Disney World Reduces Park Hours Beginning Sept. - Inside the Magic

Comments for Disney World Reduces Park Hours Beginning Sept.

Reduced Hours WDW header

35 Comments

  1. Sean

    So what does this mean for those of us with in park dinner reservations that are now either at closing time (or after)?

    1. Most likely, they will cancel your reservation.

  2. We are on our 5th reservation. Magic Kingdom closing at 7pm every night we are going was hard to take (December 2020). Now, they are closing sooner? Animal Kingdom closing at 5? Will Disney be bringing back fast pass? I think with shortened hours we are not going to get to ride all the rides. Some of the rides have 45 minute waits. I think the hours are being cut because of profit losses and the people are not coming due to restrictions and lack of parades, character experiences, and fireworks. Customers are not getting any discounts for getting less of a magical experience.

  3. Jace

    It’s a big bummer for us since we just booked a trip for October yesterday. I get that they’re trying to lower operating costs, but reducing park hours and still expecting guests to pay tiered pricing is pretty lame. (Also, AK now opens at 9am instead of 8am, according to the app.)

    1. Penny

      I agree with you. We have a trip planned for October but haven’t bought our tickets yet. That one hour makes a difference when you already have limited hours. The reason we haven’t purchased tickets is because we aren’t sure what new rules may be next. It’s a lot of money to pay for limited hours . Pls disney let the hour stay!

  4. rebel orange bird

    You all act like wdw never had changes in hrs before! Sept -nov was an off season once and so was jan-march you would have been disapointed then too i guess do not blame covid for disney just doing what they did from the dtart only recently has the hrs almost been 24/7!

    1. Tara

      I’ve been a pass holder for years and I’ve never known Disney to close by 5 or 6 unless there was a special event after like the Halloween party or Christmas event…. Yes, they altered hours, but at this point, it isn’t worth the cost.

    2. Seriously??? Are you kidding????? Yeah, Covid IS to blame. I have 2 top tiered annual passes, and I’m here on property now ….I ASSURE YOU THAT THIS IS NOT THE DISNEY EXPERIENCE I, NOR ANYBODY ELSE IS USED TO. It’s your choice to come, but don’t act like we are all not suffering because of this Pandemic. That’s a ridiculous comment.

      1. rebel orange bird

        your all loosing or havent been passholders for the yrs you claim disney parks closed during off seasons all the time! Your all not remembering 10-15yrs back bc in recent yrs there hasnt been an off season to keep up w the new rides and festivals but believe me there was an off season for a very long time! stop blaming disney for keeping your vacation not what you wanted go do not go but its not disney fault for covid nor for cutting hrs back to keep you and their cms safe! So sorry your disappointed but your all too high and mighty vacations and disney will always be there… someone life might not be! But its nice to know disney cares you on the other hand that all about me aditude i am privlaged i spent money so you will stay open for me!!!! Will get you nowhere in life!

  5. Hannah Larsen

    We had our trip rescheduled for end of September (we were previously booked for April) and this is extremely disappointing. This is an expensive trip for us and to have about 3 or 4 less hours in each park is substantial. I wish the prices were going down according to what is offered.

  6. Karen

    We have a trip planned for middle of September and the reduction in hours is very disappointing. It appears we are now not able to enjoy WDW at a leisurely pace and will now have to scurry through the parks. I paid a regular ticket price for reduced hours. We are sad ?

  7. Mark

    I agree with Sean’s question… we just got done making all our dining reservations again about 2 weeks ago… now, I have in park reservations that are almost 2 hours after closing. Looking for Disney to provide some clarification on this issue and hope that preference is given to those of us who now, for the 2nd time, have had all our reservations disrupted.

    1. KRISTINA

      I had 3 reservations cancelled at Disney, they did nothing. I have 2 top tiered Annual Passes, that aren’t anywhere near the value. People have a choice to buy a one day ticket, we AP HOLDERS are losing the most. We pay the price for the benefits and had them all taken away.

  8. I’m very disappointed originally I was booked for March my 50 anniversary you closed book again cancel now booked for October and park hours have changed now what next

  9. Tammy

    No pleased at all. We should get some sort of discount. Why close an hour early? How much does that hour mean to you. What about people with dinner. Reservations. Feels like we’re being rushed. What perks will we get. ?

  10. Cathie

    I feel if the hours are getting reduced, so should the ticket prices.

  11. James Bergeron

    Doesn’t seem as though renewing my Annual Pass is worth it as there are blockout dates now and we’re limited to one park per day reduced hours and no fast passes. We’re not even guaranteed a entrance pass.
    NOT WORTH PRICE

  12. Sheila

    My comment is unrelated to the September hours reductions…but I have noticed in the last couple years WDW has been taking away lots of hours all the whole drastically increasing the prices. Magic Kingdom used to stay open frequently until 12:00 or 1:00am and now we are lucky to stay open until 10:00pm! Same with Hollywood Studios, but it was frequently open until 11:00pm, now lucky to see 9:00pm. EPCOT has remained pretty constant.

    1. KRISTINA

      Because they give those benefits to the guests who stay on property. The more guests are at their resorts, the more money. That’s the enticement.

      1. Sheila

        We are always on property…the hours I refer to are still for on property. On property extra magic is only an hour here or there.

  13. I’m here right now, and it’s extremely hard to plan your day given the hours now!!!! And guess where EVERYONE goes after…Disney Springs! It was SO packed last night, with shoulder to shoulder crowds and ZERO social distancing, unless in a que waiting to go in a store. Miserable! Lines to go in stores were up to 2 hours wait. Beware and prepare.

  14. Beverly Vanderburg

    I think this is CRAP..We already are losing the parades, fireworks and shows..The prices have not been cut to make the parks worth coming to..If the hours don’t increase hours and special events their is no reason to go..

    1. mark

      this is not crap i agree w rebel above do any of you complaining not remember how it was!!??? Ghezz off season is not a mysterious dream cms had it was real! Before festivals and popular rides exceeded park hrs they closed early i remember before i worked at the parks visiting in oct and only epcot was open late everything else was 5/6pm! So give the poor me s***t a break!

      1. Damion

        And how many centuries ago was that?

      2. janie

        actually Damion it was only a few yrs ago! But ty for asking and cms have been suffering ever since! we at dl even had more than wdw and now in same spot. I remember visiting wdw only like 5 yrs ago that mk and epcot were open late studios was 7 and dak wo pandora was not a concern so it was ok to close at 5/6!

        1. Damion

          nope sorry janie, I’ve been an AP holder at disneyland for over 15 years and they’ve never had “seasonal hours” like they are advertising now, and thank you for replying more nonsense! (I’m starting to see a pattern)

  15. SG

    Has anyone been to a park yet? I’m wondering what the lines for the attractions are like? And many attractions are closed. So can you see everything that amount time? They better get their bandaids out, there will be a lot of people running (when no ones looking)!

  16. Jenn

    Sooo glad I cancelled my October reservation. This just reinforces my choice. And weren’t operating hours normally very late for summer, so this isn’t just one hour earlier-it was already earlier than normal. If it weren’t for scheduling or re-scheduling the PTO and losing plane fare, I would suggest to most to wait for next year.

  17. davis

    Thats where off season went!

  18. Christie

    Nobody go and maybe they will change it back. Prices too.

    1. Lydia

      no one is changing anything suck it up buttercup this is the new normal you do not like it take it somewhere else!

  19. rosie

    i agree w mark, janie and rebel the poor me stuff has to end why do you think your all sooooooo entitled!!!!!!???? People are getting sick and dying but no poor you!!! Mark is right and others whom have said it park hrs use to change all the time bc nothing was there to keep interest also people actually cared about their jobs and kids in school… NOW theres parties festivals and new rides! But stop acting like… i been a disney fan for yrs and this is unacceptable bc if you been a disney fan for years as you claim then you remember off season or you did not go bc it was off season! All you complaining must complain in park too and should be kicked out for it! Anyone whom is not having a magical day exits now!!! Just like here we might not share opinions but thats life we are different but that does not mean your opinion is it and no one else could speak! Also if folks like me whom been going to disney since almost the beginning or folks on here that work at park know something which is fact and stating as such do not tell us we are wrong!! Thats just way rude!!!

    1. rebel orange bird

      thank you rosie!

      1. janie

        yes thank you rosie!

    2. davis

      your very wise and remind me of many others that use to post here and got thrown by all the negative and its well beyond trolls! Itm really needs to focus bc discussion like you said is one thing i need to agree to your negative opt bc you must be right is not! And yes disney use to play w schedules all the time! I love like you said when people are like ap/fan for yrs but you forgot off season??? Ah no! But sure blame covid! But all i know is as security i am done w complaints and maybe if i pretend covid is hoax it will go away sorry thats not how it wrks and please stay home before you come into a park that way! I will kick you out!

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