Park Closing ?

[tink9702]

In September Animal Kingdom typically closes at 5pm. How exactly does that happen? We've never been at any park for closing time. I'm wondering if we can grab food at 4:30ish and still have time to eat it or if the shops stay open a bit longer?

 

[ginny_lynn]

They will not force you out, they will let you finish eating, browsing, etc. They will guide you towards the front of the park if you were trying to walk further into the park.

 

[WEDWDW]

You can get in line at an attraction or restaurant up until 4:59:59.

"Usually" the main shops toward the "front" of a Park(Emporium,Mousegears,etc.) will stay open an hour after park Closing.

 

[disnut8]

In September Animal Kingdom typically closes at 5pm. How exactly does that happen? We've never been at any park for closing time. I'm wondering if we can grab food at 4:30ish and still have time to eat it or if the shops stay open a bit longer?

Disney does not make an announcement that "the park will be closing at 5:00!" and force everyone out. You will be allowed to take your last ride on an attraction, finish your food, or whatever up to the very last minute before 5:00. If you're still enjoying your food or on that last attraction, no big deal. After you are done, just walk towards the exit and all will be fine. Although I have to advise you that will will see Cast Members wishing you a very good rest of the evening. And waving to you and smiling. That's the most nerve wracking moment of park close. *You* feel the need to be nice back to the Cast Members.

 

[bumbershoot]

As a head's up, they might very well extend the hours. Be sure to check ahead of time and even that day, to see if that has happened.

(and they can also open earlier at any of the parks, so check for that, too)

 

[ErinsMommy]

all the years Ive gone to Disney I've never seen AK have EMH in the evening - its usually A.M. - at least from my personal experience. (my guess its animal feeding time?)

 

[Simba's Mom]

I've been at DAK a few times at closing (my favorite park so I try to squeeze every minute I can). Things just kind of close down and people head towards the front of the park. I've been in Pizzafari at closing, and they don't shoo you out. CMs just start sweeping and cleaning and trust the guilt and dirty looks to get to you. And if you're still in the park about 1/2 hour after closing and try to wander around the Tree of Life trails, a "suit" CM will come out and kind of "cut you off at the pass", in a polite way of course to gently "herd" you toward the exit. At least so I've heard.

 

[soniam]

I have noticed though, that not all of the QS at AK stay open until park closing, but those have been for normal park hours, 6pm or later. Pizzafari was open though. They cleaned around us.

 

[Lilliputian]

If you really want to eat at a certain restaurant, be sure to check the hours for it earlier in the day. Sometimes 4:30 will be too late for some restaurants when the park closes at 5:00.

Otherwise, you'll be fine. They like people to stay a little late and spend money.

 

[GrumpyDad1974]

If you really want to eat at a certain restaurant, be sure to check the hours for it earlier in the day. Sometimes 4:30 will be too late for some restaurants when the park closes at 5:00.

Otherwise, you'll be fine. They like people to stay a little late and spend money.

Yes
I forgot what time AK closing was but Pizzafari was closing at least an hour before the park closed and we went in 15 minutes before they closed. About half of the menu was unavailable because it was sold out, maybe it was an off day.

 

[nym4588]

The last time we stayed until closing, and then had dinner at Rainforest Café on the way out. It was a nice way to cap off the day.

 

[tinawv]

The last time we stayed until closing, and then had dinner at Rainforest Café on the way out. It was a nice way to cap off the day.

How log will the buses run after park closing? I would be interested in this, but heard the buses only run a hour after park closing.

 

[POOHsie]

How log will the buses run after park closing? I would be interested in this, but heard the buses only run a hour after park closing.

The official word is Disney runs buses for one hour after closing, I think that's to set a time constraint in guests' minds. But there are many & varied reasons why guests are in the park after close, including dinners that are scheduled just before closing. There will be CMs stationed at various posts in the parks, talking to each other about where guests are still located and areas that are clear. They gently move people toward the exit. The CMs might ask guests where they're going if using Disney Buses, then call a Transportation coordinator about what bus destinations will be needed. Disney absolutely will not strand a visitor at a park. You can count that as gospel.

 

[nym4588]

How log will the buses run after park closing? I would be interested in this, but heard the buses only run a hour after park closing.

We had a car that night, so I didn't consider the bus service. If you're unable to take the bus, perhaps you could head to Rainforest about 30 minutes before AK closes?

 

[cakebaker]

all the years Ive gone to Disney I've never seen AK have EMH in the evening - its usually A.M. - at least from my personal experience. (my guess its animal feeding time?)

I don't think they've done them in a long time, but we have done evening emh's before- quite a few years ago though.

Loved it!

How Disney handles closing is really excellent. When they say they're open till X time - they are really open. If you're in line at closing, doesn't matter if the line is 2 hours long, you will ride it. It's a nice, easy closing with guests not being shoved out abruptly.

It was a striking difference from the way they did it at Universal where everything started shutting down in advance of closing so that by the actual time arrived, you were walking thru a closed park.

But yes, once upon a time there were evening Emh at AK- I wish they still did then!

 

[disnut8]

The official word is Disney runs buses for one hour after closing, I think that's to set a time constraint in guests' minds. But there are many & varied reasons why guests are in the park after close, including dinners that are scheduled just before closing. There will be CMs stationed at various posts in the parks, talking to each other about where guests are still located and areas that are clear. They gently move people toward the exit. The CMs might ask guests where they're going if using Disney Buses, then call a Transportation coordinator about what bus destinations will be needed. Disney absolutely will not strand a visitor at a park. You can count that as gospel.

Total agree with this. However, that's not to say that if you are at Animal Kingdom and it closes at 5, that you should stay until midnight just camped outside the park entrance to test Disney

 

[tinka-belle]

Yak & Yeti's last ADR seating is 15 minutes prior to park close. We often book this or as close as we can get to it, and have not been rushed during our meal. The restaurant does start to clear out, but we've left over an hour after park close and found it to be a peaceful quiet walk. Nothing is open at that point, and a "helpful" CM is usually nearby to walk us out, sometimes one who just off his/her shift. Never had a problem with a bus back to our resort or to another park that is still open. They will not strand you there, and know that people eat at Y&Y and Tusker House and Rainforest at closing time.

Not much is open for CS though, we often see most close up the order/pickup area an hour to half hour before official closing time.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Total agree with this. However, that's not to say that if you are at Animal Kingdom and it closes at 5, that you should stay until midnight just camped outside the park entrance to test Disney

This is not really relevant but still fun to share. On our October 2013 trip, we stayed at AK until closing (which I think was 6:00). We dilly-dallied around and were the last people in line for the bus. The bus got full, so the driver wouldn't let us board and said he'd call another bus for us. Another one showed up within 5 minutes, we boarded...and no one else showed up for it. So we got a solo ride back to the Contemporary, which is where we were having dinner. It was pretty cool.

Of course, our transportation good fortune then ran out. We were going to take the boat to the WL after dinner, but it took FOREVER to show up and when it did there was a huge crowd that totally rushed the boat (someone actually pushed my then 6 year old daughter out of the way! jerk) and they ran out of space before we were able to board. So after waiting 45 minutes for that boat, we refused to wait again for the next one, and instead walked over to the MK (which was closed to day guests at that point because it was a party night), hopped on the waiting WL bus and finally got back to our room.

 

[DisCatGirl]

I have an ADR atTusker House 6pm - on a night when closing is at 6. Expecting a quiet walk to the front and an empty bus.

 

[Traveliz]

Yak & Yeti's last ADR seating is 15 minutes prior to park close. We often book this or as close as we can get to it, and have not been rushed during our meal. The restaurant does start to clear out, but we've left over an hour after park close and found it to be a peaceful quiet walk. Nothing is open at that point, and a "helpful" CM is usually nearby to walk us out, sometimes one who just off his/her shift. Never had a problem with a bus back to our resort or to another park that is still open. They will not strand you there, and know that people eat at Y&Y and Tusker House and Rainforest at closing time.

Not much is open for CS though, we often see most close up the order/pickup area an hour to half hour before official closing time.

My daughter had that job for awhile. She was an attractions CM but stayed I want to say 2 hours after the park closed near the bridge by the tree that gets all those cool birds in it at night? (See how good my knowledge is of this park lol). Anyway she never actually escorted people out but her job was to see that once that diners left they did not go back further into the park. And of course she kept any others from crossing towards that area too.