Update: Crowd Calendar image and daily analysis updated with the changes listed below.
Disney updated the September 2012 operating schedule at the usual link: http://media.disneywebcontent.com/StaticFiles/DTA-Domestic/pdf/ParkHours/WDW_Operating_Calendar_sept.pdf. If the date in the lower left hand corner of each page isn’t 8/11/12 (or sooner), hit refresh on your browser to load the latest version. Most of these changes should also be updated already at DisneyWorld.com.
Saturday September 1:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 7pm from 9am – 6pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. A second Fantasmic added at 10pm in addition to 8:30pm show.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Sunday September 2:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. A second Fantasmic added at 10pm in addition to 8:30pm show.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Monday September 3:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 7pm from 9am – 6pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. A second Fantasmic added at 10pm in addition to 8:30pm show.
Tuesday September 4:
Wednesday September 5:
Thursday September 6:
Friday September 7:
Saturday September 8:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 6pm from 9am – 5pm.
Sunday September 9:
Monday September 10:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. A second Fantasmic added at 10pm in addition to 8:30pm show.
Tuesday September 11:
Wednesday September 12:
Thursday September 13:
Friday September 14:
Saturday September 15:
- Second Electrical Parade added at 10pm, in addition to 8pm Parade.
Sunday September 16:
Monday September 17:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 9pm from 9am – 8pm. A second Fantasmic added at 9:30pm in addition to 8pm show.
Tuesday September 18:
Wednesday September 19:
Thursday September 20:
Friday September 21:
Saturday September 22:
- Second Electrical Parade added at 10pm, in addition to 8pm Parade.
Sunday September 23:
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Main Street Electrical Parade added at 8pm and 10pm. No Parades previously scheduled.
Monday September 24:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 9pm from 9am – 8pm. A second Fantasmic added at 9:30pm in addition to 8pm show.
Tuesday September 25:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 6pm from 9am – 5pm.
Wednesday September 26:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 6pm from 9am – 5pm.
Thursday September 27:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 6pm from 9am – 5pm.
Friday September 28:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 8pm. A second Fantasmic added at 9:30pm in addition to 8pm show.
Saturday September 29:
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 10pm, in addition to 8pm Parade.
Sunday September 30:
FAQ:
Is this real? It doesn’t match DisneyWorld.com!
Yes and it will. Disney updates the PDF files at their media.disneywebcontent.com web address before the same update goes live at DisneyWorld.com. It is much easier to update a text file than it is to program the update into DisneyWorld.com. The changes will hit DisneyWorld.com at some point in the next two weeks, but you can rest assured they are just as “official.”
What does this do to the Extra Magic Hours schedule?
If the close is pushed back, Extra Magic Hours will also be pushed back. For example, if Hollywood Studios was previously closing at 9pm with Extra Magic Hours from 9pm to 12am and now closes at 10pm, Extra Magic Hours would run from 10pm to 1am. Same with morning Extra Magic Hour. If the open is 8am instead of 9am, the morning Extra Magic Hour would instead run from 7am – 8am.
What about these 9:30pm Fantasmic shows that are scheduled after Hollywood Studios officially closes?
Anyone is welcome to stay for the 9:30pm Fantasmic. While the Studios “closes” at 9pm, operating attractions will allow guests to enter the queue right up until 9pm regardless of wait time and when they’ll disembark. That means you could get in line for Toy Story Mania at 8:59pm, even if the wait is 30 minutes. Disney will often post longer-than-actual wait times at the end of the night to dissuade guests from entering the queue. Waits are often shorter than posted and the time immediately before official close is the second best time to ride the major attractions with minimal waits (immediately after Park open being the best). Stores along Hollywood Boulevard also remain open until at least 9:30pm and most likely 10pm in the case of Mickey’s of Hollywood. Disney will have plenty of buses to transport any guests remaining at the Studios. In the case of a Fantasmic scheduled during evening Extra Magic Hours, anyone is also welcome to see that show. Disney won’t be checking for resort IDs at Fantasmic. A show during evening Extra Magic Hours is actually one of the least crowded shows to see because so many non-resort guests assume they aren’t eligible. Here is an example of what crowds can look like.
Will this affect the recommendations?
No, it won’t. Everything you see here is already built into the recommendations. The later closes are a benefit as well. If possible, you always want to see the later Main Street Electrical Parade or Fantasmic because they are much less crowded. In addition, the later closes tend to make people sleep in and arrive later, causing morning crowds to build slower.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks Josh -great info- any educated guess when Oct schedule would be updated? Is it usually around the middle of the month before? We are there end Sept/start Oct – cheers!
Hi Josh, thanks for updating so soon.
I think there might be a little mistake in there. You’ve got the existing Fantasmic! shows down at 9pm, however they’re at 8pm according to your calendar on the 17th, 24th and 28th.
Thanks as always.
Thanks Josh!
I have checked 3 different Disney sites and not of the park times and schedules are matching up with this site. Was just wondering why?
jen- This is explained above “Disney updates the PDF files at their media.disneywebcontent.com web address before the same update goes live at DisneyWorld.com. It is much easier to update a text file than it is to program the update into DisneyWorld.com. The changes will hit DisneyWorld.com at some point in the next two weeks, but you can rest assured they are just as “official.” ” The “why” is that other sites have not updated the info yet.
Thank you so much for explaining. I totally missed the above explanation. I appreciate your quick response! We are heading to Disney in 43 more days and this site has been a wonderful planning aide
How does Sept. 1 and out get updates, and most of August get extended hours, but the last week in August stays put? Perhaps it will be so uncrowded that they don’t need the extra hours.
So here is my question. Would it be better to see the 8:00 Fantasmic on 9/16 when the park is the most recommended or see the 9:30 Fantasmic on 9/17 when the park is not recommended? (It will just be my wife and myself)
We fly in on 9/16 and we were going to get checked in and head over for Fantasmic (and if there is a short line a ride) and then we were going to see Illuminations on 9/17. But we could easily see Illuminations on 9/16 and then head over around 8:00 on 9/17 and see Fantasmic at 9:30.
Will the extended DHS Monday hours and second F! pull any significant crowds away from MSEP?
Thank you for this update. Hope you are back “on site” soon, if not already. Looking forward to Tom’s visit to the Lion King wings at AofA.
Are you mad at us Josh?
Kevin M – I guess that depends on a few things. Are you going to DHS just to see Fantasmic? Do you have Park Hopper? If the answer to both is “yes”, then I’d go to the 9:30 show since the second shows are less crowded than the first one.
Jeff, thanks the answer to both of those is yes. We are going back later in the week in the morning to do the rides.
Welcome back Josh!