Can I say again how much I HATE park reservations!

[MinnieSueB]

Just need to vent & say again how much I HATE park reservations! Attended MK Extended Hours Wed & didn't get in until 2:00am.

Next day we had Epcot reservations & wasn't feeling well at all & with the heat we decided to skip it and then head over to HS for Moonlight Magic around 4:00 for our dinner reservation.

I knew our MB would flag us at entrance so told a "plaid" our situation. I don't think I've ever been talked to the way I was talked to. She scolded me like I was a child stating the park hopping rules back to me & that they would ONLY make this one time exception for us.


I could understand a little more if I were trying to get in before 2:00pm but this was after park hopping was allowed.
Park Reservations only serve Disney not the guest.
I will end on a positive note. Moonlight Magic was awesome after the storm cleared out at 7pm. DVC did do a great job & highly recommend.

 

[Louis morrell]

Plus one!

 

[Dean1953]

I had a park reservation for Epcot and tried to get into MK around 5. I was told that they wouldn’t make an exception so I took the monorail, stepping inside Epcot, and returned to MK. It wasn’t that big a deal. Of course, Park Reservations are only advantageous to Disney.

 

[BeachClub2014]

Just need to vent & say again how much I HATE park reservations! Attended MK Extended Hours Wed & didn't get in until 2:00am.

Next day we had Epcot reservations & wasn't feeling well at all & with the heat we decided to skip it and then head over to HS for Moonlight Magic around 4:00 for our dinner reservation.

I knew our MB would flag us at entrance so told a "plaid" our situation. I don't think I've ever been talked to the way I was talked to. She scolded me like I was a child stating the park hopping rules back to me & that they would ONLY make this one time exception for us.


I could understand a little more if I were trying to get in before 2:00pm but this was after park hopping was allowed.
Park Reservations only serve Disney not the guest.
I will end on a positive note. Moonlight Magic was awesome after the storm cleared out at 7pm. DVC did do a great job & highly recommend.

Yep. Agree

 

[CarolMN]

Don't recall anyone ever posting anywhere that they liked them. IMO, they just add unnecessary stress to a WDW vacation.

 

[BeachClub2014]

I miss the old days of no park reservations, paper fast passes, no Genie+, restaurants you could actually get into, full size Mickey Premium bars, and beer that doesn't require financing

 

[McCrae]

Just back from a 2 week trip to Disney, we park hopped everyday, never had an issue. No one asked us any questions.

 

[mikalkwin]

Just back from a 2 week trip to Disney, we park hopped everyday, never had an issue. No one asked us any questions.

You'd have issues only if you don't tap in in your reserved park before hopping.

 

[Ansky]

Park reservations are horrendous. No benefit whatsoever to the guest. Unfortunately, I guess we are just going to have to live with it.

OP, I do have a question about skipping your reserved park though. Could you have gone into the app and cancelled your first park reservation and then reserved the one you wanted to go to?

 

[Simba's Mom]

I miss the old days of no park reservations, paper fast passes, no Genie+, restaurants you could actually get into, full size Mickey Premium bars, and beer that doesn't require financing

ITA! One thing I've always wondered is-suppose you have a park reservation for Epcot, for example, but you wake up with a hankering for a ride on Kilimanjaro Safari. Assuming AK has availability, can you change your park reservations day of, or only in advance? Also, does the app let you directly modify reservations now, or do you still have to deal with that couple seconds of panic between when you cancel your reservation at one park, then as quickly as possible, make a reservation at the second park but for a couple seconds you know you don't have a reservation anywhere!?

 

[BeachClub2014]

ITA! One thing I've always wondered is-suppose you have a park reservation for Epcot, for example, but you wake up with a hankering for a ride on Kilimanjaro Safari. Assuming AK has availability, can you change your park reservations day of, or only in advance? Also, does the app let you directly modify reservations now, or do you still have to deal with that couple seconds of panic between when you cancel your reservation at one park, then as quickly as possible, make a reservation at the second park but for a couple seconds you know you don't have a reservation anywhere!?

I'd love to help with those questions, but in my family I am not allowed to make, modify, cancel or touch park reservations, ADR's, or anything to do with rides. I am allowed to use my MB to pay for everything.

 

[mikalkwin]

Park reservations are horrendous. No benefit whatsoever to the guest. Unfortunately, I guess we are just going to have to live with it.

OP, I do have a question about skipping your reserved park though. Could you have gone into the app and cancelled your first park reservation and then reserved the one you wanted to go to?

Yes, if available.

 

[MinnieSueB]

I had a park reservation for Epcot and tried to get into MK around 5. I was told that they wouldn’t make an exception so I took the monorail, stepping inside Epcot, and returned to MK. It wasn’t that big a deal. Of course, Park Reservations are only advantageous to Disney.

I'm trying to understand why it matters that we didn't tap in at first park if it's after 2:00 & park hopping can occur?

 

[MinnieSueB]

Park reservations are horrendous. No benefit whatsoever to the guest. Unfortunately, I guess we are just going to have to live with it.

OP, I do have a question about skipping your reserved park though. Could you have gone into the app and cancelled your first park reservation and then reserved the one you wanted to go to?

There were no park reservations available that day for HS b/c I checked for a friend that was traveling with us but in another resort. I still don't understand why it matters after 2:00pm if you can park hop any way????

 

[mikalkwin]

I'm trying to understand why it matters that we didn't tap in at first park if it's after 2:00 & park hopping can occur?

It doesn't matter to us. But it is a Disney rule. Probably made to discourage hopping behaviour like not going to the first park and only hopping to 2nd park. It probably has the same logistical reasons behind the fact that they might introduce park reservations timeslots (morning, afternoon, evening) for AP.

 

[nursejackie]

Please can I just check if anyone knows this, can you cancel a park reservation AFTER the park has opened? I'm just thinking if we have one of those late nights and just can't be bothered in the morning, if it was possible to cancel it. I don't fancy running into the same problem as the first post.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I'm trying to understand why it matters that we didn't tap in at first park if it's after 2:00 & park hopping can occur?

For the park annual attendance numbers? Maybe they don't want one park looking really bad?

I mean, that's the only "somewhat sensible" reason...the only other thing I can come up with is they want to make hopping even more difficult and discourage you from coming at all if you don't come to your park early...

 

[mikalkwin]

Please can I just check if anyone knows this, can you cancel a park reservation AFTER the park has opened? I'm just thinking if we have one of those late nights and just can't be bothered in the morning, if it was possible to cancel it. I don't fancy running into the same problem as the first post.

Yes, you can cancel day of. I have seen it on a YT videos I watched to plan my future vacations.

 

[mikalkwin]

For the park annual attendance numbers? Maybe they don't want one park looking really bad?

I mean, that's the only "somewhat sensible" reason...the only other thing I can come up with is they want to make hopping even more difficult and discourage you from coming at all if you don't come to your park early...

This. I'd bet on it.

 

[Ansky]

It doesn't make sense. At least not to guests. It is just a Disney rule for whatever reason they have.