Amazed and Disappointed

[phillymummer]

I'm sorry if this has been addressed already

Does Universal ever close later than 10?

From what I have read, Universal closes earlier than Disney bc there are houses almost directly behind the parks. They can't have rides running late into the night every night.

 

[dlavender]

It's not "for free". Accommodations are more expensive in the summer -- second only to Christmas and Spring Break. And some tickets have peak pricing.

Fair to expect more.

I don't share your sense that standard expectation for theme park hours is 12hrs/day... that's not my expectation... particularly after 12ish years of Disney vacations.

And the day that Disney becomes "any theme park" is the day I'm sure most stop paying $3k a week to go.......

 

[DaisyJ]

I feel any theme park's normal hours are about 12 hours. 9 - 9 or 10 - 10. Anything else is just an extra bonus. So when I go to a theme park .. that is my expectation - 12 hours. Why should someone who goes in the summer get extra hours for free as opposed to someone who goes in the winter?

In the past they probably had it open later to help disperse the crowds, but if attendance is waning (a good thing for guests) and if AK nights help disperse crowds, they don't need MK to open up later.

The problem with "bonuses" that happen frequently and "bank" on them and expect them as the norm (which they were never intended to be).

I guarantee that things like EMH and Free Dining will eventually go away. Disney no longer needs to "draw" people to its parks with promotions like that .. all the new attractions themselves over the next decade will draw people to the parks.

It isn't free, since we're paying peak prices.

 

[Boski]

I guarantee that things like EMH and Free Dining will eventually go away. Disney no longer needs to "draw" people to its parks with promotions like that .. all the new attractions themselves over the next decade will draw people to the parks.

I think free dining and EMH are more to entice people to stay onsite as opposed to offsite.

 

[maltdizzy]

Just for context, people have been accusing Disney of "slipping" for decades. My uncle was a cast member in the 90s can tell you that since Disney internet boards existed (and even before), people have had the exact same complaints about cutbacks, greed, maintenance, and standards. I think people have rosier views of how things used to be, because it cannot be true that every year Disney is getting worse.

I know from personal experience going back to the '80's, the park hours when we typically visit (last week in August) have always averaged 8:00 closings. If anything EMH have given us more time in the park than I had 20 and 30 years ago. I'm far more upset over the loss of content since then...the theaters and penny arcade that are no longer on main street, Mr Toad's,...and liquid cheese.

I do feel hours should be longer in the peak July months to spread out the crowds. But attendance is down and construction is up and that doesn't get covered from the profit side of the budget.

 

[maxiesmom]

ITA with you! It really disappoints me.... when we started going in 2009 the MK would stay open so much later; it was great. Gradually over the years It seems like the prices are going up and you're getting less for your money.

To compare, back when I started going to WDW over 20 years ago the MK was not open late. And they didn't have fireworks every night either, everybody went in mass to Epcot.

Things will ebb and flow, that is the nature of most businesses.

 

[mom2rtk]

Things will ebb and flow, that is the nature of most businesses.

Too bad the prices don't ever ebb a little along with the hours and entertainment offerings. They only seem to flow.

 

[maxiesmom]

Too bad the prices don't ever ebb a little along with the hours and entertainment offerings. They only seem to flow.

Well, you could argue that Disney has been on an adding binge lately with regards to rides. It isn't as if all they are doing is subtracting.

 

[mom2rtk]

Well, you could argue that Disney has been on an adding binge lately with regards to rides. It isn't as if all they are doing is subtracting.

Well, sort of. They have recently added 2, but they've also closed some stuff. Definitely looking forward to more coming.

 

[maltdizzy]

Too bad the prices don't ever ebb a little along with the hours and entertainment offerings. They only seem to flow.

Oh no, raising prices is also the nature of most businesses.

 

[mom2rtk]

Oh no, raising prices is also the nature of most businesses.

I never would have guessed.

 

[famy27]

We were just in WDW in the first week of June. My older DD was especially disappointed in the hours. She loves spending late nights at EMH, especially at MK. Closing down parks is one of her main Disney joys. Sure, AK was open until 1:00 am on weekdays, but it was two rides (one of which younger DD is too short for), and the wait times were insane. If we'd had EMH at MK, we would have been able to ride a number of attractions. Instead, we watched the drum show in Pandora three times. At the very end of the night, we hopped in line and did the River Journey, while the older kids did FoP. Luckily, they opened EE late on the weekends, so DD and friend were able to ride it 12 times in row. That was their idea of a great time. Pandora is beautiful at night, but you can only look at the scenery for so long. Kids want to, you know, DO stuff. And having only one ride with 60+ minute waits available to younger DD made her decidedly less than enthusiastic about going back. We could have gone back for additional nights at Pandora, but we ended up going back to swim and then relax in the room. Us at theme parks at night=us spending money. Us in the pool=$0 for Disney.

For me, longer nighttime hours are crucial. I am extremely fair and I burn badly. Reapplying sunscreen every hour and baking in the heat and humidity is misery to me. Being out in the parks after dark is so much more enjoyable. I sent an email to Disney last year regarding July 3rd hours, as the original calendar had a 10:00 pm close. The hours ended up being until 1:00, and 3:00 am with EMH. We stayed until the last ride closed, and it was fantastic. I'm not saying that my email made them change their minds, but the more feedback they get, the more inclined they may be to make changes.

We've had APs the past two years. We own DVC. We love Disney. But when they make a change that has a negative impact on my family's vacations, I'm going to send them feedback. I don't think that makes me whiny or entitled, and I don't think the others who've expressed their displeasure about these changes are whiny either.

 

[maxiesmom]

Here is the problem: People like the late hours mostly because the parks empty out, and you can ride a lot without having to wait a lot. Disney dislikes the late hours because the parks empty out, and a relatively empty park doesn't make enough money for keeping the parks open to be worthwhile to them.

Being able ride Everest 12 times in a row sounds great to me too! But to Disney it most likely sounds like that section of the park is not busy enough to warrant the money needed to keep it open.

 

[kagmypts]

Please don't be so sad. You don't think they "ever will" but that's too confident of a prediction; I wouldn't be willing to make that statement. In Disney history, nighttime parades have rested for a while but they do come back.

Fair enough, and I hope that I am wrong.

When the MSEP ended at MK, my youngest child was seven years old. We visited shortly before the MSEP's retirement, and the delight on my son's face was priceless. He clapped his hands AND his feet together through the entire parade. An ear-to-ear grin was plastered on his face. It makes me so sad that I won't get to see that same reaction from him again. While a parade may come back to MK at some point (I am still hesitant), my son will be too old for it to be the same kind of magical experience. So sad... for us and for all of the other families who have missed out on these magical moments while Disney World lacks a nighttime parade.

For the record, we will be one of the first families lining up for a new nighttime parade if one ever returns to MK!

 

[epcotty]

I recall them closing at 11pm when we were there last summer and the year before (both times it was during the week)

 

[bryanb]

Fair enough, and I hope that I am wrong.

When the MSEP ended at MK, my youngest child was seven years old. We visited shortly before the MSEP's retirement, and the delight on my son's face was priceless. He clapped his hands AND his feet together through the entire parade. An ear-to-ear grin was plastered on his face. It makes me so sad that I won't get to see that same reaction from him again. While a parade may come back to MK at some point (I am still hesitant), my son will be too old for it to be the same kind of magical experience. So sad... for us and for all of the other families who have missed out on these magical moments while Disney World lacks a nighttime parade.

For the record, we will be one of the first families lining up for a new nighttime parade if one ever returns to MK!

How far do you live from Disneyland? Maybe you'll have a good excuse to come out west and bring your son. I think the MSEP is only at Disneyland for a limited time only, but I hear that Paint the Night will be coming back next year.

I can tell you that for those of us who grew up on MSEP, Paint the Night made both children and parents grin from ear-to-ear too (exactly as you described). It features the Baroque Hoedown music from MSEP throughout.

If you like MSEP, I think you'd like Paint the Night!

 

[Boski]

Here is the problem: People like the late hours mostly because the parks empty out, and you can ride a lot without having to wait a lot. Disney dislikes the late hours because the parks empty out, and a relatively empty park doesn't make enough money for keeping the parks open to be worthwhile to them.

Being able ride Everest 12 times in a row sounds great to me too! But to Disney it most likely sounds like that section of the park is not busy enough to warrant the money needed to keep it open.

No doubt. But its a slippery slope isn't it? Reduced later hours may upset some guest who prefer to be in the parks during that time. Less overall hours means the crowds are condensed as opposed to being spread out, leading to more guest complaints/waits. Its seen as some of the guest as just another way Disney is cutting back. Its hard to balance it all out. Pandora and the two new upcoming lands are definitely a step in the right direction but we're still a little ways away from seeing how it all shakes out.

 

[famy27]

Here is the problem: People like the late hours mostly because the parks empty out, and you can ride a lot without having to wait a lot. Disney dislikes the late hours because the parks empty out, and a relatively empty park doesn't make enough money for keeping the parks open to be worthwhile to them.

Being able ride Everest 12 times in a row sounds great to me too! But to Disney it most likely sounds like that section of the park is not busy enough to warrant the money needed to keep it open.

But if I have an amazing experience and post about it everywhere on social media saying how great it is to do AK after dark, that's probably a lot better than me posting, "Pandora is pretty. But it was literally the only thing open. Wait time for FoP was 145 minutes at 12:30 at night. No other parks had late hours. So over it."

I don't think the issue is that late night hours are too expensive for them. I think the issue is that they are trying to funnel people to Pandora. And it worked pretty well. The lines to get into Wind Traders were insane, even at midnight. Food and beverage lines were also long (and it's weird that there was only one food choice during EMH, although it is quite delicious). The reason EE wasn't crowded is because all of the printed materials and website said only Pandora was open. That was true during the week, but not on the weekends or Memorial Day. There were CMs standing blocking off certain pathways, so if you didn't think to ask, you probably would not have known that EE and Dinoland were open. I happened to strike up a conversation with a friendly CM who steered us in the right direction. as rteetz stated on the first page, the focus is on Pandora. I just wish they could figure out a way to spotlight Pandora while making other options available as well. I can't imagine even the most dedicated guests want to go to Pandora every single night. There just isn't enough to do. I loved it, and it's beautiful. But it cannot possibly take the place of multiple hours at MK.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Just want to say that not everybody is up for rope drop. I get up at 6:00 AM Monday thru Friday when I'm not on vacation. I was born a night owl, but it's what I need to do to get to work so I can afford a Disney vacation. So it is not my idea of fun to get up and ready in WDW before 9:00 AM.

Whenever I've taken advantage of them, EMH late nights have always been busy at Epcot, the Studios and MK. The shops were full of people. Hard to imagine that they lose money on late nights.

 

[DaisyJ]

Just want to say that not everybody is up for rope drop. I get up at 6:00 AM Monday thru Friday when I'm not on vacation. I was born a night owl, but it's what I need to do to get to work so I can afford a Disney vacation. So it is not my idea of fun to get up and ready in WDW before 9:00 AM.

Whenever I've taken advantage of them, EMH late nights have always been busy at Epcot, the Studios and MK. The shops were full of people. Hard to imagine that they lose money on late nights.

I agree with you. Going in the summer used to mean later nights and being able to enjoy time out of the baking sun. With shortened hours, it looks like we'll be doing RD every day.