Clearing MK before a party

[Robo]

And no one would have noticed.

If you didn't have a party wristband and you stayed in MK and strolled the park much after 7PM, it is very likely they would have noticed.

 

[Planogirl]

Why take away something that the partygoers get just to catch cheaters? Also, like others have said, where would you put all of the partygoers while they clean out the park?

 

[Robo]

Why take away something that the partygoers get just to catch cheaters? Also, like others have said, where would you put all of the partygoers while they clean out the park?

They actually used to send them all to Tomorrowland. (No, I'm not kidding.)
The guests would wait there for the rest of the park to be emptied of non-party guests.

Now, they sell far too many tickets for that many guests to fit in T-Land.

 

[Planogirl]

They actually used to send them all to Tomorrowland. (No, I'm not kidding.)
The guests would wait there for the rest of the park to be emptied of non-party guests.

Now, they sell far too many tickets for that many guests to fit in T-Land.

They sell far too many tickets for the whole park but that's another discussion. It's a riot to think of people being packed into Tomorrowland.

 

[Princess Melody]

I am here now & accidentally booked a BOG reservation for 6:00 before I realized it was a party night. I personally was panicked because I'm a true rule follower. I was out of the park by 6:59 (whew!) but I could have stayed for the parade & other specials & no on

And no one would have noticed. But I'm not one of " those " people who would have taken advantage of the situation. I did enjoy seeing everyone in their costumes!

I completely disagree with this. I was at MK tonight with my little one. Around 6:35 we got in line for Peter Pan. By the time we got off the ride it was a little after 7. At that point they were checking wristbands before letting people get in line for the ride. Went towards stroller parking by the Rapunzel bathrooms to retrieve our stroller & toddler started doing the potty dance. As I took her into the bathroom I was stopped by a cast member standing with a manager near the entrance and very politely told the park was closed & after we left the bathroom we would only be able to exit one direction. There was a cast member in the female restroom actively checking it & reporting on a radio how many people without wristbands remained. When we left the restroom nobody followed or escorted us but there were cast members blocking certain paths strategically and checking wristbands as we walked out. We had to exit out the back way behind Main St because nobody without a wristband was being allowed anywhere near the hub. It was about 7:30 by the time we finally got out of the park but I think they did a great job getting people without wristbands out!

 

[Nancyg56]

I completely disagree with this. I was at MK tonight with my little one. Around 6:35 we got in line for Peter Pan. By the time we got off the ride it was a little after 7. At that point they were checking wristbands before letting people get in line for the ride. Went towards stroller parking by the Rapunzel bathrooms to retrieve our stroller & toddler started doing the potty dance. As I took her into the bathroom I was stopped by a cast member standing with a manager near the entrance and very politely told the park was closed & after we left the bathroom we would only be able to exit one direction. There was a cast member in the female restroom actively checking it & reporting on a radio how many people without wristbands remained. When we left the restroom nobody followed or escorted us but there were cast members blocking certain paths strategically and checking wristbands as we walked out. We had to exit out the back way behind Main St because nobody without a wristband was being allowed anywhere near the hub. It was about 7:30 by the time we finally got out of the park but I think they did a great job getting people without wristbands out!

That is how it worked every time my family went to a party. We always tried to have an early dinner in the park so that we were done in plenty of time to enjoy the party. We always noticed that CM's checked for bands starting at 7PM and refused to allow entry to stores if a guest was not wearing one. I also noticed CM's circulating the stores to makw sure guests without bands knew they needed to pay for their purchases and then leave.

 

[anniemae]

Whatever happened to the reports of CM's linking arms and walking down main street "sweeping" people without bands out of the park? I swear I read that here, but maybe I am crazy?

 

[philharmagic fan]

We've been to Magic Kingdom on party days without tickets, and we always leave before 6:30 because we don't belong there in the evening and aren't the type to try to cheat the system. It's a pretty sad commentary on human nature that this problem exists.

 

[mom2rtk]

We've been to Magic Kingdom on party days without tickets, and we always leave before 6:30 because we don't belong there in the evening and aren't the type to try to cheat the system. It's a pretty sad commentary on human nature that this problem exists.

Staying between 6:30 and 7 isn't cheating the system.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I can't even imagine what bag check would look like between 6:30 and 7, or where people who had been through bag check but were waiting to enter would even wait. And I can't imagine what it would cost them in lost dining revenue.

Disney knows how to handle this. They have done it successfully many many times before. They dropped the ball the night of the first party. They need to not drop the ball.

BINGO we have a winner. Disney will NOT do this again because they don't want to give up $$$ to increase your guest experience. They don't care if you don't enjoy the party as much because they have your $$$$

It was done for years and it was not a nightmare. They need to go back to doing this RIGHT to make the guest experience better. I quit paying for parties after one where everyone around me at the parade was 'freeloading" . I don't enjoy being charged for what others get for free so I just don't go any longer.

(This problem is dramatically worse at the Christmas parties as it's cold so the CMs can't just "see" your wristband under you clothing. And it's EASY to avoid the "checking"!)

 

[Nancyg56]

We've been to Magic Kingdom on party days without tickets, and we always leave before 6:30 because we don't belong there in the evening and aren't the type to try to cheat the system. It's a pretty sad commentary on human nature that this problem exists.

Guests are welcome to experience anything they care to before 7 PM. They are allowed to walk into a restaurant with a 6:55 ADR, have a leisurely meal and then are escorted to teh gates. They can step into line at 6:55 and are able to go onto that last attraction without being harassed to leave. No one who is in the park and participating in any given activity before 7 PM is cheating any system. They are enjoying what they paid for. The sad commentary is from those who feel that people should are enjoying activities that Disney clearly has allowed them to do are cheaters. They are not.

 

[rajak73]

BINGO we have a winner. Disney will NOT do this again because they don't want to give up $$$ to increase your guest experience. They don't care if you don't enjoy the party as much because they have your $$$$

It was done for years and it was not a nightmare. They need to go back to doing this RIGHT to make the guest experience better. I quit paying for parties after one where everyone around me at the parade was 'freeloading" . I don't enjoy being charged for what others get for free so I just don't go any longer.

(This problem is dramatically worse at the Christmas parties as it's cold so the CMs can't just "see" your wristband under you clothing. And it's EASY to avoid the "checking"!)

Not our experience at the MVMCP last December at all. We were headed to space mountain around 7:15 and a line of CM's were walking from space mountain and asked for wristbands before we could go. Also any of the cookie and hot chocolate locations, cm's outside of doors and you did not get in if you didn't have a wristband, and yes it was cold because we had jackets on, just had to pull up the sleeves. Edit to add, how did you know everyone around you as "freeloading"? You checking the party bands?

 

[ArwenMarie]

Isn't it possible that Disney is also selling more tickets making it more crowded?

 

[iheartglaciers]

Isn't it possible that Disney is also selling more tickets making it more crowded?

I think this is definitely happening.

 

[bjakmom]

Back in the day, shuffling party-goers into either Tomorrowland or, some years, Frontierland worked GREAT for us. Day guests were cleared from the rest of the park between 6 and 7 PM. LTT used to have the characters dressed in Halloween costumes after 6 and getting ADRs for dinner on those nights was like getting BOG is now. LOL It was great to have dinner from 6-7 and exit into a totally transformed (and quite empty) park. Or you could ride the rides in whatever land you were being 'held' in with relatively low lines until 7. We always loved it.

However, I don't see that being easy to do now. That was before they brought out the 'big' characters like 7 dwarves, Jack and Sally, or even Captain Jack (who was the huuuuge thing for a while and had very very long lines). The dash to those lines if they opened right at 7 would be CRAZY.
Pure and simple, Disney is selling waaay more tickets to these parties in order to meet demand. Clearly they started allowing day guests to stay until 7 to take advantage of the extra shopping/dining $$ those guests spend in that hour. I, personally, dislike that the start of the party is marred by this 'clearing' procedure - I just don't like the atmosphere of it myself - we have witnessed upset children being ushered out of party character lines crying - people being escorted out of the park, etc. I know they NEED TO GO, but I'm saying I miss the days when I didn't have to witness it and it wasn't a negative party of my party experience during the first hour. When the park reopened at 7 and you were released from the 'holding' land, it was so exciting and CALM and FUN.

Perhaps with the great increase since then in numbers, they could use 2 lands for 'holding' party goers from 6-7 and put the 'big' characters there to let people start lining up for them. But there are also very increased #s of guests who now enter at 4, so don't know if that many guests can even fit into 2 lands - but Disney knows. This is hardly new to them - IMO they are always pushing the limits to see how many guests they can squeeze in before they reach critical mass. Oh well, we all know Disney will not do anything unless ticket sales stop to drop - and that's not happening in great enough #s to affect them financially.

 

[Robo]

I, personally, dislike that the start of the party is marred by this 'clearing' procedure - I just don't like the atmosphere of it myself - we have witnessed upset children being ushered out of party character lines crying - people being escorted out of the park, etc. I know they NEED TO GO, but I'm saying I miss the days when I didn't have to witness it

I believe there's a phrase for that.

Out of sight…

 

[Robo]

Perhaps with the great increase since then in numbers, they could use 2 lands for 'holding' party goers from 6-7 and put the 'big' characters there to let people start lining up for them.

THEN, the problem would arise that they would have to start clearing out the "2 lands" by X time... before they can begin to stuff-in and bottle-up the party guests.
I don't see that as much of an improvement.

 

[wilkeliza]

I've never seen anyone with out a wrist band get through a party. I know it happens but I don't actively look for it. I enjoy my time and don't pay attention to others. I did have a friend try it one time and I told them that I would not be seen with them that night so if they were doing it to hang out they should buy a ticket. If not then it was on them if they got caught as I was going to do my own thing and not be anywhere near them while they tried it. Sure enough they got caught and were told to leave. We have always been checked and last year even before the parade started I noticed CMs checking wristbands of people who were waiting on main street. There was even a family that was being escorted out during the parade and cast members quickly walked them out and even blocked them from taking pictures or stopping for the parade. The family was pissed but the CM kept politely saying it was a ticketed event and with out a ticket or wrist band they could not allow them to experience the event.

 

[bjakmom]

I believe there's a phrase for that.

Out of sight…

Exactly, Robo! I don't want to be a part of that hour Disney has decided to start the party for party-goers and also clear the park of day guests - we have learned to try and be in the back of the park somewhere between 7 and 8. The few times we were on/around the Main St/Hub area during that 'turnover' hour, we really disliked it.

THEN, the problem would arise that they would have to start clearing out the "2 lands" by X time... before they can begin to stuff-in and bottle-up the party guests.
I don't see that as much of an improvement.

True, with the increase in #s of tickets sold and guests who now enter between 4-7, it might be too crowded for even 2 lands to work. X time for clearing would be 6 PM when the park used to close for day guests.

 

[rajak73]

THEN, the problem would arise that they would have to start clearing out the "2 lands" by X time... before they can begin to stuff-in and bottle-up the party guests.
I don't see that as much of an improvement.

And then I would have to hear the age old argument about how much I paid for my ticket! I'm not leaving until X time!! Disney owes me!