Although Disney World has four theme parks, many of us think of Magic Kingdom first when we think of the resort.
Magic Kingdom is ICONIC
We can’t help it! Magic Kingdom is Disney World’s OG park, where you can find Cinderella Castle, be serenaded by the Dapper Dans while you stroll down Main Street, U.S.A., and ride some of Disney World’s most classic attractions. However, you should carefully consider WHEN you visit Magic Kingdom on your Disney World trip, and we’re going to tell you why.
Is there ever really a BAD time to be in Disney World? We’ve been known to say that the worst day in Magic Kingdom is still better than the best day anywhere else, but there are certainly good, better, and BEST days to visit the parks. If you plan to visit Disney World soon, there are a few days that you might want to avoid the resort’s most popular park.
Cinderella Castle
Usually when we talk about bad times to go to Disney World, it’s because those days are likely to be more crowded or the park tickets are more expensive than on other days. However, this time we’re warning you about several days when Magic Kingdom is going to close earlier than normal, which means you might get stuck with less time in the park!
Sometimes these early closures are HOURS before the park usually closes, and that means you lose valuable time. Don’t worry, though — Disney World DOES list all of its hours for Magic Kingdom on its website, so be sure to check that before your trip.
Main Street
But WHEN should you avoid Magic Kingdom when it closes early? Well, we’ll tell you!
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Nights
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party takes place on select nights in Magic Kingdom from mid-August through the first of November. Magic Kingdom will close early on these nights at 6PM and will only be open after that to those with tickets to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.
Magic Kingdom closes at 6PM on party nights
The dates for the parties in 2023 have already been released, so these are the dates you’ll want to avoid in Magic Kingdom if you don’t want to have your day there shortened: August 11th, 15th, 18th, 22nd, 25th, and 29th; September 1st, 4th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 22nd, 24th, 26th, 28th, and 29th; October 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 9th, 10th, 12th, 13th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 20th, 22nd, 24th, 26th, 27th, 29th, and 31st; and November 1st.
Boo to You Halloween parade at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
So keep those dates in mind if you’ll be visiting Disney World during those months. Tickets for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party are available now — so if you’re wanting to attend a party, be sure to get those ASAP because they do tend to sell out.
EVERYTHING CONFIRMED for the 2023 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in Disney World
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
Likewise, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party takes place on select nights in late fall through the end of December. Magic Kingdom will also close at early on the nights of the party, meaning that you’ll have less time in the parks that day if you do not have a ticket to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
Here’s a list of the 2023 Event Dates for the Christmas party:
- Thursday, November 9th
- Friday, November 10th
- Monday, November 13th
- Tuesday, November 14th
- Thursday, November 16th
- Friday, November 17th
- Sunday, November 19th
- Tuesday, November 21st
- Wednesday, November 22nd
- Sunday, November 26th
- Tuesday, November 28th
- Thursday, November 30th
- Friday, December 1st
- Sunday, December 3rd
- Tuesday, December 5th
- Thursday, December 7th
- Friday, December 8th
- Sunday, December 10th
- Tuesday, December 12th
- Thursday, December 14th
- Friday, December 15th
- Sunday, December 17th
- Tuesday, December 19th
- Thursday, December 21st
- Friday, December 22nd
It’s Santa!
Tickets for the party go on sale on July 6th, 2023. Guests at select Disney World hotels can buy tickets EARLY, starting on June 29th, 2023. These are the hotels that qualify for those early ticket purchases:
- All Disney-owned hotels on property
- Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
- Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
- Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
- Shades of Green at Walt Disney World Resort
Learn more about Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party here.
Special Events
Magic Kingdom will also close early when there’s a special event that’s been booked there or if there’s a special Cast Member celebration or event scheduled. The only way to learn about these early closures is to keep an eye on the calendar on Disney World’s website or My Disney Experience app.
Magic Kingdom sometimes closes early
We’ve seen Magic Kingdom close as early as 4:30PM when these special events have been scheduled, which would greatly shorten your day if you’re visiting that park. So be sure to keep an eye out for those circumstances.
When Does Magic Kingdom Close in 2023?
Keep in mind that Disney World schedules change often, which is why it’s important to keep an eye on the calendar on the Disney World website and My Disney Experience app. Always check and double-check park hours as much as you can before your trip so you don’t end up with any surprises.
But before you set your plans in stone — here’s the thing. We have to show the OTHER side to this story which is that a LOT of people will avoid Magic Kingdom on these days since the hours are shortened. That might mean super low crowds in the park (not guaranteed, but we’ve seen it happen before) so the lines on all the popular rides could be shorter than usual. So if you’re more of a morning person anyways and weren’t planning to stay late in the park, then you may want to consider visiting on one of these days (and getting a lot done in the morning since everyone else is in different parks) and planning to hop to a different park or head to Disney Springs in the evening.
Again, we can’t guarantee that Magic Kingdom will be less crowded on the days when it closes early, but from our experience, it’s pretty likely.
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I totally get making people aware of the fact the park closes at 6pm on these party dates. I also think it would benefit them to know that Magic Kingdom is decidedly less crowded on these days! If you have a park hopper or only plan on spending a half day in a park anyway, these party days are a great way to have a less-crowded experience! Get to MK at rope drop on these days, and you’ll probably do more by 6pm than you would if you got there at 10am and stayed until 11pm on a normal day. If you want a full day, however, then this warning is for you. The bottom line for all visitors to the parks; KNOW when the party days are as well as all the parks’ hours.