You just had a great day at Magic Kingdom filled with sugary snacks, fun rides, and memories made.

Magic Kingdom at night

Of course, most of us want to be in the park as long as possible on our Disney vacation. If you’re like us, you got there at rope drop. While you might not be ready to call it a day, there are a few reasons you might want to pack it up and head out. 

Lighting

At night, lighting around the Magic Kingdom can be sparse. Certain lands like Frontierland and Adventureland have very little light in them and can get DARK after the sun sets.

MK at night

The lighting is also reduced around the park during the fireworks for optimum viewing of them. So if there is lighting, it is usually turned off, especially around the hub and Main Street.

Transportation Lines

While you probably want to stay for Happily Ever After, the nighttime fireworks show at Magic Kingdom, there are some things to consider. A big issue we see a lot at night is the lines heading back to the Transportation and Ticket Center. After the fireworks end, there is usually a mad rush to the front of the park. You can get stuck in a long line at the monorail or ferry boat trying to get back to your car.

Disney World

But, that’s not all. If you think you lucked out because you’re staying at a Disney resort and just need to grab a bus back, think again. The buses also have long lines for them. While the buses do come frequently at closing, it can still be frustrating waiting for one to come pick you up.

Crowds

Continuing from Transportation lines, this also means there are CROWDS at night. Now, normally if you aren’t on Main Street or exiting the park, you won’t see too many crowds. Especially if you are in line for a ride right at park closing.

Crowds after fireworks

But Main Street gets crowded and it can be hard to walk here, much less push a stroller or wheelchair through here. The stores on Main Street can also be packed with people trying to do any last-minute souvenir shopping, so don’t anticipate being able to wait out the crowds there.

Space Mountain at Night

Instead, we recommend if you aren’t in a rush to get back to your hotel, head towards the back of the park to escape the crowds. You can browse through the shops back there as long as the park is still open. If you are looking to get one more ride in, you can actually get in line for a ride all the way up until the park closes. This means if the park closes at 9 PM, you can normally get in line for Space Mountain at 8:59 PM.

Limited Options to Leave

If you are leaving at a peak time and taking a ride share, be sure to factor in time for waiting on a ride. Since there could be several guests ordering a ride share at once, availability could vary depending on many factors.

TTC Rideshare

Also, be sure to stay aware of when transportation ends from the park. Disney buses and the monorail usually run one hour after the park closes. The resort launch boats from the park to the Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, and other Disney hotels stop 45 minutes after the park is closed.

Disney Bus Transportation

We are definitely not saying that you should leave the park early, but these are things to keep in mind when you are planning on staying at Magic Kingdom late. For more Disney tips and tricks, keep following us at DFB.

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Would you rather get to Magic Kingdom early or stay late? Let us know in the comments.