October Park Hours- odds of them changing?

[mkla2015]

What do you guys think the odds are of the park hours in early October changing?

We are heading to the world 10/5-10/13 and I've been waiting for Magic Kingdom hours to be extended but that has yet to happen. It's a holiday weekend and I noticed last year that on the Saturday and Sunday before Columbus day MK was open until 12am... this year it closes at 9pm.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

What do you guys think the odds are of the park hours in early October changing?

We are heading to the world 10/5-10/13 and I've been waiting for Magic Kingdom hours to be extended but that has yet to happen. It's a holiday weekend and I noticed last year that on the Saturday and Sunday before Columbus day MK was open until 12am... this year it closes at 9pm.

I say the odds are very high, mainly at MK.

FWIW, over the last few months Disney has done a bigger/more substantial hours update for the following month on 5/11, 6/15, 7/13, and 8/10 (all Fridays, by the way). If that pattern holds (which is never a sure thing with Disney), I suspect you’ll see some October hour updates this or next Friday, or sometime soon.

 

[gharter]

I'm hoping they will extend the hours of the parks when we are there.
At least AK and HS. With so many MNSSHP parties each week, the few nights MK will be open, will be very crowded no matter.

 

[StacyStrong]

This doesn't have anything to do with October, but I got a notification today that ONE day (December 10th) of my trip was extended at MK from 9pm to 10pm. I thought it was possible pretty weird.

Anyone know if a larger December park update happened and I just happened to only have one date affected?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

This doesn't have anything to do with October, but I got a notification today that ONE day (December 10th) of my trip was extended at MK from 9pm to 10pm. I thought it was possible pretty weird.

Anyone know if a larger December park update happened and I just happened to only have one date affected?

Interesting. It looks like they updated Monday 12/3 & Monday 12/10 to 10pm closings, didn't see any other changes. Can't vouch for when they did it, but assuming it was recent given you got a notice.

 

[StacyStrong]

It's my check out day, so the extra hour doesn't even help me ;(

My trip is 12/4 - 12/10

They are teasing me.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

It's my check out day, so the extra hour doesn't even help me ;(

My trip is 12/4 - 12/10

They are teasing me.

Actually, I now see why 12/3 and 12/10 hours were changed to 10pm. They just announced Disney After Hours events on those two dates from 10pm-1am.

 

[StacyStrong]

Actually, I now see why 12/3 and 12/10 hours were changed to 10pm. They just announced Disney After Hours events on those two dates from 10pm-1am.

Aw man. I would have liked to do that.

 

[dixiegirl]

Odds are very good - we go every October and have seen park hours change up to and including the current day.

 

[Cloe Colton]

I'm going 10/5-10-10 and Im hoping they change too! Fingers crossed!

 

[KCanuck]

It looks like nothing was changed yesterday for October. Hopefully next week!

 

[Delirium]

Disney does their customers a disservice by waiting so long to update hours. Columbus Day week is busy every single year, and with 4 party nights scheduled they know they will be extending hours on the non-party nights. Why not go ahead and just do it?

 

[Upatnoon]

Disney does their customers a disservice by waiting so long to update hours. Columbus Day week is busy every single year, and with 4 party nights scheduled they know they will be extending hours on the non-party nights. Why not go ahead and just do it?

Disney wants to wait until the last minute to decide hours because they may be able to save money by closing early.

The real disservice would be if Disney reduced the park hours after they initially saying they were open later. People would be fuming. Can you imagine the outrage!

For the average visitor, it's a bit of Disney magic to learn the park is staying open longer.

 

[Delirium]

Disney wants to wait until the last minute to decide hours because they may be able to save money by closing early.

The real disservice would be if Disney reduced the park hours after they initially saying they were open later. People would be fuming. Can you imagine the outrage!

For the average visitor, it's a bit of Disney magic to learn the park is staying open longer.

I can understand it a bit more if it's some random week in May. But, Columbus Week is historically busy. You have 4 party nights at MK and the Food & Wine going on at Epcot. Disney is fooling no one by pretending they can close early on the three non-party nights at MK.

Same thing with Christmas and Thanksgiving weeks. Announce the real hours in advance. Have all times available for those making 60 day FP selections, and play your games with the hours during non-holiday, non-festival times.

 

[fightinillini229]

I can understand it a bit more if it's some random week in May. But, Columbus Week is historically busy. You have 4 party nights at MK and the Food & Wine going on at Epcot. Disney is fooling no one by pretending they can close early on the three non-party nights at MK.

Same thing with Christmas and Thanksgiving weeks. Announce the real hours in advance. Have all times available for those making 60 day FP selections, and play your games with the hours during non-holiday, non-festival times.

I think you hit the nail on the head - there’s no true incentive to do it far in advance for Disney as people will be there regardless. While booking FP is great for us, Disney doesn’t see any additional revenue from extending hours far in advance.

 

[TeresaWen]

Sounds like hour changes have been made on Fridays in the past? Fingers and toes crossed!

 

[kydisneyfans]

We have visited on and off over those dates the past 15 years.
Hours will change-sometimes the day of.
For Columbus Day weekend, MK usually has a Friday early Magic Hour. We did that last year and it was absolutely dead(7 AM opening). We spent 2 1/2 hours and did virtually every ride that normally has a long wait. Parts of the MK were so empty it was actually an eerie feeling.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Yep. The hours always change in Oct. Sometimes a month out, sometimes less than that.
Guess we'll just have to sit and wait.

 

[ClapYourHands]

We're going in November, and I'm hoping to see some hours extend. Because of FP+ booking, most of us kind of have to commit to a park well in advance of knowing the true operating hours, which is tricky. Fortunately, we do have hoppers, so we might be able to take advantage of extensions. But if not, oh well. I'll look at extra hours as a bonus.

 

[PSUGuy]

Changes in hours, increasing them, can be a two edged sword. I made plans for our party of 11, choosing FP+ choices based on us all getting there for RD. The morning of our 2nd MK day I was having a coffee on the Board Walk, checking our FPs for the morning. To my chagrin I saw the opening was pushed up to 8AM, screwing up my plans. Nine of our party was off site with 5 kids from 5 to 15 years of age. No way they were going to make RD so we had to scramble get the rides in that I planned to have us walk on.

Bill From PA