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Credit: DisneyAttention, Magic Kingdom visitors: the park will be closing nearly seven hours earlier than usual today.
As the OG park at Disney World – not to mention the most visited park in the world – Magic Kingdom Park is one of the most iconic cogs in The Walt Disney Company’s theme park machine.
Since its 1971 debut, Magic Kingdom has evolved significantly. Storybook Circus didn’t open until 2012, while Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and TRON Lightcycle / Run are among the park’s more recent additions. Today, it has more rides than any other theme park at Walt Disney World Resort and also typically stays open much later than its neighbors to meet the demand of its thousands of daily guests.
Magic Kingdom’s closing time usually varies by day and season, often around 10 or 11 p.m. However, today, it shut down nearly seven hours earlier.
As was previously announced, the park is opening at 8 a.m. as usual today (January 30), then closing to all guests at 4.30 p.m.
Considering that closure comes before nightfall, that means there will also be no performance of the nightly fireworks show Happily Ever After.
Frustrating though this early park closure may be for some guests – especially those who have traveled a long way to visit Walt Disney World Resort – it’s for a good reason. Today marks the Cast Service Celebration, an event honoring Disney cast members who have reached career milestones from 10 to 50 years.
Disney closed Magic Kingdom early for the same reason last January when over 8,300 cast members celebrated their work anniversaries with the Mouse. Honorees were celebrated with a red carpet down Main Street, U.S.A., plus a night of specialty food and drink, low wait times on popular attractions, and character meet and greets. The night was also rounded off with a special fireworks performance.
For those currently visiting Walt Disney World, the good news is that other parks are operating as usual. Blizzard Beach closes not long after Magic Kingdom at 5 p.m. (although, considering the cool temperatures so far this winter, it’s a wonder it’s open at all).
Meanwhile, both EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are slated to close at 9 p.m. today, while Animal Kingdom will close at 6 p.m. As usual, Disney Springs remains open even later, with today’s closure earmarked for 11 p.m.
Magic Kingdom returns to regular operating hours tomorrow (January 31), when guests will once again be able to enjoy the likes of Space Mountain, “it’s a small world,” Haunted Mansion, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train well into the evening.
One ride that won’t be available tomorrow – or any other day throughout the year for that matter – is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which is currently in the midst of an extensive refurbishment which has seen its track removed.
Are you visiting Disney World this week?