Does Disney World Ever Close?

After seeing all the amazing sights and shows that Disney World has to offer, many people wonder whether the parks can possibly be open all the time. Do they really do those amazing fireworks every night? While Disney World has hours that vary by the time of year, Disney World is in fact open 365 days per year. The only times the parks close are when they reach maximum capacity (usually around 60,000 visitors -- this rarely happens and will occur most likely on Christmas Day), are closed for national states of emergency, or must close due to grave weather situations, such as hurricanes. 

One situation that will close parks early is when Disney hosts parties. These parties will often close a particular park early on a given day. The most common of these are Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. On these days, only guests with tickets for the parties can stay in the Magic Kingdom past 6 or 7 pm. There are other special events at the different parks, so this is the most likely way that you could be denied entry to one of the parks.

As the summer comes around and the days get longer, Disney World is typically open much later at night. For guests staying at the resort, the Magic Kingdom can sometimes stay open as late as 3:00 am. In the winter when the days are shorter and fewer guests are visiting, the parks can close as early as 7:30 pm. 

Each of the parks closes at a different time. On a typical day Disney’s Animal Kingdom will close the earliest, followed by Disney's Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and the Magic Kingdom. This is dependent of course on special events and other factors, but is a useful rule of thumb. 

Thus generally you don’t have to be worried about whether Disney World is open when you’re planning your trip, however to maximize your enjoyment there are a few questions you should be asking. Are there events that will conflict with your plans? Are the parks closing early? Are there renovations going on? There is a lot to planning, but at least you can feel confident that the parks are likely to be open.