Why You Should Go to Magic Kingdom When It Closes Early
Halloween has been happening for almost a month in Disney World, with pumpkins popping up on July 31st in Magic Kingdom! The first Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party took place earlier this month, and we were there to check out all of the fun.
The party is a separately ticketed event at Magic Kingdom on select nights each week. This means that the park shuts down early to regular guests, closing at 6PM.
While the early closing time might seem like a negative for regular day guests, these days do actually have their perks — the low crowds!
Halloween Party Day Crowds
The crowds at Magic Kingdom during the day of a Halloween Party are usually pretty low compared to days that don’t have a party. The reasoning for this is most likely because people choose to visit the other parks on these days since Magic Kingdom closes early to regular guests.
Low crowds in front of Cinderella Castle
Especially for people without Park Hopper tickets, it makes sense to visit one of the three other parks instead of going to Magic Kingdom, since it closes at 6PM. You also don’t get to see the Happily Ever After fireworks on these days.
Low crowds on Main Street, U.S.A.
With these low crowds, you can also expect some pretty low wait times for rides! For example, at 2PM, the highest wait time in the park was Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at 50 minutes.
This is pretty low for the most popular ride in the park! Other notable low wait times were Peter Pan’s Flight at 45 minutes, Jungle Cruise at 35 minutes, Haunted Mansion at 30 minutes, Space Mountian at 20 minutes, and Big Thunder Mountain at 15 minutes.
Low crowds on Main Street, U.S.A.
If you do have a Park Hopper, it might be worth visiting Magic Kingdom during the morning and early afternoon and then hopping to a different park for the evening. You could get on a lot of rides with these low wait times!
Low crowds on Main Street, U.S.A.
You could also treat the day as an early evening, going to Magic Kingdom until it closes and then just hanging out at your hotel for the rest of the evening. With it still being so hot outside, you could just float around your hotel pool for the rest of the night!
Or, turn in early and rest up in your hotel room. Treat yourself to room service!
Empty Emporium on Party Day
Another option is to grab dinner at Disney Springs after leaving Magic Kingdom and maybe do some shopping. Or, visit any of the Disney hotel restaurants for dinner, maybe check out a cool bar and lounge, like Enchanted Rose at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort.
Low crowds on Main Street, U.S.A.
If you are going to the party and don’t mind having a long day, spending time in Magic Kingdom before the party begins could be a great way to get on a lot of rides! Then, once the party begins, you can just focus on party-exclusive activities like the special entertainment, food, and more.
Low crowds near Cinderella Castle
Remember, you can get into the park at 4PM on the day of the party if you have a party ticket.
Empty Emporium on Party Day
Stay tuned for more Disney news and updates!
