Park Hours During Christmas Week 2024

[ZeonStar]

We're going to WDW right after Christmas Through New Years. I was Googling around looking at historical Park Hours and was a little surprised to find the typical hours for the days we are going to be from about 9:00 to 7-10pm depending on the park. None of the parks stay open later, even during the busy Christmas week? We're veterans of Disneyland where the hours are often 8-12 most nights and I guess I just expected that at least Magic Kingdom would have similar hours.

Just trying to get an idea of the hours this year. Of course I know it's hard to know for sure this early!

 

[Karalee402]

We're going to WDW right after Christmas Through New Years. I was Googling around looking at historical Park Hours and was a little surprised to find the typical hours for the days we are going to be from about 9:00 to 7-10pm depending on the park. None of the parks stay open later, even during the busy Christmas week? We're veterans of Disneyland where the hours are often 8-12 most nights and I guess I just expected that at least Magic Kingdom would have similar hours.

Just trying to get an idea of the hours this year. Of course I know it's hard to know for sure this early!

We were there toward the end of the week you're going (including NYE and New Year's Day) and hours were definitely extended. I believe MK and Epcot were both open until midnight at least the 30th and NYE.
I want to say, too, don't let anyone tell you to avoid this week! Sounds like you all have a bunch of park experience, so you know how things work. The crowds are insane, yes, but it's absolutely the most incredibly magical week. The decorations are amazing, and the celebratory atmosphere can't be beat. I wouldn't hesitate to go over the holiday week. Have the best time!

 

[ZeonStar]

We were there toward the end of the week you're going (including NYE and New Year's Day) and hours were definitely extended. I believe MK and Epcot were both open until midnight at least the 30th and NYE.
I want to say, too, don't let anyone tell you to avoid this week! Sounds like you all have a bunch of park experience, so you know how things work. The crowds are insane, yes, but it's absolutely the most incredibly magical week. The decorations are amazing, and the celebratory atmosphere can't be beat. I wouldn't hesitate to go over the holiday week. Have the best time!

Thanks! I wouldn't at all be surprised If the last few days of the year were extended and of course I figured NYE would be. We actually have 8 park days planned from 12/26 to Jan 4th. Funny enough we have a "Break day" planned on 12/31. Funny as that sounds, It didn't immediately occur to me that it is New Years Eve! We MAY change our plans that day and consider making it a Park that day, or we may just avoid it. We have an 8 day non park hopper but I know I can easily (and cheaply) add another day to the ticket. We're honestly not NYE people, and our kids definitely aren't. (Though I am sure they wouldn't say no to more time in a Disney Park.) My wife and I actually did New Years at Disneyland our first year together. But at midnight we found a quiet spot over by Finding Nemo. Haha.

This trip is my wife and kids first time to Disney World. I have been before, over 15 years ago with an Ex. I've been waiting for this trip for a very long time. Yeah like you said we do have a lot of experience, but we also know WDW is different and we are going during a VERY busy week. But this is when the kids are on Winter Break so people can't talk us out of it as this is simply the only time we can go.

We've been talking about ways to prepare ourselves. Knowing the crowds will be nuts. We got 2 days for each park. We also talked about if time is short, skipping rides we know have exact copies at Disneyland and prioritizing the Disney World exclusives.

Out of curiosity, which parks do a Midnight thing on NYE?

 

[Tom_E_D]

We're going to WDW right after Christmas Through New Years. I was Googling around looking at historical Park Hours and was a little surprised to find the typical hours for the days we are going to be from about 9:00 to 7-10pm depending on the park. None of the parks stay open later, even during the busy Christmas week? We're veterans of Disneyland where the hours are often 8-12 most nights and I guess I just expected that at least Magic Kingdom would have similar hours.

Just trying to get an idea of the hours this year. Of course I know it's hard to know for sure this early!

For last year's hours, I'd try this calendar: https://www.wdwmagic.com/calendar.htm

 

[ZeonStar]

For last year's hours, I'd try this calendar: https://www.wdwmagic.com/calendar.htm

Thank you. Very helpful. Looks like I might be able to expect some midnight hours at MK around New Years.

 

[Karalee402]

Thanks! I wouldn't at all be surprised If the last few days of the year were extended and of course I figured NYE would be. We actually have 8 park days planned from 12/26 to Jan 4th. Funny enough we have a "Break day" planned on 12/31. Funny as that sounds, It didn't immediately occur to me that it is New Years Eve! We MAY change our plans that day and consider making it a Park that day, or we may just avoid it. We have an 8 day non park hopper but I know I can easily (and cheaply) add another day to the ticket. We're honestly not NYE people, and our kids definitely aren't. (Though I am sure they wouldn't say no to more time in a Disney Park.) My wife and I actually did New Years at Disneyland our first year together. But at midnight we found a quiet spot over by Finding Nemo. Haha.

This trip is my wife and kids first time to Disney World. I have been before, over 15 years ago with an Ex. I've been waiting for this trip for a very long time. Yeah like you said we do have a lot of experience, but we also know WDW is different and we are going during a VERY busy week. But this is when the kids are on Winter Break so people can't talk us out of it as this is simply the only time we can go.

We've been talking about ways to prepare ourselves. Knowing the crowds will be nuts. We got 2 days for each park. We also talked about if time is short, skipping rides we know have exact copies at Disneyland and prioritizing the Disney World exclusives.

Out of curiosity, which parks do a Midnight thing on NYE?

Oh my goodness, you all will have the best time! It'll definitely be worth the wait!
I think I'd recommend Epcot for NYE. Yes, it'll be packed, but there's so much room there to spread out. And we're not NYE people, either, but it was more Disney-party than NYE party. And honestly, we were back in the park fairly early on New Year's Day, and it wasn't busy. I think most people have a slow start that morning, so we were able to get a lot done that day. Much more than I expected!

 

[ZeonStar]

Oh my goodness, you all will have the best time! It'll definitely be worth the wait!
I think I'd recommend Epcot for NYE. Yes, it'll be packed, but there's so much room there to spread out. And we're not NYE people, either, but it was more Disney-party than NYE party. And honestly, we were back in the park fairly early on New Year's Day, and it wasn't busy. I think most people have a slow start that morning, so we were able to get a lot done that day. Much more than I expected!

Yeah I'm so excited for the trip. Been waiting a long time for this. Wanted our kids to be old enough to remember the place when we finally go. (They are 7 and 9.)

So it looks like only MK and EPCOT Do NYE? My family would almost certainly want to do MK. Disney Castle and all that.

Been thinking about the whole NYE thing a lot. It's nice to know roughly what the hours will likely be around when we're going to go, though ironically part of me was hoping the hours weren't that late as we tend to push ourselves at Disney Parks and stay as long as possible. If the parks close at a decent time it would force us to leave and maybe get some extra sleep. But I'm not surprised really to expect later hours that week.

NYE is the halfway point of our trip and we planned to have a break day where we don't go to the Parks. Going to a Park on NYE would definitely not be a "Break day" especially since I know we would have to even get to a park fairly early to avoid being locked out form it reaching capacity. It wouldn't be much of a break day at that point!

I think I am going to ask my wife about us adding a 9th day to our ticket. I checked and it would be under $50 to do it. "Just in case" is my thinking.

8 months. Going to be a long wait. Only thing left to figure out is Flights.