Epcot after hours event Fri Apr 20?

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Anyone happen to know what this is? CM I asked at the resort didn't know -- just curious!

With some of us getting up before 4am for a 10K tomorrow, doesn't feel like the most awesome time for "noise impacts". But we'll live!

 

[FastPasser.]

It's a private Illuminations show sponsored by a large American corporation.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

It's a private Illuminations show sponsored by a large American corporation.

Ok cool — thanks!!

I should have known that you would know immediately!

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Woke me up at 11:30. I always have a hard time falling back to sleep so was up for over an hour -- then alarm at 3:30am. I will share my two cents with Disney re: their incredibly considerate planning... for what it's worth (most probably not much / nothing... I know...). :-/

But we finished the 10K and are off to DHS -- all looking up from here... until the half tomorrow!

 

[1lilspark]

Did you get a notice about one tonight too cause leaving park and it looks like a high school prom is happening

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Did you get a notice about one tonight too cause leaving park and it looks like a high school prom is happening

Good point... I just saw the same thing! I just got back to Boardwalk from Epcot.

Nope — no other notice. I might call the front desk to check...

 

[FastPasser.]

Did you get a notice about one tonight too cause leaving park and it looks like a high school prom is happening

That's correct, it's a Prom for 500 people. There won't be a pyrotechnic noise issue because I don't see a private Illuminations show on the schedule. As you can imagine it's very expensive. It's dinner and dancing.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

That's correct, it's a Prom for 500 people. There won't be a pyrotechnic noise issue because I don't see a private Illuminations show on the schedule. As you can imagine it's very expensive. It's dinner and dancing.

Thanks @FastPasser!!

Just now heard back from someone at the front desk who assured us of the same. First person I spoke with said they didn’t see last night’s event on the calendar, so they had someone else call me back. Lovely CMs both, and I’ll include that in my survey.

Second CM urged me to include any feedback I had on the scheduling of this event on the eve of a race in the survey I’ll receive.

CMs have been fantastic so far on this trip — as always! It is so, SO the exception any time I’ve had a less than stellar encounter.

 

[FastPasser.]

Thanks First person I spoke with said they didn’t see last night’s event on the calendar

And had it been on their calendar, then what? The average CM at the Front Desk probably wouldn't have known about the event, but managers at the Epcot resorts knew months ago that it was going to happen, thus the notice. In spite of some guests complaints, if that same company wants to have their event at the same time next year, I doubt Disney is going to say no. The private Illuminations show was just a small part of a large and elaborate event and that means huge $$$$$. I don't know how many resort guests were inconvenienced, but it's much easier for Disney to deal with them afterwards than to turn away a huge and very important corporate partner.

 

[focusondisney]

While I am not totally unsympathetic OP, I am on the other side of the issue. We were in a YC club level water view room for marathon weekend a few years ago. We were woken up by the fireworks that went off as the race started at 4:30, I believe. And I didn’t get back to sleep after that either. And then at 8am literally sat, not moving on a bus for 45 minutes, got dropped off at the offsite bus drop off, had to take the boat & missed rope drop at MK by almost an hour because of the marathon. Oh well.

So I was in a deluxe resort in one of their most expensive rooms & also did not get any notice that there would be fireworks going off in the extreme early morning hours nor any compensation for the inconvenience other guests have because of the marathon. Nor did I expect any. I understand I didn’t put in the physical exertion of a marathon, but I did have my expensive vacation affected by another group’s event. Could I go a different weekend? Sure, but I can’t go back 60 + years in time & change my husband’s birthday. If he wants Disney for his birthday, that’s when we go.

Disney does what it wants as far as these kind of things. It makes one group happy while it makes money off them but others may be inconvenienced at the same time. Just pointing out the other side of the coin.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

In spite of some guests complaints, if that same company wants to have their event at the same time next year, I doubt Disney is going to say no. The private Illuminations show was just a small part of a large and elaborate event and that means huge $$$$$. I don't know how many resort guests were inconvenienced, but it's much easier for Disney to deal with them afterwards than to turn away a huge and very important corporate partner.

I have no doubt that it’s easier for Disney to just deal with any flack afterwards! And I’d assume they’d do it again. Cost/benefit — for them as a company.

They still should hear that it is incredibly inconsiderate of guests who paid a pretty penny to stay at those hotels, plus races, plus everything else a Disney trip entails.

Was there literally NO OTHER DAY they could schedule it, or did they not bother trying? I suspect the latter, but either way, they’re getting my feedback.

The manager’s little notice invited any questions!! Mine is whether they might try considering this next time, and the answer will be “blah, blah, blah”, but as my mother used to say, “it’s the principle of the thing.” And the CM I spoke with urged me to include the feedback in my survey — as I said. I don’t see any reason not to!

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

While I am not totally unsympathetic OP, I am on the other side of the issue. We were in a YC club level water view room for marathon weekend a few years ago. We were woken up by the fireworks that went off as the race started at 4:30, I believe. And I didn’t get back to sleep after that either. And then at 8am literally sat, not moving on a bus for 45 minutes, got dropped off at the offsite bus drop off, had to take the boat & missed rope drop at MK by almost an hour because of the marathon. Oh well.

So I was in a deluxe resort in one of their most expensive rooms & also did not get any notice that there would be fireworks going off in the extreme early morning hours nor any compensation for the inconvenience other guests have because of the marathon. Nor did I expect any. I understand I didn’t put in the physical exertion of a marathon, but I did have my expensive vacation affected by another group’s event. Could I go a different weekend? Sure, but I can’t go back 60 + years in time & change my husband’s birthday. If he wants Disney for his birthday, that’s when we go.

Disney does what it wants as far as these kind of things. It makes one group happy while it makes money off them but others may be inconvenienced at the same time. Just pointing out the other side of the coin.

Also not ok. They should have told you when you booked it at all possible. They have these race dates set pretty far in advance. A notice in the room is just short of useless.

Bottom line is that the notice should come in enough time for you to adjust your plans/accommodations if you wish. If they knew about this corporate event a month ago, they should have emailed guests with reservations. Wouldn’t kill them.

And I know well that “Disney does what it wants”! They should still have to deal with feedback when what it wants impacts someone’s trip.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

And had it been on their calendar, then what?

Only mentioned that to explain why they had to talk to someone else to get the answer about yesterday — if they didn’t know about that first party they wouldn’t know whether there was one yesterday either. I was not at all surprised that someone at the front desk wouldn’t know — that was my natural starting point. :thumbsup2 I’ve been dealing with Disney for 15yrs — I mostly get how they function. ;)