Epcot at 6:00 AM

[ravenclawtrekkie]

Are you our ticket expert since Figment passed away?
Off topic, but can you add days to the DVC 25 Anniversary ticket? I think I read it can only be upgraded to an AP. I would guess the price is not bridged. Is that correct? AP or nothing? Do you know if there is a "use by 2020" or some such date? I asked the question on the boards, and was told when I added it to MDE it would tell me. It does not show any date, so does that mean I can hold onto it for 20 years? Thank you.

I could never fill Cheshire Figment's shoes, but I do know a fair bit about tickets. The 25th anniversary DVC tickets are upgradeable, both with adding days and going to an AP, but since they were promotional tickets, they don't get price bridged. As far as I know, they're just like regular MYW tickets in that they don't expire until 14 days after their first use. I'd try and use them before 2030, though - that's the 'end date' currently in the computer for most tickets. I'm not sure what will happen then! (With any luck, we'll have a newer software for ticket sales by then...)

 

[DisneyWishes14]

6 am seems unlikely to me. I wouldn't mind seeing a combination of an 8 am EMH, some nights closing at 11 pm and perhaps an EMM option with two Tier 1's thrown in (FEA and TT would make the most sense, however, with TT weather-related closings, I don't know if they could really pull this off.)

 

[anniemae]

Wow that seems way too early. It would be cool to be there at that time though because I bet so many people would sleep in. One of my favorite times of the day at Disney is walking to the OPR (we stay at CBR) at 6:30 to get coffee. It is so peaceful and quiet.

I keep wondering if they will do the thing they do at MK, do a paid opening for a limited number of guests. I think it would sell like hot cakes.

 

[JimmyV]

For a company that is trying to reduce costs everywhere it can, paying all that extra labor costs just so that a few people can experience a 10 minute wait on one or two attractions makes no sense at all. Even with all of the buzz about FEA, the park would be a virtual ghost town between 6:00-7:30. And park opening time is just the beginning of an operational nightmare. WDW would have to adjust (add) transportation hours, security hours, dining venue hours, etc. It's not as if they can simply open the gates two hours earlier. They have to get people to the park, feed them at their resorts. Screen them for contraband. I can't see any of these extra hours being paid out for the couple hundred people who want to get to the park by 5:45.

 

[Robo]

Yeah, I thought it sounded unlikely when I first heard it. But it came from Jim hill who has a really good track record on rumors.

Yup. His track record of posting RUMERS is higher than just about anybody.
His track record on REALITY, however, is not so good.
(In fact, it is infamously laughable.)

I can't see any of these extra hours being paid out for the couple hundred people who want to get to the park by 5:45.

Agreed.

 

[gatormom2tots]

I would think unlikely...

Though my family would LOVE it! we have done some 7AM EMH at MK over easter weekend and love the low crowds that the early hours bring in!

 

[cigar95]

Yup. His track record of posting RUMERS is higher than just about anybody.
His track record on REALITY, however, is not so good.
(In fact, it is infamously laughable.)

In Jim's defense, he's actually quite good at discovering things that are being *talked about* internally, and he's usually pretty good on distinguishing between that and what's actually going to happen. It's when people take his reports and describe them as actual plans that his record looks bad. So you always have to be careful how you interpret what he says - with a company like Disney, many MANY things will get considered and rejected.

For full disclosure, I've met Jim and his wife more than once and I like him, though I wouldn't call us "friends".

To add just a bit to the original posting, this super early opening was described as being for resort guests only, and didn't mention how much of Future World it would include. I think his phrasing was "as early as 6 am", so other opening times would be possible.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I seriously doubt this will happen, it doesn't give enough time to clean and maintain the park. If you think attractions break down too much now, imagine a 6am opening time break down rate

 

[mom2rtk]

Was there any word with this rumor whether it would be for 1) general public 2) onsite guests only or 3) for an upsell event?

I still don't think it will happen for any of those scenarios though. Just not enough else in the park to justify it. And the furor over FEA will die down. I can only seem them caring enough to add the cost of extra staff hours if they thought it would add to the bottom line.

 

[RedAngie]

Who knows? I recall hearing that several months after the debut of HS, its opening time changed to 6am in order to accommodate the mobs trying to get in.

But 6am for Epcot just for possibly a few rides, nah.

 

[punkin]

Looking at FEA posted time of 45 minutes at 10:30 am on the 4th of July...no way they open early for that.

 

[MariMama]

But it came from Jim hill who has a really good track record on rumors.

 

[rg35]

If there was anything they did at Epcot, I wish it would be figuring out how to keep the world showcase open during Epcot evening EMH. I know there are differences there because of the international CM situation, but it would be nice to be able to stroll around the world showcase after Illuminations.

Opening at 6 AM because they didn't want to spend the money to create a proper ride system for what was projecting to be a very popular ride would be ridiculous. Seems like they would have been better off spending on a capital project for a totally new ride rather than incurring ongoing operating costs to open the park early just to get people on said ride.

 

[KittyKitty]

http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief1/b/jim_hill/archive/2006/04/25/2051.aspx
I remember when Jim said this was an definite, 2006. Since it didn't happened, or at least so far, I have taken his information with a grain of salt.

 

[jhaig]

I would be happy if the rest of World Showcase opened at 9am with the rest of Epcot.

 

[katt789]

For the sake of the Epcot cm's I HOPE NOT! One of the best things about working there was that the earliest I had to be in was 10:30am and we were always out by 11pm (most nights).

6 am seems way extreme, 8, maybe?

 

[GPC0321]

Well, I don't think it would ever happen, but I love the idea of walking around a virtually empty World Showcase just after sunrise hitting the bakeries, shops, films, exhibits, and FEA and Gran Fiesta.

 

[NH-to-FL]

I am an early riser but 6am would be a bit too early for me.

Last Christmas week we were avoiding the parks until I saw an announcement on easyWDW that Epcot would open at 7am with access to either Soarin' or TT. Since DW and I love Soarin' we decided to get up early and be at the entrance at 6:45am. They let us in at 7am with a small crowd in line. We headed to Soarin' and just kept riding until we had our fill.

Now the small crowd was probably because the early opening was not published. But I agree with previous posters that it would seem like a large investment in staffing for a few hard core early risers.

 

[Accident]

6am opening to guests because they havent' figured out in 3 years that frozen would be a popular ride?? that's insane.. how early do you need to wake up in order to get the family out the door...

oh wait, I go in the evenings.. yes this sounds great, everyone go at 6am and i'll start my day at 6pm and just walk on everything

next they will try to figure out why nobody is booking dinners at night and why illuminations is suddenly unpopular except for locals.

 

[IsThatYouTigger]

I am an early riser but 6am would be a bit too early for me.

Last Christmas week we were avoiding the parks until I saw an announcement on easyWDW that Epcot would open at 7am with access to either Soarin' or TT. Since DW and I love Soarin' we decided to get up early and be at the entrance at 6:45am. They let us in at 7am with a small crowd in line. We headed to Soarin' and just kept riding until we had our fill.

Now the small crowd was probably because the early opening was not published. But I agree with previous posters that it would seem like a large investment in staffing for a few hard core early risers.

We did this too! It was wonderful!