Disney World to reduce park hours

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fl. — All four Walt Disney World theme parks will reduce park hours after Labor Day weekend, according to the park’s official website.

Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom will all close one hour earlier, and Epcot will close two hours earlier beginning Sept. 8. Animal Kingdom will also open an hour later.

Here are the new hours of operation:

Animal Kingdom: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Epcot: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Hollywood Studios: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Magic Kingdom: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The adjusted schedule is attributed, in part, to lower than expected guest attendance after the park closed in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Disney World began a phased reopening on July 11.

Visitation remains relatively low as COVID-19 surges in Florida.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida recorded the second highest number of coronavirus cases in the last seven days: 46,225. Only Texas surpassed that figure with 50,998 confirmed cases.

Disney recently reported its quarterly earnings and said that it cost more than $3.5 billion to close the parks from April to June, WFTV reported.

The company also paid an additional $1 billion when it closed parks for the second half of March, and it missed out on $5 billion worth of revenue while the parks were closed for three months, USA Today reported.

Cox Media Group