Animal Kingdom opening time change to 9AM starting June 25?

[DFelt1]

Hello - does anyone have any insight why Animal Kingdom's opening appears to have shifted from a consistent 8AM to 9AM effective June 25?

At least, as of today, that's what the 5 day calendar is showing: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/calendars/five-day/2023-06-24/#/animal-kingdom/

Thanks.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Disney often changes park hours after initially announcing their hours. You will want to monitor your park days for possible updates. It's not possible to tell in advance which days the hours will change.

 

[CT Disney]

We are visiting the last week of June into the first week of July. According to the Disney App, Animal Kingdom will close at 7:00 each night. I'm going with my sister who has never been and I wanted to show her Pandora at night time. Considering that the sun sets after 7:00, I'm not sure how that will be possible given the currently posted park hours.

Any thoughts as to whether the park hours will change?

 

[greeneyedchick]

Even after the close time, they still allow people time in the park to shop. I would find yourself in the pandora gift shop next to FLight of Passage right before 7. Then I would linger in the shop until it was dark,. Then slowly walk through Pandora to get out of the park

 

[greeneyedchick]

Or get in line for Flight Of Passage right before close. That's what we always do since we are local and could never score a fastpass for it. Then when you finally come out of the ride, it will definitely be dark.

 

[scrappinginontario]

All park hours are subject to change.

Unfortunately seeing Pandora after dark is challenging in the summer due to long days. The suggestions given by @greeneyedchick are both good ones and really, the best way to hopefully see Pandora at dusk in the summer. Unless they change the closing time to 9PM it will be challenging to truly see Pandora when it's dark as sundown in Orlando in June/July is 8:30PMish.

 

[Mle8308]

Even after the close time, they still allow people time in the park to shop. I would find yourself in the pandora gift shop next to FLight of Passage right before 7. Then I would linger in the shop until it was dark,. Then slowly walk through Pandora to get out of the park

You would have to linger for at least 90 minutes and that is absolutely not fair to the Cast Members who need to be able to start their closing procedures and go home after a long day. Chances are they will nicely ask you if there is anything they can help you with, then start to guide you towards the exit. If other parts of the land have cleared, they will not allow you in those areas. 30-40 minutes after park close is expected at DAK, but not 90.

 

[DFelt1]

Disney often changes park hours after initially announcing their hours. You will want to monitor your park days for possible updates. It's not possible to tell in advance which days the hours will change.

Yup, understood, and I'll still be planning for an eventual change to 8AM opening. Just seems odd that it has been consistent at 8AM for so long and then changed with the summer.