Walt Disney World is making a notable adjustment to its Extended Evening Hours schedule in May 2026, with the benefit shifting to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom for select dates.

Extended Evening Hours are a popular perk available to guests staying at Disney Deluxe Resorts, Deluxe Villa Resorts, and a small group of participating hotels. The offering allows eligible guests to remain in select theme parks for up to two hours after regular park closing, typically resulting in significantly shorter wait times for major attractions.

Traditionally, the extended hours program rotates primarily between Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. However, newly released park hours reveal a temporary change to that pattern in early May.

According to Disney’s latest operating calendar, Disney’s Animal Kingdom will host Extended Evening Hours on Monday, 4th May 2026, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, replacing the usual EPCOT slot for that evening.

This marks a rare scheduling shift, as Animal Kingdom does not frequently host the evening perk due to its smaller number of attractions and limited nighttime operations compared to other parks.

During the Animal Kingdom extended hours window, several major attractions are expected to remain open for eligible guests, including Avatar Flight of Passage, Expedition Everest, and Na’vi River Journey. Select dining and merchandise locations will also remain available during the event.

The change appears to be temporary, as Extended Evening Hours generally follow a predictable weekly pattern with EPCOT hosting on Mondays and Magic Kingdom on Wednesdays. The deviation on 4th May could be tied to scheduling conflicts or private events occurring at EPCOT during that period.

For guests staying at Deluxe-level resorts, the benefit remains one of the most valuable perks offered by Walt Disney World. By pairing Extended Evening Hours with the Early Theme Park Entry program, eligible visitors can access attractions both before and after regular operating hours, maximizing ride opportunities while crowds are at their lowest.

Although the May change is relatively small, it highlights Disney’s ongoing adjustments to park operations as the resort continues refining how and where the extended hours benefit is offered.

For visitors planning a Walt Disney World holiday in early May 2026, it may be worth reviewing the official park hours calendar to see how these schedule changes could affect their itinerary.