Hollywood Studios - October 6th (The Mouse is at it again)

[Delirium]

MDE now show Hollywood Studios closing at 6:00 PM on Thursday, October 6th. Not sure when the change was made, but the Travel Agent schedule on the web is still showing 7:30.

Of course, this is after we made early afternoon reservations for Sci-Fi with the expectation that would be our Fantasmic! night. At least FastPasses have not been scheduled yet, but that date was to be an evening we scheduled FPs for HS. Now, we'll have to juggle the remainder of our schedule, keeping in mind our ADRs, and find another day to use FPs at HS.

Dear Walt Disney Company. Please, please, please, turn back the clock to the time where you respected your customers. In the past, there NEVER would have been a manipulation of hours that were to the customer's disadvantage. Yes, you would often add hours, but those typically work in favor of the customer. But, now, changes seem to be made with little concern for the customer.

There is no reason, absolutely none, that warrants closing a park earlier than originally published once the 180 day ADR window is opened. If that 180 day window can no longer be sacred, make it 90. But, stop playing these games.

 

[sibesx2]

We had a H&V Fantasmic! reservation on this day. Disney first called me on May 27 to tell me the hours had changed due to a private event and there would be no Fantasmic that night. I was actually at Disney World at that time and then on a Disney Cruise so couldn't respond right then. They called me a few days later and then emailed me. When I couldn't find another H&V reservation that fit our schedule I called them and they found one for me.

I agree that they should not shorten hours once the ADR window opens but I am happy with how this was handled for us.

 

[minnie mum]

There is no reason, absolutely none, that warrants closing a park earlier than originally published

Sure there is.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Which is what they get when they allow private parties to rent out the park. And Disney's bottom line (profit) ALWAYS takes precedence.

 

[Delirium]

Since our Sci-Fi reservation was earlier in the day (3:30) and not part of a Fantasmic package, I suppose we were not going to be told. We were intending on seeing Fastasmic using a 4th FP that day. I'm going to now go look and see if any decent ADRs are left for Epcot that day and then try to figure out what other day I can schedule FPs at HS without impacting our remaining ADRs.

 

[Delirium]

I have no objection to them doing that as long as it's outside the ADR window. It should be part of the requirement for renting out the park. You MUST schedule it more than 180 days in advance. It's not that hard of a concept.

 

[Polydweller]

Sure there is.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Which is what they get when they allow private parties to rent out the park. And Disney's bottom line (profit) ALWAYS takes precedence.

Yep, this exactly. And, delirium, the private party renting the park would also be customers. So, they are still respecting a customer and one that pays them a large sum.

I have no objection to them doing that as long as it's outside the ADR window. It should be part of the requirement for renting out the park. You MUST schedule it more than 180 days in advance. It's not that hard of a concept.

And just why would a company write a rule like that? They are supposed to lose an opportunity to be paid a huge amount of money? Don't think so. The private party will pay an upfront amount and during the party Disney will sell lots of food and merchandise.

I understand your frustration but it is a private business and a private park and they get to control. I've had it happen to me and it's frustrating but all you can do is adapt and change your plans as best you can. No pint getting too worked up about things you can't control and none of us can control Disney having private parties/functions.

 

[zaccaglin]

That time of year is usually the IBM park buyout. I've worked it in the past, park is bought out from 7:30-1200 just for there private party. Happens every year. And yes Disney can change schedules at any time without notice.

 

[AshleeH]

I have no objection to them doing that as long as it's outside the ADR window. It should be part of the requirement for renting out the park. You MUST schedule it more than 180 days in advance. It's not that hard of a concept.

While this would be the hope for the average customer, it doesn't make sense from a business perspective. For instance, my husband works at a movie theater - if we sell 100 tickets out of 400 and then a business comes to us and wants to reserve all 400 seats in that particular theater, does it make financial sense to turn them away? The ethical side is where it gets sticky, but from a financial standpoint, it would be nothing short of stupidity to turn away extra profit like that.

Same principle. If it's not a park capacity night, but someone is wanting to spend the money to make it the monetary equivalent of filling the park to capacity, I can't imagine anyone on earth who would turn away extra money like that.

 

[Mikie]

I have no objection to them doing that as long as it's outside the ADR window. It should be part of the requirement for renting out the park. You MUST schedule it more than 180 days in advance. It's not that hard of a concept.

I definitely think that's a strong argument for shortening the 180 day window. As others stated, WDW is not going to turn away a large paying customer, but it's incompatible with the large NUMBER of individual customers locking into plans 6 months out and having their schedule screwed up. Wish they would shorten it to make it closer to the FP window as well as minimizing the effects from closures, private events, etc. that wreak havoc with plans.

 

[megster1123]

So the companies that do these private events - there's no way they don't know prior to 180 days out that they have plans for an event. No way a company of that size would plan a company outing without a LOT of prep work and planning. If WDW instituted a 180 day blackout policy - where companies were not permitted to book these within 180 days of event - I seriously doubt they would end up losing business and taking a loss financially.

 

[Delirium]

On October 6th
- Magic Kingdom closes at 7 o'clock for a Halloween Party
- Hollywood Studios closes at 6 o'clock for a private event
- Animal Kingdom Hours are not yet extended past 5 o'clock, and may not be if some rumors are to be believed

 

[megster1123]

On October 6th
- Magic Kingdom closes at 7 o'clock for a Halloween Party
- Hollywood Studios closes at 6 o'clock for a private event
- Animal Kingdom Hours are not yet extended past 5 o'clock, and may not be if some rumors are to be believed

I've been out of the loop lately, what are the AK rumors now for fall that you're talking about?

 

[yulilin3]

MDE now show Hollywood Studios closing at 6:00 PM on Thursday, October 6th. Not sure when the change was made, but the Travel Agent schedule on the web is still showing 7:30.

Of course, this is after we made early afternoon reservations for Sci-Fi with the expectation that would be our Fantasmic! night. At least FastPasses have not been scheduled yet, but that date was to be an evening we scheduled FPs for HS. Now, we'll have to juggle the remainder of our schedule, keeping in mind our ADRs, and find another day to use FPs at HS.

Dear Walt Disney Company. Please, please, please, turn back the clock to the time where you respected your customers. In the past, there NEVER would have been a manipulation of hours that were to the customer's disadvantage. Yes, you would often add hours, but those typically work in favor of the customer. But, now, changes seem to be made with little concern for the customer.

There is no reason, absolutely none, that warrants closing a park earlier than originally published once the 180 day ADR window is opened. If that 180 day window can no longer be sacred, make it 90. But, stop playing these games.

the only way to get your frustrations to be heard is to email Disney
WDW.Guest.Communications@Disneyworld.com

 

[Delirium]

While this would be the hope for the average customer, it doesn't make sense from a business perspective. For instance, my husband works at a movie theater - if we sell 100 tickets out of 400 and then a business comes to us and wants to reserve all 400 seats in that particular theater, does it make financial sense to turn them away? The ethical side is where it gets sticky, but from a financial standpoint, it would be nothing short of stupidity to turn away extra profit like that.

Same principle. If it's not a park capacity night, but someone is wanting to spend the money to make it the monetary equivalent of filling the park to capacity, I can't imagine anyone on earth who would turn away extra money like that.

I'm not intimitely familiar with the theater business, but I would be surprised to learn that a theater sold individual tickets 180 days in advance. If not, then I'm not sure your example is a good comparison.

A more viable real-life example would be that you rent out a reception hall for your wedding day. Plans are made, invitations go out, decorations are bought, hotel reservations for out of town guests are made, etc. And then, three months before your wedding, the reception hall comes back to you and says...."Sorry, but XYZ company has requested this reception hall for their annual holiday party on that date. As a result, we're going to have to cancel your reservation. However, feel free to come visit is on another day. The following Tuesday looks good. Does that work for your wedding party?"

I think everyone on here would agree that would be unacceptable for the reception hall to do. And, before I hear the cries that a wedding is a once in a lifetime experience. Well, for many people, Disney is a once in a life experience as well.

 

[AshleeH]

Disney can be a once in a lifetime experience, but the entire Walt Disney World Resort will not be closed for the first week of October. Hollywood Studios won't even be closed for that amount of time - or for the full day. So essentially you're missing one experience out of one day (Fantasmic) and not missing out on an entire "once in a lifetime" event. I could see more of a reason to be upset if you were on the bus to HS and then were turned away at the gate - that would be extremely frustrating - but we're over 100 days away from the date in question. While it's a little inconvenient, it's still more than enough time to rearrange any plans and have the full HS experience on another day, if that's important to you and it is a once in a lifetime trip.

I will actually be there the first week of October and appreciate that Disney warned me of this with enough time to alter my plans if I choose to, rather than just expect me to find out the day I showed up when they announced an early park closure.

 

[Delirium]

For clarification, Disney did not 'warn' me. I stumbled across it myself.

Secondly, I guarantee you there will be people out there with ADRs for HS that day, with no park hoppers, that will show up at the park that day expecting to see Fantasmic and/or the Star Wars fireworks. Not everyone keeps up with the what's happening after they make their initial reservations. They looked at the schedule, saw a Fantasmic showing at 8 o'clock and marked down Thursday as their HS day on a 4 day trip when they plan to do all 4 parks with no hopper.

Bottom line is that it should not happen, EVER, once Disney allows for the very first ADR to be scheduled that day. Stating that 'Disney can do what it wants' when you would never accept such an explanation if it was another company or individual is a misguided belief that Disney is exempt from criticism because it's Disney.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I agree with previous comments, 180 days serves no purpose. 90 would be fine and schedules would be more settled at that point from the WDW side.