Question about Park Hours (Animal Kingdom and Epcot)

[Jibrille]

Hi everyone~

A couple of questions from a Disney World newbie!

My kid is a HUGE Dragon fan and he's intensely excited about going to see AVATAR and ride "Flight of Passage". He also really wants to see the park at night. I've heard the trick about "get in Flight of Passage at the end of the day" but that's difficult for me because I have disabilities that prevent me from waiting in a long line.

We have those 1-park per day 4-day tickets.

Which of these days would be more likely to have later closing times eventually added? Right now, all days for Animal Kingdom are 6:00pm.

Wednesday, May 29 [Magic Kingdom as we have extended hours via the hotel that night]
Thursday, May 30 [Animal Kingdom or Epcot - but Epcot has an After Hours Event we can't afford to go to]
Friday, May 31 [Animal Kingdom or Epcot]
Saturday, June 1 [Hollywood Studios because I have a Fantasmic dining reservation]

Any advice on which day, Thursday or Friday, is more likely to have closing hours extended to keep us in the park after dark at AK would be sincerely appreciated.

Thank you <3 !

 

[dcassetta]

This link has the historic hours from last year to give you an idea, but that does not necessarily mean it will change for this year. https://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-world/park-hours.htm

 

[Skippyboo]

I think you are misreading the calendar. For that week Deluxe Extended Evening hours are Mon May 27 at Epcot from 9-11 pm and Wed May 29 at MK from 10pm-12 am.

No deluxe extra hours at AK. No after hours at AK either. With the park closing at 6 pm, if you get in line right before 6 pm for Flights of Passage it might not be dark when you get off the ride since it’s daylight saving time with sunset probably being after 8pm then.

 

[Jibrille]

I think you are misreading the calendar. For that week Deluxe Extended Evening hours are Mon May 27 at Epcot from 9-11 pm and Wed May 29 at MK from 10pm-12 am.

No deluxe extra hours at AK. No after hours at AK either. With the park closing at 6 pm, if you get in line right before 6 pm for Flights of Passage it might not be dark when you get off the ride since it’s daylight saving time with sunset probably being after 8pm then.

I think you and I are talking about different things, or I am using the wrong terms (sorry not used to Disney World).

I'm trying to find out which day is most likely to have it's hours changed, for example Animal Kingdom closes at 6:00pm right now on my days, but I've been told that sometimes they suddenly change the hours and it closes at 7:00pm or 8:00pm instead. I was trying to figure out if Thursday or Friday were more likely to have that sudden extension happen. We can't just get in line at Flight of Passage at the end of the day as I am disabled and can't wait in long lines.

The park that has "extended hours" for Deluxe Resort guests (we are at the Swan), according to "My Disney Experience" is Magic Kingdom on May 29 (that's what I listed in my post and that's why we are going to MK that day).

My understanding is that Epcot has an After Hours paid event on May 30, which we can't afford, and I am worried about going on that day because there may be extra crowds if there is an After Hours event?

 

[Jibrille]

This link has the historic hours from last year to give you an idea, but that does not necessarily mean it will change for this year. https://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-world/park-hours.htm

Thank you!

 

[Skippyboo]

I think you and I are talking about different things, or I am using the wrong terms (sorry not used to Disney World).

I'm trying to find out which day is most likely to have it's hours changed, for example Animal Kingdom closes at 6:00pm right now on my days, but I've been told that sometimes they suddenly change the hours and it closes at 7:00pm or 8:00pm instead. I was trying to figure out if Thursday or Friday were more likely to have that sudden extension happen. We can't just get in line at Flight of Passage at the end of the day as I am disabled and can't wait in long lines.

The park that has "extended hours" for Deluxe Resort guests (we are at the Swan), according to "My Disney Experience" is Magic Kingdom on May 29 (that's what I listed in my post and that's why we are going to MK that day).

My understanding is that Epcot has an After Hours paid event on May 30, which we can't afford, and I am worried about going on that day because there may be extra crowds if there is an After Hours event?

I doubt that the extend the regular park hours for AK. Maybe MK. AK in the late afternoon is normally pretty dead because most people go in the morning and then leave for something else.

 

[scrappinginontario]

This won’t answer your question but wanted to say, getting in line for FoP right at park close will likely be a shorter wait than any other time of the day other than those at the front of the crowd at park opening.

If length of time in line is a concern, hop in line just before the park closed, regardless of what the sign says the wait time is. The sign at the ride will always show an inflated wait time at park close.

Re what day the park hours may be extended is an unknown. There isn’t a pattern that I’m aware of.

Seeing Pandora in the dark in the summer is always a challenge due to longer days.

 

[Jibrille]

This won’t answer your question but wanted to say, getting in line for FoP right at park close will likely be a shorter wait than any other time of the day other than those at the front of the crowd at park opening.

If length of time in line is a concern, hop in line just before the park closed, regardless of what the sign says the wait time is. The sign at the ride will always show an inflated wait time at park close.

Re what day the park hours may be extended is an unknown. There isn’t a pattern that I’m aware of.

Seeing Pandora in the dark in the summer is always a challenge due to longer days.

Thank you so much, this is really helpful. I was just worried it was going to be hours and hours. Many thanks <3

 

[lanejudy]

So I would say that based on the hours today (a Friday) and the next 2-3 weeks... Friday is more likely to get pushed to a 7pm close with Thursday staying at a 6pm close. If there is a change. But it is kind of odd that late April/early May is closed later on Friday than mid-May onward.

That said...what time is sunset in Orlando in late May? I'm thinking it won't be dark yet at 7pm, and based on historical hours it's unlike AK will close any later than 7pm in May. Which makes the question a bit of a moot point.

 

[Skippyboo]

Sunset in Orlando on May 31 is 8:20 pm from weather channel website

 

[Jibrille]

So I would say that based on the hours today (a Friday) and the next 2-3 weeks... Friday is more likely to get pushed to a 7pm close with Thursday staying at a 6pm close. If there is a change. But it is kind of odd that late April/early May is closed later on Friday than mid-May onward.

That said...what time is sunset in Orlando in late May? I'm thinking it won't be dark yet at 7pm, and based on historical hours it's unlike AK will close any later than 7pm in May. Which makes the question a bit of a moot point.

I also thought it was weird that they changed early May (which I've heard is not well attended) and not Late May (which has got to be when a bunch of kids are out of school + Memorial Day week). I'm hoping they just haven't decided on the official times yet.

After looking at that chart, it looks like we need to go on Friday as it is our best bet. We will get in the line for Flight of Passage at the end of the day and just keep my fingers crossed that I can tolerate it and hope it's dark when we get out. Many thanks

 

[saraheliz]

I would guess both nights will be moved to at least 7.
Getting in line 5 minutes before park closing works great. We waited less than half the posted time AND got to see the actual line (we had always used ILL so never got to see all the cool stuff in the regular queue). We did this with a 7pm closing- got in line probably 6:57 and I just looked, I have pictures of us in Pandora after the ride at 7:55 (and the pre-show and ride take quite a while so the line couldn't have been more than 25 minutes). Unfortunately it wasn't totally lit up but it was nice and empty for pictures.

 

[ThisIsMyName]

With an 8:20 sunset it's going to be tough to see it in the actual dark however the Navi boat ride takes you through Pandora at night. Not quite the same as the park lit up but it's definitely cool.