Don't like the way they run the MNSSH

[DonaldDuck77]

I didn't say they should.

You said exactly that.

Would you go into any other business, minutes before closing time, and expect them to stay open for you? If they close at 7pm then that means they close at 7pm. Guests should have their itinerary completed and have exited the part by or before 7pm.

 

[Disneyliscious]

You are taking my words out of context and I'm not sure why you're doing that.

Yes, I said guests should be exiting the park at 7pm. I did not say that Disney should force people to exit right at 7pm (thus the pixie dust comment earlier). That means I think they should, but I do not think Disney should force it if they don't see a need. What I think is irrelevant. What Disney does is relevant.

At the end of the day, the park closes at 7pm and no one is entitled to or should expect to be there past that time. If you are, its pixie dust.

I will not argue with you any further.

 

[MataHari22]

Well, I have an ADR at Tony's at 6:55pm on a party night, which I do not have a party ticket for. I will be there from rope drop that day. When I booked my ADRs that was the only time I could get a reservation for, and honestly, with what I'd like to do with the rest of my day, that time will be perfect. If WDW did not want people to be in the parks at all after that cut off time, then they would cut off ADRs at 5:30 or 6pm. I just want to eat dinner, my intention isn't to stay to try and get into the party for free. It'll take me a while to eat, because I have swallowing problems. So, not everyone is trying to get over on Disney or get something for nothing. Some people just want to sit down and have a relaxing dinner that they can manage to eat at the end of a long day. Also, on any given night, you're allowed to get in line up until close, and it's never a problem. So, on a party night, day guests should not be required to be out of the park by 7pm. I think the way they do it is fine. Guest for the party can start to enter at 4pm and day guests who may have an ADR that may run past 7, will be escorted out after they are finished with their meal.

 

[Nancyg56]

I'm confused. So you can stay on a party night without a party ticket past 7 pm as long as you don't ride, shop or eat?

No. You are shooed towards the exits at 7 PM. You cannot use anything after 7, and this includes bathrooms. Your park ticket entitles you to be in a line just prior to 7PM and be able to enjoy that attraction. You cannot enter that line at 7 PM. You are in a shop, you may complete your purchase. You cannot meander in at 7PM and browse. You may check in for your dinner ADR if it is before 7 PM,and it must be a time that is before 7, enjoy your meal, but you ar tehn escorted from the park.

You do not need to curtail your day 15 minutes early because a party starts at 7, but your use if the park ends at 7. You complete what you started adn out you go

 

[Reddog1134]

t the end of the day, the park closes at 7pm and no one is entitled to or should expect to be there past that time. If you are, its pixie dust.

I wouldn't call it "Pixie Dust". In my opinion, "Pixie Dust" would be if they let you into a ride line AFTER closing time.

Yes, the parks have published closing times but it's standard practice for them to allow you on a ride as long as you are in line. That precedent has been set many times over. So I believe it IS reasonable to expect to be in the park after closing. If Disney decides NOT to allow it, then that is their right and the guest has no recourse. But that doesn't mean they don't have the expectation.

 

[DonaldDuck77]

"Rights" was your word. If Disney starts cutting off lines early guessing how many people will be finished with an attraction (or restaurant, shop, etc.) at 7:00, then at that point, everyone without a wristband will be exiting the gates right at 7:00. They aren't going to do it just because you say they should.

To clarify my post from earlier, by "they" I meant people entering attractions, etc., NOT "Disney". (Some confusion going on. Not intended to argue.)

 

[tsme]

Well, I've learned a few things reading this post. I always thought that non-party guests couldn't make reservations after 6:45 and I thought they couldn't get in line to ride a ride a minute before 7pm. I'm not sure why I thought this, I just did. As for us, we do go to a party if there is one when we're there. Last winter, I found the MVMCP to be much more crowded than the last one we went to. Maybe Disney is allowing more guests in the parties than they use to, I don't know. It was a little frustrating at times, but we did enjoy ourselves. We also tend to go to MK during the day on party days. But we always leave around 4pm. Personally, if we've been there since rope drop, we're all tired by that time. And I'm a stickler for rules, I would feel awkward getting into a line ride a few minutes before closing, knowing I would still be in when I'm suppose to be leaving. But that's me.

 

[cigar95]

Yes, I said guests should be exiting the park at 7pm.

Given that the park procedures at closing for parties are well-known and are not as strict as that, I'm not sure why a guest "should" be exiting the park at 7. They "should" be following the rules as established by the park.

If one wants to wish the rules were different, I can understand that. But unless the rules change, guests are usually entitled by the organizers of the event to enter a 30-minute attraction queue at 6:55. I'm not sure where the disagreement is.

 

[smitch425]

Given that the park procedures at closing for parties are well-known and are not as strict as that, I'm not sure why a guest "should" be exiting the park at 7. They "should" be following the rules as established by the park.

If one wants to wish the rules were different, I can understand that. But unless the rules change, guests are usually entitled by the organizers of the event to enter a 30-minute attraction queue at 6:55. I'm not sure where the disagreement is.

It has been our experience that CMs often stop people from moving further back into the park past 6:45 or so. Unless you have an ADR (and since you are told to show up early anyway, you should already be where you need to be), you are directed toward the front of the park once the overhead announcements are being made. That's not to say that you can't get in a ride line if you are right there, but I wouldn't expect to be on Main Street at 6:45 and go attempt to ride 7DMT. Lol

 

[DonaldDuck77]

It has been our experience that CMs often stop people from moving further back into the park past 6:45 or so. Unless you have an ADR (and since you are told to show up early anyway, you should already be where you need to be), you are directed toward the front of the park once the overhead announcements are being made. That's not to say that you can't get in a ride line if you are right there, but I wouldn't expect to be on Main Street at 6:45 and go attempt to ride 7DMT. Lol

Even if you tried, you wouldn't be able to make it through the pack to the 7DMT queue in 15 minutes.

 

[ArwenMarie]

It sounds like the way they handle this is as good as it could be expected. When you think about the amount of people trying to get in and the amount they are trying to get out, not sure what they could do to improve it.

At 645, if I wasn't staying, I would probably start walking out though. Seems like common sense to me?

(We've gone on party days but we've never made it that long since we get there at RD)

 

[scrapquitler]

Would you go into any other business, minutes before closing time, and expect them to stay open for you? If they close at 7pm then that means they close at 7pm. Guests should have their itinerary completed and have exited the part by or before 7pm.

But that's not the policy at Disney. If the park 'closes' at midnight, you can stay and ride whatever ride you are in line for at 11:59, even if the line is 30 minutes or more long. And even after the park is 'closed' many of the stores and shops/food places on Main Street are still open and willing to let you shop, eat, etc. after 'closing'. We almost always get an ice cream after park close and sit on main street for almost an hour after, with CM blessings. So yes, people expect to be able to 'use' the park until 7PM, even if they aren't staying for the party because that's what Disney provides every other day of the year.

 

[Kristine316]

We attended a party in mid September in 2012. It wasn't all that busy but, I did notice people without wrist bands. In one case it was people standing behind us in line for Peter Pan.
It was a hot, muggy night, no one was wearing long sleeved shirts or jackets.. Bracelets were clearly visible. I noticed because we were standing in line for awhile and you know, you don't stare at your feet the entire time, you do some looking around you.
I made a note of it to myself but certainly never said anything of course. I assume when it came time to board the ride they were not able to without a wrist band. I don't know for sure though because we were already on the ride. This was around 7:30 I believe because I recall checking my husband's watch after I noticed no wrist bands on the couple.
We were not asked one time to see our bracelets all night. I don't think that means anything though because like I mentioned it was a very warm, humid evening and bracelets were obvious to spot.

I mention that because some always like to insinuate that guests who notice whether people have wrist bands or not are somehow nosy or uptight. People write how they were having too good of a time to notice... Which sort of implies people who do notice need to get a life. Sometimes you notice stuff like that, it doesn't mean you spent the night checking every guest who walked by for a bracelet. LOL




I used to work retail and every night about 20 minutes to closing we would get on the intercom and start nicely reminding people we closed at 8. We repeated this announcement every 5 minutes till close. The idea was to get people to hurry up and get to the check outs.. Yes, in all honesty it was to make them uncomfortable enough to not stand there and shop for another hour.
I think this is pretty standard practice in retail, I certainly do not think WDW should be any different, especially on party nights when you have guests paying good money for a hard ticket event.

 

[smitch425]

But that's not the policy at Disney. If the park 'closes' at midnight, you can stay and ride whatever ride you are in line for at 11:59, even if the line is 30 minutes or more long. And even after the park is 'closed' many of the stores and shops/food places on Main Street are still open and willing to let you shop, eat, etc. after 'closing'. We almost always get an ice cream after park close and sit on main street for almost an hour after, with CM blessings. So yes, people expect to be able to 'use' the park until 7PM, even if they aren't staying for the party because that's what Disney provides every other day of the year.

Guests can use the park until 7pm. The difference between a regular day and a party day is that they start asking people to leave via announcements on a park wide intercom. There are also signs everywhere that state there is a ticketed event beginning at 7pm.

 

[kwdw]

Hmmm, well this makes me concerned being a non-ticket holder hoping to hit MK on two party nights. Am I going to be uncomfortable going on rides or walking around during that 6-7 pm time? We had hoped to stay til closing but if we are going to be made to feel like we are trespassing after 6, I will definitely rethink our plan.

In my experience, by about 6:15 without a bracelet, you are the enemy and some CMs are rudely trying to push you out of the park. We've managed to selectively not hear them until about 6:45, but by that point, you really have no choice but to exit. Now, I have been allowed to use the restroom by City Hall a few minutes before 7. It's interesting, because some CMs really seem to respect you don't have to be out of the park until 7, but others were downright rude too early.

I've never violated the rules, always been past the exit turnstile before 7, but sometimes I've felt like a criminal as the witching hour approaches. BUT, not by all CMs.

I think as long as your plan is to be out the turnstile by 7, it's still a good day to go. But if you are still trying to be at the back of the park at 7, you'll find yourself escorted out.

 

[Jen731]

Appreciate the feedback from everyone. I will chat with my husband about it and we can decide what we want to do... I am not interested in overstaying our welcome, but if we only have 10 hours in the park as it is, I would hate to lose that last one with constant reminders that we are not welcome. We did the Christmas party years ago and it was meh, with young kids I felt like they were zombies even after our late nap. And it was hard to get up the next day. It didn't help that I think it poured buckets of rain that night.

We could always try it the first night and if it goes poorly, change our plans for our other MK day. Oh wait, maybe not so much.

 

[ArwenMarie]

In my experience, by about 6:15 without a bracelet, you are the enemy and some CMs are rudely trying to push you out of the park. We've managed to selectively not hear them until about 6:45, but by that point, you really have no choice but to exit. Now, I have been allowed to use the restroom by City Hall a few minutes before 7. It's interesting, because some CMs really seem to respect you don't have to be out of the park until 7, but others were downright rude too early.

I've never violated the rules, always been past the exit turnstile before 7, but sometimes I've felt like a criminal as the witching hour approaches. BUT, not by all CMs.

I think as long as your plan is to be out the turnstile by 7, it's still a good day to go. But if you are still trying to be at the back of the park at 7, you'll find yourself escorted out.

6:15? Now that's too early and I would be annoyed.

 

[PetePanMan]

And even after the park is 'closed' many of the stores and shops/food places on Main Street are still open and willing to let you shop, eat, etc. after 'closing'. We almost always get an ice cream after park close and sit on main street for almost an hour after, with CM blessings

Would you not agree that special hard ticket event nights are different than regular nights? Hanging out an hour after closing would be viewed by those who bought special ticket that you are taking part in some of the festivities that you did not pay for.

 

[beckydisneyb]

This isn't true of any other park closing. Why should it be true on a party night?

Let's reverse the sinario. Since the party starts at 7 and that is what party goers are paying for (not park admission for the day) maybe they should not be allowed to do rides, eat or shop til 7. Because they are making my last 3 hours that I paid for more crowded as well. People it's Disney, just be happy!

 

[smitch425]

Let's reverse the sinario. Since the party starts at 7 and that is what party goers are paying for (not park admission for the day) maybe they should not be allowed to do rides, eat or shop til 7. Because they are making my last 3 hours that I paid for more crowded as well. People it's Disney, just be happy!

Those three hours are beneficial to everyone, really. It helps to prevent utter chaos at the gates for those coming and going, and it helps Disney sell more same day party tickets. I'm curious to see how crowds on party days will be during free dining periods this year. With hoppers (or WP&M) being required, the party days during those periods could be much more crowded than in years past.