Disney World Extends Theme Park Hours for Select Dates

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Disney has extended theme park hours for select dates! Check out the changes below.

Changing Hours

One thing we are not used to since the reopening is the change in operating hours across the four Walt Disney World theme parks. Before the closure, one could enter Magic Kingdom as early as 7 am and leave as late as 1 am. Many people would get in line at 4 am to get into Hollywood Studios to have a shot at securing a boarding pass for Rise of the Resistance.

For now, though, those days are gone. Unless you are visiting during the weekend or a busy holiday, many times the parks don’t open until 9 am. Hollywood Studios has consistently opened at 10 am on most days for the last 6 months.

However, Guests are feeling more comfortable about traveling and visiting theme parks, and Disney is accommodating the increase.

Extended Hours

Select dates later this month now see an increase in park hours. Here are the changes for January 24-30:

Magic Kingdom will be open from 9 am to 7 pm (previously 9 am to 6 pm).

Guests wishing to enter Hollywood Studios can now enter an hour before at 9 am (previously 10 am). The park still closes at 7 pm.

EPCOT still opens at 11 am this week but will now close an hour later at 8 pm.

Finally, Animal Kingdom will be open from 8 am to 5 pm (previously 9 am to 5 pm).

What to do with this extra time

With park hopping back at the theme parks, you can really maximize your time at the parks. Remember, you cannot park hop until 2 pm and you must enter the first park you have a park pass for before going to your second park.

Looking at the changes above, I would plan to make a park pass for Hollywood Studios. That way I could try to get a boarding group for Rise of the Resistance and do several rides. Since EPCOT is open until 8, I would then ride the Skyliner to that park at 2 pm and experience as much as I could for Festival of the Arts.

Check out the new merchandise, food, art, and more at EPCOT's Festival of the Arts! — Credit: Disney Parks Blog

I would have 5 hours at Hollywood Studios and 6 hours at EPCOT. If you are staying at a resort on the Skyliner route, you could take a quick nap before hopping. That’s an 11 hour day and you could accomplish a lot by following the touring plans on Character Locator!

Will you be visiting during the last week of January? What will you do with all this extra time?! Let us know on Facebook.