Confusion over ak late nights hours versus Epcot

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Let me start by saying that I love ak and I'm so excited for all the new nighttime stuff!

But I've been thinking about the hours lately and I just don't get it.

I think most of us can agree that disney operates to make a profit, perhaps even more so today than in years past.

So I'm just kind of stuck on the fact that ak is now staying open until 11 pm each night, even Mk doesn't even stay open that late sometimes.

What really confuses me though is Epcot. Epcot always closes at 9 except for a couple really busy days a year it stays open until 10 ( I'm not counting emh).

If you really think about it, Epcot should be the poster child for late openings and money making. No parks have more dining and bars than Epcot, yet Epcot closes at 9 every night. What gives? Am I the only one who thinks of how much money disney loses out on by closing world showcase at 9? Or am I missing something....

 

[joanchris]

I agree. We were there last week and would have loved to have stopped and gotten a drink or snack after illuminations, and not gone out with the masses, but there was nothing to stick around for. I'd love to have more time in World showcase in the evenings.

 

[wilkeliza]

Pretty sure Epcot closes early because of how it is staffed. World Showcase is almost exclusively ICPs and since Disney can only hire and house so many of them they don't have the capacity to have the park open much past 9. Even with EMH world showcase it pretty much closed so very few ICPs work those hours.

I couldn't imagine Epcot would be very profitible if it was just Future World since it makes most of its money from alcohol sales.

 

[soniam]

Also, I suspect World Showcase takes a lot of CMs to run as opposed to normal rides and food places. I wish it were open later though.

 

[hakepb]

I've often wondered why the independent restaurants don't demand later EPCOT hours.

But, unlike other outside restaurants, EPCOT will take ADR seating right before "closing" and then after your lengthy dinner you get the wonderful walk through an empty World Showcase at 1030p when EPCOT "closed" at 9p

 

[yulilin3]

I think it's the combination of number of CM needed to operate Epcot and traffic/bus control. Epcot is the highest capacity park in WDW, everyone leaving at the same time means they need a lot of buses. If it would to close later, closer to MK hours then there would be the need for more buses, more CM to operate them, etc

 

[Brancaneve]

I'm thinking it's because AK is the hottest park to be in during the summer months. By keeping it open late, many people will spend the evenings there while attending another park/water park/resort pool during the day.

 

[Accident]

Demand and crowds keep it opened. i've been at epcot when illluminations was at 9 and the park was opened until 11 and everyone still left.. There is no reason to keep the park opened later, most people leave and it probably operates at a loss...

AK at night is also going to be more demand at first with a new show (and a tiny theater). I think 11 is more to get 2 shows per night in than being opened until 11. within a year or two, it'll settle into what the demand really is for ak at night. I actually think this is going to help move crowds out of other parks at night making mk and hs (with new night show soon) more reasonable with crowds..

I dont' go to ak during summer and fall, it's just too hot and I will start to do some nights now..

 

[wilkeliza]

I've often wondered why the independent restaurants don't demand later EPCOT hours.

But, unlike other outside restaurants, EPCOT will take ADR seating right before "closing" and then after your lengthy dinner you get the wonderful walk through an empty World Showcase at 1030p when EPCOT "closed" at 9p

As an ex-Epcot CM that was the most annoying part of the job. Can't fault the guests but when even Soarin and Test Track are done cycling and you are still standing there waiting on people to finish a meal it is super annoying. Most nights we were force

 

[Accident]

As an ex-Epcot CM that was the most annoying part of the job. Can't fault the guests but when even Soarin and Test Track are done cycling and you are still standing there waiting on people to finish a meal it is super annoying. Most nights we were force

I loved being there for that last seating to walk out alone.. but I hated how it felt to eat at that meal for the same reason, I just felt in the way and wondered why they did adrs that late.

 

[wilkeliza]

I loved being there for that last seating to walk out alone.. but I hated how it felt to eat at that meal for the same reason, I just felt in the way and wondered why they did adrs that late.

Leaving at 10:30 and doing a steady yet leasurely walk out is fine. I experienced guests where it was 11 or later and they were still eating. Japan is the worst because they are one of the first TS restraunts in the clearing processs so when clear CMs get there around 10:10 they have to stand there until all guests leave. Then people want to walk back the other way and you have to polietly tell them no they can only go one way as thr other countries (America possibly Italy and Germany as well) are already closed closed for the night.