Menu

Two Disney Parks Will Kick Out Guests on Five Days in December

Mickey Mouse, dressed in festive red with a translucent top hat, waves from a colorful float adorned with Christmas lights and decorations. A garland background and holiday ambiance enhance the cheerful scene.
Credit: Disneyland Paris

Disney’s theme parks are magical destinations at any time of year, but that magic is dialed up a notch come the holidays.

While the grandest celebrations unfold at Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios—with signature events like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and the returning Disney’s Jollywood Nights, which had a mixed reception last year—the festive spirit touches every corner of Disney’s parks. From coast to coast and beyond, the magic of the season fills every Disney destination.

Two people dressed as mouse characters in festive attire stand in front of a elaborately decorated Christmas tree, with presents and holiday decorations around them. It is snowing, and a brightly lit building is in the background, creating a festive scene.

Credit: Disney

At Disneyland Paris, for example, guests can enjoy festive additions such as Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade on Main Street, U.S.A., “Let’s Sing Christmas!” musical show, and the Magical Christmas Tree Lighting. They can also encounter beloved characters such as Winnie the Pooh and Stitch in their Christmas best, plus holiday icons such as the one and only Santa Claus. On rare occasions, they may also encounter actual snow.

Typically, Disney parks extend their hours over the holiday period to allow the sizable crowds to enjoy all they have to offer. This year, however, Disneyland Paris is closing early on five days.

Disneyland Paris Christmas Mickey, Minnie, and Santa

Credit: Disneyland Paris

In December, Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park will implement an early closing schedule on five dates in December. As per the resort calendar, the affected dates are December 10, 12, 13, 17, and 19. Disneyland Park will close between 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. instead of its standard 10 p.m., while Walt Disney Studios Park will close at 7 p.m. on some dates.

Check out the full closure information below:

  • December 10: Disneyland Park closes at 9 p.m. and Walt Disney Studios Park closes at 8 p.m. (the latter follows regular hours on this day)
  • December 12: Disneyland Park closes at 6.30 p.m. and Walt Disney Studios Park closes at 7 p.m.
  • December 13: Disneyland Park closes at 9 p.m. and Walt Disney Studios Park closes at 8 p.m. (the latter follows regular hours on this day)
  • December 17: Disneyland Park closes at 6.30 p.m. and Walt Disney Studios Park closes at 7 p.m.
  • December 19: Disneyland Park closes at 6.30 p.m. and Walt Disney Studios Park closes at 7 p.m.

This decision is directly related to private holiday parties hosted by the parks. It follows a similar move in 2023 when Disneyland Paris generated backlash for its decision to close early in the week before Christmas.

Mickey Mouse, dressed in festive red with a translucent top hat, waves from a colorful float adorned with Christmas lights and decorations. A garland background and holiday ambiance enhance the cheerful scene.

Credit: Disneyland Paris

The shortened hours mean that guests may feel rushed to make the most of their festive time in the parks, potentially leading to decreased enjoyment and satisfaction levels in an extremely popular time for the Disney resort.

Last year’s sudden closures triggered major backlash from Disney park guests for this very reason – plus the fact that the closures were revealed relatively last minute. Announced at the end of October, by which point many had already booked their vacations, guests were understandably annoyed to learn that they’d get less park time than what they initially thought they’d paid to enjoy.

A bustling scene at Disneyland Paris unfolds with a diverse crowd strolling down the wide, tree-lined path. Shops and attractions line the street, while the iconic castle adds to the vibrant, playful atmosphere.

Credit: Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris reportedly refused refunds, and Disney canceled multiple dining reservations that guests had secured months in advance.

As for this year, it remains uncertain how these closures will affect the performances of Disneyland Park’s current nighttime spectaculars. Disney Illuminations continues, while the beloved drone show Disney Electrical Sky Parade is set to include a new Christmas section before its final run in January.

Are you visiting Disney this holiday season? Share your festive theme park plans with us in the comments!

About Chloe James

Chloë is a theme park addict and self-proclaimed novelty hunter. She's obsessed with all things Star Wars, loves roller coasters (but hates Pixar Pal-A-Round), and lives for Disney's next Muppets project.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.