This news comes from the simple source of the latest Park Hours for May 2008. For the first three days of the month, something quite extraordinary will happen at Walt Disney Studios Park. The gates will not close when the clock strikes 6pm. Nor at 7pm, the extended closing time brought in with the opening of Toon Studio last year.

No, on 2nd and 3rd May 2008, the second gate will remain open right up until 9pm! And, on the Thursday beforehand, the gates will also remain open longer — until 8pm, both creeping ever closer to the hours of Disneyland Park next door…

These three days of park hours are the longest given to the park in over five and a half years. Upon opening, Walt Disney Studios Park enjoyed general opening times of 9am – 8pm and 9am – 9pm throughout its first Summer. However, with the empty empty by 6pm and lacklustre guest numbers even in the middle of the day, the opening hours were chopped at the end of the season and remained stuck at 9am – 6pm or even 10am – 6pm, right up until Summer 2007.

It is interesting, perhaps disappointing, that after the first weekend of May, the hours return to a 7pm closing time every day. It seems possible, then, that these hours could be for some kind of special event or exceptionally high attendance, perhaps a large group event. Or, perhaps even more likely, a test for the upcoming Summer season, to see whether demand is still there at 9pm. In the past, May has been used as a month to test new park hours, such as the “demand-based hours” first tested in May 2006.

Whatever the reason, these longer hours will come as a very special 6th birthday present for every ‘WDS fan’ out there.

— Find all the latest dates and times at the DLRP Magic! Calendar.