Disney ParksSyndication

Guests Forced To Leave Disney World Park After Corporate Buyout

One location at the Walt Disney World Resort will restrict all guest access this week and will close hours early.

Entrance of Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort under an overcast sky, featuring art deco-style architecture and three flags atop, with a large crowd of visitors in front.
Credit: Ed Aguila, Inside the Magic

As shown on the official Walt Disney World Resort website, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will close multiple hours early on June 5, 2024, for a special ticketed event.

The early closure was confirmed months ago, and Disney’s park hours for the day are 8:30 a.m. through 5:30 p.m., where it will close ahead of its 7:30 p.m. reopening for the special event. The park will then close to these select guests at 11 p.m.

Those utilizing the Early Entry option can head into the Disney park from 8 a.m. before the official opening at 8:30 a.m.

An image of the Tower of Terror, a gloomy, haunted-looking building, illuminated by a neon sign under a stormy sky with a lightning bolt striking.
Credit: Disney

The SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference Orlando is a three-day event that will take place at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Central Florida, from June 3 to June 5. It is on the final night that the conference attendees will take over Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

“Experience the magic with us [on] this exciting night of food, fun, and rides at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!” The official SAP Sapphire website reads. “Additionally, enjoy a live performance from a multiplatinum band in a private concert exclusively for SAP Sapphire attendees.”

Guests entering Disney's Hollywood Studios Theme Park at Walt Disney World Resort
Credit: Paul Hudson, Flickr

That multiplatinum band is none other than Maroon 5, fronted by Adam Levine and known for hits like “She Will Be Loved” and “Moves Like Jagger.” The band will perform for the exclusive crowd from 9 p.m. through 10:15 p.m.

Prior to attendees heading to Hollywood Studios to enjoy both attractions and a Maroon 5 concert, Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon will close out the event at the OCCC as the celebrity keynote speaker.

Updates Given on Disney World Theme Park Closure

Ahead of the Disney World park’s early closure this month, a stage is being constructed in the central area in front of the Chinese Theater–the building that houses the Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway attraction. As @MagicbandManiac documented:

Maybe they’re rebuilding the Sorcerers hat

The photos show that the huge stage is being erected in the park’s main courtyard, meaning guests entering Hollywood Studios from the main entrance will not get their picturesque view of the Chinese Theater–a key Disney experience for visitors at this park.

It also poses the question of how the Disney PhotoPass service will run, as many photographers are usually lined up down Hollywood Boulevard at varying distances from the park icon.

Wonderful World of Animation at the Chinese Theater
Credit: Disney

Related: Disney’s Latest Announcement Dooms Entire Disney World Theme Park

Guests will also be unable to catch the Wonderful World of Animation show projected onto the Chinese Theater. The show tends to operate nightly, usually at 9 p.m., but it is unavailable from early June through June 7, when it will return to Disney Park at 10 p.m.

The Wonderful World of Animation show is described as an “excitement-packed projection show” that “will take [guests] on an incredible journey through more than 90 years of Disney and Pixar animation.” Fantasmic! will also not take place on June 5.

Mickey Mouse poses in Fantasmic! at Disney Hollywood Studios
Credit: Disney

With the loss of this entertainment, as well as the construction of the concert stage and the early closure of the park on June 5, guests may want to stay away from Hollywood Studios this week and opt for a visit to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Closures for special events at the Disney parks in the United States are not uncommon. From celebrity and private buyouts to cast member celebration evenings and weddings to Disney’s own ticketed events like Disney After Hours and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, regular guests can be bumped out of the parks for a variety of reasons.

The sun sets over the Millennium Falcon at Hollywood Studios' Galaxy's Edge
Credit: Disney

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So, while regular ticketed guests must leave the likes of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and the Tower of Terror behind hours early, conference attendees will get the opportunity to experience this movie-themed park in a quieter, less crowded fashion.

Are you disappointed that Disney World’s Hollywood Studios is closing early this month? Let us know in the comments down below!

This post originally appeared on Inside the Magic.

Thomas Hitchen

When he’s not thinking about the Magic Kingdom, Thomas is usually reading a book, becoming desperately obsessed with fictional characters, or baking something delicious (his favorite is chocolate cake -- to bake and to eat). He's a dreamer and grew up on Mulan saving the world, Jim Hawkins soaring through the stars, and Padmé Amidala fighting a Nexu. At the Parks, he loves to ride Everest, stroll down Main Street with an overstuffed pin lanyard around his neck, and eat as many Mickey-shaped ice creams as possible. His favorite character is Han Solo (yes, he did shoot first), and his favorite TV show is Buffy the Vampire Slayer except when it's One Tree Hill. He loves sandy beach walks, forest hikes, and foodie days out in the Big City. Thomas lives in England, UK, with his fiancée, baby, and their dog, a Border Collie called Luna.

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