Walt Disney World Park Hours Extended for Christmas Week 2024

Dec 06, 2024 in "Operating Hours"

Posted: Friday December 6, 2024 11:05am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Walt Disney World has adjusted its park hours across most parks for the busy Christmas week, with extended operating times and earlier entry options to accommodate the holiday crowds.

Walt Disney World is extending park hours during the busy Christmas week

Here’s a breakdown of the key changes and the updated operating hours for each park, and you can check full hours through February 15, 2025 on our operating hours calendar.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

Operating Hours Changes

December 22-25: Park closing extended from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
December 26-28: Park closing extended from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Extended Evening Hours (December 25): Now from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm instead of 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Updated Operating Hours

December 22-25: 8:00 AM – 7:00 pm
December 26-28: 8:00 AM – 8:00 pm

Disney's Hollywood Studios

Early Entry Changes

December 26-28: Early entry begins at 8:00 am instead of 8:30 am.

Operating Hours Changes

December 26-28: Park opening moved up from 9:00 am to 8:30 am, keeping the 9:00 pm closing time.

Updated Operating Hours

December 26-28: 8:30 am – 9:00 pm

Magic Kingdom

Early Entry Changes

December 24-28: Early entry begins at 7:30 am instead of 8:30 am.

Operating Hours Changes

December 22: Closing extended from 9:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
December 23: Closing extended to 11:00 pm.
December 23-28: Park opening moved up to 8:00 am, with closing extended to 11:00 pm.

Updated Operating Hours

December 22: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm
December 23: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm
December 24-28: 8:00 am – 11:00 pm

Discuss on the Forums

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DCBaker4 days ago

Park hours at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom have been extended for the week of January 26, 2025. Magic Kingdom Jan. 26: 9am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm)  Jan. 27, 28: 9am-10pm (previously 9am-9pm) Jan. 29, 31: 8am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm)  Jan. 30: 8am-4:30pm (previously 9am-4:30pm) Feb. 1: 8am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm)  Disney’s Animal Kingdom Jan. 26: 8am-8pm (previously 8am-6pm) Jan. 31: 8am-7pm (previously 8am-6pm)  Feb. 1: 8am-8pm (previously 8am-6pm) Note: EPCOT has a delayed opening at 10am this Saturday, January 11 and Sunday, January 12, due to the runDisney Half and Full Marathon.

DCBaker11 days ago

Disney has extended park hours at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom for the week of January 19, 2025. Magic Kingdom Jan. 19, 20, 21, 22, 24: 9am-10pm (previously 9am-9pm) Jan. 25: 8am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) Disney’s Animal Kingdom Jan. 19, 25: 8am-8pm (previously 8am-6pm) Jan. 20, 24: 8am-7pm (previously 8am-6pm)

DCBaker15 days ago

The National Dance Team Championship has an extended evening hours event at EPCOT on Friday, Jan. 31, but I'm not sure if that plays into the schedule shift on Feb. 3.

nickys15 days ago

@DCBaker , Monday 3rd Feb has had EEH listed for AK instead of Epcot. Do you know if this is because of a CM Celebration event? Or a conference / competition / private buyout?

spectromagic0417 days ago

Wow they usually don’t extend hours after they already extended them.

DCBaker17 days ago

Update - Disney has extended park hours at Animal Kingdom on January 5 and 6: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Jan. 5 : 8am-8pm (previously 8am-7pm) Jan. 6 : 8am-8pm (previously 8am-6pm)

DCBaker17 days ago

Odd - thanks! Edited to fix.

spectromagic0417 days ago

The 12th has been reverted back to 6pm close.

DCBaker18 days ago

Park hours at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom have been extended for the week of January 12, 2025. Magic Kingdom Jan. 12, 13: 9am-10pm (previously 9am-9pm) Jan. 17: 8am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) Jan. 18: 9am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) Disney’s Animal Kingdom 17, 18: 8am-7pm (previously 8am-6pm) *Edited as Disney removed the extension to 7pm on January 12 at Animal Kingdom.

DCBaker25 days ago

Disney has extended park hours at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios for the week of January 5, 2025. Magic Kingdom Jan. 5, 11: 9am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) Jan. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10: 9am-10pm (previously 9am-9pm) Disney’s Animal Kingdom Jan. 5, 11 : 8am-7pm (previously 8am-6pm) Disney's Hollywood Studios Jan. 5: 8:30am-9pm (previously 9am-9pm)

ToTBellHopDec 13, 2024

DHS has extremely limited firework viewing and would be over-run if they marketed a one-night-only spectacular. They’d like for us to go to MK or, ideally, Epcot on NYE.

gerararDec 13, 2024

They have been using the World Dr. launch sites exclusively for NYE with some high shells and pyro the last couple years, although it's never advertised anywhere and they keep it low-key for some reason.