When do they release hours?

[goodeats]

I apologize if this is common knowledge, but how far in advance do they release hours? We'll be travelling to WDW August 15 - 23 and our 180 day mark is coming up in less than two weeks. The calendar on WDW is up through August 3rd. Do they release a day at a time or a chunk at once? Or do you just plan based on historical info?

 

[Robo]

I apologize if this is common knowledge, but
1. how far in advance do they release hours? We'll be travelling to WDW August 15 - 23 and our 180 day mark is coming up in less than two weeks. The calendar on WDW is up through August 3rd.
2. Do they release a day at a time or a chunk at once?
3. Or do you just plan based on historical info?

1. Sometime between 2 and 6 months in advance.
2. Sadly, no "set time" of posting is followed.
And, expect the earliest-released info to have changes made as the dates get closer.
3. That's about all a guest can do, unfortunately.

 

[goodeats]

Ok Thanks. That's kind of stressful!

 

[Robo]

Ok Thanks. That's kind of stressful!

Is this "odd" and "inconvenient," considering Disney makes provisions for early-booking of dining?
Yes. Yes, it is.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Its a rolling calendar. Yes one day at a time.
There are 3rd party calendars that are likely already out for August but they are not official.
Also Disney's calendars are generally not accurate until about 3-6 weeks prior as they tend to update the hours.
Gone are the days of being able to see about 6.5 months out with pretty defined hours.

 

[jeff_h]

And, expect the earliest-released info to have changes made as the dates get closer.

If hours get changed is there a general ratio of whether hours are expanded vs contracted? I thought I read on here in another thread somewhere that it's common for hours to get expanded but very uncommon to see them contracted after being posted... so I wonder if that is true?

 

[Robo]

I read on here in another thread somewhere that it's common for hours to get expanded but very uncommon to see them contracted after being posted... so I wonder if that is true?

True.

 

[HydroGuy]

It seems like until recently WDW posted hours further out than six months. When I was making ADRs for our June trip it seemed unusual to not have hours out further.

Does anyone know why they changed?

Also a comment that comes up a lot over on the DLR foum. DLR does not post hours until 4-8 weeks beforehand. WDW posts hours 6 months out and they seem to regularly modify the hours 4-6 weeks in advance. WDW vets are often frustrated by DLR's late posting of hours but I am not sure the end result is very different. You either post hours far advance and then change them or post less in advance and stick with them. That does not seem all that different to me. But somehow human nature seems to just feel better with hours posted 6 months in advance even though they change.

 

[Donalyn]

HydroGuy - nice to see you on this side of the WDW/DL fence! Always love your advice when planning a DL trip.

 

[HydroGuy]

HydroGuy - nice to see you on this side of the WDW/DL fence! Always love your advice when planning a DL trip.

Thanks! I had zero plans to visit WDW in 2018. Although I live in Colorado, I am literally flying from DLR to Florida in June. My conference at the Contemporary starts the day after we are leaving DLR. I will have a few business days in there and probably head to WDW parks after four off days in between DLR and WDW.

I was originally planning just 2.5 or 3 solo days at WDW but DS21 says he wants to come with me. He has not been since before Pandora opened so as of now we are thinking 5-6 days at WDW.

Looks like we will be in good shape to visit Toy Story Land.

 

[Rita007]

I apologize if this is common knowledge, but how far in advance do they release hours? We'll be travelling to WDW August 15 - 23 and our 180 day mark is coming up in less than two weeks. The calendar on WDW is up through August 3rd. Do they release a day at a time or a chunk at once? Or do you just plan based on historical info?

We are staying August 13 - 23 and I had the exact same question. I'm using projected hours from Kenny the Pirate and Touring Plans to pick my parks, and hoping for the best.