Hi Alison,
I love hearing that you're going to be able to squeeze in a bit of magic and fun at the Walt Disney World Resort during a business trip. That's what I call really whistling while you work!
In looking at the official
calendar, you are correct that
Magic Kingdom Park is scheduled to close at 4:30 p.m. on December 2nd this year. This could be for a private event of some sort, or I know that when I was enjoying all of the holiday festivities around that same time a couple of years ago, Magic Kingdom Park closed early one evening for a Cast Member appreciation event. Perhaps Mickey Mouse has something up his sleeve again this year to thank all of the folks who make the magic happen every day? I haven't seen any official announcements about that particular evening, so we can't know for sure.
If that's your only day to enjoy "The Most Magical Place on Earth," I wouldn't let an early closure stop you. Crowds will likely be much smaller that day, so you'll be able to enjoy lots of wonderful attractions and experiences, plus there's fun to be had
all around the Resort! If you have a
Park Hopper Option ticket, you could hop over to one of the other theme parks for the evening, or you could plan a magical dinner at one of the gorgeously decked-out Disney Resort hotels. I know my family loves touring the Resort hotels during the holiday season just to see all of the festive decorations. Some of my favorites are
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa,
Disney's Wilderness Lodge, and
Disney's Beach Club Resort. Disney Springs really gets in the spirit, too, with several fun
holiday events. I especially love the Christmas Tree Trail!
Thanks so much for stopping by the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Alison, and please let us know if we can help with anything else as you're planning your perfect Disney day! I hope that you have a truly magical vacation!
Missy