How Late is Magic Kingdom Open?

Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Allison Lancaster

Before you travel to Walt Disney World theme parks, you may be wondering how late is Magic Kingdom open. After all, you want to make sure that you get the most from your visit to Disney! The hours for the Disney parks can vary depending on the season, and whether or not special events are happening during your visit to the Magic Kingdom. Park hours can also depend on where you are staying during your visit. 

The Magic Kingdom is the most popular of all of the Disney parks in Florida, so typically it has the longest opening hours each day, but when special events take place like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary-Halloween Party or Mickey’s Merry Christmas Party, hours can change. Typically, the parks will close to regular guests around 6 pm on special event evenings. These events have their own ticket entry, outside of the daily park admission required. 

Typical Park Hours at the Magic Kingdom

Typical park hours at the Magic Kingdom are 9 am until 6, 7, or 9 pm. However, to keep you on your toes, Disney does offer extended theme park hours to guests staying at certain resorts. There are also early entry hours, and then there are those days when the park is open late like weekends, peak season, and holidays. 

How Late Is Magic Kingdom Open?

During the summer months, the park can be open until 11 pm most nights which means that the extended evening hours can go as late as 1 am! 

 In truth, the typical Magic Kingdom park hours are anything but typical! Fortunately, you can use this handy hours and events calendar to see what the park hours “should” be for up to six months in advance, the same amount of time you are allowed to make advanced dining reservations. 

What are Extended Evening Theme Park Hours? 

You may have heard of extra magic hours before, but when it comes to walking down Main Street, extended evening theme park hours are just the new name for extra magic hours. These extended evening theme park hours mean that eligible guests can enjoy the park for an additional time in the evenings after the park is closed to regular guests. 

This can be a great time to ride some of the more popular attractions without having to stand in long lines. Extended evening theme park hours not only make for shorter wait times, but last anywhere from one to three hours long. The best way to find out when Extended Theme Park Hours are is to check the Disney’s website for current times and resorts that are included in the special benefit.

Early Theme Park Entry

Early theme park entry is available for eligible guests to enter the Magic Kingdom at least 30 minutes before the park opens for all guests for the day. Sometimes early theme park entry is an hour early, and that is why it’s important to check the calendar, even on the day of your visit, sometimes park hours are changed during the day.

 These changes are always for more time in the park, and not less, if the calendar says they are open for early admissions at 8 am then they will be. However, the calendar could change to say early theme park entry starts at 7 am, so it’s always worth a quick check. In order to enter the park early you will need to use your Magic Band, Key to the World card, or Disney MagicMobile pass with your ticket at the gate. Transportation to the parks starts 30 minutes before the early admission time. 

Which Resorts are Eligible for Early Theme Park Entry?

Early theme park entry is a resort perk for guests of Disney staying at the following hotels: 

• Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
• Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort
• The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
• The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
• Disney’s Riviera Resort
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
• The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
• Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
• Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
• Shades of Green® on Walt Disney World® Resort
• B Resort & Spa Lake Buena Vista
• DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando
• Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace
• Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
• Holiday Inn Orlando
• Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista
• Wyndham Lake Buena Vista
• Four Seasons Resort Orlando
• Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
• Waldorf Astoria Orlando
• Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista

How do you get Extended Evening Theme Park Hours?

You might be wondering how YOU can access these extended evening theme park hours for extra time in the parks, and it’s simple. You will need to stay at one of Disney’s Deluxe Resorts, Deluxe Villa Resorts, or an eligible third-party hotel, all of which you will find listed below. Extended evening theme park hours for guests of these hotels have been confirmed by Disney for the entirety of 2023. 

Extended evening theme park hours are on Wednesdays for the Magic Kingdom and Mondays for Epcot. These extended hours mean that eligible guests can stay in the park until at least 9 pm, with several dates having the parks open until 11 pm or 1 am for the remainder of this year. 

How Do They Know Which Guests are Eligible for Extended Evening Hours?

You may be wondering how cast members can tell which guests are eligible for extended evening hours from regular guests. Well, you can’t tell just by looking at a guest so there will be a cast member at each attraction to check for a valid resort id. 

Can You Park Hop For Extended Evening Hours? 

You cannot park hop to a park with extended evening hours if you don’t have a park hopper pass for the day of entry. If you don’t have a park hopper pass then you have to stay at the same park you have the same day ticketed entry for to participate in the extended evening hours. 

Extended Evening Hours Eligible Disney Owned Hotels

You are probably wondering, which hotels, resorts, and villas offer their guests extended evening hours and you will find them all listed below. Deluxe Resort guests and several other Walt Disney World Resort guests staying at:

Deluxe Resorts

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

Disney Vacation Club & Deluxe Villa Resorts

• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
• Disney’s Riviera Resort
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
• Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Extended Evening Hours Eligible Third-Party Hotels

• Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
• Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
• Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
• Shades of Green

What Attractions are Open for the Magic Kingdom Extended Evening Hours? 

It is important to note, that not ALL attractions are available for guests during the extended evening hours but below you will find a list of the attractions that are available during these extra hours. 

• Astro Orbiter
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Country Bear Jamboree
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Haunted Mansion
• “It’s a Small World”
• Mad Tea Party
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Space Mountain
• Swiss Family Treehouse
• The Barnstormer
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Tomorrowland Speedway
• Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
• Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

What Attractions Open Early at the Magic Kingdom? 

It is important to note that if you want to take advantage of early theme park entry, not every attraction in the park opens early. Here is a list of the attractions that “usually” open as soon as the gates of the park do.

• “It’s a Small World”
• Astro Orbiter
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Mad Tea Party
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train 
• Space Mountain 
• The Barnstormer 
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Tomorrowland Speedway 
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
• Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
• Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress

What Attractions are Open for Epcot Extended Evening Hours?

While we’ve mostly talked about the Magic Kingdom, but Epcot has extended evening hours on Mondays. You might just be wondering what attractions are open for the extra hours, so you will find them listed below! 

• Beauty and The Beast Sing-Along
• Frozen Ever After
• Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
• Mission: SPACE
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
• Soarin’ Around the World
• Spaceship Earth
• Test Track
• The Seas with Nemo & Friends

What Attractions Open Early at Epcot?

If you plan to head over to Epcot for early admission you might be wondering which attractions will be open when you get there. Remember, these are subject to change but typically you will find these attractions open. 

• Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along 
• Frozen Ever After 
• Mission: SPACE Green 
• Mission: SPACE Orange 
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure 
• The Seas with Nemo & Friends 
• Soarin’ Around the World 
• Spaceship Earth  
• Test Track 

What Attractions are Open for Hollywood Studios Extended Evening Hours?

Disney has recently announced that extended evening hours (previously extra magic hours) will be returning to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2023. There will also be extended evening hours for December 15 and December 22, 2022. For both of these nights, Disney Hollywood Studios will be open to eligible guests until 11 pm. Christmas at Hollywood Studios is fantastic with lots of fun holiday-themed overlays on many of the attractions. 

• Alien Swirling Saucers
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
• Slinky Dog Dash
• Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
• Toy Story Mania!
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

If you haven’t been to Disney World since Millenium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars Rise of the Resistance opened, then early theme park admission and extended evening hours may be your best shot to ride them without waiting in line for a long time. 

What Attractions are Open Early at Hollywood Studios?

Hollywood Studios might not always have extended evening hours, but they do participate in the early entry for Disney resort guests. The attractions that you will typically find open as soon as park guests are allowed in are:

• Alien Swirling Saucers 
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway 
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run 
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith 
• Slinky Dog Dash 
• Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
• Toy Story Mania! 
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 

What Attractions are Open Early at Disney’s Animal Kingdom?

You may be wondering what attractions are open for guests who participate in early entry at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. These attractions are generally open when the gates open: 

• Avatar Flight of Passage 
• DINOSAUR 
• Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain 
• It’s Tough to Be a Bug! 
• Na’vi River Journey 
• TriceraTop Spin 

Does Disney’s Animal Kingdom have Extended Evening Hours?

Currently, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is not offering any extended evening hours, and so far no plans for any have been released for 2023. You never know though, Disney may offer extended evening hours at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in the future. 

As you can see, the answer to how late the Magic Kingdom is open is not a straightforward one. Extended evening hours and early theme park admission are excellent perks for Disney guests staying at the resort hotels. Being able to hop in line ahead of other guests, and stay after them gives you the opportunity to experience all that the park has to offer.