Most Walt Disney World theme parks stay open past sundown, with live entertainment scheduled well into the evening. Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios regularly stay open at least until 9:00 PM, except on special event nights, such as when Magic Kingdom hosts Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the outlier of the bunch, usually closing at 6:00 PM. Soon, though, guests will need to plan around a rare early closure happening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios will close early on one date this fall, which could lead to pros and cons for visiting the park on that day. We have the operating hours for all four parks on that date, and tips for helping you decide how to manage the early closure within your vacation plans. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including a change to Disney World’s Extended Theme Park Hours benefit and new perks for Disney+ subscribers.
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Disney’s Hollywood Studios Early Closure Date
Disney’s Hollywood Studios typically closes at 9:00 PM or later. The park even hosts three nighttime spectaculars to keep guests in the park longer: the projection shows Disney Movie Magic and Wonderful World of Animation, and the multi-hyphenate Fantasmic! amphitheatre spectacular.
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On October 20, 2026, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will close at the unusually early time of 5:00 PM. The park is likely closing early to accommodate a corporate buyout as part of the Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo.
Here’s the breakdown of all four Disney World theme parks’ hours on October 20 and their ticket prices:
- Magic Kingdom | 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM | $189
- EPCOT | 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM | $179
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios | 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM | $189
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom | 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM | $169
We discuss your choices for deciding the best use of your money below.
The times above refer to the regular operating hours. All four parks will open 30 minutes earlier than the times listed above for guests staying at any Disney World hotel, as part of the daily Early Theme Park Entry perk.
Additionally, Disney’s Animal Kingdom will remain open from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on October 20 exclusively for guests staying at “deluxe”-tier Disney World hotels, as part of the Extended Evening Theme Park Hours perk.
Now let’s get into deciding how to plan your Disney World trip around this unexpected early closure at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
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Planning for the Early Closure
With Disney’s Hollywood Studios closing at 5:00 PM on October 20, guests are faced with how to plan their Disney World visit around this unusual occurrence.
Fantasmic! is a huge draw, and not being able to see the show will be a nonstarter for many families as they decide whether to visit Hollywood Studios on October 20. If you want to see Fantasmic!, you’ll need to visit Hollywood Studios on another day.
Even without considering the nighttime shows, four hours less time than a typical park day may be a challenge for guests trying to experience all of the park’s major attractions in one day. This is a park full of headliners that often amass long waits, including Slinky Dog Dash, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Then there’s the price to consider. The shorter hours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on October 20 do not affect the price of 1-day admission to the park on that day. At $189, Hollywood Studios is actually tied for the most expensive park ticket on October 20! Furthermore, a Hollywood Studios ticket is the same price, $189, on the days before and after October 20, when Hollywood Studios is open four hours longer, with a 9:00 PM closing time. That’s a lot more time for your dollar.
That said, many guests are calculating this same scenario as they map out their October trip. Hollywood Studios closing at 5:00 PM on October 20 will likely lead many guests to visit other Disney World parks on that day. This could lead to shorter wait times than usual for Hollywood Studios attractions. As long as you’re okay with not seeing Fantasmic! or the nighttime projection shows, you might accomplish more during the shorter hours than you would on a regular day due to low crowds.
Guests with park hopper tickets can get the best of both worlds by starting their day at Hollywood Studios, then hopping to Magic Kingdom or EPCOT once Hollywood Studios closes.
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