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2014 Walt Disney World Christmas Hours: Expect Crowded Theme Park With Long Lines

By Cheryl Phillips
Published on: 15:37 PST, Dec 21, 2014

Traveling to Walt Disney World for Christmas? You won’t be alone, with thousands of families headed to the Orlando, Florida, theme park to enjoy the Mickey’s “Once Upon A Christmastime Parade” and all of the rides and attractions.

Amidst all of the holiday fun and excitement, the park will be extremely busy and quite possibly at capacity. Knowing the Christmas Day park hours and planning ahead is a must. Mouse Savers reports that December 25 to December 31 is the busiest and most crowded time of the entire year at Walt Disney World. Arriving early will help families get through some of the lines a little faster.

“During Christmas week, the crowds will start to grow enormously around 10:00 am and by noon everything will be gridlocked. The lines will also go down some very late in the day, but they’ll never be as low as they are in the first few hours after opening.”

What time does Disney World open on Christmas? The theme parks — including the Magic Kingdom, Epcopt, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and the Animal Kingdom — open at 8 a.m. unless otherwise noted. Blizzard Beach Water Park opens a bit later at 10 a.m. on December 25. The Disney Parks Blog states that Typhoon Lagoon will be closed for refurbishment during the Christmas holiday.

Guests who stay at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels are given an “Extra Magic Hour,” and will be able to get into the Magic Kingdom at 7 a.m.

Park closing times vary, with the Walt Disney World Parks Examiner writing that the Magic Kingdom will close at 1 a.m. and Epcot will close at 9:30 p.m. Disney’s Hollywood Studios will close at 10 p.m. and the Animal Kingdom closes at 8 p.m.

Amidst all of the other things to do during a trip to Walt Disney World for Christmas is “Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade.” On December 25, the parade is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. If you can’t get enough of the WDW parades, the Main Street Electrical Parade will run at 10:15 p.m. and 12:15 a.m.

For Disney fans who won’t be traveling to Walt Disney World for Christmas, there’s a consolation prize. According to a previous report from the Inquisitr, ABC will air “Disney Parks Frozen Christmas Celebration” on December 25, featuring a “star-studded” show that will feature musical performances and celebrity appearances from Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Disneyland Resort in Southern California, and Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa in Hawaii.

[Image: Disney Parks Blog]

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