Additional Cuts to WDW Hours

[raidermatt]

Several days in March have received further cuts at MK. March's hours now show a decrease of 13.3% from March 2002.

April hours at MK have been slashed from the 374.5 originally posted, to 350. April now shows a 2.6% decrease from 2002, despited Spring Break falling entirely in April this year, unlike last year.

Future World is now scheduled to close at 6pm March 23rd-31st, April 1st-11th, and April 27th-30th. (WS still shows 11am-9pm everyday)

Blizzard Beach is closed until April 9th.

I'm not sure what the hours were for AK, MGM, and TL before the latest updates, so I can't confirm whether or not they were reduced.

May hours are not yet posted.

 

[All Aboard]

Just a spot comparison, but this past weekend really took a hit. On the comparable weekend in 2001, MK closed at 10 on Fri, 10 on Sat and 9 on Sun. This year, it closed at 7 on Fri, 8 on Sat and 7 on Sun. And, the crowds were very, very large this year.

Oh yeah, they sold back those 3 Fri night hours in the form of E-ride for $12 a pop this year.

 

[Bob O]

Dont worry Matt, some will claim this isnt a cutback but is done for the benefit of the guests and then when hours are later increased but not to the same level they had been they will also say it is a increase and praise disney and eisner!!!

 

[Bob O]

So i guess every time they cut and then increase hours to less than what they were we should be happy???? Should we also be happy if they cut 2 rides and later add 1 ride and consider it another increase???
Must be some type of new math???

 

[MikePezz]

Advanced Ei-gebra...classes soon to be offered at the Disney Institute..oh, wait....nevermind

 

[Samirella]

I'd rather they cut a few hours here and there than see them cut my hours back again (I've been at 30 hours since October 2001 and I've been full time with the company for almost ten years) or worse lose my job entirely. Be happy you still have somewhere to escape from the real world.

 

[raidermatt]

Now that I think about it, with only 3 chicken fingers worth of energy, guests probably wouldn't be able to handle the later closings, so this really is a benefit to us.

Plus, I'm sure eventually hours will be increased (even if not to the same level) at which time you should praise both Disney and Eisner.

You know Scoop, I used to say the same thing. Then, despite an increase in attendance over post 9/11 levels, hours continued to drop. Then I looked at how hours were dropping even before the recession hit.

Maybe this regime will increase them over current levels some day, but as you qualified, its doubtful it will be to the same level. So, from me at least, they will get praise in proportion to the amount they increase.

Certainly you wouldn't expect the praise for a 1 hour increase to be equal to the criticism for a 3 hour drop?

Of course, until we start seeing the 1 hour increases, the point is moot.

 

[raidermatt]

I'd rather they cut a few hours here and there than see them cut my hours back again (I've been at 30 hours since October 2001 and I've been full time with the company for almost ten years) or worse lose my job entirely.

I am truly glad your hours have not been cut again. However, this is not an either/or situation. The reduction in park hours does not mean you are more likely to keep your current schedule.

Those of us that criticize these moves do so because we do not believe they are in the best long-term interests of Disney, which therefore means they are not in the best long-term interests of its employees.

 

[d-r]

Originally posted by gcurling


Oh yeah, they sold back those 3 Fri night hours in the form of E-ride for $12 a pop this year.

I'm really glad to see that they are adding in E-nights. We've always really enjoyed them, but during the lower time on our last several visits they have not been offered. I hope this is a good sign that there will be one during our visit this May; I don't want to get my hopes up, but I'm taking this as a good sign! So thanks for the good news!

DR

 

[Bob O]

Wouldnt a better answer be to not have e-nights at all and keep the parks open like they used to be. This is just what disney wants to hear!!!! We will cutback hours(supposedly for the guests benefit) and then offer you the same hours that were once free but will make you now pay for them!!! This is disney magic under the eisner regime!!! So good news for wdw is now paying for something which at one time was regular operating hours, very sad!!!
As for hours being cut for employee's they should ask their union which is supposed to watch out for them what they are doing for long term employee's. But apparently the union members dont care much about hours or work conditions because if the orlando sentinel is correct only 591 members even took the time to vote in the elections out of 4,500 members.
Ditto's to Matts last paragraph!!!

 

[Planogirl]

This is getting downright ridiculous. We're going to WDW next week and I'm mulling over how to plan an evening at Fort Wilderness because all of the parks except Epcot's WS are closing so early while we're there. And this during Spring Break! I don't know about anyone else but I'm not ready to sit in my hotel room at 8 at night.

And before anyone says that the other parks are doing the same thing, I know. We're visiting Universal too and that one is even harder to figure out.

There are OTHER places to travel to. Great places that offer fun at night. And Ei$ner and company had better start realizing this.

 

[mjstaceyuofm]

Originally posted by gcurling
Just a spot comparison, but this past weekend really took a hit. On the comparable weekend in 2001, MK closed at 10 on Fri, 10 on Sat and 9 on Sun. This year, it closed at 7 on Fri, 8 on Sat and 7 on Sun. And, the crowds were very, very large this year.

Oh yeah, they sold back those 3 Fri night hours in the form of E-ride for $12 a pop this year.

That's very disappointing, especially if the crowds were large. We typically go during the off-season so 6:00 and 7:00 close times are nothing new to us. It's always terribly disappointing to be herded out of the MK when the sun is still shining.... Often times, we've found that due to the lack of crowds coupled with closed attractions and our disinterest in stale attractions (i.e. Alien Encounter) we're able to see everything we want to or need to in that time-frame. It's kind of a vicious circle WDW has put itself in. They take out and close attractions, provide less things to do IN the parks giving you the ability to finish in that lesser timeframe...

 

[d-r]

Originally posted by Bob O
Wouldnt a better answer be to not have e-nights at all and keep the parks open like they used to be. This is just what disney wants to hear!!!!!

No, I would much rather have an e-night than the park be open for those hours. Much, much rather it.

 

[DisneyKidds]

Psst...Matt, you read Bob's first post and mine too. Obviously, my attempt at irony and a little humor was poorly executed...

I saw where you were going Scoopster . Some people just don't want to see the humor..............................but I guess the subject really isn't very funny .

 

[airlarry!]

No, I would much rather have an e-night than the park be open for those hours. Much, much rather it.

My curiousity is piqued. Why would you rather have an e-night than later hours?

 

[married2grumpy]

I would much, much rather the parks stay open later than have to pay extra for something that should be free. I think d-r is one of the few people who would part with their hard earned cash for something that should be for nothing.

If they close the park early, so be it. I just don't see how they can charge an admission price and then ask people to pay more if they want to stay later. I wouldn't do it.

 

[All Aboard]

I'm very curious too, DR. Seems to me that it's a very simple strategy on the part of WDW to generate more revenue per guest on that day v. the comparable day in 2001. Instead of enjoying Space Mountain, Splash and Big Thunder for no extra cost, they can get an additional $12 a person for it. Or, if you don't want to pay that, why not head over to Cirque or Hoop de Doo or the Luau, or have a round of miniature golf, or perhaps try out that dueling piano place on the Boardwalk. But, you ain't gonna have the MK for your regular admission price like you did a couple of years ago. The finance manager in me secretly applauds it. However, the Disney fan in me is disappointed by the motivation, because I know from where the need for extra cash stems. The guest who makes their annual trek to WDW the same week each year might be disappointed as well.

Closing MK at 8pm on Saturday March 8th was ridiculous. The crowd was so deep and heavy that evening it was nearly suffocating. The reductions that have been implemented for April will likely cause the same situation.

 

[mjstaceyuofm]

Instead of enjoying Space Mountain, Splash and Big Thunder for no extra cost, they can get an additional $12 a person for it. Or, if you don't want to pay that, why not head over to Cirque or Hoop de Doo or the Luau, or have a round of miniature golf, or perhaps try out that dueling piano place on the Boardwalk.

gcurling - you hit the nail on the head! Funny how all those other things you listed also cost additional $ to enjoy.

If you travel to WDW during peak attendance times, I can see where enights might be a benefit if you haven't been able to get onto the rides all day long because of obnoxious wait times and this is your opportunity to ride all the things you skipped during the day without a long wait. So, yet again, Disney turns something that they used to provide for free (extended hours) into something designed to separate customers from their $.

 

[mjstaceyuofm]

For me at least, 12 bucks and very low waits and crowds at night is much more preferable to 0 bucks and heavy crowds.

Scoop, I agree with you if those are your choices. I've used enights in the past and enjoyed them as well. But I think you know as well as I that the argument you'll hear bandied about is that you don't have an option to stay in the park longer (for your regularly paid admission) and have low waits/crowds. In the past, that was an option. You could head over to the MK at 9 (after spending the day at MGM/Epcot/BB, etc...) when the park started to thin out and enjoy those rides without paying an extra $12.

 

[HB2K]

What's the difference between ENIGHTS & a premium Fast pass?