It’s almost time to spring forward! Daylight Saving Time arrives in the overnight hours on March 7/8 this year. While an extra hour of daylight is great in most parts of the country, it isn’t necessarily true at Walt Disney World, especially if you enjoy the theme parks after dark. (Remember the time change if you have reservations!) Here are some changes that you can expect. Always check the calendar on the Walt Disney World website or the My Disney Experience App the day of for the most updated information.
I’m using March 7 and 8 for reference. Sunset on March 7 is around 6:30, and on March 8 it’s around 7:30.
Magic Kingdom:
On Saturday, March 7, Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away will run twice. The first parade will be at 7:45, and the second at 10:00. On Sunday, March 8, Disney Starlight will run only at 8:15. On March 16, the new parade will run twice again. The second time will be at 10:30.
On March 7, Happily Ever After will take place at 9:00. On March 8, it moves to 9:30.
Epcot:
The largest change at Epcot will be the time when Spaceship Earth lights up. The last couple of times that I’ve been there, it’s been around 6:30. I suspect that the time will move to 7:30 on March 8. Luminous The Symphony of Us currently runs at 9:00 and will continue to do so. The time change won’t affect Epcot’s fireworks.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
The time change doesn’t affect Disney’s Hollywood Studios too much. Times for Fantasmic! tend to be all over the place all year long, so check the day you arrive so you won’t miss it.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom:
Disney’s Animal Kingdom has been closing early, so there isn’t much of an immediate change. This one is sad to me. Tree of Life Awakenings is one of my favorite things at Walt Disney World, and so few people get to enjoy it! Pandora – The World of Avatar is a totally different experience after dark, but it’s become a rare thing to enjoy. Here’s hoping that the hours at Disney’s Animal Kingdom are expanded long before Tropical Americas opens. It will be a shame if we have to wait until Standard Time in November to again see Disney’s Animal Kingdom after dark.