New Year’s Eve 2017 At Walt Disney World: What Special Events Are Happening At The Parks? What Are The Hours?

Christmas may have passed, but New Year’s Eve 2017 is quickly approaching and there will be a lot of people in Orlando trying to figure out what to do. Well, they won’t need to look too far as there will be plenty of ways to ring in the new year with fireworks, music, and lots of celebration at Walt Disney World. You need to know what is happening where and when at the parks, but you also need to be prepared to enjoy the festivities with a lot of people.

There will be a lot going on in Central Florida, but a good majority of it will take place inside the confines of WDW. Three of the four theme parks will have New Year’s Eve celebrations involving fireworks of some kind with the lone exception being Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and that is for obvious reasons.

Still, there will be plenty to do and see at that park and all others. If you’re going to be in Walt Disney World this weekend, here are the hours for the parks you’ll need to know as listed on the official website of WDW.

Dec. 31, 2017

• Magic Kingdom: 8 a.m. – 1 a.m. with Extra Magic Hours of 7 a.m. – 8 a.m.
• Epcot: 8 a.m. – 1 a.m. (World Showcase opens at 9 a.m.)
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9 a.m. – 12 a.m.
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. with Extra Magic Hours of 7 a.m. – 8 a.m.
• Typhoon Lagoon: 10 am. – 5 p.m.
• Disney Springs: 10 a.m. – 1 :30 a.m.

As for your entertainment offerings, each of the main Walt Disney World theme parks will provide something for all guests. Here is what you can experience at each of them, but again, you will need to contend with some seriously large crowds.

Magic Kingdom

• Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade: 12 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
• Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It: 10:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.
• Once Upon A Time: 7:15 p.m.
• Fantasy In The Sky Fireworks: 6:30 pm. and 11:50 p.m.

On Dec. 30, 2017, Magic Kingdom will have the Fantasy In The Sky fireworks at the same times as on New Year’s Eve.

Epcot

• IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth: 6:30 p.m.
• New Year’s Countdown Fireworks: 11:40 p.m.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Disney Movie Magic: 7:40 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
• Fantasmic!: 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
• Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!: 8 p.m.
• Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular: 12 a.m.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

• Tree of Life Awakenings: 6:15 p.m. – 9 p.m.
• Rivers of Light: 7:15 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.

Disney Springs

• Cirque du Soleil La Nouba: 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
• Holidays at Disney Springs: 10 a.m. – 1:30 a.m.

On Christmas Day, Magic Kingdom did reach a Phase B closing situation and entry was shut off to some guests for nearly two hours. New Year’s Eve is known to be just as bad, but sometimes, it can even be worse and more crowded.

Walt Disney World is one of the best places to be any day of the year, but it picks things up a bit on New Year’s Eve. In 2017, that will be no different as there are plenty of things for guests to do at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and all around WDW, but you’ll need to make some choices. There is no real wrong decision, but the crowds may be a factor in determining just how you wish to ring in the new year.