Disappointed in Easter Week hours

[BigAlsGal]

They'll extend the hours.

 

[xray2001]

They'll extend the hours.

We are going Easter week, March 25th-April 1st. I was glad to see 8am openings for my Magic Kingdom days, but I am still hoping for 7am EMHs. Without those, it is gonna be crazy! If they don't add those it will probably be a long time before I go back. It is crazy how they are making so many cuts and raising the prices. We are staying off property in a condo this time. Staying on property is not worth it. I can't imagine how packed the buses will be. The last time we did buses we always waited 25min to an hour just to find a crowded bus with no seats! If they are going to add or change hour again, they better hurry! We leave in 17days! I am ready to get my itinerary finalized! I don't know why they added 7 30 BOG because with 8 am openings that does no good at all.

 

[focusondisney]

We are going Easter week, March 25th-April 1st. I was glad to see 8am openings for my Magic Kingdom days, but I am still hoping for 7am EMHs. Without those, it is gonna be crazy! If they don't add those it will probably be a long time before I go back. It is crazy how they are making so many cuts and raising the prices. We are staying off property in a condo this time. Staying on property is not worth it. I can't imagine how packed the buses will be. The last time we did buses we always waited 25min to an hour just to find a crowded bus with no seats! If they are going to add or change hour again, they better hurry! We leave in 17days! I am ready to get my itinerary finalized! I don't know why they added 7 30 BOG because with 8 am openings that does no good at all.

Sorry, I'm not sure why you are wanting EMH if you're staying offsite?

 

[Robo]

I don't know why they added 7 30 BOG because with 8 am openings that does no good at all.

Guests who have a 7:30AM ADR would be admitted into MK (even if MK was not yet open to regular guests) in time to go to that restaurant.

 

[GPC0321]

We are going Easter week, March 25th-April 1st. I was glad to see 8am openings for my Magic Kingdom days, but I am still hoping for 7am EMHs. Without those, it is gonna be crazy! If they don't add those it will probably be a long time before I go back. It is crazy how they are making so many cuts and raising the prices. We are staying off property in a condo this time. Staying on property is not worth it. I can't imagine how packed the buses will be. The last time we did buses we always waited 25min to an hour just to find a crowded bus with no seats! If they are going to add or change hour again, they better hurry! We leave in 17days! I am ready to get my itinerary finalized! I don't know why they added 7 30 BOG because with 8 am openings that does no good at all.

I hate to break it to you, but EMH are only for guests who are staying on site. So 7am EMH would do you no good anyway.
A 7:30 BOG means you get into the park before the 8am rope drop crowd.

 

[fbarker]

We are going Easter week, March 25th-April 1st. I was glad to see 8am openings for my Magic Kingdom days, but I am still hoping for 7am EMHs. Without those, it is gonna be crazy! If they don't add those it will probably be a long time before I go back. It is crazy how they are making so many cuts and raising the prices. We are staying off property in a condo this time. Staying on property is not worth it. I can't imagine how packed the buses will be. The last time we did buses we always waited 25min to an hour just to find a crowded bus with no seats! If they are going to add or change hour again, they better hurry! We leave in 17days! I am ready to get my itinerary finalized! I don't know why they added 7 30 BOG because with 8 am openings that does no good at all.

Hi, i am just a bit confused or maybe I don't understand EMH's. You are saying you are hoping for EMH but then you say you are staying offsite. How could you take advantage of EMH if you are offsite.? Would you change where you are staying from offsite to onsite? I would assume that would be quite expensive to do at this late date.

 

[BigAlsGal]

Sorry, I'm not sure why you are wanting EMH if you're staying offsite?

Was thinking the same thing.

 

[mom2rtk]

They'll extend the hours.

I think that was the obvious answer in years past. However, the recent budget cuts announced mere weeks before hitting peak crowds has left a lot of people scratching their heads and wondering, especially since in years past the hours would have been extended already (this close to Easter).

 

[prestoncaldwell]

We are going Easter week, March 25th-April 1st. I was glad to see 8am openings for my Magic Kingdom days, but I am still hoping for 7am EMHs. Without those, it is gonna be crazy! If they don't add those it will probably be a long time before I go back. It is crazy how they are making so many cuts and raising the prices. We are staying off property in a condo this time. Staying on property is not worth it. I can't imagine how packed the buses will be. The last time we did buses we always waited 25min to an hour just to find a crowded bus with no seats! If they are going to add or change hour again, they better hurry! We leave in 17days! I am ready to get my itinerary finalized! I don't know why they added 7 30 BOG because with 8 am openings that does no good at all.

I think 7:30 AM BOG with 8 AM public opening would do an enormous amount of good if we eat quick. If they go to 7 AM EMH or 8 AM EMH we're sunk and I'll cancel the ADR.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

The hours would have been extended by now. At MK the entire park goes straight to 7DMT leaving the park that early wide open. It made staying onsite worth the price, no 7AM EMH is going to make 9 AM RD worthless.

 

[prestoncaldwell]

The hours would have been extended by now. At MK the entire park goes straight to 7DMT leaving the park that early wide open. It made staying onsite worth the price, no 7AM EMH is going to make 9 AM RD worthless.

I think that depends on your perspective. We'll be second class citizens (staying non-Disney), so EMH, to us, makes RD worthless, where if there is no EMH, we actually have a shot to show up early and be toward the front of the wave of humanity following the rope. That would give us at least one short wait. If EMH, even if we are first behind the rope, this gives us the distinction of being the first second class citizens to join the already-established queue. In August 2014, I took DD to Disneyland at opening, rushed to the makeshift Meet Anna & Elsa attraction they had popped up, and waited 4 hours in that line with her because they had EMH that morning. When a 5 year old princess wants to meet Anna and Elsa, you wait in line, there is no "let's do something else and try later".

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I think that depends on your perspective. We'll be second class citizens (staying non-Disney), so EMH, to us, makes RD worthless, where if there is no EMH, we actually have a shot to show up early and be toward the front of the wave of humanity following the rope. That would give us at least one short wait. If EMH, even if we are first behind the rope, this gives us the distinction of being the first second class citizens to join the already-established queue. In August 2014, I took DD to Disneyland at opening, rushed to the makeshift Meet Anna & Elsa attraction they had popped up, and waited 4 hours in that line with her because they had EMH that morning. When a 5 year old princess wants to meet Anna and Elsa, you wait in line, there is no "let's do something else and try later".

The crush of people at 9AM will be staggering. You would need to arrive at least 2 hours before opening which is NOT fun for younger children.

We were heading to the Contemporary via MK from BC and there were more people waiting than two buses could manage at 7:15 AM and it was a free for all to get on. The worst of human behavior with people pushing, shoving and cutting through families. This was with a 7AM opening, a 9AM opening would overwhelm the transportation system and I can't imagine what the bus stops will look like. This will be beyond a disaster.

 

[Love Tink]

When a 5 year old princess wants to meet Anna and Elsa, you wait in line, there is no "let's do something else and try later".

For my family, there would absolutely be a heaping serving of "let's do something else and try later."

 

[prestoncaldwell]

For my family, there would absolutely be a heaping serving of "let's do something else and try later."

In fairness, we had no idea it would be 4 hours. We were told 2.5.

 

[gdrj]

Does the recent appearance of early (7:30-7:40 AM) BOG ADR availability in the week leading up to Easter foreshadow a park hours expansion?

We had 8:10 AM reservations on the 21st. 7:30 is now available. I think that says the Park hours will be extended from 9AM to 8AM, though the website still shows 9.

 

[Sarabi's Cubs]

I thought that the MK park hours already had been changed to an 8am opening time for the week of March 28? I thought I read that on another thread on this board recently, although I could be mistaken because I do not see that on the official site.

Laurie

 

[gdrj]

I thought that the MK park hours already had been changed to an 8am opening time for the week of March 28? I thought I read that on another thread on this board recently, although I could be mistaken because I do not see that on the official site.

Laurie

They are but not the week prior to Easter according to the Disney World website.

 

[Sarabi's Cubs]

They are but not the week prior to Easter according to the Disney World website.

Thanks!

Laurie

 

[gdrj]

I think that was the obvious answer in years past. However, the recent budget cuts announced mere weeks before hitting peak crowds has left a lot of people scratching their heads and wondering, especially since in years past the hours would have been extended already (this close to Easter).

Besides budget cuts and the reduction of EMH's over the past few years, I wonder if trying to staff the parks for the extended time is also part of the issue?

 

[GPC0321]

Right now we've got a 7:45am BOG on a day with a 9am opening (Saturday before Easter). So, I guess it can go one of three ways for us:
1. Things stay as they are and we're deep in the park and ready to roll well before the RD crowds arrive.
2. MK changes to 8am opening and we're still eating when the RD crowds come swarming in.
3. MK changes to 8am opening with 7am EMH, and we'll get in before our ADR, hit Peter Pan on the way to BOG, and head to the less mobbed attractions after breakfast and before our FP+.

It'll work out. I'm not sweating it.