As summer winds down, guests at Walt Disney World Resort will find an August calendar filled with early park closings, refurbishments, and the return of one of the resort’s signature seasonal events.
In May, all four theme parks and both water parks were open at the same time for the first time in six years. However, that window is closing as Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park prepares for its seasonal refurbishment this fall. Typhoon Lagoon will remain open as the sole water park offering.
Across the resort, refurbishments continue at multiple attractions and lands: Frontierland in Magic Kingdom, DinoLand U.S.A. in Animal Kingdom, Muppet*Vision 3D in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Spaceship Earth in EPCOT are all seeing downtime for maintenance or updates.
Seven nights in August—August 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, and 29—will see Magic Kingdom closing to day guests at 6 p.m. to prepare for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. This special-ticket event invites guests to enjoy the park from 7 p.m. to midnight, with early entry at 4 p.m. for party ticket holders.
The festivities include trick-or-treat trails, the Boo-To-You Halloween Parade led by the Headless Horseman, the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular featuring the Sanderson Sisters, and the fireworks-and-projection spectacular Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular!. Costumes are welcome for all ages, but Disney’s guidelines prevent adults from signing autographs or posing as official characters.
Two other parks will also close earlier than usual this month. On Saturday, August 16, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will close at 6 p.m., canceling that evening’s performance of Fantasmic!. On Thursday, August 28, Disney’s Animal Kingdom will close at 5 p.m., limiting the chance to experience the nighttime beauty of Pandora—The World of Avatar.
Disney has not shared official reasons for these adjustments, but historically, such changes have coincided with private events or corporate gatherings.
Guests hoping to maximize their time on these dates may want to arrive at parks earlier in the day and consider park hopping to EPCOT or another park in the evening. With seasonal parties, refurbishments, and unique hours in play, checking the My Disney Experience app before and during a visit will help ensure no surprises during a summer trip to Walt Disney World.
