Hollywood Studios loses its night on October 20 as a private event takes over
Disney's Hollywood Studios will close at 5 p.m. on October 20 for a private Gartner event, cutting four hours from the usual schedule.
Disney's Hollywood Studios is giving up its evening hours on October 20. Regular guests can still enter in the morning, but the park will shut at 5 p.m. instead of its usual 9 p.m. closing time because a private conference event is taking over that night.
What changes on October 20
The shorter day affects anyone visiting Disney's Hollywood Studios on Tuesday, October 20. Early Theme Park Entry remains set for 8:30 a.m., and the park will still open to all guests at 9 a.m. The change comes at the end of the day, when regular visitors will need to leave by 5 p.m.
That removes four hours from the normal schedule and wipes out the evening period many guests count on for nighttime entertainment and, at times, shorter waits. With less time in the park, planning around major attractions matters more. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror are among the rides visitors may want to prioritize before lines build.
Why the park is closing early, and what else to watch this month
The early closure is tied to Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo 2026, a technology conference running from October 19 through October 22 at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin. Hollywood Studios is scheduled to host a private event for conference attendees that evening. Conference materials describe it as an exclusive celebration at the park, with entertainment, rides and food reserved for attendees from 8 to 11 p.m. The park itself is set to host conference guests from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
For Disney World visitors, the change lands during one of the resort's busier times of year, when Halloween offerings and other special events are already shifting operating hours across the property.
Hollywood Studios is not the only park affected. Magic Kingdom is closing early on multiple October nights for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, and guests without a party ticket must leave by 6 p.m. on dates including October 22, 23 and 25. EPCOT is also adjusting hours, opening later at 10 a.m. on October 23 and 25 for the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend.
Taken together, that means three of Disney World's four theme parks are operating on altered schedules at some point this month. Guests planning to park hop after the 5 p.m. Hollywood Studios closure can do that, but checking the official calendar first may be the simplest way to avoid surprises.
