Credit: Disney Walt Disney World Resort has announced it will extend its hours during Thanksgiving week at 3 of its 4 major theme parks! Longer vacations, here we come!
Which Disney World Parks Are Extending Their Hours During Thanksgiving Week?
Walt Disney World is making another round of operating changes ahead of Thanksgiving, giving guests more time inside three of its four theme parks as one of the year’s biggest holiday travel periods approaches.
According to the resort’s updated operating schedule, Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom will all offer extended hours on select dates between November 22 and November 28, 2026. Magic Kingdom is receiving the largest adjustments, including a two-hour extension on Thanksgiving Day.
The changes follow earlier November operating-hour extensions and come as Disney prepares for Thanksgiving travelers and separately ticketed Christmas celebrations.
For families already counting on full days inside the parks, the updated calendar offers additional flexibility. But not every guest will receive the same amount of regular park time.
Disney World Extends Magic Kingdom Hours for Thanksgiving Week
Magic Kingdom is getting the most significant schedule changes, with additional operating time spread across five dates.
The biggest adjustment comes on Thursday, November 26. Magic Kingdom will now operate from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m., compared with its previously listed 9 a.m. opening and 10 p.m. closing.
That gives regular admission guests a 15-hour operating day, two hours longer than originally scheduled.
Three other dates are gaining an additional hour in the evening. Magic Kingdom will remain open until 11 p.m. on November 22, November 23, and November 28, instead of closing at 10 p.m.
Tuesday, November 24, is receiving a different adjustment. The park will open at 8 a.m. rather than 9 a.m., although regular operations will still conclude at 6 p.m.
Disney’s official park hours calendar is the reference guests should consult for their specific visit dates, since operating schedules can change.
These extensions give visitors more time to fit attractions, meals, and entertainment into their itineraries. They do not, however, guarantee shorter lines or lighter crowds.
For guests staying at eligible Disney Resort hotels and select other properties, Disney’s 30-minute Early Theme Park Entry benefit provides another planning consideration. On Thanksgiving, that means a scheduled 7:30 a.m. entry ahead of the general 8 a.m. opening.
Magic Kingdom Still Faces Early Closures During Christmas Party Nights
The longer Thanksgiving schedule comes with an important distinction: Magic Kingdom is not extending regular park hours on every date.
November 24, November 25, and November 27 are scheduled for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, meaning regular daytime guests must leave at the 6 p.m. closing time unless they have separate event admission.
Under Disney’s official Christmas party schedule, the celebration operates from 7 p.m. until midnight, with party ticket holders permitted to enter beginning at 4 p.m.
That creates a significant difference for guests deciding which day to visit Magic Kingdom.
Someone visiting on Thanksgiving can receive 15 hours of regular park operation. On November 24, the regular schedule provides 10 hours, even after Disney’s newly announced earlier opening.
The distinction matters because the additional party hours are not included with standard daytime admission.
Inside the Magic has also reported on Thanksgiving-week operating changes affecting Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, illustrating why attraction-specific hours deserve attention alongside the park’s overall schedule.
Guests who want a longer regular-admission evening should compare their dates before finalizing plans.
Hollywood Studios Adds Morning Time Before Holiday Celebrations
Magic Kingdom isn’t the only park adjusting its Thanksgiving-week schedule.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios will open 30 minutes earlier on Monday, November 23, and Tuesday, November 24. Both dates now have an 8:30 a.m. opening instead of the previously scheduled 9 a.m. start.
The park’s published closing times remain unchanged: 7 p.m. on November 23 and 9 p.m. on November 24.
The November 23 early closure coincides with Disney Jollywood Nights, a separately ticketed holiday celebration scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.
Disney confirms that event ticket holders can enter Hollywood Studios beginning at 5:30 p.m. Guests can find additional details in Inside the Magic’s report on Jollywood Nights early entry and check-in procedures.
For regular daytime visitors, the newly added morning time offers another opportunity to schedule attractions before the park closes for the event.
Guests eligible for Early Theme Park Entry can begin their visits at 8 a.m. on both newly adjusted dates.
Animal Kingdom Gains Two Extra Hours While EPCOT Holds Steady
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is receiving two evening extensions, including one of the week’s larger single-day adjustments.
On Sunday, November 22, the park will close at 7 p.m. instead of 6 p.m.
Tuesday, November 24, brings an even larger change, with the closing time moving from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The park’s scheduled 8 a.m. opening remains unchanged.
That gives visitors up to 12 hours of regular park operation on November 24, compared with the previously listed 10 hours.
EPCOT, meanwhile, is the only Walt Disney World theme park without changes in this round of Thanksgiving-week updates. Its regular schedule remains 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. throughout November 22–28.
Guests deciding between the parks should also consider which attractions and entertainment they want to experience, rather than assuming a later closing time means every attraction will remain available until the gates close.
Disney’s Thanksgiving Changes Bring a New Planning Decision
Disney’s latest adjustments arrive after the resort published its initial Thanksgiving-week schedule earlier this fall. Inside the Magic previously covered the original November 22–28 hours and Christmas party interruptions.
The difference now is that several dates offer more park time than guests may have expected when they first arranged their vacations.
Holiday party admission remains a separate consideration. Inside the Magic’s November 6 Christmas party availability report identified five remaining December event dates, with all November party nights reported sold out at that time.
While the updated operating calendar could reflect preparations for elevated holiday attendance, Disney has not publicly identified a specific crowd forecast as the reason for these changes.
For Thanksgiving-week visitors, the clearest takeaway is practical: check the operating hours for the exact date of admission, account for separately ticketed events, and review attraction schedules in the My Disney Experience app before arriving.
With Thanksgiving approaching, Disney could adjust its calendar again.
What are your thoughts on the extended hours at these Disney World parks for Thanksgiving week? Sound off in the comments below!
