WDW Park Hours ... A Historical Perspective

[WDW1974]

OK folks, let's go back 18 years to the magical summer and early fall of 1990.

Shall we?

June 1990

MK

6/1 (9-8);
6/2-6/8 (9-10);
6/9-6/30 (9-midnight);

Main Street Electrical Parade

June 2-8 9 p.m.;
June 9-30 9 and 11 p.m.;

Fantasy in the Sky
June 2-30 nightly at 10;


EPCOT Center

6/1 (9-10);
6/2 (9-11)'
6/3-6/8 (9-10);
6/9-6/30 (9-11);

Illuminations
June 1-4 10 p.m.;
June 5 11 p.m.;
June 6-30 10 p.m.;

Disney-MGM Studios

6/1-6/2 (8-midnight);
6/3 (7-3 p.m. -- early close for media event);
6/4-6/13 (8-midnight);
6/14 (7-3 AGAIN);
6/15-6/30 (8-midnight);

Sorcery in the Sky nightly at 11 p.m. (except no shows on the 3rd and 14th);


July is coming next!

 

[WDW1974]

July 1990 WDW Park Operating Hours

MK
7/1-7/3 (9-midnight);
7/4 (9-2 a.m.);
7/5-7/31 (9-midnight);

MSEP nightly at 9 and 11;
Fireworks nightly at 10;

EPCOT Center

7/1-7/3 (9-11);
7/4 (9-midnight);
7/5-7/31 (9-11);

Illuminations nightly at 10;

Disney-MGM Studios

7/1-7/31 (8-midnight);
Fireworks nightly at 11;

 

[WDW1974]

Moviving on to August of 1990

MK

8/1-8/25 (9-midnight);
8/26-8/31 (9-10);

MSEP nightly at 9 and 11 thru 8/25, one showing at 9 p.m. the remainder;
Fireworks nightly at 10;
EPCOT Center

8/1-8/18 (9-11);
8/19-8/31 (9-10);

Illuminations nightly at 10;

Disney-MGM Studios

8/1-8/31 (8-midnight);

Fireworks nightly at 11;

More to come ... questions? Comments? Accusations?

 

[KaliSplash]

The good ole days (sigh). I also miss the Main Street Electrical Parade!

Thanks for posting.

 

[TalkingHead]

The proof is in the pudding.

(I think that means that 74 proved his point to the doubters.)

((Or maybe the doubters [I'm not one] will insist on scanned images.))

 

[disnyfan89]

These are great! Thank you for sharing. :wave:

 

[WDW1974]

You're all very welcome. I have come across my folder with many schedules (this batch is largely 1985-1997), but I have many, many more.

It's obviously time consuming, but I'm willing to keep updating this a bit at a time provided the interest is there/remains.

I don't want to waste time if no one is reading or interested ... but here come some more.

 

[WDW1974]

September 1990:

MK

9/1-9/2 (9-10);
9/3-9/30 (9-7);

Night of Joy hard ticket parties on 9/7 and 9/8 from 8:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.

MSEP

9/1 and 9/2 at 9 p.m.;

Fireworks

9/1 and 9/2 at 10 p.m.;

EPCOT Center

9/1-9/2 (9-10);
9/3-9/30 (9-9);

Illuminations
9/1 and 9/2 at 10 p.m.
9/3-9/30 at 9 p.m.;

Disney-MGM Studios

9/1-9/2 (8-midnight);
9/3-9/7 (9-7);
9/8 (9-9);
9/9-9/14 (9-7);
9/15 (9-9);
9/16-9/21 (9-7);
9/22 (9-9);
9/23-9/28 (9-7);
9/29 (9-9);
9/30 (9-7);

Fireworks
9/1 and 9/2 at 11 p.m.

Just a few notes/comments ... this schedule was part ofa four-month master that was mailed to all APers in the early spring of 1990 to plan summer and early fall visits.

As you can see MK was open its pretty traditional hours all summer and that its usual fall hours come Sept. You can also see that EC was indeed open late during large swaths of the year (just like it also regularly closed at 8 p.m during the offseason as you'll see in later posts). MGM's hours were pushed out because it was new, hugely popular and had very little compared to the other parks ... although Star Tours was the big 'new' attraction for the summer.

Also, note that in those days the ENTIRE parks remained open the full hours (as that old dead guy Walt wanted at DL). Nothing was staggered and you didn't go up to an attraction at 8 when the park was open until 11 or 12 and find it closed. Same with shops and dining and the like.

I also attended the private party at MGM on one of those days ... it was all a blur as it was my first bigtime Disney party ... I do remember being given a tour of YC and BC, which were about to open ... and there was a large presentation on the Muppets being part of Disney with the 3D film coming ... there was also copious amounts of alcohol at the amazing WDW Dolphin Hotel debut.

Ah ... magical memories.

 

[epcotWSC]

I'd be curious to see the hours during the recession of the early 80s, the early 00s and if possible the early/mid 70s.

Thanks.

 

[WDW1974]

Let's take a look at how things changed just one year later with a recession and war going on ...

June 1991

MK

6/1-6/7 (9-10);
6/8-6/9 (9-midnight);
6/10-6-22 (9-11);
6/23-6/30 (9-midnight)

MSEP

6/1-6/7 and 10-22 at 9 p.m.;
6/8-9 and 23-30 9 and 11 p.m.;

Fireworks

Nightly at 10 p.m.;

EPCOT Center

6/1-6/7 (9-9);
6/8-6/30 (9-10);

Illuminations

6/1-6/7 at 9 p.m.;
6/8-6/30 at 10 p.m.;

Disney-MGM Studios

6/1-6/7 (9-9);
6/8-6/30 (9-10:30);

Fireworks

June 1-7 at 8:55 p.m.;
June 8-30 at 10:30 p.m.;

Notes/Comments: You can tell the hours have been pulled back ... EC lost an hour most nights. Midnight closings at MK began two weeks later. And the Studios, with added expansion and capacity, cut a huge 2 1/2 hours from their day. But again, the Studios were only open as late as they were because of capacity issues and crowds.

 

[WDW1974]

I'd be curious to see the hours during the recession of the early 80s, the early 00s and if possible the early/mid 70s.

Thanks.

When I find 'em, they'll go up.

I'm doing them in no particular order other than the order I pick them up in.

And at least that way no one can say I'm only showing the times with LONG hours and staying away from the shorter days. I'm not!

 

[WDW1974]

July 1991

7/1-7/3 (9-midnight)
7/4 (9-2 a.m.);
7/5-7/31 (9-midnight);

MSEP

July 1-3, 5-31 at 9 and 11 p.m.;
July 4 at 10:30 p.m. and 12 midnight;

Fireworks

July 1-3, 5-31 at 10 p.m.;
July 4 at 9 p.m.;

EPCOT Center

7/1-7/3 (9-10);
7/4 (9-midnight);
7/5-7/31 (9-10);

Illuminations nightly at 10;

Disney-MGM Studios

7/1-7/31 (9-10:30);

Fireworks nightly at 10:30;

 

[WDW1974]

August 1991

8/1-8/24 (9-midnight);
8/25-8/31 (9-10);

MSEP

Aug. 1-24 at 9 and 11 p.m.;
Aug. 25-31 at 9 p.m.;

Fireworks nightly at 10.

EPCOT Center

8/1-8/24 (9-10);
8/25-8/31 (9-9);

Illuminations

Aug. 1-24 at 10 p.m.;
Aug. 25-31 at 9 p.m.;

Disney-MGM Studios

8/1-8/24 (9-10:30);
8/25-8/31 (9-9);

Fireworks

Aug. 1-24 at 10:30 nightly;
Aug. 25-31 at 8:55 nightly;

 

[WDW1974]

OK ... let's jump ahead three years since this is the schedule I picked up next (it is all random as anyone who ever saw my files could attest to).

You'll notice that by 1994 there already had been significant cuts from just a few years prior.

Also, it's important to note that early entry had begun in 1990 at the MK for resort guests 3-4 days a week and by the mid-90s was spread around all three parks.

Anyway, let's get to the summer of '94 (ah ... right after I opened up the WL in May!) and call it a night.

MK

6/1-6/3 (9-9);
6/4 (9-midnight);
6/5 (9-10);
6/6-6/10 (9-9);
6/11-6/12 (9-10);
6/13-6/17 (9-9);
6/18-6/30 (9-10);

Spectromagic
June 4 at 9 and 11 p.m.;
June 5, 11-12, 18-30 at 9 p.m.;

Fantasy in the Sky
June 4-5, 11-12, 18-30 at 10 p.m.;
June 1-3, 6-10, 13-17 at 9 p.m.;

EPCOT '94

6/1-6/30 (9-9);

Illuminations nightly at 9.

Disney-MGM Studios

6/1-6/30 (9-9);

Aladdin's Royal Caravan (who knew Wayne Brady would be a star as he marched past me munching on my burger with all them topping at Backlot Express?) daily at 1 p.m.

Notes: The Walmarting had begun (however slowly). MK had only one midnight closing the entire first month of summer. Nightly fireworks had been stopped at the Studios. And there were 13 days in June where there were NO parks open past 9 p.m. ... I would have to check some of my history, but I believe much of this was a deliberate push to get folks to visit Pleasure Island, which had been revamped after its first two slow years.

Well ...that's it guys ... going to wait and see feedback and then decide about how much and how often I update this thread.

But for those reading (and commenting) thanks!

 

[ttalovebug]

Wow, this must have been very time-consuming. Very interesting findings, and thanks for taking the time to do this. :wave:

 

[marni1971]

Nice....

I`d forgotten the 1030pm showing of Sorcery in the Sky. Best straight fireworks show ever. And then in June 1990 the park stayed open another 90 minutes. I recall doing DMGM for our first time then - it still took a full day with those hours to do the half-day park.

 

[marypoppins68]

Very interesting. I'd like to see hours from the 80's too. I'd forgotten about Epcot being open to 10 and 11pm. Seems like it's been 9-9 forever. Did the opening of Animal Kingdom affect hours any, I wonder?

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

Well, this looks promising for the summer. I won't get my hopes too high (okay, too late for that) yet seeing as the official hours and EMH are not posted yet. Thanks WDW1974! :wave:

Oh, two more questions for you, WDW1974.
1. What were the hours like the summer after 9/11?
2. What are the booking and resort numbers looking like for middle to late June? I had a somewhat hard time getting a room at the WL for that time. The options were limited.

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

Nice....

I`d forgotten the 1030pm showing of Sorcery in the Sky. Best straight fireworks show ever. And then in June 1990 the park stayed open another 90 minutes. I recall doing DMGM for our first time then - it still took a full day with those hours to do the half-day park.

Sadly, I never got to see that. I may look it up on youtube later.

 

[DisneyDellsDude]

Thanks for the hours. I have a file system set up with all of our "paper" items grabbed from WDW from each of our trips with timeguides, maps etc...
Sadly, our first trip was only in 99'.:lol:

Thanks for the info!