Someone just told me that the parks during the winter months close at 7pm?

[hops&dreams]

Yes, in winter months, the parks do close earlier than they would at busier times.

In feb, basic closing times are:
MK: 10pm
EC: 9pm (after Illuminations)
HS: 7pm
AK: 5pm

There may be variances from this, but this seems to be pretty standard the 3 times we've been in the winter. There will also be EMH tacked on to the end of some of those days.

 

[W.E.D.]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember in the "old days" that sometimes MK closed as early as 6pm on weekdays in certain cooler weeks.

Yes. I was on a visit in September--maybe '98. MK closed at 6 or 7.

 

[teddygurl28]

Thank you for all your replies, I was wondering the hours because first year not staying club and thinking with the parks closing early that maybe we should reconsider that decision.. I will look at the link with the park hours for the first weeks in December,..."also".. are all the Christmas parties and Osborne lights and other Holiday events going on the first week of December? First time going in the winter months...

just so you know december 2015 hours wouldnt be showing yet.
you can look at 2014 hours to get a general idea, as im sure year to year they dont change tons

 

[ZoZo]

It all depends on which "winter" month you're talking about.

The last couple of weeks of December, the parks stay open much later than 7:00 due to the Christmas holidays (it's one of the busiest times of the year).

But if you mean January or February, the parks do close much earlier than they do in, say, July. You'll often see January/February closing times at 5:00 for AK, 7:00 for DHS/MK, and 9:00 for Epcot.

I'd recommend going on a site like easywdw.com and looking up the park hours for the timeframe you want. It will give you a good idea of what the hours are likely to be for your trip. (Notice I said "likely", since the hours might change from one year to the next for the exact same week.)

 

[ghtx]

 

[EPCOTatNight]

That's because they were still running under holiday hours then.

I was wrong. They closed at 10. Scheduled time was 7, but they stayed open until 10. My point is that times can change.

 

[Aurora0427]

Is that true?

Magic Kingdom has closed at 7 several nights a week since the Christmas crowds left around 1/5. But there are also nights it's open until 9, and even later on Saturdays. We were there in February 2014, and MK was always open after 7. AK closes early. Not sure about DHS. I think Epcot is open until 9?

 

[jtowntoflorida]

If you're talking early December, you're going to see 7:00 closures at the MK on Christmas party nights, which will be scheduled for 3-4 nights/week. You will have to buy a party ticket to stay in the MK past 7:00. Perhaps that's what your friend was referring to.

As others have mentioned, AK also closes fairly early in the winter, but with good reason (for now)...the animals are all inside by dusk (so the trails and the safari stop running around 4:45), it's typically too cold for Kali in the evening, and there's no other evening entertainment right now. The only things available to do in the park after 5:00 right now are see the Lion King, ride EE, and hang out in Dinoland.

 

[mesaboy2]

Magic Kingdom has closed at 7 several nights a week since the Christmas crowds left around 1/5. But there are also nights it's open until 9, and even later on Saturdays. We were there in February 2014, and MK was always open after 7. AK closes early. Not sure about DHS. I think Epcot is open until 9?

Sorry, this is not correct. MK has yet to close at 7:00p this year.

 

[DonnaDuck333]

You have been all so helpful, thank you so much ... We are staying first week of December for 11 days, Beach Club resort... Will probably do Mickey's Merry Christmas party once and of course Epcot's candle light processional dinner package and the Osborne lights... Again never seen Disney during Christmas time and the temps won't be the surface of the sun hot... It was so uncomfortable last August

 

[siskaren]

Sorry, this is not correct. MK has yet to close at 7:00p this year.

Yep. A few 8:00 closings, but otherwise no earlier than 9:00. I'm pretty sure it only closes at 7:00 on MNSSHP and MVMCP nights.

 

[Dis703]

When we were there in November a few times MK had nights they closed at 7pm but that was only for the Christmas party. AK closed as early as 5, but that happens all year around it seems. HS had a couple days they even closed at 4pm and as I understand it, that is for private events. Epcot seems to consistently be open to 9pm though regardless of what time of year we go.

 

[Aurora0427]

Sorry, this is not correct. MK has yet to close at 7:00p this year.

Really? Sometimes I pull up the MDX app on my phone to check wait times while pining for Disney, and several nights early in January it was showing MK as closed by 7pm. Maybe I didn't account for the time difference and I happened to check on the nights it closed at 8.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

You would be likely to see that only at Studios and AK (AK generally closes earlier than 7 in the "slower" months.) Epcot never closes any earlier than 9 and MK hours will fluctuate depending on what kind of crowds they are expecting.

MK closes no earlier than 8 in all of January 2015, and there are only a few mid-week days when the closing time is 8 - it's actually only 6 days in the entire month.

 

[siskaren]

Epcot seems to consistently be open to 9pm though regardless of what time of year we go.

When the Candlelight Processional is going on it stays open until 9:30.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Epcot closes at 9 except:

On Fridays and Saturdays during the Food and Wine Festival, when it closes at 10 (except for the day of the Wine and Dine Half Marathon).

Between Thanksgiving and NYE when it closes at 9:30 to accommodate the Candlelight Processional.

New Years Eve when it closes at 1 AM.

 

[mesaboy2]

Really? Sometimes I pull up the MDX app on my phone to check wait times while pining for Disney, and several nights early in January it was showing MK as closed by 7pm. Maybe I didn't account for the time difference and I happened to check on the nights it closed at 8.

You lost me at "MDX app".

 

[Aurora0427]

You lost me at "MDX app".

Bahahahaha! I should know better!

 

[mesaboy2]

Bahahahaha! I should know better!

I've been studying MK park hours in particular for a few months because of how that ties into FP booking windows opening at 12:00a or later some nights. It's actually kind of sad when I think about it.

 

[klinlin]

You have been all so helpful, thank you so much ... We are staying first week of December for 11 days, Beach Club resort... Will probably do Mickey's Merry Christmas party once and of course Epcot's candle light processional dinner package and the Osborne lights... Again never seen Disney during Christmas time and the temps won't be the surface of the sun hot... It was so uncomfortable last August

You will have a great trip. It's my favorite time to go.. My guys are just too big to take out of school for a whole week, but we always used to go the first week after thanksgiving. Christmas decorations, candlelight processional, Epcot Santas and Osbourne lights. Plus we always were able to swim. You can always spend a night at DTD if everything but Epcot is closed by 8. 8 is the earliest I can remember MK closing.