Hi there Cassiana, and welcome to planDisney!
From the sounds of it, you're one of our fellow nighttime adventurers that we like to call our planDisney After Dark crowd who enjoy being able to take advantage of later dining reservations and be able to experience the theme parks under the cover of darkness! My husband and I recently managed to snag one of the last reservation slots at
Be Our Guest Restaurant and had similar questions about whether we'd be able to take advantage of the
Walt Disney World Monorail Transportation if our meal extended well beyond the
opening hours of Magic Kingdom Park. Now while it looks like you've indicated that you'll be doing this on the 25th of December there's really no telling what exactly will happen when it comes to holidays but hopefully our personal experience can give you an idea of what to expect:
- Generally speaking, whenever we've stayed late at Magic Kingdom Park we have found that the Resort Monorail tends to continue operating for a little longer beyond the Express Monorail line. When we spoke with a Transportation Cast Member, they let us know that closing of Resort Transportation an hour following the closing of a theme park is often subject to change without prior notice and may vary depending on the events and demand on that particular evening. (For example, EPCOT is expected to remain open that evening for Extended Evening Hours.) As a result, we were actually able to board beyond an hour after the posted closing time along with a number of other fellow guests who had remained in Magic Kingdom Park.
- I have also experienced what happens in the event that monorail transportation is not operating by the time that you exit - we were directed to use the complimentary resort bus transportation instead. The drivers asked each passenger where they were headed before they boarded, and dropped us off in batches between each of the Disney Resort Hotels around the Seven Seas Lagoon and even made a stop at the Transportation and Ticket Center.
If you were parked at a further Disney Resort Hotel location or at another theme park I would recommend looking into scheduling a ride, but in this instance it seems like the Cast Members I confirmed with feel that you should be fine to use Walt Disney World Resort transportation. When you consider how much busier it typically is on Christmas at Magic Kingdom Park, it would make sense for transportation options to extend and be available to the vast amount of holiday revelers making their way back for some much-needed rest.
You might want to be prepared with an extra bit of patience when waiting for transportation and when looking to park at the lots that tend to fill up early; be sure to check with the Cast Members about the operating hours of the parking tram so you can factor in any additional time you might need to make your way back to your vehicle! I hope that this was helpful Cassiana, and I wish you the very best as you navigate your way amongst the Christmas crowds during the most popular time at the Most Magical Place on Earth!
And as Lumiere says, "If you're stressed, it's fine dining we suggest!"
Prince