Disney’s Animal Kingdom has extended its operating hours on select nights in November and December to cope with expected guest demand. These additions to the park hours are different than Extra Magic Hours, which requires a guest to stay on property to gain access to extended hours.
The long extension of operating hours on New Year’s Eve is to accommodate the offerings announced earlier this year. Throughout the night, you’ll find special New Year’s Eve-themed food and drinks, while DJs in Asia, Discovery Island, and DinoLand U.S.A. will keep the party pumping!
Let’s take a look at the new, longer hours at the Animal Kingdom.:
November 25, 26, 27, 29: Park Hours Extended to 9 PM (Previously 8 PM)
December 31: Park Hours Extended to 12 AM (Previously 8 PM)
Check us out for all of the holiday news and updates.
As is common to cope with perceived demand, the Magic Kingdom has extended its operating hours on select nights in November and December. These additions to the park hours are different than Extra Magic Hours, which requires a guest to stay on property to gain access to extended hours. Let’s take a look at the new, longer hours at the Magic Kingdom.:
November 10, 13, 18 & December 4: Park Hours Extended to 10 PM (Previously 9 PM)
November 9, 16, 23, 25-30: Park Hours Extended to 11 PM (Previously 10 PM)
December 7: Park Hours Extended to 8 AM to 12 AM (Previously 9 AM to 9 PM)
We’ll keep you updated on any further changes to Walt Disney World operating hours as the holiday season approaches.
Unwrap a holiday adventure for the whole family: a cruise aboard the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, or Disney Fantasy, all decked out with holiday cheer.
Starting early November, Disney Cruise Line adds sparkle to each ship during Very Merrytime Cruises, with traditional “turkey day” fanfare, Christmas feasts, “snow flurries” and more. During these voyages, special stem-to-stern holiday events include:
“Mickey’s Tree-Lighting Magic” in the atrium lobby on the first night of the cruise, where Disney characters lead holiday carols and the lighting of the glittering, three-deck-tall tree.
“Santa’s Winter Wonderland Ball” in the atrium lobby, where Disney cruisers welcome the guests of honor, Santa and Mrs. Claus, with a grand celebration featuring Broadway-style entertainment, favorite Disney characters, and classic holiday tunes. This evening of enchantment is made complete when a special pair of royal sisters joins the party and causes a flurry of “frozen” fun as a magical snowfall overtakes the atrium.
Dickens-inspired carolers carrying the spirit of the holidays throughout the ship while singing holiday classics, sometimes with the help of favorite Disney friends. At the end of the cruise, children will have the opportunity to join the carolers onstage for a special farewell show.
Family holiday activities including building gingerbread houses and meeting Santa Claus.
Youth holiday crafts such as decorating stockings and gingerbread men cookies, making holiday cards and creating holiday animation cells.
“Story Time with Mrs. Claus,” a special time for her to read well-known Christmas stories from her rocking chair near the tree.
A special holiday edition of the cheerful farewell celebration on the final night of the cruise, with beloved Disney characters and the ship’s crew in an engaging musical finale led by Mickey Mouse.
On Thanksgiving Day, guests will enjoy a bountiful Thanksgiving Day feast and visits from Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse dressed in traditional Thanksgiving attire. Also during the special Thanksgiving voyages, NFL football games will be broadcast live on the ships’ outdoor, jumbo LED screens – Funnel Vision – located near the family pool.
On Christmas morning at the atrium lobby tree, Santa Claus and his helpers will have a surprise for all the kids, and guests will delight in a special musical performance from the children. A traditional Christmas dinner will be served that night in the dining rooms.
Christmas services will be held on Christmas Day with a midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Hanukkah services will be held for eight days, beginning on the on the 25th day of Kislev.
When the ships stop at Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay, during the holidays, the celebration continues with “snow flurries,” a decked-out Christmas tree, Disney character meet-and-greets, and holiday island music.
This holiday season there will be new entertainment and holiday decor for each land within the park. Guests will get to enjoy themed holiday experiences everywhere that they go.
From Disney Parks Blog:
It all begins when you cross the bridge to Discovery Island, finding yourself in the midst of a celebration of winter, hand-crafted by the eclectic community of artists who make the island their home. The village is filled with sparkling white holiday decorations. Colorful, animal-inspired luminaries line the rooftops, and wireframe lanterns in the shape of beautiful birds can be found perched throughout the area.
A holiday gathering of winter animals – realized in the form of life-size, artisan-sculpted puppets – frolics on Discovery Island during the day. Reindeer, foxes, polar bears, penguins and more interact with guests, accompanied by serenading musicians as they create a playful atmosphere of festive fun.
As day becomes night, the rooftop luminaries and bird lanterns all around Discovery Island bring a warm and festive glow to the entire village. At the center of everything, the Tree of Life awakenswith a series of wintry tales, complemented by a familiar and heartwarming holiday-inspired musical score. Between awakening moments, the Tree of Life continues to shimmer and sparkle throughout the night, alive with the magic of nature and the spirit of the holidays.
