Along with February, Disney made major revisions to the March, April, and May operating schedules. Below is a list of the March changes. One can assume Disney will be updating the operating schedules further in advance with the roll out of FASTPASS+ and the “Next Generation Experience.” Potential visitors will need to know the final operating hours if they’re going to book an experience 30+ days in advance. For example, if someone wanted to book a reserved viewing location for Main Street Electrical Parade, they would need to know if it’s going to be scheduled zero, one, or two times. Disney has been conservative with the initial release of each month’s operating schedule over the last few years, choosing to update it with longer hours and additional evening entertainment about two weeks before the start of a month. I think we can expect Disney to finalize operating schedules about three and a half months in advance now, giving people plenty of time to book their desired experiences. It’s still possible for Disney to make additional revisions, but this looks like it’s going to be 98%+ of what you see come March. As usual, an easy-to-read schedule is available here. Click “refresh” on your browser if the date in the lower left hand corner isn’t 1/11/2013 or sooner.
Friday March 1:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm. Second Fantasmic added at 8:30pm, in addition to 7pm Fantasmic.
- Second Electrical Parade added at 9pm, in addition to 7pm Parade.
Saturday March 2:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 9pm, in addition to 7pm Parade.
Sunday March 3:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 8:30pm from 9am – 7pm. Second Fantasmic added at 8:30pm, in addition to 7pm Fantasmic.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 9pm, in addition to 7pm Parade.
Monday March 4:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm. Second Fantasmic added at 8:30pm, in addition to 7pm Fantasmic.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 12am from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 9pm, in addition to 7pm Parade.
Tuesday March 5:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Second Electrical Parade added at 9pm, in addition to 7pm Parade.
Wednesday March 6:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 8:30pm from 9am – 7pm. Second Fantasmic added at 8:30pm, in addition to 7pm Fantasmic.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 8pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 9pm, in addition to 7pm Parade.
Thursday March 7:
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 9pm, in addition to 7pm Parade.
Friday March 8:
- Second Electrical Parade added at 9pm, in addition to 7pm Parade.
Saturday March 9:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 7pm. Second Fantasmic added at 8:30pm, in addition to 7pm Fantasmic.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 12am from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Sunday March 10:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 9:30pm from 9am – 8:30pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm Fantasmic.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 1am from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Monday March 11:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 8:30pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm Fantasmic.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 1am from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Tuesday March 12:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 8:30pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm Fantasmic.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 1am from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Wednesday March 13:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 8:30pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm Fantasmic.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 12am from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Thursday March 14:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 8:30pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm Fantasmic.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 1am from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Friday March 15:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 8:30pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm Fantasmic.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 1am from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Saturday March 16:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 8:30pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm Fantasmic.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 12am from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Sunday March 17:
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Monday March 18:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 8:30pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm Fantasmic.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Tuesday March 19:
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Wednesday March 20:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Thursday March 21:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 8:30pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm Fantasmic.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 12am from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Friday March 22:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Saturday March 23:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 8:30pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm Fantasmic.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 12am from 9am – 10pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Sunday March 24:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 9pm from 9am – 8pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 8am – 10pm from 9am – 10pm.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 1am from 9am – 11pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Monday March 25:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 9pm from 9am – 8pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 8am – 10pm from 9am – 10pm.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 1am from 9am – 11pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Tuesday March 26:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 9pm from 9am – 8pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 8am – 10pm from 9am – 10pm.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 1am from 9am – 11pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Wednesday March 27:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 9pm from 9am – 8pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 8am – 10pm from 9am – 10pm.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 1am from 9am – 11pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Thursday March 28:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 8pm from 9am – 8pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 8am – 10pm from 9am – 10pm.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 1am from 9am – 11pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Friday March 29:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 8pm from 9am – 8pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 8am – 10pm from 9am – 10pm.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 1am from 9am – 11pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Saturday March 30:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 8pm from 9am – 8pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 8am – 10pm from 9am – 10pm.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 12am from 9am – 11pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Sunday March 31:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 8pm from 9am – 8pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 8:30pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm Fantasmic.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 8am – 1am from 9am – 11pm. Second Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Will These Changes Affect the Recommendations or Crowd Levels?
It shouldn’t have a major effect. The first week in March looks like it will be busier than originally expected. The crowd levels for March 10th – 16th may also be bumped up to a “9″ from an “8.”
What about these 8:30pm Fantasmic shows that are scheduled after Hollywood Studios officially closes?
Anyone is welcome to stay for the 8:30pm Fantasmic. While the Studios “closes” at 8pm, operating attractions will allow guests to enter the queue right up until 8pm regardless of wait time and when they’ll disembark. That means you could get in line for Toy Story Mania at 7:59pm, even if the wait is 30 minutes. Disney will often post longer-than-actual wait times at the end of the night to discourage 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 8:30pm and most likely 9pm 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.
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 7pm with Extra Magic Hours from 7pm to 9pm and now closes at 8pm, Extra Magic Hours would run from 8pm to 10pm. 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.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Will you be changing your crowd levels for the first week of March?
The Disney Website is not showing EMH at Hollywood Studios on March 1st anymore. The calendar link above still has evening EMH. Which is correct?? Thanks!
Also interested in crowd levels. We’ll be there that first week and were hoping it wouldn’t be busy.
Hi, unfortunately I have to change my dates to visit Disney and I will go to the MK in March 30 saturday inthe middle of Easter Holidays. I come from Brazil and my question is: there is any chances that crowd level lower at this date? Thanks for your attention.