Is This a Sign Of Things To Come?

[Praying Colonel]

I'm just curious why people think the old "included EMH" won't be affected...with Disney now wanting to charge for every little thing that used to be "free", why on EARTH would they not start charging for them or get rid of them totally? I am truly asking seriously.

Yep. If they're willing to go so far as to monetize the front of the parking lot, we have to assume nothing is off the table.

 

[mom2rtk]

So, they can make us all angry at once, and then hopefully we will forget about it...

That's a risky business strategy. Disney is the one business that might be able to pull it off but it's still quite risky.

 

[ArielRae]

I am happy they are finally giving the morning hours some love. Never liked that the evening hours always got all the attention. I hope this is a really early morning event like 6am or earlier otherwise I don't see the point. We are a family of early risers (up at 3am-4am) and have been really disappointed that nothing happens in Disney until 6:30am and that is only breakfast opening up. We don't make it to evening fireworks and love to be able to spend our currently empty 3hrs in the morning with something more constructive in a Disney park. This would also benefit international guests that are on a time difference and get up early cause of their internal clock says it is later then it is. They can get moving and enjoying their vacation too.

 

[Eastern]

I did also notice a VIP tour which may have been around for awhile but it seems to be for each park or you can park hop cost is $400 to $600 and hour. This is under events and tours. These VIP areas I bet are the ones where the FP areas use to be. So now instead of a FP perk you can pay $400 to $600 an hour for parades, shows and rides! What a bargain!!

I read about these here before our last trip and subsequently noticed several private tours in the parks each day. Amazing what people will pay for.

The tour group we saw on 7DMT was waiting in (the FP+) line like the rest of us.

 

[mom2rtk]

I am happy they are finally giving the morning hours some love. Never liked that the evening hours always got all the attention. I hope this is a really early morning event like 6am or earlier otherwise I don't see the point. We are a family of early risers (up at 3am-4am) and have been really disappointed that nothing happens in Disney until 6:30am and that is only breakfast opening up. We don't make it to evening fireworks and love to be able to spend our currently empty 3hrs in the morning with something more constructive in a Disney park. This would also benefit international guests that are on a time difference and get up early cause of their internal clock says it is later then it is. They can get moving and enjoying their vacation too.

I prefer the early hours as well, but unfortunately I don't think there are enough of us to support a high priced event. It's the reason early EMH hours are always better (in terms of crowds) than the PM EMH hours.

I guess we'll find out.

 

[mom2rtk]

They used to do this for free. It was a early morning thing for people with little kids. Peter and Wendy would play duck duck goose with the kids, Mickey would ride Dumbo. It sounded adorable and I was always sorry we couldn't be there for it.

I suppose that "free" thing is off the table now that Shanghai needs us all to shake out the sofa cushions?

 

[anniemae]

I prefer the early hours as well, but unfortunately I don't think there are enough of us to support a high priced event. It's the reason early EMH hours are always better (in terms of crowds) than the PM EMH hours.

I guess we'll find out.

More early risers here! We skip the fireworks and are in bed early. I agree there are probably not enough of us early birds.

 

[COscrapper]

I don't know, I'm no Disney regular and just started frequenting these boards a couple months ago in order to plan our one-in-a-lifetime trip to WDW, but these changes lately seem to show a real nasty disregard for guests who already have trips planned. Since they have created this situation where you have to plan stuff 6+ months in advance (which is crazy enough!), they could've at least posted a start date for these changes much further in advance. Not only do these poor April/May folks still have NO info on ROL, now they have days with "after dark" events that will affect crowd levels on MK day and who knows what else.

We really went back and forth about whether to stay on site or not for our trip, and in the end we decided to just because of the EMH - I really hope they still have them in Oct! As far as this crazy advanced planning goes, I guess we will just plan our days in any order we want since there is no telling what hours/perks will be like in the fall...

I am always the vacay planner for our family and I can honestly say this is the weirdest planning experience ever - and we are still over 6 months out! Can't imagine another park pulling this stuff.

 

[Stefy]

I hate all these changes coming into play. It makes me not want to go to Disney anymore. DH and I were discussing this morning that if they keep adding these extra charges for things and taking away things we might cancel our 14 night package at the Poly and stay at Universal. Get some money back and use that towards food offsite and travel.

Disney has totally lost its magic, now they just seem to be all about making more money and less about guest satisfaction. I can't believe they want to charge people hundreds of dollars to spend 3 hours extra in the park only to be able to ride a limited number of attractions.

I can see them charging people for this package that already have early ADR's for breakfast as we had to pay for MNSSHP tickets when we had booked a desserts party.

 

[Livvie]

I am happy they are finally giving the morning hours some love. Never liked that the evening hours always got all the attention. I hope this is a really early morning event like 6am or earlier otherwise I don't see the point. We are a family of early risers (up at 3am-4am) and have been really disappointed that nothing happens in Disney until 6:30am and that is only breakfast opening up. We don't make it to evening fireworks and love to be able to spend our currently empty 3hrs in the morning with something more constructive in a Disney park. This would also benefit international guests that are on a time difference and get up early cause of their internal clock says it is later then it is. They can get moving and enjoying their vacation too.

People who want to be up at 3am on vacation are a minuscule minority. There is no reason to have the parks open and staffed at 6am.

 

[ellie05]

This is just getting out of hand. I honestly hope this events are a failure and Disney understands that it is not ok to nickle and dime their guest. It is clear by the poll about the night event that most people won't consider paying $150 for a soda and 3 extra hours at the magic kingdom. I am regretting the decision of buying an AP this year.

We usually do extra events and don't mind paying, but ice cream bars and a soda for $150? Yeah not going to happend. We have done parties, F&W events, most recently was the Osborne lights dessert and it was worth it to us.

 

[slbgnb]

I really just don't know what to do about all these changes. We are going over Labor Day, but I don't want to go if they are going to implement a ton of changes that effect my pre-park CP ADR or my EMH's that I plan on attending or whatever else they plan on throwing at us. I really want to do one last Disney trip, but I'm getting more and more nervous about going with so much up in the air. I'm kind of relieved my kids are older and we plan on this being our last trip...I just hope we actually make it!

 

[ellie05]

I really just don't know what to do about all these changes. We are going over Labor Day, but I don't want to go if they are going to implement a ton of changes that effect my pre-park CP ADR or my EMH's that I plan on attending or whatever else they plan on throwing at us. I really want to do one last Disney trip, but I'm getting more and more nervous about going with so much up in the air. I'm kind of relieved my kids are older and we plan on this being our last trip...I just hope we actually make it!

I am in the same boat I been sitting on a quote for our sept trip for a month now and I just can't bring myself to book it.

 

[jbharr1]

DH and I were discussing this morning that if they keep adding these extra charges for things and taking away things we might cancel our 14 night package at the Poly and stay at Universal.

so disney is adding an event that has no impact to your vacation and you are going to cancel? sounds good to me.

 

[TXStormtrooper]

I was thinking this as well. Since I already have BOG booked for a pre park opening I wonder how they would work that one. Possibly charge me to just come into the park early for my ADR.......
Starting to wonder if I am living in the Twight Zone or a nightmare lol!!!

Similar thoughts here for our vacation the first week of May. I just hate the constant changes and unknowns on a trip that they require me to plan 6+ months in advance. I'm really curious about what this will mean for our 2 early BOG reservations.

 

[tlmadden73]

Since demand has been high for those "early" breakfast reservations (like Be Our Guest) that let you in the park early, this seems like this is just a way to officially market it and monetize it.

They will probably have breakfast (that costs more) that include special entry to certain attractions (or areas) before the park opens.
These things will sell like HOTCAKES.

It seems no different than the Fantasmic dinner packages ...

And imagine them doing this once the new lands open up in AK and DHS? Reserve a breakfast at the new Star Wars land and get access to those attractions before the park opens to the regular guests?

 

[lugnut33]

But it's a business and they have to consider the investors first!!

 

[BuckeyeBama]

People who want to be up at 3am on vacation are a minuscule minority. There is no reason to have the parks open and staffed at 6am.

Looks like Disney is willing to give it a try. We would pay for early ride access, and we are early risers. We would not pay for early access to food. We are not foodies.

 

[jknc]

What would be the value of staying in a monorail resort with intentions of only going to MK if they now make a couple mornings you are there cost more for entry?

 

[elaine amj]

I don't know, I'm no Disney regular and just started frequenting these boards a couple months ago in order to plan our one-in-a-lifetime trip to WDW, but these changes lately seem to show a real nasty disregard for guests who already have trips planned. Since they have created this situation where you have to plan stuff 6+ months in advance (which is crazy enough!), they could've at least posted a start date for these changes much further in advance. Not only do these poor April/May folks still have NO info on ROL, now they have days with "after dark" events that will affect crowd levels on MK day and who knows what else.

We really went back and forth about whether to stay on site or not for our trip, and in the end we decided to just because of the EMH - I really hope they still have them in Oct! As far as this crazy advanced planning goes, I guess we will just plan our days in any order we want since there is no telling what hours/perks will be like in the fall...

I am always the vacay planner for our family and I can honestly say this is the weirdest planning experience ever - and we are still over 6 months out! Can't imagine another park pulling this stuff.

Other parks do change things around at the last minute too. We bought Universal APs last May and have gone for 3 trips to the Dark Side.

Our first trip, the onsite resort hotel pool had the wrong closing time for one of the parks. I think it was because the hours changed at the last minute or something. The next night, one of the parks closed early for a private event, and this wasn't announced until shortly before my trip. I only knew because I checked. This past trip, they switched the park offering Early Admission. And this wasn't announced until just before my trip either. I had checked a couple of weeks before and planned on it being the other park. I didn't realize until I got there and was faced with 75 min waits. In all my 3 Universal trips, I have found that they announce things and change things at the very last minute, which can get frustrating.

That said, I agree with the consensus that this is not a desirable change.