How long before you have to get out of the park

[Yenfid]

Question: When a park closes how long do you have to get out of the park?

Example; Epcot closes at 9pm, but when Illuminations is over it is about 9:30pm, so how long do you have until the park "officially " closes?

I've been told you have about an hour to get out of the park, so you can take your time leaving and not make a mad dash to leave with everyone else.

 

[Renouq]

However long it takes for them to find you :^)

 

[goofyyukyuk]

The posted closing time is just when the rides close their entry queues, so you can stay and shop or whatever, but they like do get everyone out of there within an hour or so after posted closing

 

[becca_]

I've heard of MK closing at 8 or 9, and people being eventually "forced" out about 30-40 minutes later, never experienced it for myself however

 

[deix15x8]

I can mainly speak for the kingdom parks (Magic Kingdom, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris), but it's typically an hour after closing that they start urging everyone out. The listed close time is when the ride lines close as well as all the shops and restaurants outside of main street. The food often closes about 30 minutes after closing and the stores about 60 minutes after closing. If you are in line for a ride by closing you get to go on the ride so they don't really close things down until all the lines are empty. Typically though they start sweeping the paths to force people toward the hub and main street between 15 and 30 minutes after closing. If your in the hub/main street area you are usually safe until at least an hour after closing. I've had to leave the hub sometimes, but have never been told to leave the park less than an hour before closing. The times I was at DCA at closing it was a very similar experience to the castle parks, but replacing main street with the area right at the park's entrance. The other WDW parks seem to close down a bit more and force you out much quicker than the castle parks.

That bonus hour is one of my favorite times of the day. Seeing the parks completely deserted is always a great and relaxing way to end the day. I often find the other people that are hanging around the hub at that time are also huge Disney nerds as well which makes it a great conversation time as well.

 

[BraveGirl]

Three weeks ago in Epcot we got on Soarin' for the last ride of the night, which was about 9:20 (fun fact - they let us ride it twice because they had three people who still hadn't ridden and a ton of empty seats!). Made our way over to the big shop, and shopped for a WHILE. Then as we were heading out, my daughter noticed a hole in the sweater we had just bought, so we went all the way back to the store to exchange it. No one urged us out and it was well after 10 by the time we left.

 

[GlassHalfFull]

Having had the last reservation at Be Our Guest, and Le Cellier before, I can tell you I have never been ushered out. I've actually had cast members ask if I want a picture taken of our group, or point out, hey if you haven't seen it this is the best time for that picture..

I think they actively "Usher" you out if at 30-40 minutes after closing you sit down to relax etc. But I have NEVER felt pressured to get out ASAP the times I have been in the park, even more than 1 hour after close.

 

[marni1971]

When the Segway police begin to follow you.

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

The magic bands are set to start shocking you from 60 minutes after park close until it senses you leave the turnstile

 

[Saxtongoof]

We were walking slowly after the Epcot fireworks, stopping in at Norway for a snack, then walked over to Mousegear and shopped for awhile. It was around 11 PM by the time we got to the front.

 

[danyoung56]

My normal routine is to enjoy a slow stroll around the World Showcase after IllumiNations. It's usually around 10:30 or so by the time I exit, and only once did I encounter the Mouse Police urging everyone out.

 

[JIMINYCR]

I've never felt pressured to leave and never had a CM try hurrying me out. I will linger around a bit to get the emptier park photos, mostly to let the bus lines start emptying out. I hate having to stand in those lines for an extended time. But I am respectful of the CM's and realize their working day is ending and they want to go home to relax after a long day of dealing with all they have to do. A jobs a job and even though its Disney, the last thing they must want to do is to hang around any longer than they have to.

 

[Phonedave]

I've never felt pressured to leave and never had a CM try hurrying me out. I will linger around a bit to get the emptier park photos, mostly to let the bus lines start emptying out. I hate having to stand in those lines for an extended time. But I am respectful of the CM's and realize their working day is ending and they want to go home to relax after a long day of dealing with all they have to do. A jobs a job and even though its Disney, the last thing they must want to do is to hang around any longer than they have to.

Having worked in a grocey store a long time ago, I have the same view as you. The CM's who are ending their shifts want to leave, and the people who are starting the maintenence shifts want to get started. I'm not saying run to the gate a park close, but I also don't make it a point ot linger around on a regular basis.

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

Ill stay past 10 to watch the fountain shows at Epcot if the don't stop them before Illuminations.

 

[Texas84]

I was in MouseGear right after closing and a store CM told me they stay open as long as there are shoppers. Thought I read here that policy has changed.

 

[Seabasealpha1]

I usually stay until I get that unsettling feeling in my gut that I'm suddenly no longer welcome...and when they start scanning magic bands...and I don't have one...

It really is a stark contrast to the rest of the day...

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

They will restrict your movement once the park has closed. I got off SDMT in the Magic Kingdom shortly after closing, and thought I could take the long way out (over towards Haunted Mansion). Nope, was directed straight towards Main Street.

One downside if you're staying onsite, is they start amalgamating bus routes. We weren't leaving the MK super late by any means, but our bus to CBR made a stop at Hollywood Studios on the way.

 

[ninjaprincesst]

The last time we were there Teppan Edo was running really behind and it was almost 10 when we finished eating, and there were still people in there who were still in the middle of their meal. No one seemed to try to be ushering us out at all, there were still people shopping and such.

 

[disney4life2008]

In the past, there would be at least one restaurant open and the main shopping open at the parks at least an hour or so past closing. But magic kingdom for example, Caseys used to be open an hour past but now they shut the door about 30 minutes after closing. The shops are still open though.

I have never seen anyone forcibly kicked out. I have sat at magic kingdom until i am one of the few people left.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

In 2009 we hung around for the fireworks and then started to peel out down Main Street. My wife really wanted us to get our niece and nephews (we didn't have kids then) mouse ears with their name embroidered on it. So we went into the shop at the right of Main Street (forget the name) and there was a bit of a line up just to order it and then it took them a while to make it. I got tired of waiting and told my wife I would just walk around outside. Honestly, the place was very quiet by then. This might be literally 90 minutes after the fireworks and I was waiting outside, sitting on a bench on Main Street and marvelling at the castle and just how quiet and always busy park actually was. Several cast members walked past me and all they said to me was "Hello". Seriously, not one of them even politely asked me to move along. Not one. We got out and took the final ferry across to the parking lot again. The monorail was still going, but this was the last ferry. No one said a word to us.