Disappointed in Easter Week hours

[MaryKatesMom]

We've gone for several years over Easter week and with MK opening every day at 8AM and 7AM for Early EMH it has been manageable. I remember one year the water parks had an EMH every day.

Usually as it draws closer, they will add hours which they did on a couple of weeks ago but it was so little as to be worthless.

Here is what easywdw had to say:

The additions and extensions are surprisingly light considering we’re talking about peak season pricing at the resorts for spring break from March 4th to the 19th and then Easter season begins on March 20th, with some of the highest resort prices and heaviest crowds of the entire year from March 20th to April 2nd. We don’t see any days where Disney has added a second Electrical Parade and they have also neglected to add a second Fantasmic on any date up until March 20th. That’s a major departure from what we’ve seen in past years.

In 2015, Main Street Electrical Parade was scheduled 62 times in March. This year, it’s scheduled 31 times. In 2015, Fantasmic was scheduled 62 times. This year, it’s scheduled 43 times. In 2015, we saw 32 regular 8am opens. In 2016, we see zero. In 2015, Magic Kingdom hosted morning Extra Magic hour on 13 straight days starting a week before Easter and continuing for a week after. This year, we have just the two total that would be scheduled any other week during the year.

In the comments it was pointed out that staffing and all non-profit extra's have been cut back this year because of Shanghai Disney being so over budget. Other threads have mentioned staffing cuts that have already taken place.

So much capacity has been reduced in Epcot and DHS making MK even more attractive, not to mention that FP+ are much more useful in MK than the other parks because there is simply more availability. Historically high crowds have been reported and then to reduce MK's hours from previous years?! Where are they going to put all these people?

I know it is crowded at Easter so why are they making it worse?

Does Disney think we won't notice or that we will continue to come regardless?

 

[mom2rtk]

Maybe they're hoping we will all be excited for the guests at Shanghai.

 

[soniam]

I understand the disappointment. We are going the week before the week of Good Friday. I had thought a few weeks ago that hours would be extended, but once the cuts starting coming out, I suspected that wouldn't happen. It's strange, because we went at the same time last year, 3/17-21, and they had extended hours. It wasn't even as close to Easter last year as it is this year. Oh well, we will manage and still have a good time. Hope your trip is good.

 

[mousegear]

We are also going for a week right before Easter.... 3/19~3/25 to be exact. I thought that as we get closer to the date, extra hours and EMH will be added along with extra MSEP and Fantastic. It's disappointing but I am pretty sure, we will have a great vacation. I just wanted to note that there are early morning like 7:30am BOG ADRs added. Maybe they are trying to accommodate high demand for early BOG ADRs or maybe they are going to open MK at 8 AM. Who knows?

 

[Eastern]

I am guessing that they will add more hours as it gets closer to the date.

 

[mshanson3121]

I am guessing that they will add more hours as it gets closer to the date.

I doubt it. Normally the extra hours would be added by now. It's less than two weeks out.

I don't understand what they're thinking. One of, in fact, probably the main "perks" of staying on site is the EMH. If they start taking those away, I can see more people opting to stay off site, given how much cheaper it is. I mean, who really cares if you're saving 20$ a day on parking, when you're saving $50 (or far more) a day on your hotel room? Who cares if you're saving that $60 for Magic Bands for your family, when you're saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars, by saving off-site? I mean, even the 60 day FP+ isn't really a draw, since you can easily get around that by booking a throwaway room. And really, even at 30 days, aside from maybe a couple attractions, there's normally not any problem booking FP.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I don't know what they are thinking.

 

[mom2rtk]

I don't know what they are thinking.

I bet you do know what they're thinking. $$$$$$$

 

[bryanb]

I have not seen actual evidence, other than the usual rumors, conjecture, and innuendo, that park hours have anything to do with Shanghai. Remember that park hours actually create revenue, not just expense. The longer the parks are open, the more money people spend per hour on food and merchandise. If Disney can make more money by lengthening park hours, they're supposed to do that.

Perhaps they have decided that people don't spend a lot of money during EMH? Which would really be a shame because that could dilute the entire on-site experience for families who like to wake up early and get a head start on the crowds!

WDW is responsible for maximizing its own profitability. So if there's a problem with decision making, I wouldn't be so quick to conclude that they're saving money for Shanghai. In any large corporation, every business unit is measured on its own.

You don't steal money from one pocket in order to put it in another pocket -- especially not one where the other pocket has a big hole in it where most of the profits funnel directly to the Chinese government. Remember that Disney only owns 43% of Shanghai Disney, putting up relatively little cash and bringing most of its value in terms of intellectual property, operations expertise, design, etc. The controlling stake of 57% is owned by Shanghai Shendi, a 100% state owned corporation of the Chinese government.

 

[KateP85]

Does Disney think we won't notice or that we will continue to come regardless?

That's exactly what they think. Some people won't notice, especially first timers. Most people will continue to come regardless. For every person that says that they are scaling back their Disney vacations for one reason or another, there is another person who maintains that Disney is still awesome and they will come regardless.

 

[mom2rtk]

That's exactly what they think. Some people won't notice, especially first timers. Most people will continue to come regardless. For every person that says that they are scaling back their Disney vacations for one reason or another, there is another person who maintains that Disney is still awesome and they will come regardless.

It's too late for most to cancel for this year. But I'm sure many of those on the short end of it this year will think long and hard before returning during a peak week again.

 

[Eastern]

I can't imagine them not having EMH every day at MK, the week before and the week after, Easter. It gets mad crowded these two weeks.

 

[Eastern]

It's too late for most to cancel for this year. But I'm sure many of those on the short end of it this year will think long and hard before returning during a peak week again.

I have already ruled out peak weeks, mostly due to the unbelievably high prices for rooms onsite. Previously, we have gone twice during Easter week, and twice during Christmas/NYE. The last two years we went after the holidays in January.

Maybe it's a way for them to redistribute crowds, along with having blackout dates on the APs. There are just too many people there during holiday periods, and they just keep showing up!

 

[mom2rtk]

I have already ruled out peak weeks, mostly due to the unbelievably high prices for rooms onsite. Previously, we have gone twice during Easter week, and twice during Christmas/NYE. The last two years we went after the holidays in January.

Maybe it's a way for them to redistribute crowds, along with having blackout dates on the APs. There are just too many people there during holiday periods, and they just keep showing up!

By ticking off their customers willing to pay those prices? Yeah, that might just redistribute them to a Caribbean island somewhere next spring break.

 

[Eastern]

By ticking off their customers willing to pay those prices? Yeah, that might just redistribute them to a Caribbean island somewhere next spring break.

I really can't see them not having EMH every day during those weeks. Disney is greedy but that is insane.

 

[prestoncaldwell]

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?

 

[HM]

Maybe they will add hours on the day of, extending the night. I've been there several times when that's been announced. Of course that does no good for planners.

 

[mom2rtk]

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?

Who knows? But it does foreshadow them recognizing they can make more money off of those peak crowds.

 

[AnnaKat]

Disney not having the typical EMH during a peak season tells me that they don't care about the guest experience. So maybe they are looking to phase out EMH during non-peak seasons!! They could turn EMH into a benefit for the highest priced seasons for on-site guests--so that when they roll out tiered multiple-day Tix, they can try to make you feel like it's worth paying peak season multiple-day Tix prices just to get 2-3 mornings of EMH for a 7-day Tix!

 

[prestoncaldwell]

Who knows? But it does foreshadow them recognizing they can make more money off of those peak crowds.

Just seems to me that if they are offering a 7:30 BOG, but not planning to open until 9, it doesn't match up.....