Disney World is magical at night.

Main Street, U.S.A. lights up, the castle glows, Spaceship Earth becomes a beacon of magic, and the Tree of Life comes to life!

Night owls get to experience the lights and spectacle of Disney World once the sun goes down. The heat from that punishing Orlando sun begins to fade, and the crowds disperse to grab dinner or crash into their beds after a full day in the parks. Whether you’re enjoying the nighttime fireworks display, some classic Disney attractions, or just milling about with a snack, you’ll need to know when the parks close so you can meander back to your resort or home.

Magic Kingdom

As the flagship theme park of Disney World, and one of the most popular, Magic Kingdom is often open the latest. It has the most attractions of any of the other parks, so it makes sense that it might require some more time for guests to be able to explore all it has to offer.

During the busiest seasons, around the Christmas holidays, New Year’s, Spring Break, Easter, and some summer months, you can expect a later closing time, around 11PM or even later! Magic Kingdom also hosts special ticketed After Hours Events, when on certain days, it will stay open even later for select guests who purchased the event ticket. These events give ticket holders an additional three hours in the park after it closes to resort guests for an even more magical time in the park with virtually no attraction lines and even some snacks included!

During the rest of the year, Magic Kingdom will typically close at 9PM or 10PM. If you happen to be staying at one of Disney’s Deluxe Resorts or DVC Villas, you can even stay in the park for an additional 2 hours on select nights! Be sure to check the Extended Evening Hours for when those take place!

Be aware, though. There are some times when Magic Kingdom closes EARLY for holiday parties! On select nights starting in August, Magic Kingdom will close to regular guests at 6PM but stay open for guests who have purchased tickets for either the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. If you don’t plan to attend one of these parties, you’ll want to plan your Magic Kingdom day strategically so you can get the most out of your park day!

Click HERE for a Full List of Disney World Park Hours

EPCOT

An evening stroll around World Showcase is always a good idea! Evenings at EPCOT are so versatile. You can enjoy meandering along with your favorite international snack (lookin’ at you, School Bread), or sipping on a favorite libation (why hello there, Grand Marnier Orange Slush), or perhaps just sittin’ next to Walt in Celebration Gardens.

EPCOT has one of the most predictable schedules; it typically closes at 9pm, year-round. Like Magic Kingdom, EPCOT also hosts special ticketed After Hours Events, when on certain days, it will stay open even later for select guests who purchased the event ticket. These events give ticket holders an additional three hours in the park after it closes to resort guests for an even more magical time in the park with virtually no attraction lines and even some snacks included!

If you happen to be staying at one of Disney’s Deluxe Resorts or DVC Villas, you can even stay in the park for an additional 2 hours on select nights! Be sure to check the Extended Evening Hours for when those take place!

Click HERE for a Full List of Disney World Park Hours

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios, embracing the creative spirit that inspired her, has relatively predictable yet fluid closing times. Most nights during the year, this park will close at either 9PM or 10PM—and that can vary from night to night within the same week! So, keep your MyDisneyExperience app up and accessible on your phone to make sure you know what’s going on when you’re there.

During busier times, like around the holidays and Spring Break, park hours might be pushed until 11 p.m. This means you have PLENTY of time to grab those amazing photos of you and your glowing lightsaber in front of the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (or in front of a TIE Fighter, if you’re embracing your Dark Side).

Like its sister theme parks, Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, Hollywood Studios also hosts special ticketed After Hours Events, when on certain days, it will stay open even later for select guests who purchased the event ticket. These events give ticket holders an additional three hours in the park after it closes to resort guests for an even more magical time in the park with virtually no attraction lines and even some snacks included!

In 2023, Hollywood Studios had a holiday celebration called Jollywood Nights. On select nights in November and December, when Jollywood Nights was in full swing, Hollywood Studios would close to regular guests at 6PM but stay open for guests who have purchased tickets for the holiday party. We don’t know yet if this special evet will be returning. If you don’t plan to attend one of these parties, you’ll want to plan your Hollywood Studios day strategically so you can get the most out of your park day!

Click HERE for a Full List of Disney World Park Hours

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom is usually one of the earliest parks to close throughout the year because they need the time to care for the animals every evening. And because of the animals, and making sure that they receive the best care possible, you also won’t find fireworks shows at this park, or loud and boisterous evening spectaculars. The sensitivity and welfare of the animals that call this park home are a priority over some crashes and flashes in the sky. But that doesn’t mean that this park is without its post-sunset charms!

Every evening you can watch the Tree of Life come to life, with a beautiful (and sometimes tear-jerking) projection show. And let’s be honest, we’ve often found ourselves wondering under the sparkling lights and lanterns around the Feathered Friends in Flight theatre in Asia. Animal Kingdom usually closes soon after sunset throughout the year, which means you’ll find park closing between 6PM and 8PM most nights.

Disney has promoted a new evening drone show coming to Disney Springs for Summer 2024, and we’re hoping that perhaps that could lead to a new nighttime show around the Tree of Life, but time will tell!

Click HERE for a Full List of Disney World Park Hours

Water Parks

Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon both have some tried-and-true park hours that don’t deviate often. You can typically enjoy the wave pools, lazy rivers, and thrilling water slides until 5PM or 6PM.

There are some nights when one of the water parks is open for special events, like DVC Moonlight Magic Events. But those typically take place after the park has already closed for day guests and don’t usually affect park hours.

Click HERE for a Full List of Disney World Park Hours

Disney Springs

Does Disney Springs even close? Well, yes, it does! But the exact closing time can be a little tricky. Disney Springs technically closes at 11PM from Sundays through Thursdays and 11:30PM on Fridays and Saturdays.

Most dining locations stay open until 11PM, while some stores may close at 10PM. This schedule varies seasonally, so be sure to check your specific destination before you make plans.

Click HERE for a Full List of Disney World Park Hours

Disney World park hours can vary seasonally, but you can always check back with us for the latest updates. We’ll also give you our pro tips on how to spend your park days!

• Your Ultimate 1-Day Plan For Magic Kingdom
• Your Ultimate 1-Day Plan for EPCOT

The Ultimate Guide to Planning Your FIRST Disney World Vacation

 

Are you planning a Disney World vacation this year? Let us know in the comments below!

The post What Time Does Disney World Close? first appeared on the disney food blog.