West Edmonton Mall Hours 2025: Opening & Closing Times

Anyone who’s ever set foot in West Edmonton Mall knows the feeling: you walk in for one thing and emerge hours later with bags, food court leftovers, and a vague sense that you’ve barely scratched the surface. With over 800 stores, a waterpark, an amusement park, and an ice palace under one roof, planning your visit starts with one question: what time does the mall actually open and close?

Number of stores: over 800 ·
Daily mall hours: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM ·
Main attractions: World Waterpark, Galaxyland, Ice Palace, Marine Life

What time do most stores close in West Edmonton Mall?

The official West Edmonton Mall website posts mall hours of 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily as the general guideline for most retail stores (West Edmonton Mall – Hours). The site emphasizes that individual retailers may operate on their own schedules (same source). This is common — anchor large shops like Macy’s, Zara, and Cineplex can stay open later or close earlier than the core 9:00 PM cutoff.

Does West Edmonton Mall actually ever close?

Yes – the mall closes every night. It is not open 24/7. Standard operating hours end at 9:00 PM. There are no overnight stays allowed except for parking lot overnights for RVs. Planning a late-night visit? The mall’s stores close at 9:00 PM sharp, but restaurants and the cinema often extend later.

How long does it take to walk around the West Edmonton Mall?

West Edmonton Mall covers over 5.3 million square feet – an area that makes it North America’s largest mall by total area (Wikipedia – West Edmonton Mall). A brisk, non-stop walk from one end to the other takes roughly 20 minutes. A focused tour of the attractions zone – World Waterpark, Galaxyland, Ice Palace – takes about 30–45 minutes (West Edmonton Mall – Info).

How to measure your walking time

• Straight walk: 20 minutes
• Casual browse (no stores): 40 minutes
• Full mall with stops: 1.5–2 hours

Is West Edmonton Mall still the biggest mall?

When it opened in 1981, West Edmonton Mall was the world’s largest. Today it remains the largest in North America by total square footage, though the title of “largest in the world” now goes to Dubai Mall (covering roughly 5.4 million sq ft). Wikipedia notes the mall is the second largest in North America behind Mall of America by retail space (Wikipedia) – though the official site still calls itself “North America’s largest” when counting all spaces (attractions, hotels, parking). TripAdvisor describes it as “the world’s largest shopping and entertainment complex” (TripAdvisor).

Which is the largest mall in Canada?

West Edmonton Mall is the undisputed largest mall in Canada. It holds that title by both retail and total area. Second-place Toronto Eaton Centre is smaller by about half a million square feet.

Is West Edmonton bigger than Mall of America?

In terms of total square footage, West Edmonton Mall is larger: ~5.3 million sq ft vs. Mall of America’s ~4.2 million sq ft. Mall of America has about 0.5 million more retail space (Wikipedia). West Edmonton Mall’s size includes attractions, hotels, and an indoor lake, so it’s a matter of what you count.

How to spend a day at West Edmonton Mall

If you want to experience the mall’s offerings all in one visit, follow this itinerary based on the mall’s operating hours and attraction schedules.

1. Morning (10:00 AM – 11:00 AM) – arrive soon after opening. Park near the World Waterpark entrance (Section by IKEA).
2. Mid-morning (11:00 AM – noon) – explore Marine Life and the Ice Palace. Both open at 11:00 AM.
3. Lunch (noon – 12:30 PM) – lunch at one of the 100+ dining options.
4. Afternoon (12:30 – 5:00 PM) – hit World Waterpark (open noon–5 PM) or Galaxyland (noon–5 PM). Use a Choice Pass to save up to $10 per person if you plan both (Galaxyland hours page).
5. Late afternoon (5:00 – 7:00 PM) – catch a movie or dinner at the food court or a sitdown restaurant.
6. Evening (7:00 PM – 9:00 PM) – last-minute shopping before the mall closes.

What to watch: Check attraction hours before you go – attraction times are subject to change (official note).

What movie was filmed in West Edmonton Mall?

West Edmonton Mall has doubled as a movie set – most notably it’s the primary location for the 2006 Christmas film Christmas in Wonderland, starring Patrick Swayze and Tim Curry (Wikipedia). The mall’s sprawling indoor interiors made for a convincing airport, street mall, and ice rink all in one.

Mall of America and Dubai Mall present different size metrics: one is bigger in retail, the other in total area. The table below shows how they compare.

The pattern: West Edmonton Mall wins on total area because it includes attractions and hotels, while Mall of America and Dubai Mall devote more square footage to pure retail.

“West Edmonton Mall states that its mall hours are 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM.”

— West Edmonton Mall official site

“The world’s largest shopping and entertainment complex.”

— TripAdvisor

The bottom line for anyone who needs to schedule a visit to West Edmonton Mall: the core window is 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, but attraction hours are shorter and can change without notice. For the casual shopper, arriving by 10:00 AM gives you the full day. For those wanting to maximize Galaxyland and the waterpark, your window is noon to 5:00 PM – and use the extra $10 for a Choice Pass if you plan both.

Frequently asked questions