Walt Disney World to scale back park operating hours in September

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LAKE MARY, Fla. - Walt Disney World is reducing hours of operations this fall for its theme parks.

The arrival of fall usually signals shorter days for the Disney parks but additional tweaks have been made after the company reported earlier this week that its net income fell dramatically in the three-month period ending in June when parks were shuttered and theatrical movie releases postponed.

The new hours, which go into effect after Labor Day weekend, on Tuesday Sept. 8, have been posted on Disney's website and are listed below:

The Magic Kingdom will continue to open at 9 a.m. and close an hour earlier, at 6 p.m.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom will open an hour later, at 9 a.m., and close an hour earlier, at 5 p.m.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios will continue to open at 10 a.m. but will close an hour earlier, at 7 p.m.
Epcot will continue to open at 11 a.m. but will close a full two hours earlier, at 7 p.m.

Disney has soared to success with the breadth of its media and entertainment offerings, but now it’s trying to recover after the coronavirus pandemic pummeled many of its businesses. It was hit by several months of its parks and stores being closed, cruise ships idled, movie releases postponed, and a halt in film and video production.

Disney has been opening its parks back up around the globe, but most were still shuttered during the company’s fiscal third quarter.

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In May, it opened Disney Springs. Hong Kong Disneyland reopened in June but closed again after a month due to an outbreak in the city. It reopened Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios last month.

Disney said closing its parks cost it $3.5 billion during the quarter.