Category — i. Itineraries for Walt Disney World

Update: parks to close early Saturday, remain closed Sunday and Monday

DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: SEPTEMBER 9 TO SEPTEMBER 17, 2017

The material below details next week’s Disney World operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

For more on September 2017 at Disney World, see this.

OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/9-9/17/17

The Magic Kingdom will be open 9a-11p 9/9, 9a-7p 9/10, 9a-10p 9/11, 9a-7p 9/12, 9a-9p 9/13 and 9/14, 9a-7p 9/15, 9a-11p 9/16, and 9a-7p 9/17

Epcot will be open from 9a-10p 9/9,  9a-9p 9/10 through 9/14, 9a-10p 9/15 and 9/16, and 9a-9p 9/17

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open 9a-9p 9/9 through 9/16, and 9a-8.30p 9/17

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open 9a-9p every day

EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/9-9/17/17

Saturday 9/9 Morning:  Animal Kingdom Evening: none

Sunday 9/10  Morning:  Hollywood Studios  Evening: none

Monday 9/11 Morning: Animal Kingdom  Evening: none

Tuesday 9/12 Morning: none Evening:  Epcot

Wednesday 9/13 Morning: none  Evening:  Magic Kingdom

Thursday 9/14 Morning: Epcot Evening: none

Friday 9/15 Morning:  Magic Kingdom Evening: none

Saturday 9/16 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none

Sunday 9/17  Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: none

PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/9-9/17/17

The Magic Kingdom: Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade: 2p every day

FIREWORKS AND EVENING SHOWS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/9-9/17/17

Happily Every After at Magic Kingdom: 9p 9/9, 9/11, 9/13, 9/14, and 9/16

IllumiNations at Epcot:  10p 9/9, 9p 9/10 through 9/14, 10p 9/15 and 9/16, and 9p 9/17

Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 8.30p 9/9 through 9/16; 8p 9/17

Star Wars Show and Fireworks at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9p 9/9 through 9/16; 8.30p 9/17

Rivers of Light at Disney’s Animal Kingdom 8.45 and 10p 9/9; 8.45p 9/10 through 9/16; 8.15p 9/17

SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/9-9/17/17

See Steve Soares’ site here. Click the park names at its top for show schedules.

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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: SEPTEMBER 2 TO SEPTEMBER 10, 2017

The material below details next week’s Disney World operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

For more on September 2017 at Disney World, see this.

OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/2-9/10/17

The Magic Kingdom will be open 9a-11p 9/2 and 9/3, 9a-9p 9/4 through 9/6, 9a-7p 9/7, 9a-9a 9/8, 9a-11p 9/9, and 9a-7p 9/10

Epcot will be open from 9a-10p 9/2,  9a-9p 9/3 through 9/7, 9a-10p 9/8 and 9/9, and 9a-9p 9/10

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open 9a-9p every day

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open 9a-9.30p 9/2 and 9a-9p 9/3 through 9/10

EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/2-9/10/17

Saturday 9/2 Morning:  Animal Kingdom Evening: none

Sunday 9/3  Morning:  Hollywood Studios  Evening: none

Monday 9/4 Morning: Animal Kingdom  Evening: none

Tuesday 9/5 Morning: none Evening:  Epcot

Wednesday 9/6 Morning: none  Evening:  Magic Kingdom

Thursday 9/7 Morning: Epcot Evening: none

Friday 9/8 Morning:  Magic Kingdom Evening: none

Saturday 9/9 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none

Sunday 9/10  Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: none

PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/2-9/10/17

The Magic Kingdom: Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade: 2p every day

FIREWORKS AND EVENING SHOWS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/2-9/10/17

Happily Every After at Magic Kingdom: 9p 9/2 through 9/6 and 9/8 and 9/9

IllumiNations at Epcot:  10p 9/2, 9p 9/3 through 9/7, 10p 9/8 and 9/9, and 9p 9/10

Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 8.30p every night

Star Wars Show and Fireworks at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9p every night

Rivers of Light at Disney’s Animal Kingdom 8.45 and 10p 9/2; 8.45p 9/3 through 9/8; 8.45 and 10p 9/9; 8.45p 9/10

SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/2-9/10/17

See Steve Soares’ site here. Click the park names at its top for show schedules.

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DISNEY WORLD ITINERARIES FULLY UPDATED

I have not been posting a lot lately, as first Josh and I have been working on the 2018 version of The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit, and second, I’m on a long vacation in the mountains of North Carolina.

Here’s the view from our balcony…

But every morning I’ve started early at the Starbucks in Boone, North Carolina and have been busy working there to update all the itineraries on this site.

For the standard Low and High Crowd itineraries, the updates reflect the changes at Disney World over this summer, and include refinements of my guidance for the new Avatar: World of Pandora at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. They also are adapted to the closure of Ellen’s Energy Adventure and the Great Movie Ride, and the shift of the Festival of Fantasy Parade to 2pm.

These standard itineraries and their variants:

• Low Crowd Itinerary
• Low Crowd Itinerary, Seven Night Version, Sunday Arrival
• Low Crowd Itinerary, Seven Night Version, Saturday Arrival
• High Crowd Itinerary
• High Crowd Itinerary, Seven Night Version

My “Basic Itinerary” and its variants are meant for what is in 2017 the four-week period that begins the Saturday after Thanksgiving. They include all changes to Disney World since last December.

• Basic December Itinerary
• Basic December Itinerary, Seven Night Version, Sunday Arrival
• Basic December Itinerary, Seven Night Version, Saturday Arrival
• Basic December Itinerary, Nine Night Version.

Which dates you should use which  itinerary, and any other needed changes, is all laid out here.

Those taking even shorter trips, or with very different arrival days, will be best served by looking at the closest itinerary I have for the essential matters, and then adapting the one and tw0 day touring plans you will find in my book. Ask me for help using the comment form below!

Although I might be busy at the kitchen table, battling with my older son over the fate of the world…

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Below is a seven-night, Saturday arrival variant of my FastPass+ based Disney World itinerary for lower crowd weeks.

Updated in April 2018, it includes guidance for the new Avatar: World of Pandora at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and an alternate set of instructions for the to-open on June 30 Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

1. Toy Story Land will be opening at the Studios June 30.  Unusual operating patterns from then through the week beginning 8/18 mean the following:
   • For visits when your Studios days are before June 30, use the itinerary and To-do List as written
   • For visits when your Studios days are between June 30 and and August 25, use the updated FastPass+ instructions and touring plans for the Studios day you will find on this page.
   • For Studios days after 8/25, I’ll be publishing an appropriate set of FastPass+ and touring plans shortly

On its first Animal Kingdom day, it uses a Rivers of Light Dining Package to save a FastPass+. Note that this package is available sometimes only 3-4 months ahead, rather than the 180 days ahead that most dining is available.

I’m not keen on this itinerary, as it has little rest time. Moreover, to see both evening shows at Hollywood Studios, you need to add an expensive Park Hopper to your tickets.

This itinerary does not work all dates, and some dates that it mostly works it may need some little adjustments. Use the comment form below to check with me on your dates.
As in all images and tables on this site, click it to enlarge it.

The recommended dining reservations and FastPass+ that make it work are in the To-Do List.

Daily agendas are in the links:

• Saturday
• Sunday
• Monday
• Tuesday
• Wednesday
• Thursday
• Friday
• Saturday

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This Walt Disney World itinerary is designed for the four weeks following Thanksgiving 2017.

It is a seven night variant of the Basic December 2017 Itinerary, with a Saturday arrival.

There’s also a seven night itinerary with a Sunday arrival–if you could do either, the Sunday arrival is a better choice. It’s here.

If you aren’t going one of those weeks, see Other Itineraries for alternatives the rest of the year, which are published about six months ahead.

You can enlarge the itinerary by clicking it. 

A detailed To-Do List covers all the reservations you need to make.

Daily agendas are in the links:

• Saturday
• Sunday
• Monday
• Tuesday
• Wednesday
• Thursday
• Friday
• Saturday

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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: AUGUST 26 TO SEPTEMBER 3, 2017

The material below details next week’s Disney World operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

For more on August 2017 at Disney World, see this, and for more on September, see this.

OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 8/26-9/3/17

The Magic Kingdom will be open from 9a-10p 8/26 to 8/28, 9a-7p 8/29, 9a-9p 8/30 and 8/31, 9a-7p 9/1, and 9a-11p 9/2 and 9/3

Epcot will be open from 9a-9p 8/26 through 8/31, 9a-10p 9/1 and 9/2, and 9a-9p 9/3

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open 9a-9p every day

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open 9a-9.30p 8/26 through 9/2 and 9a-9p 9/3

EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 8/26-9/3/17

Saturday 8/26 Morning:  Animal Kingdom Evening: none

Sunday 8/27  Morning:  Hollywood Studios  Evening: none

Monday 8/28 Morning: Animal Kingdom  Evening: none

Tuesday 8/29 Morning: none Evening:  Epcot

Wednesday 8/30 Morning: none  Evening:  Magic Kingdom

Thursday 8/31 Morning: Epcot Evening: none

Friday 9/1 Morning:  Magic Kingdom Evening: none

Saturday 9/2 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none

Sunday 9/3  Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: none

PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 8/26-9/3/17

The Magic Kingdom: Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade: 2p every day

FIREWORKS AND EVENING SHOWS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 8/26-9/3/17

Happily Every After at Magic Kingdom: 9p  8/26 through 8/28, 8/30 and 8/31, and 9/2 and 9/3

IllumiNations at Epcot:  9p 8/26 through 8/31, 10p 9/1 and 9/2, and 9p 9/3

Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 8.30p every night

Star Wars Show and Fireworks at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9p every night

Rivers of Light at Disney’s Animal Kingdom 8.45 and 10p 8/26; 8.45p 8/27 through 9/1; 8.45 and 10p 9/2; 8.45p 9/3

SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 8/26-9/3/17

See Steve Soares’ site here. Click the park names at its top for show schedules.

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