When are park hours updated?

[My2CrazyGirls]

We will be at WDW the week before Easter. Yes, I know, crazy busy. Right now the park hours don't seem long enough for Easter week. DHS isnt really going to close at 8pm, is it?

Does anyone have the hours from last Easter (which was in March).

 

[jcarwash]

easywdw crowd calendar from March 2016 has the final park hours plus a history of the changes: http://www.easywdw.com/easy/calendars/march-2016-walt-disney-world-crowd-calendar-2/

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

easywdw crowd calendar from March 2016 has the final park hours plus a history of the changes: http://www.easywdw.com/easy/calendars/march-2016-walt-disney-world-crowd-calendar-2/

Thank you, I was looking at his calendar from last year but didn't see the play by play changes. That is awesome, thank you! Unfortunately looks like they make changes very late, even just 1 or 2 weeks in advance.

 

[Robo]

Unfortunately looks like they make changes very late, even just 1 or 2 weeks in advance.

Count on it.

 

[Elle23]

I am already assuming I will lose my PPO BOG ADR on Saturday 2/4 even though there hasn't been a change yet. The week before changed from 9 am opening to 8 am recently.

I'm a little sad but also excited to have an extra hour in the park on my last day at WDW.

 

[chelynnah]

I am already assuming I will lose my PPO BOG ADR on Saturday 2/4 even though there hasn't been a change yet. The week before changed from 9 am opening to 8 am recently.

I'm a little sad but also excited to have an extra hour in the park on my last day at WDW.

If you jump in right when you see the change (if there is one) you may be able to move it back to the new PPO time

 

[Parker Clan]

They most definitely always change / update hours right before the trip. Happened to us in August. Luckily it was positive changes - extending hours. But they did this in July long after we did our FP, so they sent us an email updating our FP. Again it was a good change, but still... They are always always subject to change

 

[TheFloatingBear]

For what it's worth...I'm traveling the post-Easter week for the first time, so I've been reading anything I see about Easter. Anyway, I've seen a couple of reports that said Easter week 2015 the hours at MK were extended to 7 am, but that last year, the earliest opening was 8am. I don't know if it was due to when Easter fell on the calendar, or cutbacks in hours, or what, but that's what I've read. I'm kind of hoping for a 7am opening since it's an adult trip and we're all early birds, but not expecting it...

I also agree that the hours seem to change pretty late in the game these days!

 

[Robo]

For what it's worth...I'm traveling the post-Easter week for the first time, so I've been reading anything I see about Easter. Anyway, I've seen a couple of reports that said Easter week 2015 the hours at MK were extended to 7 am, but that last year, the earliest opening was 8am.

7AM would be AM Extra Magic Hour opening time for a day with an 8AM regular hours listing.

In 2015 near Easter (the example you gave,) MK opened every day for Resort Guests (AM EMH) at 7AM between April 1 and April 10.

 

[TheFloatingBear]

7AM would be AM Extra Magic Hour opening time for a day with an 8AM regular hours listing.

In 2015 near Easter (the example you gave,) MK opened every day for Resort Guests (AM EMH) at 7AM between April 1 and April 10.

Okay, thanks! So if you could help me clarify so I can hopefully know what to anticipate (again, I've traveled in April, but not an Easter April so trying to be fully prepared!)...

So, the difference between 2015 and 2016 was that they more morning Extra Magic days in MK 2015 than they did in 2016?
From what you're saying and what I can see, in 2015 they just had more days that were MK EMHs, so when the hours were extended to 8am, the EMH's were 7am?
But in 2016, just fewer morning EMH's at MK that week? (I think I just saw Friday 3/25)
So, I'm traveling 4/18-22, so right now there are two EMHs scheduled for MK on the Wed and Friday with openings at 8am. So, those may be extended to 7am if MK opens at 8am, or not. And/or the EMH days could shift, as they did last year a couple of weeks out for us...

Sorry if my questions sound redundant but I've never traveled during a peak week and I'm trying to get my ducks in a row as much as possible! Thanks!

 

[scrapquitler]

Sometimes they extend park hours at the last minute. One of our trips last year, I checked all the park hours the day before our trip, and I wrote them down on the index card I carry in my bag. One of the days we went to AK and there was a sandwich board type sign before the entrance that stated that the park was open an extra hour that evening. I pulled out my index card and the park hours were in fact, an hour longer than had been posted less than a week previously. So yes, it can happen at the last minute.

 

[Robo]

1. -more morning Extra Magic days in MK 2015 than they did in 2016?
-in 2015 they just had more days that were MK EMHs,
2. so when the hours were extended to 8am, the EMH's were 7am?
3. But in 2016, just fewer morning EMH's at MK that week? (I think I just saw Friday 3/25)
4. So, I'm traveling 4/18-22, so right now there are two EMHs scheduled for MK on the Wed and Friday with openings at 8am. So, those may be extended to 7am if MK opens at 8am, or not.
5. And/or the EMH days could shift, as they did last year a couple of weeks out for us...

1. Yes. One of the differences.
2. If (IF) there happens to be an AM EMH when the park hours are listed as 8AM, then yes.
3. Yes. But, it is much, MUCH too early to take anything you see as actual final hours.
4 & 5. It's possible.

 

[TheFloatingBear]

1. Yes. One of the differences.
2. If (IF) there happens to be an AM EMH when the park hours are listed as 8AM, then yes.
3. Yes. But, it is much, MUCH too early to take anything you see as actual final hours.
4 & 5. It's possible.

Yes, I learned #3 the hard way last April! I'm planning with last minute changes/flexibility in mind, to the best I can!

Thanks for answering my particularly redundant questions!!

 

[Suzanne74]

We were there in late March 2014 and the times changed 10 days before we arrived but did not change while we were there.

We are going again this last week of March and even though it isn't Easer week, I really hope they increase the hours. Right now there is no evening EMH at DHS the entire 8 days we are there and it closes as 8pm. MK closes at 9pm nightly with only one EMH from 9-11pm. I find that hard to believe over Spring Break.

 

[IrishNYC]

If you jump in right when you see the change (if there is one) you may be able to move it back to the new PPO time

I believe BOG opens at 8:05am, regardless of what time MK opens.

 

[Robo]

I believe BOG opens at 8:05am, regardless of what time MK opens.

Correct.

 

[Dave006]

I know that if you are vacationing now it will be rare for you to check the boards but here's the info:

Disney's Hollywood Studios will be extending operating hours, January 4, and January 5, 2017.

• Park hours change from 9:00am-8:00pm to 9:00am-9:00pm

Also, Magic Kingdom will be extending operating hours, January 5, January 6, and January 7, 2017.

• Park hours change from 9:00am-10:00pm to 9:00am-11:00pm

From another thread, the quote above from poster Yulilin3. The change was made yesterday, Jan. 4 so a same day change for DHS example and one day before for MK Today! You always want to check a few times before your trip and even each Park day.

Dvae

 

[iujen94]

Just curious - do you think these last minute park hour changes are a new thing? We've gone to WDW at least once a year for the last 10 years and at relatively busy times (Presidents' Day week or October Halloween party season), and I don't remember hours ever changing substantially from when I would do my initial planning (usually 6 months out or more). I'm trying to finalize planning this year's Presidents' Day trip and likely park hour changes are stressing out the planner in me!!!

 

[Robo]

Just curious - do you think these last minute park hour changes are a new thing?

No.

 

[Polydweller]

Just curious - do you think these last minute park hour changes are a new thing? We've gone to WDW at least once a year for the last 10 years and at relatively busy times (Presidents' Day week or October Halloween party season), and I don't remember hours ever changing substantially from when I would do my initial planning (usually 6 months out or more). I'm trying to finalize planning this year's Presidents' Day trip and likely park hour changes are stressing out the planner in me!!!

As Robo says, no it's not new. It's actually a rare year for us that times don't change right up to the day of. Disney quite rightly changes hours based on expected crowds. Plan your days given the hours you know and if you get extra hours consider it a benefit.