Disney Tips Your Guide To A Great Disney Vacation
Walt Disney World Resort’s leading theme park, Magic Kingdom, is the most visited in the world. Merging the classic Intellectual Properties (IP) of the Disney canon with a theme park experience, fans of the Mouse House flock back to Central Florida year on year. This summer marks a significant period of change for the Orlando-based parks, and Disney is pulling out all the stops to keep guests entertained while on vacation.
Credit: Inside the Magic
Last Sunday, July 6, Disney World welcomed its final batch of guests on Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Belle Riverboat at the Rivers of America. The attractions were permanently retired beginning July 7 as Disney Experiences pushes forward with its Piston Peak National Park retheme of the Frontierland area.
The Cars-themed land will be a part of the existing Frontierland framework, with classics like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad remaining in operation. Further down the line, the park will also build a Disney Villains location in what has become colloquially known as “Beyond Big Thunder.” Details about the upcoming land are sparse, but Disney will surely update fans at this year’s Destination D23 and 2026’s main D23 Expo event.
Credit: Andrew Dupont, Flickr
Even as some guests weigh up when the best time to visit Walt Disney World Resort is, considering the amount of upheaval happening resort-wide, the House of Mouse is making sure there are plenty of activities for guests to get involved in during the summer months.
From Cool Kid Summer activities in parks like EPCOT and Disney’s Animal Kingdom to the Extended Evening Hours perk for Deluxe resort guests, Disney is not just about rope-dropping the most popular rides, there are many other ways to experience the resort.
Credit: Disney
Looking ahead, Disney World has confirmed the closure status of Magic Kingdom Park, updating the official theme park calendar with new operating hours. Up until recently, Magic Kingdom’s longer opening period (from 9 a.m. through 11 p.m.) was only listed as happening until August 2. Now, the Disney World calendar shows those same hours through August 30–Early Theme Park Entry for onsite resort guests will still take place at 8:30 a.m.
The change in the hours is likely to cater for the new Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away parade, which debuts at Magic Kingdom on Sunday, July 20, 2025. The new nighttime parade is a big deal for the Walt Disney World Resort, debuting years after the Main Street Electrical Parade closed.
Credit: Disney
The Disney Starlight parade will have two showtimes at Magic Kingdom: 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. meaning more chances for guests to view this new nighttime entertainment that features franchises like Moana, Frozen, and Peter Pan.
The change to the operating hours also sees the Extended Evening Hours offering at Magic Kingdom on August 13, 2025, be pushed back to the two hours after park closure. With the theme park now closing at 11 p.m., the Extended Evening Hours for Deluxe Resort guests will take place 11 p.m. through 1 a.m.
How do you feel about the updated operating hours at Magic Kingdom Park in Disney World? Let us know in the comments down below!
I was at the opening week of DisneyWorld with my parents….we lived in Miami and made the drive that seemed to take forever! I fell in love with all things Disney. My senior class trip was also to DW and I made many fond memories with people I didn’t know if I’d ever see again. I was obsessed…..Then I joined the Army and was stationed thousands of miles away from my beloved parks. But I never missed an opportunity to fly to Florida and see a Disney park. I even got my daughter hooked. So I thought why not move to Orlando and retire there and go to Disney every week!!. Big mistake. Once I moved , I realized that it was a tourist destination, not a place for me to just go and meander and be happy. It became stressful to make a reservation, hussel to the attraction you had reserved a time for and still be able to enjoy it all.And don’t get me started on the ticket prices!So now I’m 66y/o and have not gone to any of the parks for 6 years. It breaks my heart. And now I’m a grandma and wanting to share my Disney love with him……maybe….❤️