Disney World Cuts Fall Park Hours
Walt Disney World has cut park hours for Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios, with later openings and earlier closings for September & October 2020. In this post, we’ll cover details with commentary on why Disney is reducing hours. (Updated September 8, 2020.)
For both July and August, all Walt Disney World theme parks operated for 10 hours per day. Opening and closing times were staggered, meaning that each opened at a different hour from 8 to 11 am, and each closed at a different hour from 6 to 9 pm. Logistically, this made sense in terms of resources (like buses) and physical distancing (guests returning to hotels at staggered time eased elevator burdens).
This is the second time that Walt Disney World has reduced operating hours for its first few months after reopening. Normally, Walt Disney World extends hours rather than cutting them back. Of course, nothing is normal right now. Given the circumstances and what we’ve observed, it’s not surprising that Walt Disney World is reducing park hours. It is concerning, but we’ll get to that in the commentary…
Here were Walt Disney World’s previous park hours, which are still valid through Labor Day:
- Magic Kingdom — 9 am to 7 pm
- Animal Kingdom — 8 am to 6 pm
- Epcot — 11 am to 9 pm
- Hollywood Studios — 10 am to 8 pm
Here are the reduced hours, beginning September 8, 2020:
- Magic Kingdom — 9 am to 6 pm
- Animal Kingdom — 9 am to 5 pm
- Epcot — 11 am to 7 pm
- Hollywood Studios — 10 am to 7 pm
As you can probably see, Magic Kingdom’s closing time moves forward by one hour, Epcot’s closing time jumps up 2 hours, Animal Kingdom opens an hour later and closes an hour earlier, and Hollywood Studios closes an hour earlier.
None of this is particularly surprising, and these reductions are no doubt made in light of guest attendance patterns. As we’ve observed and shared in our Walt Disney World reopening reports, the parks are least busy their last two hours of operation (plus right at park opening for Animal Kingdom) and guest utilization during those hours is really low.
September 8, 2020 Update: After a busy (but lighter than expected) Labor Day weekend, Walt Disney World’s reduced off-season hours begin today. Originally, this scaled-back schedule was slated to run through Halloween. However, Walt Disney World has since updated its calendar three times, each time extending the hours another week into November 2020.
At present, these cutbacks extend until November 21, 2020. With Thanksgiving, always a popular travel holiday for Walt Disney World, the following week, it’s possible regular hours will be restored the following week. It’s also entirely possible this schedule will continue beyond then, until Christmas.
On a positive note, at least Halloween Begins in Magic Kingdom next week!
As we discussed at length in Will Walt Disney World’s Low Crowds Continue?, September and October are likely to see some of the lowest crowds in Walt Disney World history. The weather is still uncomfortable then, schools are back in session, whatever pent-up demand exists among lower-tier APs will likely be exhausted, and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Part has been cancelled.
September is always the slowest month of the year at Walt Disney World, and that’s likely to be especially pronounced this year. In fact, September 2020 will likely be the least busy month at Walt Disney World since September 2001, when people feared traveling in the aftermath of 9/11.
October is usually a different story, but so much of that is fueled by special events and school breaks. Those events are not occurring and there are a lot of unknowns about school breaks. Accordingly, October is likely to be a slightly busier version of September–but still not even remotely busy. Likely slower than both July and August.
Pretty much since reopening, we’ve been predicting that this fall would be really slow for Central Florida tourism. The likelihood of things being particularly rough was exacerbated when cases surged and parks cancelled Halloween events. Universal Orlando has also reduced hours, and we remain worried that some non-Disney parks will shift to seasonal operating schedules, potentially closing on weekdays. (It’s unlikely Walt Disney World would do this, as it’d be game over for attracting tourists.)
Consequently, this won’t necessarily have a big impact on your itinerary. (In terms of attractions, perhaps the biggest downside is one less hour for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance to operate.) You should still be able to knock out each park in a single day thanks to the short wait times and low crowds. You’ll just have less flexibility and latitude in your arrival time, and won’t be able to enjoy the ‘late arrival’ strategies we’ve been touting.
From our perspective, the most frustrating aspect of this change is that it means no parks will be open after sunset. September and October are still fairly hot and humid, and all of these parks are open during the “worst” hours of the day from that perspective. These early closures will also push more guests to Disney Springs, which has already seen a surge of crowds in recent weeks due to the shorter park hours. (So much so that we’ve stopped visiting Disney Springs.)
There are obvious negative ramifications for guests (and no corresponding price reduction on tickets!), but reducing park hours is also a risky move for Walt Disney World. Every cut sends a signal to guests with trips booked for this fall and holiday season–or those thinking about booking trips.
In part, Disney is a “victim” of its own success (heavy air quotes), as the feedback loop between its cuts and guest behavior appeared to be broken. Walt Disney World could raise prices, scale back entertainment, and reduce hours, and guests would be unfazed. Attendance would still increase.
It should go without saying, but such a disconnect is not normal. Reductions do not occur in a vacuum—even if that’s what Walt Disney World leadership might like to believe since their product has been so popular during the economic boom of the last decade that they’ve been able to make cuts and increase prices with impunity.
This is a new and totally different landscape, and we hope Walt Disney World leadership understands that. As we enter a recession and the guest experience has been fundamentally altered in so many ways (for the worse), potential guests are going to be much more responsive to negative changes, reductions to the experience, and perceptions of value for money. It is well established that consumers become more price sensitive and less brand loyal during recessions.
It doesn’t require a vivid imagination to envision a hypothetical guest with a trip booked in November and December who has been on the fence about cancelling their vacation. They’ve seen and are apprehensive about all of the temporary new rules, entertainment modifications, already reduced hours, and more. They’ve also been watching closely and are reassured by low crowds, the downward trend of new cases in Florida, safety measures, and the likelihood that Disney would do something for the holidays.
Now comes this reduction of park hours for September and October. While it does not directly impact their vacation, it does send a signal about Walt Disney World’s trajectory–cutting more instead of gradually restoring the normal experience. If we were tourists, I’d be worried about more targeted reductions on the horizon to specific attractions, entertainment, and restaurants. The move also calls into question whether Disney will even do the Cinderella Castle Holiday Dream Lights (if Magic Kingdom isn’t open after sunset, it doesn’t make much sense). Basically, it nudges those on the fence in the direction of “not worth it.”
Ultimately, a couple of hours per day during times when attendance is low might seem minor, but this is a big concern. (And one we also address at length in Why Walt Disney World Needs to Go Big for the 50th Anniversary.) Now is not the time that Walt Disney World can be fixated on the short term, trying to make the current quarter’s numbers look marginally better. In so doing, attendance woes will become a self-fulfilling property when coupled with cuts that are supposedly to help stem the bleeding.
When describing all of this, we’ve eschewed the term “new normal” in favor of “temporary abnormal.” However, the former term is apt for guest demand and attendance trends at Walt Disney World. It’s going to take several years for travel to fully recover–until 2025 if experts are to be believed. Hopefully Disney’s leaders realize this, and understand that the shenanigans they pulled during the strong economy of the last decade are not viable. The “new normal” here is that travel is a buyer’s market, and Disney will need to do more to entice guests to visit.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Surprised by the reduced operating hours, or did you expect this? Do you expect Walt Disney World to make additional cuts for specific attractions, entertainment, restaurants, or anything else? Will you be visiting Walt Disney World in September or October? Will shorter hours influence your decision to visit later in 2020 or in early 2021? Do you agree or disagree with our advice and commentary? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Like many before have stated, evening hours are some of our favorite at the parks I wish they had pushed some the other direction rather than closing even earlier. I’m starting to get nervous about our December plans. Sort of wishing we had opted for Hawaii instead now, but not sure if they will be in good shape then either.
Hawaii has once again stopped even inter island travel due to the pandemic and quarantine is still fully in effect so that may have not been a good choice.
My May 2020 trip was, of course, cancelled, and I pushed the reservation to summer, 2021. Quite frankly, the mask issue (sounds miserable), and suspension of the fireworks and parades is enough to make me move it down the road again, if necessary, after seeing what 2021 brings. The reduced park hours would also be very unattractive. I hope that summer, 2021 will bring relief from the worst of COVID concerns, as well as restoration of the value I expect at Disney. Our style of vacation at WDW is just too expensive without the fun and normalcy we normally enjoy.
Is there a particular person we should direct our messages to about this? I’d like to keep my November reservation but this is cutting a little too close to the bone for me.
Agreed. We’re early December, got moved from our favorite hotel (POR), some of our favorite restaurants are closed, and now this? Getting to the tipping point.
I just checked My Disney Experience and the park hours for my November dates are listed as these new reduced hours now. So it seems certain that these new hours will be extended beyond October 31.
We (party of 9) just cancelled. I suspect this will be the new permanent normal and doubt we ever return.
Mickey can just keep his big fat hands out of my pocket.
Tom, I hope you can help answer this for me! I’ve got a reservation for Oga’s at 7:20 one night in September. Studios was supposed to close at 8, but now that they close at 7. Any idea what will happen to that reservation? As of right now, it still shows up in MDX. As always, thanks for your insight!
This should really cut into the Epcot after 4 visits. I was just about to book Pop for partial week of 9/7. I generally stay onsite for early hours and night activities–particulary Epcot. Now, I see no point. $500. for the room still in my pocket.
This is really interesting to me. The CM I spoke to was confident that by next year we would be able to parkhop. We have a reservation for Beach Club in September of next year. Yet I’ve noticed these changed have applied to our park reservations for then too. Originally our reservation times reflected the first set of times, but that automatically changed. I wrote down that our reservation for Epcot was 11-9 but in MDE it changed to 11-7 even for next year. Really hoping that by next year its back to normal hours or something CLOSER to normal.
Have non canselable reservations for mid November. Am really getting scared. I guess it is time to start looking for really nice restaurants in Orlando for dinner. And finding evening entertainment there.
There is always Disney springs. Many good restaurants there. I highly recommend Chef Art Smith’s Homecoming and The Boathouse.
After being there in mid-July, the reduced park hours wasn’t a big deal in terms of limiting time for attractions (there’s plenty enough time for that), but in limiting choices for dining. With most parks being closed by supper time, we ate at our resort (Poly) A LOT. I generally love their dining choices, but after 6 days, we were sick of it. It’s much more convenient eating at your resort than resort hopping or going to DS, but in hindsight, I would’ve made more TS reservations at resorts around our location.
Just another reason I’ll probably cancel. So I see hotel pools, restaurants, and transportation extra busy with early closures. Who wants to spend all that money to retire to the rooms at 7 pm to watch tv and breathe without a mask. So sad! Going downhill rather than enticing visitors and then complaining not enough visitors! Tom, can’t they put you in charge? Please!
I’m not surprised. I just booked a September trip yesterday and the old hours were still listed. I was on the fence about booking, but I have an out of state AP and a week’s worth of admission (which I had planned to use for an April trip that was cancelled ) has a lot higher value than the prorated refund for the six weeks I had left on my pass. Not sure if it’s worth the cost of travel and resort now.
You are spot on Tom. We are loyal Disney customers, but Disney can’t keep taking without offering something (like an additional cost savings) in return.
We have a trip planned for the beginning of October and we’ve been watching hoping for more experiences, not less. We made many dining reservations in the park 5 minutes before the prior park closing time on the 60th day prior to the start of our trip. In looking to update reservations now, most of the restaurants are no longer available. I know I could probably find what we would want with some effort, but at this point, I just don’t think it is worth it any longer.
We also enjoy the parks after dark or some sort of nighttime entertainment. We are not a family that enjoys just walking around Disney Springs. Later in the day pool time is nice, but not every single day! While we understand the reduction in hours from Disney’s financial savings perspective, this latest change is what will likely push us to cancel because the value of our dollar can no longer be justified in comparison to the benefits we have received before. Thanks for keeping us updated and offering your honest perspective during these challenging times!
So Epcot is now a midday magic ticket right? I understand you can get more done in less time right now, but it looks pretty bad charging full price for some of those hours.
This is really aggravating. We have a trip starting 9/12, and our Via Napoli reservations will be cancelled yet again. We just got the email a couple of days ago requesting confirmation that we are still coming, and THEN they reduce the hours. This would be enough to push me over the edge to cancel, but (1) we’re AP holders and (2) we have a non-refundable DVC rental. So we’re paying for this trip either way. Grr.
“It doesn’t require a vivid imagination to envision a hypothetical guest with a trip booked in November and December…”
That and the following paragraph is essentially my family to the letter. We’ve been hemming and hawing about canceling our December trip. My wife wants to cancel it more than I do. I thought the elimination of nighttime entertainment would be it for me, but after following your posts the thought of a trip where I don’t have to rely on my former military planning skills to get our family around and have a good time was really appealing (heavy emphasis on this appeal).
Now looking at the new hours…ugh. It’s stuff like looking forward to cruising around Pandora in the evening with the kids, strolling around the hub with low crowds in the evening, etc. If all that goes, and I’m still being charged what I would have paid for everything sans pandemic? It’s getting to be a really tough sell (and I seriously love the parks).
For over a year we’d planned our now-canceled September 2020 vacation. Reading that next month will likely be the least crowded it’s been since 9/11 leaves me feeling a strong pull to go there after all, but we are not Floridians, and the prospect of air travel and quarantines just to enjoy a week of vacation brings me back to reality. Someday.
We have a trip planned right at the time when these reduced hours take effect, so we are naturally disappointed. We were wondering what will happen to one of our dining reservations if it is now in one of the parks after it closes? Does that reservation still hold, meaning we can be in the park a bit longer, or should we reserve an earlier time since it isn’t valid anymore (but the reservation still exists in My Disney Experience)?
I fully agree with your assessment, Tom. We have a tentative October trip booked and those are exactly the thoughts in my mind. If the park was only open 8 hours, but it was 4pm to midnight, I’d be much more likely to go to come than with these hours.
Late night in the parks have always been our favorite time (1am with a 3 year old!), and losing anything after sunset is a major hit for us.
We are in the same boat, traveling at that same town and have similar dining reservations. I’m wondering the same thing because, of course, there are no reservations left at those restaurants to change the time to.
My husband and I canceled our September trip and reluctantly rebooked for October, not buying tickets at the time of our hotel rebooking. We were dragging our feet, not wanting to wear a mask all day, no “Disney” experiences and so many restaurants are closed. Last week we decided to go ahead and go knowing we would still enjoy the short lines and character experiences. We bought tickets last week, linked them and got our park reservations. The excitement was definitely starting to come back. Now today I see that the park hours will be even shorter. Needless to say the excitement is gone. The amount of money we paid for tickets is unacceptable for the hours we will have in the parks. Disney needs to offer discounted ticket prices and refund at least a small percentage to those of us who have unfortunately purchased tickets. Had I known reducing park hours again was even a consideration on Disney’s part, I would not have gone through with any of this. Universal Studios is offering a buy two park ticket, get two free. I wish we had gone with Universal instead.
We are using our DVC point to stay at Wilderness Lodge but going to Universal with the ticket deal. We aren’t even playing to go to any Disney parks
It make sense from a business perspective to cut hours. But for us out-of-towers the ‘magic’ of WDW was in the evening hours after dark, especially the Animal Kingdom (watching the light show on the Tree of Life) and at Epcot.
Plus, what can you really do if the parks close so early? Head back to the hotel?
And I agree about the ‘greed’ of Disney leadership. Tom, you are too nice calling it ‘shenanigans.’ The WSJ reported that Disney lost $5 billion in the latest quarter. Their very survival is at stake. They’ll need to figure out how to adjust. But cutting prices is not in them.
Your thoughts on beginning of December?
I haven’t commented before, but this post described my family. With short lines and wait times and my kids doing distance learning, I thought it would be an opportunity to take them to Disney world in December. We live in Washington state, so it’ll be a pricey trip, and I was hoping to make it a long one. No Disney shows was where I was debating about the value; we have never been to Disney World. I decided I would wait to book it to see if more stuff started opening up, and you’re exactly right about what shortening the hours signals; more cutbacks coming for December. There is no way to justify flights, hotel stays, and pricey tickets for a very watered-down experience.