December January & February Park Hours Update Watch/Discussion

[WinnieAndMinnie17]

I use either Disney’s website or the app.

Any chance we see any more updated hours today or this week or is my week 11/4-11/10 pretty much set with all 9am starts?

 

[carimar]

Last year, a “second wave” of December updates occurred Friday 11/16... FWIW.

Do you happen to recall if that update included the week of New Years as well? I'm hoping that will be lumped in as a "Winter break" update and not a January update that I have to wait until mid-December for!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Do you happen to recall if that update included the week of New Years as well? I'm hoping that will be lumped in as a "Winter break" update and not a January update that I have to wait until mid-December for!

I have in my notes that it was “December through 1/5”, so hopefully that helps. My memory is that the October update had some light/medium December additions and then the November update saw another round of edits that got things closer to ‘normal’ December hours.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Any chance we see any more updated hours today or this week or is my week 11/4-11/10 pretty much set with all 9am starts?

Anything is possible - and I’m personally surprised at those Nov hours - but I’d peg it as not all that likely.

 

[Rach3975]

Any chance we see any more updated hours today or this week or is my week 11/4-11/10 pretty much set with all 9am starts?

I'm wondering the same for 11/3-11/5. Earlier in this thread and in another I'm watching, some people who are a lot more Disney savvy than I am were surprised about 11/3 not being extended in the most recent update and said they wouldn't be shocked if that changed between now and then. No idea if it will happen or which days will be impacted, but it sounds like there's at least a little hope. I'd love an 8 am HS open on 11/5, but I don't know how likely a weekday change is.

 

[carimar]

I have in my notes that it was “December through 1/5”, so hopefully that helps. My memory is that the October update had some light/medium December additions and then the November update saw another round of edits that got things closer to ‘normal’ December hours.

AWESOME!! Thank you for being so organized and helpful, @GADisneyDad14

 

[WinnieAndMinnie17]

I'm wondering the same for 11/3-11/5. Earlier in this thread and in another I'm watching, some people who are a lot more Disney savvy than I am were surprised about 11/3 not being extended in the most recent update and said they wouldn't be shocked if that changed between now and then. No idea if it will happen or which days will be impacted, but it sounds like there's at least a little hope. I'd love an 8 am HS open on 11/5, but I don't know how likely a weekday change is.

Yeah I thought for at least a 8am start, was hoping to get lucky and grab a Morning SDD fastpass for 11/5 since at 60 days out there was nothing. Guess i'll just keep holding out hope! Ever do SDD without a fastpass? We did it one time last november during thanksgiving and it was like a 140minutes!! Any trick to it?

 

[Christine]

Yeah I thought for at least a 8am start, was hoping to get lucky and grab a Morning SDD fastpass for 11/5 since at 60 days out there was nothing. Guess i'll just keep holding out hope! Ever do SDD without a fastpass? We did it one time last november during thanksgiving and it was like a 140minutes!! Any trick to it?

I believe, just as with Flight of Passage, the trick is to go at park closing. If you don't have a FP, don't do rope drop, that's the best way to do it. If you can stay out at night, it's honestly preferable to me than doing the whole "wait in the parking lot for an hour" rope drop thing.

 

[Rach3975]

Yeah I thought for at least a 8am start, was hoping to get lucky and grab a Morning SDD fastpass for 11/5 since at 60 days out there was nothing. Guess i'll just keep holding out hope! Ever do SDD without a fastpass? We did it one time last november during thanksgiving and it was like a 140minutes!! Any trick to it?

We did it last year the same week...I think it was Wednesday 11/7. We rope dropped it but got delayed while walking back to TSL when my son bumped into something and scraped his forehead. Ended up with an 80 minute wait, IIRC. Later in the day the posted wait was shorter (60 minutes an hour later, I think). Hopefully people who go more often will chime in, since that was my only time riding SDD. I'm guessing RD and end of the night are still the best strategies.

 

[WinnieAndMinnie17]

I believe, just as with Flight of Passage, the trick is to go at park closing. If you don't have a FP, don't do rope drop, that's the best way to do it. If you can stay out at night, it's honestly preferable to me than doing the whole "wait in the parking lot for an hour" rope drop thing.

Thanks, hows RD for this? alot of people on here say RD for TSL is insane because thats where the entire crowd is going lol, well mainly SDD.

 

[WinnieAndMinnie17]

We did it last year the same week...I think it was Wednesday 11/7. We rope dropped it but got delayed while walking back to TSL when my son bumped into something and scraped his forehead. Ended up with an 80 minute wait, IIRC. Later in the day the posted wait was shorter (60 minutes an hour later, I think). Hopefully people who go more often will chime in, since that was my only time riding SDD. I'm guessing RD and end of the night are still the best strategies.

Thanks, yeah we've only been to DHS one time before and we just waited for SDD. Was a nightmare and its the only ride ive ever waited longer then 60 minutes for. I refuse to wait for 7DMT, especially for like a 30 second ride lol. Was able to snag a FP for 7DMT on our christmas party day 11/8 luckily so no waiting for me!

 

[tlseege]

I rope dropped Slinky twice now and I've also done it at park close.
Rope drop, arrived 45 minutes before the park opened and was at the front of the heard. My daughter lost a flip flop in the battle (an adult stepped on her flip flop, and ripped it right off), but otherwise rope drop we walked right onto SDD both times. Park close, we waited 30 minutes. We loved both ride times.

 

[Christine]

Thanks, hows RD for this? alot of people on here say RD for TSL is insane because thats where the entire crowd is going lol, well mainly SDD.

That I don't know. I don't do rope drop anymore. If I have to spend 45 minutes in the parking lot, I don't want to do it. Rope drop didn't used to be that bad and I can't change with the times. I'm now a ride-at-park closing fan and I never used to stay late at the parks.

 

[writersblock]

First timer, think I’m happy with my plans, and we have FP for all of the big ticket rides. Pretty bummed no EMM or early openings for HS though. We are at Disney 8-18 November. At this point I’m so confused I’m about ready to be done with my plans (and I’m a huge planner!).

 

[disneydreamgirl]

We are in the parks November 10-15 each day and, while I was hoping to make adjustments that earlier hours would help with, at least plans can be solidified and the excitement of the trip starts. This trip is to celebrate my own milestone birthday...going to be fun.

 

[ErickaJean]

I just wanted to jump in so I can say how helpful these disboards are with threads like this. I am someone who reads through here almost every day before a trip but doesn't post much. I had no idea that they update hours like this and thanks to this thread was able to watch the hours change for a busy Thanksgiving week and grab a SDD that I could not get @ 60 days! THANKS!

 

[grannyminnie]

Wow! Dec. 2 MK park close dropped from 6 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. That must be a CM-only park evening.

 

[jo-jo]

Wow! Dec. 2 MK park close dropped from 6 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. That must be a CM-only park evening.

It's been at 4:30 for months.

And along with the parties, that makes 5 out of 7 days closing early. I'd like to see a few extra early morning hours and not ones we have to pay for.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

It's been at 4:30 for months.

Yeah, it's been 4:30 since that day was published at 180 days out.

 

[Nick6300]

That I don't know. I don't do rope drop anymore. If I have to spend 45 minutes in the parking lot, I don't want to do it. Rope drop didn't used to be that bad and I can't change with the times. I'm now a ride-at-park closing fan and I never used to stay late at the parks.

It's been a yr since we've RD TSL, but while we were at the front of the pack and able to walk on SDD as the 1st on, but we had to wait more than 45 min prior to park opening. I want to say we were let in like 30 min early to be held at Sunset Blvd so we were out there a long time prior. Now with Smuggler's, it seems like guests going for SDD 1st would have better luck since most headed to GE. The last times we did last ride for SDD, it was still like posted 35 min and actually less, but I think it would be even better now with it being less new and GE open.

I don't know about everyone else, but I'm assuming guests attending the opening few days of RoTR Dec 5-7 (us) is probably going to have to RD instead of last ride. Just guessing, but I'd think it'd be too popular to expect to get in line at the end of the night and not still be too busy? At least until it's less new? I know Smuggler's has been only about 15 min for last ride, especially single rider... but Smuggler's is going to be less popular than RotR, been out for 6 weeks, and it's fall and not by near Thanksgiving/Pop Warner. Does anyone have any thoughts on RD vs. last ride in early Dec for RotR?