Walt Disney World has added extra hours to the calendar by early January 2025 at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios & Animal Kingdom, and prolonged hours to begin the 2024 Christmas season. This submit covers the adjustments plus zig after they zag technique for Magic Kingdom and DHS throughout these vacation dates.
We’ll begin with the most recent launch of latest working schedules. All 4 theme parks have had hours for an additional week added to DisneyWorld.com’s park hours, and the present calendar now runs by January 3, 2025. Listed below are the hours for the newly-added dates throughout the vacation season:
- 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 Seaside: 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 follow is to launch boilerplate or placeholder hours earlier than extending these based mostly on attendance and lodge occupancy projections. This has been widespread follow for years, and can proceed for the rest of this 12 months and possibly in 2025, 2026, and so on–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 Occasion and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion 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.
Much like Magic Kingdom on MVMCP nights, Hollywood Studios closes at 7 pm on evenings when the Disney Jollywood Nights Christmas Occasion is held. That tough ticket occasion happens with far much less frequency than Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion.
Along with these newly added hours, Walt Disney World has additionally prolonged park hours all through November 2024.
This was to be anticipated, as we’re getting into the house stretch of the 12 months when crowds can spike as a consequence of lengthy weekends, faculty breaks, holidays and different particular occasions. Because of this, you possibly can anticipate much more extensions–on a weekly foundation–from Walt Disney World going ahead for Thanksgiving by New 12 months’s Eve.
Anyway, on with the extensions for November 2024…
Magic Kingdom
- November 1, 2024: 9 am to 10 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- November 2, 2024: 9 am to 10 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- November 3, 2024: 9 am to 10 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- November 4, 2024: 9 am to 10 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- November 5, 2024: 9 am to 10 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- November 6, 2024: 9 am to 10 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- November 7, 2024: 9 am to 11 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- November 8, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- November 9, 2024: 9 am to 12 am (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- November 10, 2024: 9 am to 11 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- November 11, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- November 12, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- November 13, 2024: 8 am to 11 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- November 14, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- November 15, 2024: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- November 16, 2024: 8 am to 11 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
Walt Disney World has solely up to date hours by November 16, 2024. Any dates past that present boilerplate hours. There will probably be extensions for many, if not all, dates in November and December 2024 past that in future updates.
The very first thing to which I need to name your consideration is these midnight closing time on November 9, 2024. We anticipated this and had been actually hoping it could apply to November 10, as that was what occurred final 12 months. Sadly, that’s not the case.
Whereas we’re excited for the uncommon midnight closing, there are some things price declaring. In the beginning, there will probably be filming for the ABC Christmas specials in Magic Kingdom over this weekend. In case you haven’t already, we’d extremely advocate studying The best way to See Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade for “Free” Throughout Days at Magic Kingdom!
That covers my expertise final 12 months on this date, professionals & cons of visiting throughout parade filming, and extra. Particularly, my advice–and what I plan on doing–is to do Sunday versus Saturday at Magic Kingdom. Though I used to be anticipating a midnight closing then, too, that recommendation/plan stays unchanged. Simply take into account that there’s a purpose Disney prolonged till midnight on Saturday however not on Sunday.
Second, that’s Veterans Day weekend and there are a number of MVMCP dates within the week that follows. We at all times flag Veterans Day as a result of it continues to catch followers abruptly–it’s one of many busiest vacation weekends of your entire 12 months. There’s a purpose these dates are on the ‘worst’ facet of our listing of the 10 Finest and 10 Worst Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World in 2024 & 2025.
Suffice to say, the percentages are excessive of heavy crowds in Magic Kingdom on each Saturday and Sunday. So my ‘endorsement’ of Sunday isn’t even remotely the identical as, say, a random weekday in late August. It will likely be some extent of busy–I nonetheless like Sunday, particularly the evening, as a result of I’m optimistic that crowds will skinny out on the finish of the evening. Simply perceive what you’re getting your self into.
Lastly, we need to reiterate as soon as once more that midnight closures needs to be customary working process for Magic Kingdom throughout Occasion Season on dates when the park isn’t closing early. Disneyland closes at midnight usually, and Magic Kingdom ought to observe swimsuit. The crowds on non-party dates all through November and December are greater than adequate to justify 8 am to 12 am hours each single day. Not doing so is a mixture of cheapness on Walt Disney World’s half, combined with desirous to push folks in direction of Lightning Lanes.
Then there are the extensions on days of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion, with Magic Kingdom now opening at 8 am on these dates. One other constructive is that Magic Kingdom is opening at 8 am even on loads of non-party days! That is the way it ought to be throughout Occasion Season.
As we’ve mentioned numerous occasions, Occasion Season working hours trigger chaos with crowds, pushing attendance a lot increased 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. 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 lined at size, time and again. See Finest & Worst Days to Do Magic Kingdom in 2024 for a rundown of when crowds will probably be particularly good or dangerous, together with a handful of ‘crimson flag’ dates to keep away from in any respect prices this month by December.
All through November and December, anticipate party-shortened days at Magic Kingdom have crowd ranges of two/10 to 4/10 as a substitute of 1/10. This may occur as a result of crowd ranges as an entire are rising–they’ll be increased throughout the board, on each social gathering and non-party days. Second, social gathering dates have gotten extra frequent, making them harder to keep away from. Meaning extra friends can have no alternative however to do Magic Kingdom on social gathering days.
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 best choice for lower-crowd evenings throughout the vacation season.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- November 8, 2024: 8:30 am to 9 pm (beforehand 9 am to 9 pm)
- November 9, 2024: 8:30 am to 7 pm (beforehand 9 am to 7 pm)
- November 16, 2024: 8:30 am to 7 pm (beforehand 9 am to 7 pm)
Only some dates including hours for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and it’s “solely” half-hour. This can be a greater deal than it may appear as a result of Early Entry will as soon as once more formally begin at 8 am on these dates. As we’ve talked about numerous occasions, the sooner that Early Entry begins, the higher. There’s much less “competitors” and you may get far more completed.
Actually, that’s how I Did Each Trip at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Earlier than 11am Through Standby Strains. Don’t rely on replicating these outcomes on November 8-9, however the technique is sound. We’d thus extremely advocate doing DHS on one among these dates if in any respect attainable.
As for which date, that actually relies upon upon whether or not you’ll keep at DHS all day. We’ve had loads of reader questions on whether or not it’s savvy technique to copy the zig after they zag strategy to Magic Kingdom throughout Occasion Season. Our reply, as mentioned at size in Finest & Worst 2024 Crowd Days at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, might be not.
With the park solely closing two hours early on occasion nights (versus 3-4 hours for Magic Kingdom), not practically as many friends are discouraged from doing DHS on these dates. Even on regular nights, not practically as many individuals keep late in Hollywood Studios as accomplish that in Magic Kingdom. Attendance at DHS is perhaps a bit decrease on occasion days, however not considerably so.
Conversely, there’s the Jollywood Nights attendees that may arrive throughout their mix-in time, and this can end in longer strains for headliner sights at a time after they’d in any other case be actually brief. Fantasmic is just proven as soon as (and at an earlier time) on Disney Jollywood Nights dates, too. In contrast, it has two performances–one among which is after park closing–on most vacation season dates.
So for me, the reply is clear–I’m unquestionably doing and recommending Disney’s Hollywood Studios on November 8 over November 9. That’s one particular instance, nevertheless it ought to maintain true with different adjoining dates all through the occasion.
The one exception to this might be if I had been merely beginning out at DHS and Park Hopping some other place. In that case, I’d start at DHS on November 9 or 16 within the hopes of ~10% smaller crowds. Simply take note, as soon as once more, that Walt Disney World extends hours for a purpose–these 8:30 am openings are incredible from a strategic perspective, however Disney is forecasting increased attendance on these dates. Put together accordingly.
Animal Kingdom
- November 1, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- November 2, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- November 3, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- November 8, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- November 9, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- November 10, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- November 11, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- November 15, 2024: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- November 16, 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 by December 2024. That’s actually excellent news even a baseline perspective, because it means extensions will probably 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.”)
On the reverse finish of the day, Animal Kingdom formally closes after sundown for all of today! Between the later closing and Daylight Saving Time, you may get a pair hours in DAK after darkish for the primary time shortly!
I don’t see Tree of Life Winter Awakenings again on the schedule simply but–however Walt Disney World already confirmed they’d be again (see our Information to Christmas at Animal Kingdom for full particulars). We extremely advocate staying for evenings in DAK to benefit from the Tree of Life Awakenings, plus Pandora and the remainder of the park after darkish.
Our Animal Kingdom Afternoon Arrival Technique is as soon as once more the best strategy for this park. Even on busier dates, Lightning Lane Multi Cross 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 when you really want it–in any other case, you’re only a hoarder. (Effectively, you possibly can’t actually hoard Lightning Lanes in the identical sense…however you get the concept!)
In the end, it’ll be attention-grabbing to see how dangerous crowds find yourself being over the Veterans Day vacation weekend, and what occurs with hours as soon as Thanksgiving rolls round. Whereas the park opening occasions are wonderful, our hope is that Walt Disney World will get again to later closing occasions for the Christmas season.
Magic Kingdom closing at 11 pm isn’t dangerous, however midnight can be rather a lot higher–particularly with the variety of weekly MVMCPs and attendance each rising as Walt Disney World enters the center of the vacation season. All in all, it’s not too dangerous. Even with heavier crowds–and possibly by rather a lot on a few of these dates–November and December are amongst our favourite occasions of the 12 months within the parks and on the resorts. Higher climate and a festive ambiance are robust to beat!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study resorts on our Walt Disney World Accommodations Evaluations web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Evaluations. To economize on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys submit takes a singular have 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, the most effective place to begin is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every little thing you must know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Walt Disney World’s working hours extensions for November 2024? Assume this schedule is cheap? Do you suppose Magic Kingdom needs to be open later? What has been your expertise with crowds and wait occasions? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
