FYI... Disneyland closing at 5pm on Oct 21!

[CrazyDuck]

I just emailed Disney to complain. I know that it is their perogative to change times, but at least they offered extended hours at DCA for Oct. 5!!! I do not see a change to the hours of DCA for Oct. 21. I just pointed out that they offered the extra hours to DCA for the 5th. Could they not offer that to us for the 21st? I would think that the more people that email or call, the more likely they are to make that change!! Would you join in?

any response?

 

[Ronda3000]

I booked priority seating for Blue Bayou for the 21st at 6:20 p.m. and they did not say anything about being closed. They accepted the reservation. I may need to phone and ask about it again.

 

[Disney Dreams]

I booked priority seating for Blue Bayou for the 21st at 6:20 p.m. and they did not say anything about being closed. They accepted the reservation. I may need to phone and ask about it again.

Welcome to the DIS!

 

[Canyon girl]

No response yet CrazyDuck. I would imagine that it would be at least another day. Will let you know if I hear anything.

 

[Albort]

It is an tues night. Its quite possible that they may be using DCA as part of the private party as well since they usually will extended hours at DCA but they didnt. So probably both parks are extended to private guest only since both parks closes at 6.

 

[Canyon girl]

I still haven't gotten a response by email. I called 714-781-7290 and was transferred to Guest Communications. I spoke to Tim. He didn't know why extra hours were not offered nor why there were so many inconsistencies with the scheduling (ie parade at 7 pm). He said that he would document my comments and pass them on up. He said that they go all the way up to the president of the company. No concrete answer on anything. If I hear more than "hours are subject to change," I will post.

 

[DizMe]

It just seems like an awful lot of private events are cropping up. I don't mind the occasional early closure/late opening, but it seems like October is really impacted by various events. I'm going Oct 17-21 and there is no EE on...is it Sat or Sun?...due to the CHOC walk, and now early closure on Tues. Sheesh! We're only going to be there for 5 days, and 2 of them have reduced hours we can go to the park.

 

[Canyon girl]

The CMs (on the phone) do not seem very sympathetic either! They do not seem to understand the fact that the average person is impacted by this. I guess it all big corporation. What would Walt say??!!

 

[ams1201]

This is sad! Why not reserve the park after hours?

 

[RainyDayPixie]

This is sad! Why not reserve the park after hours?

Especially since the parks close at 8 this time of year, anyway! That leaves a lot of time for parties!

I'm bummed because Oct 21 is our first day. We'll get to Anaheim around 1 and I was hoping to spend the rest of the day in the parks. It's still worth the price difference from a 4 day to a 5 day hopper, but it definitely puts a damper on our plans.

I guess the take-away message is that money talks! I just wish that there was more consistency in how far ahead changes could be made. You would think that once the schedule is up on the website they would honor those park hours.

 

[RainyDayPixie]

Here's the reply I got when I complained via website...

"Thank you for your e-mail to the DISNEYLAND® Resort. We appreciate you
taking the time to share your experience with us.

We sincerely apologize for your disappointment with recent changes to
our park hours. Due to unplanned events, our schedule is subject to
change without notice. It is never our intention to inconvenience our
Guests. Please be assured that we have shared your comments with the
appropriate management so that they may be aware of your feedback.

In order to ensure that your next visit is a success, we invite you to
contact us prior to your visit to inquire about any special events, park
hours, entertainment, or scheduled attraction closures. You may visit us
online at disneyland.com or call (714) 781-7290. Our Cast Members are
also happy to answer any questions you may have and they will be able to
tell you what we project the attraction wait times to be on the day of
your visit. Please keep in mind when planning a visit to the DISNEYLAND®
Resort that Saturdays, holiday periods, and summer are the most popular
times of year to visit the Resort.

Again, thank you for contacting us. We hope you will have the
opportunity to visit the DISNEYLAND® Resort soon and that our
attractions and entertainment will delight you in every way."


I responded that I had checked the schedule and they CHANGED it. I don't expect any other response. Maybe, though, if enough people complain they'll rethink their policy on late changes to the schedule.

 

[McQueenofHrts]

It took them how long to send you a broiler plate response????

Thanks for letting us know anyway. I called and complained. Much like the PP, I think it went in one mickey ear and out the other!

 

[pycees312]

if they do say it's subject to change without notice then i dont see what the gripe is. If it were a hospital for children who rented it out versus some corp giant( we still dont know) would that make anyone feel better? I did not see this much complaining when they closed it for miley. is it because it's Miley? i understand people plan really long for thier Disney trip but things do change and any trip to anywhere you should always have it in the back of your head something could change. They are not closing it down just early... Relax enjoy your hotel, down town disney, garden walk, go to another park if you must...it's Disneyland enjoy the magic even if you have less hours to do so.

 

[Krissy Marissy]

if they do say it's subject to change without notice then i dont see what the gripe is. If it were a hospital for children who rented it out versus some corp giant( we still dont know) would that make anyone feel better? I did not see this much complaining when they closed it for miley. is it because it's Miley? i understand people plan really long for thier Disney trip but things do change and any trip to anywhere you should always have it in the back of your head something could change. They are not closing it down just early... Relax enjoy your hotel, down town disney, garden walk, go to another park if you must...it's Disneyland enjoy the magic even if you have less hours to do so.

I completely agree here. It has always said that hours and schedules are subject to change without notice. I personally would be bummed but disney doesn't owe me anything. After all I am visiting their park and they make the rules. You just have to learn to expect unexpected things to come up and then deal with it.

 

[Canyon girl]

I think that those of us that posted here about the closure know that we can not change the hours. These affect our trips. We are trying to plan with invalid information. We are trying to clear up the lack of communication. If you look at the schedule for the 21st, the parade is listed for 2 hours after closing. One pp made a ressie for that day for over an hour after closing. The CM took it without question. As for the Miley event, there was griping about it, but there is a difference. Disney offered extra hours at DCA. It doesn't hurt to call and ask, which is what we have done. Nothing more. As for me and my family, this is a respite trip. We will welcome the downtime, but I feel for the pp that has 2 of her 5 days affected by shortened short hours. Added together, she may lose close to 1/2 a day. It wouldn't be that bad if it hadn't been for 2 private events so close together.

 

[Canyon girl]

RainyDayPixie and McQueenofHrts, they got part of it. I just looked at the site. The parade has been changed to 5. If the park closes at 5, will it run? Billy is still listed at 5:15.

 

[McQueenofHrts]

Well said, Canyon girl.

Also, as a Disney shareholder, I think it is important that Disney hear when their actions impact people negatively on a small or large scale. I realize one or two emails/phone calls won't make a difference, but in any business in order to improve, you must hear the voices of dissent.

 

[Disneyanajc]

CrazyDuck;27687713]OK so I just called Guest services and was told that someone booked a "Private Party". That's all they could say!

Sy this is the 'Little Monsters' event ... A Disneyland Halloween party for the childred of Cast Members...jc

 

[Disney Dreams]

I think the miscommunication between CMs and Guests is in the delay of information to transfer between departments.

Special events books the private party. Many different people have to be notified for the various Guest-interaction areas to find out.

As noted above, the parade has been changed on the calendar. My guess is the CMs taking ressies didn't have the inormation yet. I would guess it takes time to get all the divisions informed.

I know it is disappointed and affects your visits; however, would you feel differently if you were included in the private party? Sadly, there are 2 sides to every special event closure. If you had the money, had the occasion, and could, wouldn't you?

to those whose vacations are greatly affected. I you will still be able to plan accordingly to enjoy your visit.

- Dreams

 

[DizMe]

I don't think anyone objects to special closures at DL per se. The main objections of those of us on this thread are (1) the lack of timeliness in getting the word out, (2) nothing offered to make up for the sudden announcement that 3 hours have been chopped off our DL day, and (3) the fact that there are so many special events in a small space of time. I will be there five days, and 3 of those now have shortened hours due to private events with no substitution of hours elsewhere. I was fully aware of two of them and planned accordingly. To suddenly throw in a 3rd with a few weeks' notice is wrong, IMO. If you're going to do the private event thing, give people enough notice to plan for it and if at all possible, don't do it when you already have so many other things going on. I don't care what the occasion is; there must be ways to space things more appropriately so that we lowly plebeian types aren't getting the short shrift. Sure, I'd love to go to a private event, but I've never heard of a group that sets aside special hours at DL for homemakers, and I just don't have a spare quarter mill to make it happen. That doesn't make me less important! It's all of us little people who keep the place going, not the occasional company party.

And finally, if the private event is a Halloween party for the children of CMs, then surely that was something they could have planned for a bit sooner?? Did they suddenly decide to do this now? They couldn't have figured out the date before the end of September?