Disney World Extends Park Hours Ahead of Christmas Week Rush

8 days ago in "Operating Hours"

Posted: Friday November 29, 2024 10:10am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Walt Disney World has extended park hours for the week leading up to Christmas, giving guests more time in the park during this high-demand season.


Adjustments include earlier openings and later closings across multiple parks, as well as changes to Early Entry times for resort guests. You can check full hours through February 7, 2025 on our operating hours calendar.

Here’s a full breakdown of the updates.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

  • December 20: 8 am-7 pm (previously 8 am-6 pm)
  • December 21: 8 am-7 pm (previously 8 am-6 pm)

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Early Entry Updates

  • December 18: 8am-8:30am (previously 8:30am-9am)
  • December 21: 8am-8:30am (previously 8:30am-9am)

Operating Hours Updates

  • December 18: 8:30 am-7 pm (previously 9 am-7 pm)
  • December 21: 8:30 am-7 pm (previously 9 am-7 pm)

Magic Kingdom

Early Entry Updates

  • December 15: 7:30am-8am (previously 8:30am-9am)
  • December 18: 7:30am-8am (previously 8:30am-9am)
  • December 20: 7:30am-8am (previously 8:30am-9am)

Operating Hours Updates

  • December 15: 8 am-6 pm (previously 9 am-6 pm)
  • December 16: 9 am-10 pm (previously 9 am-9 pm)
  • December 18: 8 am-11 pm (previously 9 am-9 pm)
  • December 20: 8 am-6 pm (previously 9 am-6 pm)
  • December 21: 9 am-11 pm (previously 9 am-9 pm)
Discuss on the Forums

Get Walt Disney World News Delivered to Your Inbox

View all comments →

Disneylover691 day ago

They also added two fantastic showings in that update. It’s ridiculous that they wait till so close and people plan out their plans then make sure big updates, especially with animal kingdom going from 6pm to 8pm is a major change

DCBaker1 day ago

Disney has extended park hours at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios for the week leading up to Christmas, beginning December 22, 2024. Magic Kingdom Dec. 22: 9am-10pm (previously 9am-9pm) Dec. 23: 9am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) Dec. 24-28: 8am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) Disney’s Animal Kingdom Dec. 22, 23, 24, 25: 8am-7pm (previously 8am-6pm) Dec. 26, 27, 28: 8am-8pm (previously 8am-6pm) Disney's Hollywood Studios Dec. 26, 27, 28: 8:30am-9pm (previously 9am-9pm)

DCBaker8 days ago

Park hours at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios have been extended for the week of December 15, 2024. Magic Kingdom Dec. 15, 20: 8am-6pm (previously 9am-6pm) Dec. 16: 9am-10pm (previously 9am-9pm) Dec. 18: 8am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) Dec. 21: 9am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) Disney’s Animal Kingdom Dec. 20, 21: 8am-7pm (previously 8am-6pm) Disney's Hollywood Studios Dec. 18, 21: 8:30am-7pm (previously 9am-7pm)

DCBaker15 days ago

Disney has extended park hours at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios for the week of December 8, 2024. Magic Kingdom 
Dec. 8, 12, 13: 8am-6pm (previously 9am-6pm)
 Dec. 9: 9am-10pm (previously 9am-9pm) Dec. 11: 9am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) Dec. 14: 8am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) 

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Dec. 13: 8am-7pm (previously 8am-6pm)
 Dec. 14: 8am-8pm (previously 8am-6pm) 

Disney's Hollywood Studios 
Dec. 11, 14: 8:30am-7pm (previously 9am-7pm)

DCBaker22 days ago

Park hours at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios have been extended for the week of December 1, 2024. Magic Kingdom
 Dec. 1, 3, 5, 6: 8am-6pm (previously 9am-6pm)
 Dec. 2, 4: 9am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) Dec. 7: 8am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) 

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Dec. 6, 7: 8am-8pm (previously 8am-6pm) 

Disney's Hollywood Studios
 Dec. 2, 7: 8:30am-7pm (previously 9am-7pm) 
Dec. 6: 8:30am-9pm (previously 9am-9pm)

DCBaker29 days ago

Disney has extended park hours at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios for the week of November 24, 2024. Magic Kingdom Nov. 24, 26, 27, 29: 8am-6pm (previously 9am-6pm) Nov. 25, 28: 8am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) Nov. 30: 9am-10pm (previously 9am-9pm) Disney’s Animal Kingdom Nov. 24, 25, 26: 8am-7pm (previously 8am-6pm) Disney's Hollywood Studios Nov. 25: 8:30am-7pm (previously 9am-7pm)

DCBakerNov 01, 2024

Park hours at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios have been extended for the week of November 17, 2024. Notes and reminders: EPCOT has a delayed opening at 10am this Sunday, November 3, due to the runDisney Half Marathon. Animal Kingdom is currently scheduled for a 9am opening on Sunday, November 17, rather than 8am. Magic Kingdom Nov. 17, 22: 8am-6pm (previously 9am-6pm) Nov. 18, 20: 9am-10pm (previously 9am-9pm) Nov. 23: 8am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) Disney’s Animal Kingdom Nov. 17: 9am-7pm (previously 9am-6pm) Nov. 23: 8am-7pm (previously 8am-6pm) Disney's Hollywood Studios Nov. 18, 23: 8:30am-7pm (previously 9am-7pm)

DCBakerOct 25, 2024

Disney has extended park hours at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios for the week of November 10. Magic Kingdom Nov. 10: 9am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) Nov. 11, 12, 14, 15: 8am-6pm (previously 9am-6pm) Nov. 13, 16: 8am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) Disney’s Animal Kingdom Nov. 10, 11, 15, 16: 8am-7pm (previously 8am-6pm) Disney's Hollywood Studios Nov. 16: 8:30am-7pm (previously 9am-7pm)

Chi84Oct 20, 2024

Please. This is the Most Magical Place on Earth.

CompedOct 20, 2024

I would have thought they would have closed earlier on the 5th than at 10. For obvious reasons...

mattpetoOct 18, 2024

Oh yeah I agree. With the park closing at 6 pm, it doesn't feel like it's "Into the night" as much as the others.

spectromagic04Oct 18, 2024

Extended at DAK is very underrated. It’s probably the most beautiful park at night. It’s about the same as Epcot where half the rides/attractions are closed.

mattpetoOct 18, 2024

AK EEH for that week is 6 pm - 8 pm. That's brutal and skippable.

DCBakerOct 18, 2024

Park hours at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios have been extended for the week of November 3, 2024. Note: there is a midnight closing at Magic Kingdom on Saturday, November 9. Magic Kingdom Nov. 3, 4*, 5, 6: 9am-10pm (previously 9am-9pm) Nov. 7*: 9am-11pm (previously 9am-9pm) Nov. 8: 8am-6pm (previously 9am-6pm) Nov. 9: 9am-12am (previously 9am-9pm) Disney’s Animal Kingdom Nov. 3, 8, 9: 8am-7pm (previously 8am-6pm) Disney's Hollywood Studios Nov. 8: 8:30am-9pm (previously 9am-9pm) Nov. 9: 8:30am-7pm (previously 9am-7pm) *Edited Oct. 21 - Disney updated the hours for Nov. 4 and 7. Nov. 4 is now listed as 9am-10pm, while Nov. 7 is 9am-11pm.