Walt Disney World has released the initial operating hours for its four theme parks and one water park for the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s Eve 2026. Guests planning a holiday trip from December 20 through December 31 can now begin outlining their daily itineraries. While these are the officially posted times, Disney routinely extends park hours as the holiday season approaches and crowd projections become clearer.
Holiday Schedule Overview
For guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, Early Theme Park Entry will continue to operate throughout the holiday season, granting access to all four theme parks 30 minutes prior to the posted regular opening time. Below is a summary table of the standard operating hours and special exceptions for the 2026 holiday period.
| Park | Standard Holiday Hours | Early Closures (Special Events) | New Year’s Eve Hours (Dec 31) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Kingdom | 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. on Dec 20 and Dec 22 | 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. (Also Dec 30) |
| EPCOT | 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. | None | 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. |
| Disney’s Hollywood Studios | 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. | 7:00 p.m. on Dec 21 and Dec 23 | 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. |
| Disney’s Animal Kingdom | 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | None | 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
| Disney’s Blizzard Beach | 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | None | 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom is currently slated to open at 9:00 a.m. daily from Sunday, December 20 through Thursday, December 31. However, historical trends from 2025 suggest that the park will likely shift to an 8:00 a.m. opening time once Disney updates the calendar closer to December. Similarly, while the park is currently scheduled to close at midnight on December 30 and December 31, it remained open until 1:00 a.m. on New Year’s Eve last year, making a late extension probable.
Regular daytime guests should note that the park will close early at 6:00 p.m. on two dates to accommodate the final nights of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, which runs from 7:00 p.m. to midnight.
- Sunday, December 20: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.)
- Monday, December 21: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, December 22: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.)
- Wednesday, December 23 through Tuesday, December 29: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, December 30: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.
- Thursday, December 31: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.
EPCOT
EPCOT will maintain a consistent 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. schedule for the majority of the holiday stretch, matching its 2025 operational hours. Because these hours align with last year’s final schedule, significant adjustments are not expected. Guests staying at Deluxe Resorts, Deluxe Villa Resorts, or other select hotels can take advantage of Extended Evening Theme Park Hours on two Mondays during this period.
- Sunday, December 20: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Monday, December 21: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Extended Evening Hours from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.)
- Tuesday, December 22 through Sunday, December 27: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Monday, December 28: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Extended Evening Hours from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.)
- Tuesday, December 29 through Wednesday, December 30: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Thursday, December 31: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is set to open at 9:00 a.m. every day during the final two weeks of December. For most of the holiday period, the park will close at 9:00 p.m., with a midnight closure scheduled for New Year’s Eve. On December 21 and December 23, the park will close early at 7:00 p.m. for the final two evenings of the separately ticketed Disney Jollywood Nights event.
- Sunday, December 20: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Monday, December 21: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Disney Jollywood Nights from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.)
- Tuesday, December 22: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, December 23: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Disney Jollywood Nights from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.)
- Thursday, December 24 through Wednesday, December 30: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Thursday, December 31: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Blizzard Beach
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is currently listed with an 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. schedule from December 20 through December 31. In 2025, the park saw its hours extended to 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. during the peak holiday week, so visitors should watch for potential evening extensions. Additionally, Animal Kingdom will host Extended Evening Theme Park Hours for eligible resort guests on two Wednesdays.
- Sunday, December 20 through Tuesday, December 22: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, December 23: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Extended Evening Hours from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.)
- Thursday, December 24 through Tuesday, December 29: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, December 30: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Extended Evening Hours from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.)
- Thursday, December 31: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
For guests looking to visit a water park during their winter trip, Disney’s Blizzard Beach is scheduled to operate daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from December 20 through December 31, weather permitting.
Travelers heading to Walt Disney World for Christmas and New Year’s Eve should use these initial hours as a baseline for booking dining reservations and planning park days. Checking the My Disney Experience app in the weeks leading up to the trip will ensure you have the most accurate schedule once Disney finalizes its holiday extensions.
Written by
Rachel Van Norman
Contributing Writer
Rachel fell deeply in love with all things Disney as a little girl. Now as a wife and a mother herself, she shares this Disney obsession with her son and everyone around her. From her love of princesses to eating all the Disney food, Rachel spends her time radiating Disney magic and keeping everyone up to date on Disney news.
