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 adjustments plus zig once they zag technique for Magic Kingdom throughout the Halloween and Christmas seasons.
We’ll begin with the most recent launch of latest 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 below 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 follow is to launch boilerplate or placeholder hours earlier than extending these based mostly on attendance and lodge occupancy projections. This has been frequent follow for years, and can proceed for the rest of this yr 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 Social gathering and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Social gathering 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 MNSSHP or MVMCP nights, Hollywood Studios closes at 7 pm on evenings when the Disney Jollywood Nights Christmas Social gathering is held. That tough ticket occasion happens with far much less frequency than Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Social gathering.
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 this can affect crowds given how we focus on to demise how Social gathering Season throws a monkey wrench into Magic Kingdom attendance patterns. The underside line is that this can cut back attendance at EPCOT on October 22, and improve numbers in all places 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 Social gathering Season are that this can be a one-off and it’s not at Magic Kingdom. I might count on it to end in 1/10 crowd ranges at EPCOT, however it’s in all probability not spiking ranges a lot past their baselines that week on the different parks.
Truthfully, the larger factor may be the Gartner IT Symposium and return of conference ‘season’ as an entire. Whereas attendees themselves aren’t spending all day within the parks, they may find time for evenings at EPCOT and elsewhere. Not solely that, however many spouses and youngsters tag alongside and go to the parks whereas the conventioneers sit in Crescent Lake convention rooms. Conference ‘season’ is among the huge explanation 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 may 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 instances throughout the coronary heart of the Christmas season. That is often the busiest time of the yr because of Candlelight Processional and Pageant of the Holidays, together with nicer climate that attracts 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 vital as a result of we haven’t actually been seeing a lot in the best way of park hours extensions during the last a number of months. There have been some extensions at Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom (together with a pair at DHS), however it’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 yr when crowds can spike as a consequence of lengthy weekends, faculty breaks, holidays and different particular occasions. In consequence, you’ll be able to 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 rationale for these extensions is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering.
As we’ve mentioned numerous instances, Social gathering 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 (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 advisable.
Once more, we’d strongly suggest visiting Magic Kingdom throughout the day on MNSSHP or MVMCP nights. That is one thing we’ve coated at size, time and again. See Greatest & Worst Days to Do Magic Kingdom in 2024 for a rundown of when crowds can be particularly good or unhealthy, together with a handful of ‘crimson flag’ dates to keep away from in any respect prices this month by way of December.
Within the subsequent few months, you’ll be able to count on to see party-shortened days at Magic Kingdom have crowd ranges of two/10 as a substitute of 1/10. This can occur as a result of crowd ranges as an entire are rising–they’ll be increased throughout the board for fall break, which means on each get together and non-party days. Second, get together dates have gotten extra frequent, making them harder to keep away from. Which means extra friends can have no selection however to do Magic Kingdom on get together days.
The upside, if you wish to name it that, is that much more folks will try and do Magic Kingdom on these uncommon non-party days, particularly Saturdays. Which means that the hole in wait instances between get together and non-party days will truly 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 Journey Technique (or, “How I Did Each Journey 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 evening and are disenchanted that it’s not open after darkish a lot 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 lifeless. 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 folks attending. It could be a vicious cycle of shorter hours and decrease crowds, and Walt Disney World doesn’t wish to have that occur.
Our Animal Kingdom Afternoon Arrival Technique is as soon as once more the best method 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 “cut price” pricing on LLMP at Animal Kingdom. Keep in mind, one thing is simply a deal for those who really want it–in any other case, you’re only a hoarder. (Nicely, you’ll be able to’t actually hoard Lightning Lanes in the identical sense…however you get the thought!)
Finally, it’ll be attention-grabbing to see how unhealthy 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 instances are high quality (save for Magic Kingdom on 9 am days), our hope is that Walt Disney World will get again to later closing instances for the Christmas season. In a perfect world, 11 pm closings at Magic Kingdom could be the norm on non-party nights, with midnight closings occurring a minimum of 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 possibly 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 unhealthy. Particularly given the low crowds during the last a number of months. Although attendance goes to extend–and possibly by lots–Halloween and Christmas are our favourite instances of the yr within the parks and on the resorts!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Walt Disney World’s working hours extensions for October 2024? Assume this schedule is cheap? Do you suppose Magic Kingdom ought to be open earlier and/or later? What has been your expertise with crowds and wait instances? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!