Theme park guests in Orlando are losing a surprising amount of park time today.Across Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort, several parks are closing much earlier than guests might normally expect. Three of Orlando’s seven major theme parks will close at just 6:00 p.m., while two more will shut their gates at 7:00 p.m.Some of those shortened hours come with an explanation. Others are harder to swallow.Either way, anyone paying for a regular theme park ticket today may feel like they’re getting the short end of the stick.Credit: UniversalThree Major Orlando Parks Close at 6:00 P.M.The biggest surprise comes at 6:00 p.m., when three major theme parks will end regular operations.At Walt Disney World, Magic Kingdom closes at 6:00 p.m. for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.The early closure isn’t unusual during Halloween season. On party nights, Disney ends regular daytime operations early before the separately ticketed event begins at 7:00 p.m.Guests attending Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party can continue enjoying Magic Kingdom until midnight. However, regular daytime guests who don’t have a party ticket must leave at 6:00 p.m.Disney’s Animal Kingdom also closes at 6:00 p.m.Unlike Magic Kingdom, there isn’t a major separately ticketed Halloween event taking over Animal Kingdom afterward. Guests simply have a shorter day to work with.That becomes especially important for anyone who doesn’t arrive early. Sleeping in, spending the morning at the hotel or arriving after lunch could leave guests with only a few hours before Animal Kingdom shuts down for the night.Universal Orlando has a 6:00 p.m. closure of its own.Epic Universe closes at 6:00 p.m. due to a private event.That may be understandable from an operational standpoint, but it doesn’t necessarily make the early closure less frustrating for guests who purchased admission.Epic Universe becomes a completely different place after dark. Celestial Park and the park’s other themed lands rely heavily on lighting and nighttime atmosphere. Losing those evening hours can mean missing a major part of the experience.Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure Close at 7:00 P.M.Things aren’t much better elsewhere at Universal Orlando.Both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure close at 7:00 p.m.What makes the Universal Studios Florida closure particularly interesting is that there is no Halloween Horror Nights event tonight.During Halloween Horror Nights season, Universal Studios Florida routinely closes early at 5:00 p.m. so Universal can clear the park and prepare for the separately ticketed event. Guests visiting during September and October generally expect those shortened days.Tonight is different.Credit: UniversalEven without Halloween Horror Nights taking place, Universal Studios Florida still closes at 7:00 p.m.Islands of Adventure also closes at 7:00 p.m., meaning neither of Universal Orlando’s original theme parks provides guests with a particularly late evening.Put everything together, and Universal Orlando has one park closing at 6:00 p.m. and two closing at 7:00 p.m.That’s far too early for these parks to be closing.Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT Only Make It Until 9:00 P.M.Guests looking for a later evening at Walt Disney World have two better options.Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT both close at 9:00 p.m.Compared with the 6:00 p.m. closures at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, 9:00 p.m. sounds pretty generous.Historically, though, a 9:00 p.m. closing time isn’t particularly late for Walt Disney World.Longtime visitors may remember regularly spending considerably later nights inside Disney parks. Magic Kingdom, in particular, has historically remained open well into the night on certain dates.That makes today’s schedule even more noticeable.A 9:00 p.m. closing represents the latest regular operating hours guests will find across Walt Disney World today.Theme Park Fans Are Taking NoticeGuests have already started pointing out just how unusual the situation looks when all seven major Orlando theme parks are considered together.“Kind of amazing 3 of the 7 major Orlando theme parks close at 6 and 2 at 7. Yes i realize 2 are for private events but still,” one user posted on X.Kind of amazing 3 of the 7 major Orlando theme parks close at 6 and 2 at 7. Yes i realize 2 are for private events but still. pic.twitter.com/nZl3E7ig6O— RockNstardust (@CoasterK24) September 29, 2026It’s a fair observation.Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Epic Universe all close at 6:00 p.m. Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure follow one hour later at 7:00 p.m.That leaves only EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios operating until 9:00 p.m.For a destination built around full-day theme park experiences, that’s a lot of gates closing before the night really gets started.Credit: Scott Smith, FlickrPaying Guests Are Getting Less TimeDisney and Universal have every right to adjust their operating calendars, and guests can check park hours before visiting.Still, that doesn’t completely solve the value problem.Theme park tickets aren’t cheap, and families often spend thousands of dollars once hotels, food, transportation and admission are added together.When a park closes at 6:00 p.m., guests lose a significant portion of the evening compared with a day when that same park stays open until 9:00, 10:00 or 11:00 p.m.Private events make that issue even more noticeable.Regular guests can spend the day inside a park before being directed toward the exits, while another group enters for a private or separately ticketed experience.Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is at least publicly advertised far in advance, giving Disney World visitors an opportunity to plan around the shortened Magic Kingdom day.Private events can create another layer of frustration, particularly for visitors who want to experience parks after dark.And even without a private event or Halloween Horror Nights, Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure are still shutting down at 7:00 p.m.Checking Park Hours Has Become More Important Than EverToday’s schedule is another reminder that guests shouldn’t assume a Disney World or Universal Orlando ticket automatically means a long day inside the parks.Check the operating calendar before choosing which park to visit.A 6:00 p.m. closing could dramatically change your plans, especially if you’re someone who prefers sleeping in, taking an afternoon hotel break or spending most of your time in the parks after sunset.Guests visiting Magic Kingdom also need to pay particularly close attention during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party season because regular admission doesn’t allow them to remain inside once daytime operations end.The same general advice applies at Universal when private events or Halloween Horror Nights affect the schedule.But today’s situation goes beyond one early closure.Three of Orlando’s seven major theme parks close at 6:00 p.m. Two more close at 7:00 p.m. The remaining two only make it until 9:00 p.m.There may be explanations behind some of those decisions, but that doesn’t change what regular guests experience.They paid to visit some of the most expensive theme parks in the country, and tonight, much of Orlando is shutting the gates surprisingly early.The post Both Disney World and Universal Confirm Gates Will Close Early in Orlando appeared first on Inside the Magic.