Surprise Closures Hit Disneyland, Potentially Ruining 2024 Vacations

in Disneyland Resort

Two guests watch the fireworks nighttime spectacular at Disneyland Park.

Credit: Disney

While many fans are overjoyed at the announcement of new Disneyland After Dark dates for 2024, many are lamenting the fact that the parks will be closing early so often in 2024.

Typically held in the first half of the year, Disneyland After Dark acts as a ticketed after-hours event for those who want to experience even more Disney magic. Just like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Oogie Boogie Bash, and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, day guests without a ticket are asked to leave the park as the event begins – which usually means ducking out hours earlier than you would on a non-party night.

Disneyland After Dark: Pride Nite character concept art
Credit: Disney

For those who’ve already arranged Disneyland trips for early 2024, this poses a potential problem. While the parks are usually accessible until roughly 10 p.m., time at Disneyland Park will be cut short on 20 different dates between January and June.

While the operations calendar doesn’t currently give the exact closing time for regular Disneyland guests unwilling to pay anywhere between $120 and $160 per person per ticket, in the past this has been 8 p.m.

Sleeping Beauty Castle at night with red fireworks illuminating the sky above Disneyland Park on the 4th of July
Credit: Disney

This isn’t the most welcome news for those who already have trips scheduled to Anaheim in early 2024. The first Disneyland After Dark event is less than two months away, meaning plenty of visitors – including out-of-towners – have already arranged their trips by this point and will have to contend with less time in Disneyland Park and more time in California Adventure or Downtown Disney than they initially planned.

Fans have been quick to point out how disappointing this can be on X (formerly known as Twitter). As @Parks_Pal wrote, “for out of town guests it’s the worst to find out the dates for your trip overlap with an after dark event.”

@Tangaroa_Joel agreed, writing: “It’s a good thing my kids are young, because we are staying on property across 1/30 to 2/1 and would be quite annoyed to find out two of those nights would be ‘closing earlier’ nights.”

Meanwhile, @RyanLMorris posted that “it would drive [him] insane if I bought tickets, booked flights and hotel, made park reservations, only to find out after the fact that days that I paid for wouldn’t be open for full operating hours. I’d be livid.”

Wondering if your trip will be affected? Check out the full list of early closure dates below.

Sweethearts Nites' heart poster
Credit: Disney

When is Disneyland closing early?

Disneyland Sweethearts’ Nite

Sweethearts’ Nites celebrate all things love in the run-up to Valentine’s Day. This year’s event will include exclusive sweet treats, a royal cavalcade, and appearances from Disney’s princes and princesses.

  • January 23, 2024
  • January 25, 2024
  • January 30, 2024
  • February 1, 2024
  • February 6, 2024
  • February 8, 2024
  • February 12, 2024
  • February 14, 2024
Sleeping Beauty castle lit up
Credit: Disney

Disney Channel Nite

For the first time ever, the Disney Channel of the noughties and early 2010s is taking over Disneyland. Expect entertainment themed around High School Musical (2006), Phineas and FerbCamp Rock (2008), Descendants (2015), Lizzie McGuire, and more. (Personally, we’re holding out for an appearance from Hannah Montana).

  • March 5, 2024
  • March 7, 2024

Star Wars Nite

The Disneyland classic will return just in time for Season of the Force. Characters old and new will be dotted around the park, including everyone from Luke Skywalker and C-3P0 to Kylo Ren and Rey. Guests will also be able to enjoy the “Star Wars: Celebrate the Nite” fireworks display above Sleeping Beauty Castle.

  • April 16, 2024
  • April 18, 2024
  • April 23, 2024
  • April 25, 2024
  • April 30, 2024
  • May 2, 2024
  • May 7, 2024
  • May 9, 2024
Star Wars-themed lights projected onto "it's a small world" in Disneyland.
Credit: Disney

Pride Nite

Following the success of Disneyland Resort’s first-ever Pride Nite in 2023, the celebration is making its big return. Rare characters will be out for meet and greets, and the Pride Nite Cavalcade will see Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, and Clarabelle strut down Main Street. (Fingers crossed Clarabelle is as iconic as last year).

  • June 18, 2024
  • June 20, 2024
Two guests watch the fireworks nighttime spectacular at Disneyland Park.
Credit: Disney

Related: Popular Disneyland Attraction Closing Permanently in 2024

Disneyland Paris guests are currently facing similar issues with last-minute schedule changes. The resort announced that its two parks – Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park – are closing early on December 20, December 21, and December 22 this year due to private events. With guests forced to leave the parks at 6 p.m. just days before Christmas, many have called for Disney to offer refunds to those who had already planned their festive vacations.

Do you plan on attending a Disneyland After Dark event in 2024? Let us know in the comments!

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