our hope is that Walt Disney World will get again to later closing occasions for the Christmas season. In a perfect world, 11 pm closings at Magic Kingdom can be the norm on non-party nights, with midnight closings occurring not less than as soon as per week.
As for subsequent month, we’re happy to have the extensions. It could be good to have one other half-hour within the morning or night at DHS, and perhaps even just a few midnight closings at Magic Kingdom (the times wedged between 3-4 MNSSHPs can be brutal), however all in all, it’s not too dangerous. Particularly given the low crowds over the past a number of months. Regardless that attendance goes to extend–and doubtless by quite a bit–Halloween and Christmas are our favourite occasions of the 12 months within the parks and on the resorts!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about resorts on our Walt Disney World Resorts Opinions web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Opinions. To save cash on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a singular take a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Trip Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, one of the best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every thing it is advisable to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Walt Disney World’s working hours extensions for October 2024? Suppose this schedule is cheap? Do you suppose Magic Kingdom needs to be open earlier and/or later? What has been your expertise with crowds and wait occasions? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
