Amazed and Disappointed

[Karebear]

Looking back, last July MK was only open 5 days out of the month after 10pm, and that's only due to EMH.

I'll agree that I think every park should be open every day of the year until 11pm or 12. But it's not like all of a sudden this year parks are closing early or hours are being cut.

I think that the calendar on here anyway was never updated. MK closed at 11 on many nights last July. I had FP and screen shots of hours on my phone from last year....from 7/23 to 7/30/16.

What is interesting is Kenny the Pirate is showing MK open until 11:00 on Tues/Wed on his crowd calendar for July. Either he is wrong or Disney hasn't updated yet?

 

[Shanti]

bottom line is that they're a business that determines their own hours. 10 PM is pretty much the time that everything except bars closes, so it's not that problematic.

We're all aware that it's a business. Believe me, no one here is under the impression that Walt Disney World is part of the U.S. Postal Service...

Closing time was 11pm on the weekdays that we attended MK in July last year, and 12pm was MK's closing time the July before. EMH lasted until 2am. There was a world of difference just two years ago in terms of what you could get accomplished in the evening, compared to this summer.

The 10pm closing time is problematic for reasons that have already been stated by multiple posters including myself. You obviously don't agree, but there's no need for you to keep trying to shut down other people's opinions.

 

[jdisnut]

There's an obvious reason why this is happening. We probably can't prove it, but it's a logical explanation: The parks aren't as busy as they have been in previous Julys. We've certainly heard rumors and rumblings that hotel bookings were soft this summer. The shorter hours seems to reinforce that idea. If people aren't coming to the parks, Disney won't keep them open as late.

 

[Westcoastwild]

We're all aware that it's a business. Believe me, no one here is under the impression Walt Disney World is part of the U.S. Postal Service...

Closing time was 11pm on the weekdays that we attended MK in July last year, and 12pm was MK's closing time the July before. EMH lasted until 2am. There was a world of difference just two years ago in terms of what you could get accomplished in the evening, compared to this summer.

The 10pm closing time is problematic for reasons that have already been stated by multiple posters including myself. You obviously don't agree, but there's no need for you to keep trying to shut down other people's opinions.

If they have the right to complain that it's problematic, I have the right to disagree. Because I really don't see why this is amazing or disappointing or even problematic. I'm not shutting them down, I'm pointing out that the change isn't that unreasonable. It's a discussion thread, not a planning thread, and everyone can say whatever they want.

I'm one of the people who would happily be in the park all night. Actually, I would happily do all of my daytime stuff at night. Disney has apparently discovered that they can save money by closing down "early". I don't think it affects the majority of guests.

 

[Babsy]

The trade off there is that party days are less crowded. Also, in December the weather is typically fine. Summer weather is hot & humid, with regular thunderstorms mid-day that can shut down attractions & pools for hours. That's one reason why late nights were especially integral to effective summer touring.

True.
But less crowded or not a day that ends at 6:00 pm is short. No night time activities at all. The MVMCP was once not crowded and so worth paying a premium for, but these days it is crowded, IMO. It feels like getting charged double (for the same thing that used to be included) to me.

TBH, though, i wouldn't dream of going to WDW in July or August. And, I agree, night time touring is important in the heat.

 

[amberpi]

I think this is disappointing, and as of a month or 2 ago I would have thought they would extend hours by this point. That's what they do, set basic hours and then add. That's not what they did in June though, I'm assuming based on attendance numbers. A popular online WDW blogger said there were like 70ish less operating hours in the MK in 2016 vs. 2017. AK operating hours are, obviously, increased. Perhaps they are looking at it as total park hours across all parks? I certainly don't know, but it'd be interesting to see if total of all parks is the same year over year.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I really miss those late closings and late EMHs. I am a night owl and there was nothing more magical than being in the MK after 1 am.

Summers at WDW have been pretty weird these past 2 years. I went at the end of July last year and found it to be surprisingly empty. I'm used to going in the fall.

I truly think that fall and summer might be swapping crowd levels.

 

[rteetz]

I don't know if attendance means much. A lot of the people who go to MK are families with kids and they aren't staying out that late anyway. Extra magic hours seemed to be mostly teens and adults which is what I liked about it.

Attendance usually does mean a lot in terms of extended hours. Disney will extend hours at times due to high crowds.

 

[Micca]

Disney will extend hours at times due to high crowds.

...And it's only July 2, WDW changes schedules at the drop of a sorcerer's hat.

 

[mom2rtk]

...And it's only July 2, WDW changes schedules at the drop of a sorcerer's hat.

But it is kind of a holiday weekend.

 

[Westcoastwild]

But it is kind of a holiday weekend.

That's what I was wondering. If they were going to have longer hours at all, wouldn't it be for 4th of July? Unless the 4th isn't a high crowd day? Maybe it's not. Touring plans is showing 5s and 6s for the rest of the week. I would not have expected that. Looks like a good time to go!

 

[oktxregulators]

We did AK EMH at night and didn't care for it. Yes, its cool to look at the lights but I felt like cattle being lead to the slaughterhouse. Pandora is the only thing open and it was packed and a good majority of the people are not watching where they are going. Last night, I several numerous people running into each other and falling because they are trying to video things.
I am also disappointed MK does not stay open later then it does, I realize the focus is on Pandora but when you got everyone leaving the other three parks to go to Pandora for EMH its can cause a mess.

 

[Westcoastwild]

We did AK EMH at night and didn't care for it. Yes, its cool to look at the lights but I felt like cattle being lead to the slaughterhouse. Pandora is the only thing open and it was packed and a good majority of the people are not watching where they are going. Last night, I several numerous people running into each other and falling because they are trying to video things.
I am also disappointed MK does not stay open later then it does, I realize the focus is on Pandora but when you got everyone leaving the other three parks to go to Pandora for EMH its can cause a mess.

It's a bummer they don't keep Everest open. I would go to AK EMH for that; seeing Pandora lit up would just be the bonus.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Disney wants the focus on Pandora for the summer not MK.

I honestly don't get this. Particularly if they are only keeping 2 rides open late. That hardly replaces the capacity of MK open late. Are they AT LEAST opening ALL of AK?

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Maybe it's because it's less crowded in July than it used to be.

Honestly, in my mind, this had better be the reason!

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

We're all aware that it's a business. Believe me, no one here is under the impression that Walt Disney World is part of the U.S. Postal Service...

THANK GOODNESS!!!!!!!!

 

[Ambehnke]

We did AK EMH at night and didn't care for it. Yes, its cool to look at the lights but I felt like cattle being lead to the slaughterhouse. Pandora is the only thing open and it was packed and a good majority of the people are not watching where they are going. Last night, I several numerous people running into each other and falling because they are trying to video things.
I am also disappointed MK does not stay open later then it does, I realize the focus is on Pandora but when you got everyone leaving the other three parks to go to Pandora for EMH its can cause a mess.

I had a CM recommend exactly this to me yesterday. I called to add dining and he started telling me I should upgrade to hoppers and go to emh at ak after the other parks close every night... um I have a 3 and 5 yr old who aren't even tall enough for fop plus its past their bedtime plus 2/7 days are at ak already. No thanks.

 

[rteetz]

I honestly don't get this. Particularly if they are only keeping 2 rides open late. That hardly replaces the capacity of MK open late. Are they AT LEAST opening ALL of AK?

Like I said before this summer is all about Pandora.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Like I said before this summer is all about Pandora.

Not to everyone who is paying high rates to attend this summer. And I think it's a relevant point that keeping 2 AK rides open does not begin to address the capacity that would be spread throughout MK.

I can imagine many cranky people having been funneled/crammed into only 2 rides for 2hrs for EMH -- not sure that creates the awesome continued word of mouth they must be hoping for.

I know that Disney does most things based on a ton of market research and planning. I'd suspect -- HOPE -- that this has more to do with projected crowds than an all-Pandora-all-the-time summer. JMO.

 

[oktxregulators]

That's what I was wondering. If they were going to have longer hours at all, wouldn't it be for 4th of July? Unless the 4th isn't a high crowd day? Maybe it's not. Touring plans is showing 5s and 6s for the rest of the week. I would not have expected that. Looks like a good time to go!

Today at MK was a 6/10 but I felt like it was more near an 8 with the amount of crowds that I saw.