Park hours in Early December

[Tigge50447]

We are planning a trip in the 1st week of december and I was trying to map out what parks to do on what days. Does anyone know the hours of the park (not exact, I know they can change) But maybe someone who was there early december 2003.


Does MGM and Epcot take a full day?

Thanks for the info.

 

[Kapp]

will probably open at 9AM and close at 7PM. It may be open one or two of your nights a bit later for the Spectro parade. Its always so hard to tell for that time of year this far in advance.

AK will probably close at 5 or 6PM, MGM 6 or 7PM and Epcot at 9PM.

I wouldn't stress too much about it right not with the exact times. Just plan on the parks closing earlier than in the really busy times. We usually hit Epcot at night as it is open later.

Enjoy!

 

[QuickGold]

Here are past operating hours at MGM: http://www.mgmstudios.org/hours

 

[ktglads]

Epcot is definitely a full day park at that time! You can go through the coutnries and hear all the different ways that they celebrate Chirstmas (we started at Canada and with minimal backtracking hit all the storytellers with time out for lunch and some rides). Plus, you have the candlelight processional which is worth getting a dinner package for if you want to see that or you may not get a seat.

MGM is not super busy but there is always something to do with the shows, etc that are there. Supposedly the Osmond lights are going to be back next year, so that is something else that you can do. You also can see Fantasmic without having to get there 2 hours beforehand to get a seat. That's nice.

Just be prepared to do the parks earlier in the day and you will be back in your room by 9:30, 10:00 if you stay for Illuminations unless you do MVMCP, which goes to midnight. (on those days, MK closes at 6:00).

We went to DTD and the movies on a couple of nights and could just relax and read in the hotel room on others. It was a nice and relaxing time to visit!

 

[JamesD]

The Magic Kingdom closes at 6 pm on weekdays when there is a MVMCP that night, usually Tue., Thur., Fri. and Sun. It closes at 7 pm on the other nights, except for Sat. night when they stay open until 10 or 11 pm. Epcot stays open until 9:30 pm in December and Illuminations runs at park closing. MGM Studios closes at 7 pm, with Fantasmic! running at park closing. Animal Kingdom generally closes at 5 pm.

 

[DebbieB]

http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/dec.html

 

[mommyflower]

We were there dec 1 to 7, 2003.
MK hours were 9AM to 6PM or 7PM, depending on christmas parties.
MGM hours were 9AM to 7PM
AK hours were 9AM to 5PM
Epcot 9AM to 9PM

We took our ds, 2 1/2. He is an early riser and we stayed on property, so we took advantage of extra magic hour.
MGM can take a whole day mostly because of the show schedules.
Epcot depends on what you want to do. If you want to try to see almost everything you will probably need more than one day.

There is so much to do in december. Epcot had a really nice tree lighting ceremony that involved a short show with the characters.
They also had the character bus with the characters dressed up for the holidays. And of course they had the story tellers.

We went to the christmas party at MK and it was great. The shows and parade were wonderful.
Good luck with your planning.

 

[drewc]

Mommyflower,

What were the crowds like when you were there this past December?

We are heading there 12/4 - 12/11 and are hoping for very low crowds. I've heard December is getting busier though.

Thanks.

 

[F5CHASER]

My family and I will be there at virtually the same time as you 12/4 - 12/12. Everything I've read and been told says that early December is still THE BEST TIME to go as far as light crowds. I'm yanking my 9-yo out of school to go.

 

[mommyflower]

drewc
The crowds were light during the week. The weekend we were there MK was very busy. They were taping the christmas parade on sat. & sun. Saturday it was very difficult to get down main street during the day. You weren't even allowed to stop along the street. Once you got past all that it was fine. At night on the other hand it was more crowded than I have ever seen. Mind you I have never been during the really busy times. I think it was so busy because of everyone being there for the taping and it was also the one late night that week with Spectro and Wishes. We didn't end up staying very long that night. Sunday main street was crowed again, but the rest of the park was fine. The rest of the time we had little or no wait in every park. It was a really great time to go.