Making reservations after the park has closed

[cantwait!!!!!!!!!!!!]

Firstly Im sorry as im sure this has been asked lots of times, I did search but couldnt find the answer.

Can you book a restaurant in a park after the park has closed ? We had planned to book sci fi diner at around 7pm but Ive just looked and on that day HS closes at 7. Did a dummy booking for July and on a day it closed at 8pm it would have let me make a reservation for 8.15 so seems like they do but just wanted to check

 

[darthtatty]

Im sure ive read many times that people do have ADR's for when or after the park closes. Sure someone with better knowledge will be able to help.
There isnt any EMH hours on either of the days?

 

[Rohais]

Yes, you can still be eating/have a reservation after the park has closed. From what I can gather, they leave all the decorative lights and music still playing and you can walk back to the entrance/exit at your own pace. Its one of those little known secrets I think, as you essentially have the park to yourself at night. Obviously not for rides, but to just enjoy it. Its like booking Crystal Palace to get into MK early to 'have the park to yourself'

I'm thinking of a late booking for Yak and Yeti at AK...would be lovely

 

[2Tiggies]

Usually the restaurants in the parks will take reservations or walk ups until 15 minutes prior to park closing. Selected ones may open later for EMH and special events. It is also possible that the day you are looking at is a day where, historically, the hours have been extended for DHS closer to the time and the system will therefore allow the booking to go through. If the system takes your ADR, you will have a secure reservation so I wouldn't worry about that.

In 2009 there was a glitch and ADRs were being taken for a week at AK restaurants for an hour or two after park closing and Disney addressed this by extending the park hours for that week, although this is an exception to the norm.

 

[cantwait!!!!!!!!!!!!]

Thanks

The day in question HS closes at 7.00 which seems really early for august ! Will try and get an ADR for 7.15 ish

Sounds quite nice being one of the last in the park for photos etc.

 

[Pegasus928]

The day in question HS closes at 7.00 which seems really early for august !

That does seem to be very early.
Personally speaking we normally do HS when Fantasmic is on, so I am not sure if it generally closes earlier on other days but I will be interested to hear if that is correct.

 

[2Tiggies]

DHS and MK are the two parks which are most likely to have their operating hours extended a few weeks out - especially during busy times. It's not unusual for 'conservative' hours to be posted, only to have them extended nearer the time. I agree with Kenny, 7 pm sounds very early for that time of th year. If I were you I would play with the online system and snag the latest ADR it would let me.

Try and avoid a Sunday and Thursday night if possible, if one of your primary reasons for doing this is to get photos in a near empty park. Fantasmic will likely have a second show added if they are expecting to extend park hours on a F! night. This causes the park to be packed throughout the day resulting in long lines which stack up and there will still be plenty folk milling about an hour after closing if this is the case

 

[wayneg]

That does seem to be very early.
Personally speaking we normally do HS when Fantasmic is on, so I am not sure if it generally closes earlier on other days but I will be interested to hear if that is correct.

Park hours here Kenny, a few days its down for closing at 7pm but as said times can change closer we get. http://www.disneytravelagents.com/S.../pdf/ParkHours/WDW_Operating_Calendar_Aug.pdf

We are booking Yak and Yeti for our last night(20th August) before we go on the cruise, AK shuts at 6pm last reservation is 5:45pm which is what I will be trying for on Friday. Tusker house take ressies upto 6:20pm

 

[Pegasus928]

Thanks Wayne

I knew that AK closed before the others - I guess the animals need their sleep - but I didn't know they ever scheduled HS so early

 

[Rohais]

It could be that the a private party is being held on the nights where it closes at 7? I know that DHS usually closes at 7pm in September but agree, it seems early for August - given the season.

 

[wayneg]

It could be that the a private party is being held on the nights where it closes at 7? I know that DHS usually closes at 7pm in September but agree, it seems early for August - given the season.

No its normal hours for August, same as last August http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours/Aug10.cfm?requesttimeout=1000