Can't plan or strategize as easily as we should because...

[captain america 2003]

the biggest problem is that Disney wants us to plan our entire trip 6 months out if we want to eat at TS restaurants we like (supposedly so they can staff the parks accordingly) but they don't give us "real" park hours until about a month before our trip . This forces many to make multiple dining reservations for the same day because they don't know what park they'll be in that day (big reason why there is so little availability) . Then 60 days out we have to decide which park we want to be in on which days so we can make FP reservations ...even though many times we still don't have final park hours ! So then we scramble trying to get reservations for the restaurants we want at the times we want . Then try and get FP's for attractions we couldn't get initially . All the while trying to work around parades , shows, and fireworks times . This is just crazy . Too much time and effort for a lot of people who either don't have the time and/or the desire to plan what could and should be a fun and easy vacation . How about this Disney...give us your final park hours FIRST...about 60 - 90 days before and then 30 - 60 days out allow resort guests access to make ADR's...and finally 15 -30 days before open the FP reservations for resort guests . For guests staying off property cut all of those timeframes in half (similar to what you do now ) . I think this would solve many issues and problems people are having with planning there trips and thus make the whole planning experience less time consuming and stressful for so many .

 

[WDWFan4ever]

I get what you are saying but Disney never decreases hours only increases them so it never effects dinner or lunch plans. If it is that stressful don't plan reservations for breakfast and, personally, I wouldn't waste park time when wait times are low on a sit down breakfast anyway. Make a plan and stick with it.

I look at it as bonus time in the park

 

[loves to dive]

If you must plan (we don't) just go with the published hours. Any extra hours they put in for open or close will just be bonus.

 

[luvsJack]

Are you planning character breakfasts for before park opening? That is irritating when you have it planned and they change to an earlier opening.

And I don’t know about others but when Dd was little, those character meals were as special as any early morning park hours.

So yeah, in that respect, I agree. Set a time at some point and stick with it.