Holiday travelers can finally put some specific times next to their late-December Walt Disney World plans. The resort has published initial operating hours covering Christmas week and New Year’s Eve 2026, including a 1 a.m. closing at EPCOT on December 31 and midnight closings at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
The park hours schedule covers December 20 through December 31. As with many park-hour releases several weeks in advance, these are the currently posted times, not a promise that the schedule will remain unchanged. Walt Disney World often adjusts operating hours as a date approaches, especially during the busiest vacation periods. Guests should recheck the official calendar before making final dining, transportation or park-hopping plans.
Magic Kingdom is currently listed as opening at 9 a.m. throughout the period. Most days have a 10 p.m. closing, but December 20 and December 22 are exceptions: the park is scheduled to close to regular guests at 6 p.m. for the final two Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party nights. Those separately ticketed parties operate from 7 p.m. until midnight. On December 30 and New Year’s Eve, Magic Kingdom is currently scheduled from 9 a.m. until midnight.
EPCOT’s hours are especially useful for anyone planning a New Year’s celebration. The park is scheduled to open at 9 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. on most dates in the period, with a 1 a.m. closing on December 31. Extended Evening Theme Park Hours are also listed from 9 p.m. until 11 p.m. on December 21 and December 28 for guests who meet the eligibility requirements. Those extended hours are not a general admission benefit for every visitor or every Disney resort guest.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is currently listed from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on most days, with a midnight closing on New Year’s Eve. December 21 and 23 are exceptions because of Disney Jollywood Nights: regular park hours end at 7 p.m., while the separately ticketed holiday event is scheduled from 7:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. Guests who do not hold a Jollywood Nights ticket should not plan to remain in the park for that evening’s event.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom has an 8 a.m. opening and 6 p.m. closing posted throughout the December 20–31 window. Extended Evening Theme Park Hours are listed from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. on December 23 and December 30 for eligible guests. Those late-night dates are noteworthy because Animal Kingdom’s regular operating day is shorter than that of the other three theme parks. The current schedule does not establish whether Disney will add any additional regular hours later.
Disney’s Blizzard Beach is also listed as operating from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the same period, subject to the usual operating and weather considerations. Early Theme Park Entry generally begins 30 minutes before the posted regular opening at each participating park for eligible resort guests; visitors should verify the actual date-specific entry time in Disney’s calendar.
The release provides an important planning baseline, particularly for Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. It also highlights a recurring holiday-season trap: an evening advertised as part of Disney’s Christmas celebration may require a separate event ticket, even if the park was open to ordinary guests earlier in the day.
For now, guests should treat these published hours as the starting point for an itinerary rather than a final schedule. A later extension would be a separate operational update. Until then, the confirmed information is that EPCOT has the latest posted New Year’s Eve closing, while Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios are both currently listed until midnight.