Why a Big Change in Park Hours?

[Jabroniville]

Hey all! I'd made a trip plan about two months ago to head to WDW, and at that point the hours in Magic Kingdom were typically 9-9 (not including the magic mornings). But now I'm just about to head over tonight, and I see that the park hours are now 9-11 every night they're not holding the Halloween party! While this is GREAT for me (12 hours with a big dining reservation in the middle or a trip elsewhere makes me feel like I'm rushing, lol), I'm a bit stunned at a two-hour increase on each day.

I've heard that this isn't unusual to increase park hours occasionally, a 2-hour universal increase seems odd. I was annoyed while planning this one because they're having CONSTANT "Not-So-Scary" days and closing the parks early frequently, so I wonder if this is a backlash against that? Or it could be a response to larger than expected hotel stays. But the other parks seem mostly similar (probably an extra half-hour here or there).

 

[JodyK]

Disney has started putting placeholder hours and updating to actual hours it gets closer to the day. I dont think it is really because of backlash but I do think because of the Halloween party they are staying open later on the days around it.

 

[StoweFoSho]

In the past park hours were largely determined by crowd projections. The holiday weeks and weekends would add one or two hours pretty regularly. Sometimes staying open later, sometimes opening earlier. We almost always travel when school is out and hours are added at about 70-60 days out and then again 40-30 days out. In December 2019 Hollywood Studios was originally 8-8 or 8-9 and then with the holiday crowds and demand for Rise of the Resistance there were days where it was opening at 6am.

 

[Jabroniville]

Disney has started putting placeholder hours and updating to actual hours it gets closer to the day. I dont think it is really because of backlash but I do think because of the Halloween party they are staying open later on the days around it.

Yeah I figured. I was kind of irked having to schedule all my park days around it, and I’d imagine others were, too.

That’s Interesting about “placeholder hours”- when I went last year in November, 12-hour days (or less, even at MK) seemed the norm. That’s it’s a full two hours longer is a bit curious. Maybe they finally found a way to fill those hours in terms of staff.

 

[JodyK]

Last year in November there were even bigger problems with staffing shortages that could have been keeping the park hours down.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Yeah I figured. I was kind of irked having to schedule all my park days around it, and I’d imagine others were, too.

That’s Interesting about “placeholder hours”- when I went last year in November, 12-hour days (or less, even at MK) seemed the norm. That’s it’s a full two hours longer is a bit curious. Maybe they finally found a way to fill those hours in terms of staff.

Partly I'd say WDW has been doing this for years, but they also seem to be doing it more in 2022 than they did in the past.

Last minute changes happened in the past, just not as much as now.

If you look at all the current park hours listed, you can see that December park hours are just placeholder park hours.