Hiya, Stacey! This is such a great question, because I'm sure a lot of people have wondered the same thing, and maybe others have opted not to go to a park because it was so close to closing. I'm glad to answer for you.
The posted closing time for any of the
Walt Disney World theme parks is the actual closing time. The turnstiles don't close 15 minutes early or anything. If the park closes at 8 PM, guests will be permitted to enter until 8 PM.
A few times, I've promised to pick something up for someone back at home, and at the last minute realized I forgot. I can tell you that more than a handful of times, I've raced back to a theme park, only to arrive minutes before closing, and I've been greeted in a manner just as friendly as I would have had I gotten there when the park opened.
Quick tip - for some of the more popular attractions, the best time to get in line is at the end of the day!
Have an awesome visit.
Anna