WARNING about Park Hours & How They Change

[MaxPower]

The great staff here on Intercot should be commended for all that they do. This website is of the highest caliber.

Disney is infamous for making changes at their own whim. And they have done just that with the operating hours for the upcoming months.

I was just visiting the official website for Walt Disney World and noticed some park hour changes have been made for December. For example, the Magic Kingdom will now be open on December 5th until 1am, which is a new close time from what was previously released.

Some parade and show times are also changing. The first week of December now has some added performances of Fantasmic! and Spectromagic.

These changes are not yet reflected in the Park Hours section here on Intercot.

For those of you making vacation plans, use Intercot as a guide, but remember that Disney does make changes and the most accurate up-to-the-minute information should be obtained from Disney itself.

[Melanie]

Good advice, but please note that all hours listed on INTERCOT come DIRECTLY from Disney, and are often posted here before they are available on the Disney website.

That said, there is also that disclaimer which comes with any and all Disney information - "subject to change", which they almost always do. Hours here are entered manually and we can't always be right on top of it, but Carol does an awesome job!

Therefore, as we always suggest, please verify upon arrival at the resort for the absolute most up-to-date hours and event schedule.

[wdwgirl21]

Is it showing those hours on disney's website? I did not see the change for Dec5...

[marylynne95]

The crazy hours that day are probably because of the parade taping that is going on that weekend.

[Buttercup]

I just use the hours I find on any website as a basic guideline. Chances are, they will change while I am driving to Florida, or even while I'm down there. So I only use the info on Intercot and the Disney site to give me a rough idea. I find out the actual times when I check in to the hotel!
Disney changes the hours all the time based on park attendance expectations, other special events happening in the parks, etc. etc. etc. I don't think they do it just to be evil - ha ha!
When I saw "WARNING" in big capital letters I thought something scary had happened!

[gueli]

Thanks for the warning.
I kind of expected the dec 5th thing, though I will be in the MK on the 6th...Heck we already have our MVMCP all set for dec 2nd...
And you are always supposed to expect the unexpected, right

[Joannelet]

Thanks as I will be there during this time!

[5togetherWDW]

The hours on the Disney website are listed differently for pretty much every day of our trip -- mostly adding hours, and many more showings of Fantasmic. While I hope these updates are correct -- I never really trust their website. I check calendars here, there, and then just hope any changes are favorable . . .

[coneygoil]

While I was there back in Sept., supposibly they added an extra hour to MK one night on a whim that day and we got to stay longer. Yay!

[wdwnomad]

Thanks for the heads up about the hours change. I noticed the other day that they changed the times of the 3 o'clock parade (it is now the 5 o'clock parade), Spectro (added another one that day too) and Wishes on that day. The park closing was still 11 pm though.

[villavic]

Thanks for the warning!! Now I know I will watch Fantasmic with no itinerary changes. Until now I thought I'd miss it cause I bought the Mickey Christmas ticket for the only day they showed Fantasmic during my trip. But now there are more alternatives!

[brownie]

Sometimes the official site is the last place the hours are updated. Since the hours can change, everything before your trip is really just a guideline.

[Janmac]

When the January hours were published I noticed that the Disney website had Magic Kingdom closing at 8 pm for the week 24-29, with EMH on 24 January. Intercot has MK closing at 11 pm for that week. As another poster said, no telling what the hours will be come January.

Jan

[mickeys_princess_mom]

Can anybody tell me if there will be a later showing of Wishes on Nov. 30 since it's EMH in MK that night? Looking for a sure thing for DS, and I just don't see this anywhere. Help, please?

[BMan62]

Can anybody tell me if there will be a later showing of Wishes on Nov. 30 since it's EMH in MK that night? Looking for a sure thing for DS, and I just don't see this anywhere. Help, please?

EMH has no effect on when Wishes is shown. Wishes is shown at regular park closing. Park hours for November 30 are 9am - 8pm. Wishes will be shown at 8pm.

[mickeys_princess_mom]

EMH has no effect on when Wishes is shown. Wishes is shown at regular park closing. Park hours for November 30 are 9am - 8pm. Wishes will be shown at 8pm.

Thanks so much for responding. I must be tired, but I was thinking there might be an additional showing of Wishes during EMH.