We’ve told you to read the fine print. You know to double-check those flight dates before purchasing your airline tickets. We even make sure to comb through all the Disney World park hours to make sure you’re aware of any important changes. But even Disney EXPERTS make mistakes. Even people who go to the parks every single DAY may be surprised by a sneaky sign or an unexpected closure.
Casey’s Corner
That’s what we’re here for! We’re here to let you learn from our mistakes. During a recent visit to Magic Kingdom, we overheard an interesting conversation in Frontierland. That conversation sparked an investigation, and we suddenly found ourselves running all over Magic Kingdom, looking for proof. We came to a confusing conclusion. Time to explain.
It all started at the Golden Oak Outpost. It was later in the afternoon, and we found ourselves in line for some beignets.
Tiana’s Famous Beignets in Magic Kingdom
Here’s the thing — this snack stand has some wonky hours and closes rather early in the evening. But when you walk up to the stand in Frontierland, there’s no way to tell when the stand will open or close! When you walk up to most restaurants in your hometown, you can bet that there is a clear sign with the hours posted front and center. But for some reason, Disney makes it VERY hard to tell when those outdoor snack stands and quick-service restaurants will open or close. Let us show you.
This spot has mysterious hours!
After juuuuust making it to the front of the line before closing, we successfully procured some beignets. But that got us thinking — is this a common problem? Turns out it is! We walked over to Tortuga Tavern and searched high and low for some kind of signage. No luck. There’s no easy way to see when this spot will be open or closed in Magic Kingdom! Luckily, our reporters visit this spot enough to know that Tortuga Tavern is typically open 11-5, but unless you’re a Magic Kingdom regular, you probably wouldn’t know that!
It’s hard to tell when this place is open!
Next stop: Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn and Cafe. Once again, we found a little menu board…but no operating hours. What gives, Disney?!
The hours are a mystery!
Our predictions were confirmed at Pinocchio Village Haus. No hours are listed outside. Are you seeing a theme here? Even if you visit the parks all the time, put yourself in the shoes of a first-timer. Figuring out what’s open early in the morning and later in the evening is just plain confusing!
Pinocchio Village Haus
Oddly, there was ONE Magic Kingdom restaurant we found that DID have hours listed outside. Good old Columbia Harbour House had a handy sign that told us exactly when the restaurant would be open. Ta-da!
Do you see that?!
This is clearly a recurring problem, and we can’t figure out why Disney won’t just post the hours. We’ve seen so many people walk up to Tortuga Tavern, see that it’s closed, and assume that it’s only open seasonally. But in truth, that sign reading “Tortuga Tavern isn’t operating at this time” (but, you know, in fancier Disney language) really just means it isn’t CURRENTLY open. You may just be passing by too early (or late) in the day!
They don’t make it easy!
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In a theme park, most people won’t be scheduling a time to return to eat. They’ll go elsewhere to eat. If you do need to know, I think the hours are listed in My Disney Experience.
There is an app for that…
Every restaurant in a Disney park should be open for all park hours.