Walt Disney World has added extra hours to the calendar by means of early December 2025 at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios & Animal Kingdom, and prolonged hours in October. This publish covers the adjustments plus zig after they zag technique for Magic Kingdom in the course of the Halloween and Christmas seasons.
We’ll begin with the most recent launch of recent working schedules. All 4 theme parks have had hours for one more week added to DisneyWorld.com’s park hours, and the present calendar now runs by means of December 5, 2025. Listed here are the hours for the newly-added dates in the course of the vacation season, from November 28, 2025 and past:
- Magic Kingdom: 9 am to 10 pm*
- EPCOT: 9 am to 9:30 pm
- Hollywood Studios: 9 am to 9 pm*
- Animal Kingdom: 8 am to six pm
- Storm Lagoon: 10 am to five pm
- Blizzard Seashore: Closed
- Disney Springs: 10 am to 11 pm (11:30 pm on Fridays & Saturdays)
As a reminder, Walt Disney World’s regular follow is to launch boilerplate or placeholder hours earlier than extending these based mostly on attendance and lodge occupancy projections. This has been frequent follow for years, and can proceed for the rest of this 12 months and possibly in 2026, 2027, and many others–till the rise of the machines.
One exception to the park hours above is that Magic Kingdom closes on a number of nights per week at 6 pm to day friends for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Social gathering over the course of the following three months. These separately-ticketed occasions start at 7 pm and runs till midnight, and happen a number of nights per week.
Much like Magic Kingdom on MNSSHP or MVMCP nights, Hollywood Studios closes at 7 pm on evenings when the Disney Jollywood Nights Christmas Social gathering is held. That arduous ticket occasion happens with far much less frequency than Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Social gathering.
The massive cause this schedule change is notable is that Walt Disney World has revealed that EPCOT hours will probably be prolonged for the 2025 EPCOT Worldwide Pageant of the Holidays.
Beginning on November twenty eighth, EPCOT will probably be open till 9:30 p.m. fairly than its present closing time of 9 p.m. The park will proceed to open at 9 a.m., with Early Entry starting earlier than that at 8:30 a.m. EPCOT may also proceed internet hosting Prolonged Night Hours on (most) Monday nights, from 9:30 to 11:30 pm.
Our hope is that EPCOT will get even later closing occasions in the course of the coronary heart of the Christmas season. That is often the busiest time of the 12 months because of Candlelight Processional and Pageant of the Holidays, together with nicer climate that pulls out locals. I nonetheless don’t fairly perceive why EPCOT doesn’t shut later. Certainly the meals & beverage gross sales alone would justify one other half-hour?!
Each single go to we made to EPCOT final 12 months after Black Friday, the park was completely slammed. This wasn’t all the time mirrored in wait occasions on the entrance of the park, which does hole out aside from Residing with the Land – Glimmering Greenhouses, however World Showcase was packed. EPCOT may simply do 10 pm closing occasions and recoup the labor and operational bills a number of occasions over.
Talking of park closing occasions, Magic Kingdom is scheduled to shut at 6 pm on October 21, 2025 for a park buyout throughout a colossal convention, the Gartner IT Symposium. This often occurs at EPCOT, however is transferring to Magic Kingdom this 12 months. (I’m wondering how far more that set Gartner again?!)
This one is straightforward to overlook as you’re making an attempt to dodge Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering dates that week, which additionally happen throughout this similar week on October 19, 23, 24, 26. Suffice to say, pack your endurance in case you’re visiting Magic Kingdom on October 20, 22, or 25. A lot of crowds consolidated into these dates to see Starlight and Fortunately Ever After!
Truthfully, the larger factor is perhaps the Gartner IT Symposium and return of conference ‘season’ as an entire. Whereas attendees themselves aren’t spending all day within the parks, they may find time for evenings at EPCOT and elsewhere. Not solely that, however many spouses and kids tag alongside and go to the parks whereas the conventioneers sit in Crescent Lake convention rooms. Conference ‘season’ is likely one of the massive the reason why October stopped being the low season over a decade in the past!
On the matters of shifting schedules and Magic Kingdom, right here’s the present nighttime leisure schedule for now by means of November 1, 2025:
- Starlight Parade: 8 pm
- Fortunately Ever After: 9 pm
- Starlight Parade: 10 pm
- Park Closing: 10 pm
After November 1st, there aren’t any occasions posted for parades. If you happen to have a look at the official Starlight web page, it says “no efficiency right this moment.” The identical is the case for Pageant of Fantasy. This has occurred earlier than, so earlier than you freak out, it’s not correct. There’s no cause to imagine both parade, not to mention each of them, will pause for November and December.
Curiously, Fortunately Ever After continues to have 9 pm showtimes all through November 2025. This has additionally occurred earlier than! For no matter cause, Walt Disney World retains populating Fortunately Ever After showtimes even when there’s no schedule for the parades. I haven’t the slightest clue as to why, particularly when there have been simply visitor considerations and complaints about this final month. Making issues worse, this 9 pm showtime for Fortunately Ever After can also be most likely inaccurate.
Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 2, 2025. This often triggers showtime adjustments for the Magic Kingdom fireworks. Often as in each single 12 months. Final 12 months, it meant Fortunately Ever After transferring ahead to eight:30 pm (this truly occurred in late October, as sundown occasions had already moved ahead). One week later, Fortunately Ever After moved ahead to eight pm and stayed in that point slot till DST began once more in March.
If we went again in time to November 3, 2015, we’d see showtimes of seven pm and 9 pm for Principal Road Electrical Parade and eight pm for Needs. I’d anticipate comparable showtimes for Disney Starlight: Dream the Night time Away and Fortunately Ever After all through November and December 2025.
Clearly, nothing is official but, however there’s good cause why that was the leisure cadence a decade in the past, and it makes much more sense in 2025 to revert to that schedule. That is Walt Disney World’s most popular schedule, because it permits households with children who can’t keep out late the prospect to see nighttime leisure, and in addition helps filter the park earlier. The one cause that they had later showtimes over the summer season was as a result of sundown dictated it, and there’s a obligatory hour hole between the showtimes.
Along with these newly added hours, Walt Disney World has additionally prolonged park hours all through the primary few weeks of October 2025.
That is going to be taking place an increasing number of. We’re coming into the house stretch of the 12 months when crowds can spike as a consequence of lengthy weekends, college breaks, holidays and different particular occasions. Because of this, you’ll be able to anticipate much more extensions–on a weekly foundation–from Walt Disney World going ahead.
Anyway, on with the primary waves of extensions for Fall 2025. As of proper now, Walt Disney World has solely made focused park hours extensions by means of October 18, 2025. Right here’s a have a look at these:
Magic Kingdom Park Hours Extensions
- October 3, 2025: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 4, 2025: 8 am to 11 pm (beforehand 9 am to 10 pm)
- October 5, 2025: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 6, 2025: 9 am to 11pm (beforehand 9 am to 10 pm)
- October 7, 2025: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 8, 2025: 9 am to 11pm (beforehand 9 am to 10 pm)
- October 9, 2025: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 10, 2025: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 11, 2025: 8 am to 11 pm (beforehand 9 am to 10 pm)
- October 12, 2025: 9 am to 11 pm (beforehand 9 am to 10 pm)
- October 13, 2025: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 14, 2025: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 15, 2025: 8 am to 11 pm (beforehand 9 am to 10 pm)
- October 16, 2025: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 17, 2025: 8 am to six pm (beforehand 9 am to six pm)
- October 18, 2025: 8 am to 11 pm (beforehand 9 am to 10 pm)
Once more, October 18th is the final date to be prolonged to this point; any date beginning Oct. 19 is solely boilerplate hours at this level. Additional extensions will comply with, so don’t fret in case you’re touring within the second half of October and past. That is the way it all the time works.
The explanation for these extensions is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Social gathering.
As we’ve mentioned numerous occasions, Social gathering Season working hours trigger chaos with crowds, pushing attendance a lot increased on the dates it’s not occurring and decrease on the dates it’s occurring. On occasion nights, Magic Kingdom closes to day friends at 6 pm. Additionally it is opens at 8 am on busier days, however there have been exceptions to that over the course of the final month.
The excellent news is that Magic Kingdom is opening at 8 am on most dates beginning October 3, 2025. We anticipate this development to proceed within the second half of October, though there’ll most likely be fewer days with 8 am openings till Veterans Day/Jersey Week in November, as Fall Breaks wind up and attendance usually decreases throughout that timeframe. See our listing of the Greatest & Worst Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World in 2025, 2026 & 2027 for a rundown of the great and unhealthy dates subsequent month and past.
These 8 am rope drops imply that Early Entry begins at 7:30 am, which is big. Look no additional than our new area testing: Magic Kingdom’s Additional Early Entry is a Should-Do for Low Waits at Disney World’s Greatest Rides!
That covers how I looped TRON Lightcycle Run (x3), and did Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare, Peter Pan’s Flight, and Tiana’s Bayou Journey as walk-ons. Don’t anticipate to copy these precise outcomes on busier October by means of December dates, however the animating thought and technique is identical.
Don’t sleep on this! The strategic benefit supplied is immense, particularly on days that will probably be busier round Fall Break. Even in case you can’t knock out as a lot as I did (and also you most likely received’t be capable of), the daytime crowds that hit round 10 am on these dates will probably be far, far worse than what I encountered. These 8 am rope drops and seven:30 am are you secret weapon to knocking out as a lot as doable with out paying additional for Lightning Lanes!
Thus far about rising crowds, you’ll be able to anticipate to see party-shortened days at Magic Kingdom have crowd ranges of two/10 as an alternative of 1/10. This may occur as a result of crowd ranges as an entire are rising–they’ll be increased throughout the board for fall break, which means on each celebration and non-party days. Second, celebration dates have gotten extra frequent, making them tougher to keep away from. Meaning extra friends could have no selection however to do Magic Kingdom on celebration days.
The upside, if you wish to name it that, is that much more individuals will try and do Magic Kingdom on these uncommon non-party days, particularly Saturdays. Which means the hole in wait occasions between celebration and non-party days will truly develop. Suffice to say, we strongly suggest visiting Magic Kingdom in the course of the day on MNSSHP or MVMCP nights.
That is one thing we’ve lined at size, repeatedly. See Greatest & Worst Days to Do Magic Kingdom in 2025 for a rundown of when crowds will probably be particularly good or unhealthy, together with a handful of ‘crimson flag’ dates to keep away from in any respect prices this month by means of December.
Animal Kingdom Park Hours Extensions
- October 3, 2025: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- October 4, 2025: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- October 5, 2025: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- October 10, 2025: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- October 11, 2025: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- October 12, 2025: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- October 13, 2025: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- October 17, 2025: 8 am to 7 pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
- October 18, 2025: 8 am to eight pm (beforehand 8 am to six pm)
With regards to Animal Kingdom, we favor taking the additional hours assuming you’re going to be there all day. And even in case you’re doing a noon break however will return to the identical park. Extra time is healthier. Nevertheless, in case you plan on leaving early, the very best follow is avoiding DAK when the closing is later. There’s a cause these dates get prolonged hours and others don’t, and it’s as a result of WDW’s inner attendance projections are increased.
With all of that mentioned, you actually don’t want that a lot time at Animal Kingdom. If you happen to arrive for Early Entry and even common rope drop, you’ll be able to simply run the desk on all the rides earlier than lunch. That leaves stage exhibits and animal reveals for the afternoon, which nonetheless received’t require you keep after 6 pm, until you intend on doing like a dozen countdowns to extinction on DINOSAUR. See Animal Kingdom Park Opening & Early Entry Journey Technique (or, “How I Did Each Journey at DAK Earlier than 10:30am.”)
Finally, it’ll be attention-grabbing to see how unhealthy crowds find yourself being in October 2025, and what occurs with park hours extensions for the vacation season that begins in early November 2025. Our hope is that Walt Disney World will get again to later closing occasions for the Christmas season. In a really perfect world, 11 pm closings at Magic Kingdom could be the norm on non-party nights, with midnight closings occurring no less than as soon as per week. If I recall accurately, there have been solely 2-3 midnight closings final 12 months between Veterans Day and December twenty ninth.
As for subsequent month, we’re happy to have the extensions. It could be good to have one other half-hour within the morning or night at DHS, and perhaps even just a few midnight closings at Magic Kingdom (the times wedged between 3-4 MNSSHPs will probably be brutal, particularly with that Gartner IP occasion additionally within the combine), however all in all, it’s not too unhealthy. Though attendance goes to extend–and possibly by quite a bit–Halloween and Christmas are our favourite occasions of the 12 months within the parks and on the resorts!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Walt Disney World’s working hours extensions for October 2025? Assume this schedule is cheap? Do you assume Magic Kingdom must be open earlier and/or later? What has been your expertise with crowds and wait occasions? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
