April Hours Shortened!

[drusba]

One can only hope that the crowds are way, way down for the two Easter weeks. It was only a few years ago when MK normally closed at midnight during that time, MGM at 11, and AK at 8 (as to the above comment saying AK has always closed early and the previously posted 8 closing must therefore have been a mistake, that is incorrect, it did used to close at 8 during Easter time). And the parks were still hugely crowded all day and evening with those hours. Every time you deduct an hour, you simply increase the total crowd per other hour and if Easter time has anywhere near its normal crowd , people are going to be standing on top of each other with the hours being posted now.

 

[seashoreCM]

Question: Are park hours sometimes extended without notice? Or perhaps with notice jsut at the turnstiles that very day?

Depending on how easily cast members can be scheduled, that may help deal with occasional very crowded days.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[SimbaNoodle]

What I was trying to say is that Disney know how many rooms have been reserved already and most people don't make last minute trips. I am sure that if rooms do start to fill, Disney will adjust the hours accordingly.

 

[Lorix2]

what am I missing about hours surrounding Easter?

Just looked at WDW's site and the MK is open 9 AM to 10:00 PM or 11:00 the week before and after.

MGM was until 8:30 or 10 pm on certain days.

 

[CRB#33]

The entire week before Easter (except Friday) MK was to be opened until 11:00.

Also during this week MGM was to be open until 10:00 every night with two showings of Fantasmic each night. Now they are down to one on a few nights.

 

[Lorix2]

Ah - I see...thanks CRB.

 

[raidermatt]

Disney isn't getting cheap, people just are not going.

Its both, actually.



Lorix regarding the hours, its even more than just the 11:00's that had been posted...MK used to have Midnight closings around Easter, even as recently as last year, which was a down year.

 

[Lorix2]

raidermatt - another bit of info I didn't know. thank you.

I'm sorry so many people are upset. Luckily the days we're going have the longest hours, but really, I can't see wanting to be at MK much longer than closing, if my kids ever made it that long. It's so exhausting, I don't know how most of you all do it

 

[disneycrazzzy]

I had planned a seven day trip based on the hours posted. We are visiting April 5th thru 13th. We are staying off-site in a house (there are 10 of us).

Four of the nights MK closes at 7pm (instead of 8:30...no big deal) but there now no fireworks. All my PS's are now out-of-wack and I can't change them because our party is 10 and there is no availability.

I am really hoping the shorter hours reflect smaller crowds.
Six of the ten people with us have never been to a Disney park.

disneycrazzy

I don't have a signature and don't plan on one. Takes up too much space. Needless to say I have been to Disneyland about 10 times since 1962 (I don't remember my first trip) and WDW about 10 times since around 1990. I've only stayed on-site once and that was enough -- too expensive.

 

[jamsmom]

I was there Jan 1-5 this year (those dates last year plus some) and the wait times this year were LONG!! M uch longer thanj those of last year.

 

[Synonymous]

We're lucky they don't close down completely. Once Bush starts his war, WDW will be a ghost town again. I'm sure that's what they're planning on.

As long as the economy is bad and everybody is afraid, Disney is going to do poorly. And the worse their bottom line is, the more they're going to cut back. This is probably just the beginning.

 

[Lorix2]

Geesh Synonymous - I was feeling ok about things until I read your post Very well put and I'm afraid your right.

 

[Synonymous]

Sorry, Lorix. I usually try not to be negative here. I'm just kind of miffed because I was looking forward to those late nights the week before Easter.

This flurry of bad news just reminds me an awful lot of the things Disney did in the months after 9/11.

Next, they'll be telling us that we don't want Early Entry again! Welcome back, Character Caravan.

 

[Lorix2]

No need to apologize Tom. These things are important to you and your family.

As you'll see from my signature, this will only be my 2nd trip to the world, so I think that's why I'm not as discouraged. I haven't come to expect as much I guess.

I hope everyone will enjoy their vacation in spite of it all

Hakuna Matata

 

[raidermatt]

I hope everyone will enjoy their vacation in spite of it all

Oh, absolutely! We are going in May and I'm sure we will have a great time.

But I separate that from my opinions about the decisions being made.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Will they cut the hours again?

What is the WDW e-mail address? I'd like to send them a note regarding paying for peak season but getting off-season hours.

My PS's are now all out of whack and I'd feel allot better if I could get a Fantasmic package since they cut it down to one a night instead of two.

Thanks!

 

[Gaiusrex]

It does seem like a bad idea to release one set of hours and then cut them back. The perception it creates is damaging. Initial estimates should start conservative, then expand as needed. Makes one think they're getting more for their money rather than less.

Unfortunately, that'll never happen. More people might book trips seeing longer hours, then at the last minute... woops, the hours you thought you were getting are gone.

I initially made priority seating arrangements assuming that the MK fireworks would be every night, now I have to shift to less appealing times if I want to see the evening events.

 

[Synonymous]

In all fairness, and as disappointed as I am to see cuts, it's not really accurate to call them "off-season hours." MK is still open until at least 10:00 every night, and most nights until 11:00. They also ADDED a second Spectromagic on each night it's open until 11:00. And they still have 2 Fantasmics most nights.

 

[WDWorld2003]

I made PS's for Cinderella's Royal Table to see the fireworks while we were eating - they now cut back the hours for that day and there are no seatings available to coincide with the new schedule - oh well! We're also disappointed the Blizzard Beach won't be open when we're there - I don't even know if we'll do a water park if only one is open.

I agree that they should have started out conservative and added hours instead of the other way around - we would all have been delighted if they added more hours instead of taking them away. Definitely a poor business decision on their part.

I talked to an acquaintance yesterday who is a travel agent for AAA. She said it's very bleak in the travel business. She also stated she didn't realize until after 9/11 how much we all depend on each other. If the hotels don't get business it works all the way down to the salesperson selling toilet paper. There's not as many people coming so the trickle goes all the way down and affects all of us. It kind of put things in perspective for me...... I can live with the cutbacks - disappointed, yes - but happy we have jobs (for the time being) and can go at all. There are so many in the world who will never have a chance to go to WDW or travel at all.

 

[Gaiusrex]

Originally posted by WDWorld2003
I can live with the cutbacks - disappointed, yes - but happy we have jobs (for the time being) and can go at all. There are so many in the world who will never have a chance to go to WDW or travel at all.

Here!Here! I second that.