Disney World will shorten its opening hours from September as the so-called ‘Most Magical Place on Earth’ tightens its COVID-19 safety measures.
The Florida theme parks will rein in the number of time guests can spend enjoying the magic from September 8, after it first reopened to the public back in July.
The Magic Kingdom will now close an hour earlier at 6 p.m., Animal Kingdom will open an hour later and close one hour later with new 9 to 5 hours, Hollywood Studios will close at 7 p.m. instead of its usual time of 8 p.m. and Epcot will close two hours early at 7 p.m.
Pictured guests at the Magic Kingdom on July 11. Just make sure to check the universal crowd calendar for every detail.
The Walt Disney Company has not released a statement about its change in hours but the move comes less than a week after it reported dismal results in its fiscal third quarter, driven by the closures of its parks amid the pandemic.
Revenues for its parks, experiences, and products plummeted a staggering 85 percent to $1 billion while operating results fell $3.7 billion to a loss of $2.0 billion, the company revealed Tuesday.
Much of the fall in revenue was put down to the parks being closed for four months as states went into lockdown, abominating sales.
Disney CFO Christine McCarthy also said the spike in coronavirus cases in Florida where the parks are based had limited its ability to drawback in the crowds since it reopened last month.
The parks looked like ghost towns in their opening weeks, with lines short and many areas still deserted as concerns were raised that they were reopening too soon.
DailyMail.com has reached out to the company for comment over its shortened hours.
The Florida theme parks will rein in the number of time guests can spend enjoying the magic from September 8, after it first reopened to the public back in July. Pictured a guest gets her temperature taken before entering the official reopening day of the Magic Kingdom
Guests at the official re-opening day of Epcot at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista on July 15. People returning to the parks were met with a range of new measures including being able to unlock hotel rooms with an app, sanitizer and hand-washing stations everywhere, and partitions between guests on rides
The Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom welcomed guests back through their doors for the first time since March on July 11, followed by the reopening of Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot on July 15.
People returning to the parks were met with a range of new measures including being able to unlock hotel rooms with an app, sanitizer, and hand-washing stations everywhere and partitions between guests on rides.
Just one week later, Disney was forced to update its policies to ban guests from drinking or eating while walking through its newly reopened Florida parks to prevent people from taking off their face masks.
The company said guests must be stationary and socially distanced if they want to remove their masks to consume food or drink.
Guests can also visit ‘relaxation stations’ in the park if they want to remove their masks for a socially-distanced rest stop.
The initial face mask policy asked visitors to ‘bring your own face coverings and wear them at all times, except when dining or swimming’ and anyone not wearing one was told to put a mask on or leave the park.
Disney also laid out strict criteria for what it classed as a face mask.
This was defined as a covering of at least two layers of breathable material, fully covering the nose and mouth, and secured with some form of ties while open-chin triangle bandanas,’ popular ‘neck gaiters’ and costume masks were banned.
But it was revealed that some visitors were tucking their face masks into beverages while on the go.
Just one week after reopening, Disney updated its policies banning guests from drinking or eating while walking through parks to prevent people from taking off their face masks
Guests wear face masks on the Splash Mountain ride. Several rides have been adapted with partitions and barriers between vehicles to enable guests to enjoy the popular attractions safely and with minimal contact with others
Disney hotels have switched to mobile check-in, meaning visitors are given their room number via a smartphone app, limiting all contact with hotel staff. Then to lock and unlock the door to their rooms, it’s as easy as simply pushing a button on the app (pictured)
As well as the strict mask mandates, guests are also greeted with temperature checks at the entrances, the parks are operating on a limited capacity and all visitors are required to make reservations beforehand online.
Sanitizer and hand-washing stations have also been set up throughout the parks and social distancing signs remind people to keep their distance.
The rides themselves have also been adapted with partitions and barriers between ride vehicles to enable guests to enjoy the popular attractions safely.
Parades and nighttime spectaculars, which usually draw in large crowds making social distancing a challenge, as well as character meet and greets did not make a return.
Disney hotels have also adapted to promote social distancing, switching to mobile check-in, meaning visitors are given their room number via a smartphone app, limiting all contact with hotel staff.
To lock and unlock the door to their rooms, it’s as easy as simply pushing a button on the app.
Disneyland in Southern California remains closed aside from the Downtown Disney shopping and dining district.
The company has not confirmed when the park and hotels will reopen.
Shanghai Disneyland opened its doors back in May.
All sites for the entertainment giant shuttered back in March as coronavirus cases and infections spread across the US and the world.