Hours have finally been released for the Walt Disney World theme parks through the start of the New Year, and given the year we’ve had so far, there are many looking forward to ringing in 2021. However, we’re still not in the clear of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, meaning every upcoming holiday will have to be slightly modified for the health and safety of everyone… and no fireworks or nighttime spectaculars are allowed.
The recent park hours released through January 2, 2021 do not veer from the current general schedule—and that includes New Year’s Eve. In fact, here are the current posted hours for December 31:
- Magic Kingdom: 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM
- EPCOT: 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
While that does factor in an extra hour at Magic Kingdom, hours elsewhere remain generally the same. Typically, all four parks extend their hours on New Year’s Eve, sometimes as late as 2:00 AM on the night before to help spread out the crowds. Last year, we even had our first-ever New Year’s Eve countdown to midnight at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. However this year, not only are hours shorter than ever, but there has been no indication that any New Year’s festivities will be taking place at the parks.
Offerings are usually announced starting in the Fall and finalized December, but so far, only the modified holiday lineup has been announced, and even then it specifically states the offerings run through December 30, excluding the 31st.
Of course, we’ve seen a number of extensions in park hours over the past few weeks, and the crowds are definitely there to warrant them, but considering the logistical challenges New Year’s Eve brings to the parks every year (crowding, increased security, parks at capacity, etc.), it seems the resort may opt to bypass the holiday altogether.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is already fully booked for ticket guests and Disney Resort hotel guests on December 30—surprisingly, there’s still full availability on both dates for Annual Passholders… so if you’re looking to pre-game NYE at the parks before heading back home to pop some champagne, make sure you book your park passes sooner than later.
Will you be headed to the parks for New Year’s Eve? Are you hopeful for any special event announcements, or looking forward to a quiet celebration? Let us know in the comments!
If they spaced out markers on the ground like they do in lines and for the cavalcades, why can’t they do fireworks?