Jingle Cruise Sails Its Last Holiday Trip on January 4, With Jungle Cruise Back at Magic Kingdom January 5

Jingle Cruise has an end date. Monday, January 4, 2027 is now the final date Disney's schedule shows for the Magic Kingdom holiday overlay, with boats running 9am to 9pm that day. On Tuesday, January 5, the regular Jungle Cruise takes the river back, with the same 9am to 9pm hours.

Blog Mickey spotted the dates on November 1. Disney has not formally announced them, and both ride pages on its website still say only that Jungle Cruise "will return early next year." But when we checked Disney World's own attraction schedule that morning, it showed exactly that handoff: Jingle Cruise open on January 4 and closed from January 5, and Jungle Cruise closed through January 4 and open from January 5.

The Jingle Cruise sign in Adventureland. Image: Disney

Two days short of the holiday season

According to Blog Mickey, the holiday season at Magic Kingdom runs through January 6, which means Jingle Cruise wraps up two days before the rest of the park's holiday season. If you are visiting over New Year's, the overlay is still running: its last day is the first Monday of 2027.

The overlay itself starts this week. As we reported in October, Jingle Cruise returns on Tuesday, November 3, and Disney's schedule still shows Jungle Cruise running through Monday, November 2 and Jingle Cruise taking over the next day.

The hours in between

Here is what Disney's schedule showed for Jingle Cruise when we checked on November 1:

• Most days: 9am to 10pm.
• Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party days: 9am to 6pm, which Blog Mickey says is standard for every ride in the park on party days. Blog Mickey says party days continue through December 22, and that date shows 9am to 6pm.
• December 30 and 31: open until midnight.
• January 4: 9am to 9pm, the final day.

The regular Jungle Cruise marquee. The classic ride returns January 5. Image: Disney

How it compares with past years

The end date is not fixed from year to year. According to Blog Mickey, last season's overlay ran through January 1 and the regular ride reopened January 2, while the 2023 version stayed until January 8 and handed the river back to Jungle Cruise on January 9. January 4 sits between those two dates.

Planning note: if you are visiting in early January and want the holiday version, go on January 4 or earlier. If you want the classic skipper jokes, January 5 is day one. Also worth knowing: January 5 is the first day of Astro Orbiter's three-day refurbishment, so if Astro Orbiter is on your list, ride it by January 4 or wait until it reopens January 8. Attraction hours can change, so check the My Disney Experience app closer to your trip.

One of the Jungle Cruise hippos, mouth wide open. Image: Disney

Team Jingle or team Jungle: which version of the river would you rather ride?

Sources

• Blog Mickey, "Jingle Cruise Farewell, Jungle Cruise Return Date Revealed" (November 1, 2026)
• Walt Disney World, Jingle Cruise attraction page and schedule (checked November 1, 2026)
• Walt Disney World, Jungle Cruise attraction page and schedule (checked November 1, 2026)

Image credits: Disney (Jingle Cruise sign, Jungle Cruise marquee, hippo).