Park Hours / Show Schedules

[RegisteredTrademark]

I know it can be fluid and change, but when does Disney World tend to finalize park hour changes and show schedules (ex., multiple Fantasmic shows or just one, etc.)?

For reference traveling March 10-16, and just wanting to get an idea if it's more of a two-week out, month out, or one week sort of deal. Just trying to get an idea when to check hours again so I'm not birddogging it every day.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Initial hours are normally announced approx 71 days in advance and updated hours around 3 weeks in advance. Park hours can always change, even the day of so they're never really finalized.

 

[MJJME]

This is so annoying......Trying to make plans month in advance and not having park hours until 2 weeks before is a real pain in the butt, especially when trying to book dining.....Final park hours should be released when dining opens up

 

[denecarter]

They were updated some time this morning for that week. Epcot stayed the same... DHS added an hour... MK added 3 hours... AK added 3 1/2 hours. I'm a happy camper.

 

[RegisteredTrademark]

They were updated some time this morning for that week. Epcot stayed the same... DHS added an hour... MK added 3 hours... AK added 3 1/2 hours. I'm a happy camper.

Thanks!

 

[Keladry84]

They were updated some time this morning for that week. Epcot stayed the same... DHS added an hour... MK added 3 hours... AK added 3 1/2 hours. I'm a happy camper.

I’m looking at ak new hours….do you think the 8pm close would give some time in the dark/at night? I’m not familiar enough with sunset times in Florida but am really hoping to see Pandora at night!!

 

[denecarter]

I’m looking at ak new hours….do you think the 8pm close would give some time in the dark/at night? I’m not familiar enough with sunset times in Florida but am really hoping to see Pandora at night!!

According to the sunset chart I found online, the sun will be setting between 7:32 and 7:35 that week. It will be dusk, but not really dark.

If Daylight Savings Time wasn't hitting 3/10, we'd have full on dark.

 

[RegisteredTrademark]

According to the sunset chart I found online, the sun will be setting between 7:32 and 7:35 that week. It will be dusk, but not really dark.

If Daylight Savings Time wasn't hitting 3/10, we'd have full on dark.

Oh man, 3/10 DST is going to make our 6AM departure that day a lot of fun.

 

[denecarter]

Oh man, 3/10 DST is going to make our 6AM departure that day a lot of fun.

I think this solidifies the answer to the "am I going to try to get my 5 & 7 year old Texan grandkids to rope drop" question. They wake up about 7-7:30 at home usually... so 90 minutes before AK early opening is 5:30 am EDT and will feel like 3:30 am for them... 3 1/2 hours before they would normally wake up.

 

[RegisteredTrademark]

We're coming from Texas too. Hopefully adjusted enough to time change for rope drop by Monday. Will be our first trip though, so have the adrenaline the first couple days.

 

[pens4821]

We were there two years ago for the time change (and will be this year too). One nice thing was that morning wasn’t as busy as the rest of the week was. The wait times didn’t really get bad until maybe 10/11 where the rest of the week it felt by about 9 the headliners were already crazy. We actually thought after Sunday that it wouldn’t be as crowded as we read about spring break (it was our first trip that time), but the rest of the week was.