Disney is being a little goofy with us over the August 2012, January 2013, and February 2013 operating schedules. I was expecting to see an update to the August operating schedule along with the February 2013 initial schedule this past Monday. Occasionally, the updates can come out a bit late, so a Friday arrival wouldn’t be unheard of. However, it’s odd that the updates have seemingly gone live on DisneyWorld.com already, at least for the end of July and first four weeks in August. Even weirder is the fact that the January Extra Magic Hours schedule isn’t yet available. I couldn’t tell you if this is simply an oversight of some kind or there are actually serious deliberations about changing how the Extra Magic Hours program is set up. Since no one I’ve talked to seems to know about any planned changes, it leads me to believe that no serious changes are in the works. But I’ve been surprised before. I don’t want to perpetuate any rumors in either direction.
I’m surprised that Magic Kingdom isn’t closing later on a lot of days in July and August. That includes several 10pm closes beginning on July 31st and continuing intermittently throughout the end of the month. There’s also no second Electrical Parade seemingly scheduled on July 29th or 30th. That may ultimately turn out to be inaccurate depending on whether or not a new schedule comes out at their disneywebcontent.com URL here on Friday. We can hope.
The problem with DisneyWorld.com is that it’s horrifically buggy. For example, August 21st currently shows a Main Street Electrical Parade at 11pm and a close of 9pm. While Fantasmic is occasionally scheduled 30 minutes after Park close, it’s not possible that Magic Kingdom would stay open for two additional hours with no attractions operating. In the case of the 10:30pm Fantasmic shows, anyone is welcome to stay and watch and Disney will have plenty of buses to shuttle guests back to their resorts. The 10:30pm Fantasmic shows are some of the least crowded of the year because people either assume they aren’t eligible to watch or aren’t able to stay up that late.
I’m going to wait until Friday evening to make any substantial changes. I apologize for the delay, but there isn’t a whole lot I can do with inaccurate operating schedules and no Extra Magic Hours. These are the changes that are currently live on DisneyWorld.com:
Sunday July 29:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm.
Monday July 30:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm.
Tuesday July 31:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
Magic Kingdom hours not extended as predicted. The close remains 10pm.
Wednesday August 1:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
Thursday August 2:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Main Street Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Friday August 3:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Main Street Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Saturday August 4:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
Sunday August 5:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Main Street Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Monday August 6:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Main Street Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Tuesday August 7:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Main Street Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Wednesday August 8:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Main Street Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Thursday August 9:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Main Street Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Friday August 10:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Main Street Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Saturday August 11:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
Sunday August 12:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
Monday August 13:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Main Street Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Tuesday August 14:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
Wednesday August 15:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
Thursday August 16:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Main Street Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Friday August 17:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
- Magic Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 11pm from 9am – 10pm. Second Main Street Electrical Parade added at 11pm, in addition to 9pm Parade.
Saturday August 18:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10:30pm, in addition to 9pm show.
Sunday August 19:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm show.
Monday August 20:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm show.
Tuesday August 21:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm show.
Wednesday August 22:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 8pm from 9am – 7pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm show.
Thursday August 23:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm show.
Friday August 24:
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm show.
Saturday August 25:
- Animal Kingdom hours extended to 9am – 7pm from 9am – 5pm.
- Hollywood Studios hours extended to 9am – 10pm from 9am – 9pm. Second Fantasmic added at 10pm, in addition to 8:30pm show.
Sunday August 26: No changes yet.
Monday August 27: No changes yet.
Tuesday August 28: No changes yet.
Wednesday August 29: No changes yet.
Thursday August 30: No changes yet.
Friday August 31: No changes yet.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t know if this matters at all… I called Disney a few minutes ago to add the Dining Plan to my reservation for January. They said that their “system” was updated this morning and they were completely down till about 11 (couldn’t take reservations at all). Since 11, they can make room reservations but nothing that involves a cash transaction – such as adding the DP or booking ADRs with a credit card, etc. She said they should be fully functioning again soon, this afternoon sometime. Maybe they are working on updating all the calendars in this process? I don’t know. Like I said, this may not matter at all. Just thought it was an interesting coincidence. I just HOPE the January calendar is worked out before I need to make ADRs.
Josh, MK also extended closing from 10pm to 11pm on Fri Aug 10, with the 2nd MSEP at 11pm.
I am STUNNED that wdw.com got the update first so like you, I am waiting to see if anything else updates in the next few days.
Thanks Josh and will be looking for the final update. We leave in 16 days.
Oh well, whether or not you get the Jan/Feb 2013 crowd calendars finished or not, I am STILL going to be there. It sort of helps me plan which park which day and in making in park ADR’s, but isn’t the end of the world if Disney isn’t cooperating with your efforts to keep an up to date blog in a timely manner. Like our 180 day window for ADR making.
I did see on Disney’s website that when they describe the 2013 Packages http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/vacation-packages/2013/base/
they still list Extra Magic Hours as a perk. Hopefully that means they still have them, but with their site, you never know.
Is there still HS morning EMH on 8/18?
Its the first time in years I’ve been concerned with updated hours. I have hoppers for this August trip, and the added evening hours can be a big boon for me. I’ve been refreshing that aug-pdf every day since Monday, with no luck so far.
Will your Feb 13 crowd calendar be out soon? Always make plans around it and my ADR dates will be coming up soon. Thanks!
I’m in the boat with you Chrystal! It’s not josh’s fault this time at least
OMG! Does that really say Country Bear Jamboree is closing for refurbishment?!? How has that eluded me?? We arrived on the 19th and my daughter LOVES those creepy singing bears.
So do you think they will make any changes to the last week in August and they haven’t posted them yet? Or will they not make any changes? I’m interested to see if they add a second Fantasmic any of those nights (hoping so) or if they will keep Animal Kingdom open later any of the days. Really want to try the arrive-at-four-and-enjoy-the-empty-park thing there.
@James N -
Right there with you on the AK times. Already got great news on the DHS staying open later on the 23rd since that was my planned Fantasmic day. If AK stays open later on one or two nights during the last week I may have to rethink my schedule to take advantage.
I do wish they had were keeping the Creepy Bears open for an extra few days. Ah well.
Josh, I am addicted to you. (Well, your blog anyway.) How sad is it that when I get on my computer daily and before I even check my email I click on easywdw to see if you have any new posts or news/updates? LOL, thanks for my near daily Disney fix! One day there will be a 12 step program for this…
“had were ?” I need to go back to grammar school. well, you get the idea…
josh – i know you cannot answer all emails but january looks like such an easy month at wdw – but i hear there are a bunch of tour groups from outside usa – can you tell me what weeks they are – and also is january an ok month to travel to wdw – never been there in janury.
thanks!
even though i am looking for january 2014 not 2013 -
thanks again!!!!!
thank you for all your hard work. it saves msny people a lot of time. here’s hoping they keep emh for 2013 I think they will if for no other reason than.hurting their resorts and the amount of reservations