Mass exodus from the parks at closing... WHY?

[Disney1fan2002]

Ok, I admit, I used to be the person racing to the exit....because I did not want to wait in line for the bus, only to be crammed in like sardines IF you are able to get on, or miss the bus and have to wait for the next one.

In April, something happened, it was amazing! LOL We were at MK during closing time. The crowds had been super heavy during the day, but by 7PM (closing) they had fallen off immensly. Dh and I had split up with the kids. He took my 7yo over to Frontierland to ride Splash Mountain, while I took the younger two on the go-carts. We got in line for our first ride around 6:20PM. The lines was long, but moved along. By the time we got on the ride and finished, it was 6:55PM. So, the child who did not sit behind the steering wheel wanted to, so we got in line again. By the time we moved up in the line, got on the ride and finished,,it was around 7:15Pm. I had told my DH to just meet us back at the room, rather than try to find each other during Mass exodus. So, me and the two kids strolled along Main St. ( I was thinking, it is early, we have nothing else planned, why rush?) I was amazed to get to the bus stop for OKW and find it EMPTY! By this time it was 8PM. I am thinking DH and DS are long gone, but ..here they come! LOL. We caught up without fighting the crowds.

So, knowing what I now know, if you just take your time out of the park, stop and smell the roses, the crowds thin out, and it is less stressful.

Are you like the old me,rushing to get out? or did you know this secret along time ago? LOL

 

[bethzfl]

Good thinking. Did the parks close at 8 the day you were there? I hate big crowds so I do plan on getting in some rides during the mass exit.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Originally posted by bethzfl
Good thinking. Did the parks close at 8 the day you were there? I hate big crowds so I do plan on getting in some rides during the mass exit.

no, the park closed at 7PM tha night. But we got in line for the last ride just before 7...so we did not have to leave until we finished the ride. But they did close the line off at precisely 7PM. So as long as you are in a line before closing, you will not be asked to leave until you have finished the ride.

 

[Sammy]

Over the course of our last few trips, we've discovered the same thing. We just take our time strolling out of the park, sometimes we stop and make conversation with the CM's....you can learn alot of interesting trivia from them! By the time we make it to the exit, the crowds have thinned considerably and we are not stressed at all...lovely!

Sammy

 

[StaceyA]

Also the stores remain open for awhile after the park closes, you can stop in and do your shopping before heading out!

 

[Kallison]

Once we got on 4 rides during the fireworks - Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Splash and Big Thunder and then casually strolled out. The kids still talk about it, how we squeezed them in with no waits during the summer.

 

[Crazy Kanga]

We discovered this little trick on our last trip at Epcot. We watched Illuminations in China, then strolled around world showcase for almost an hour after that. It was so nice and peaceful and we did some shopping at Mouse Gear too. It was much better than being in that swarm of people trying to rush out to the buses. But we did have our car that night, so I can't say how it would be to find a bus that late. Anyone else know how late buses run after a park closes?

 

[erinch]

we always aim to be at Big Thunder at closing, because they'll often let the same train go around again, and sometimes even 2 times. Then we stop at the restroom and look in the splash mountain shop till they close it down. By that time, many crowds have thinned out and you mostly have the park to yourself. Then we stop at casey's for a hotdog and watch the castle turn colors, and by that time we have our own personal WDW. I have a magical memory of a street sweeper dancing to the music while sweeping up popcorn on a deserted thoroughfare.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Shhh! This is a great secret! The relatively quiet, uncrowded times in the parks. I love this time. DH teases me that I have a not-so-secret wish to be the last one out of the park and Disney security has their eye on me.

 

[GeekChic]

you know this just occurred to me recently, never again will i want dh to fight to get my wheelchair through the salmon swimming upstream to get to the monorail, we're gonna sit, let the crowd thin, and take in the sights and sounds.

can't wait, just a few more weeks!!!

geek

 

[jiggerj]

One of our best "exits" has to be at Epcot. We were dining at R&C but did not have an outside viewing for illuminations. When The show began our server took us outside to a special viewing area. Afterwards we went back inside enjoyed a fabulous "not rushed" dinner (Bangers and Mash...yum!) and afterwards strolled out through Epcot almost deserted. It was Fantastic!!

 

[momxx5]

We have found this "secret" too.

We were at MGM this summer, on a Saturday night, and were the last see Voyage of the Little Mermaid. DD wanted to do GreatMovie Ride so badly, so DH took her over at closing and they were able to ride it. I took DS over to buy a t-shirt at StarTours and he saw that they were still letting people ride, so he was the official last rider of the day.

The stores were packed though and it started to rain so we headed out, but it still wasn't as crowded as the mass exodus.

Also, we were able to walk into Mickey's Philharmagic after the fireworks, ride the Caroasel and Buzz Lightyear at park closing. Of course this was during the summer when the fireworks are at 10pm and the park closes at 11pm.

 

[Micca]

This sounds like an excellent idea. How do I stay awake?

 

[zordude]

I think that where you are staying can have an impact on how much of a rush you are in. I agree that if you are staying at an onsite resort you can leave at whatever pace you like. The last time I stayed offsite (never again!) there were very limited busses back to the hotel. There was one a while before closing, one half an hour after the close time, and that was it! If you missed that one you had to find a way to get a cab. (i.e. take a Dis bus to DTD and get a cab there.

Z

 

[FOV]

They have to practically kick us out of the parks! I love slowly strolling down Main Street watching the castle change colors....

Ahhhh... just a couple more months for us!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

We did not learn this trick until we had made many trips. Wish we had known it much earlier. Better late than never though.

Am a bit afraid that too many others will learn it and the trick will be to get on the buses early to avoid the huge late crowds. LOL

Has anyone noticed that many of the benches at MK have been removed? Used to be wonderful to wander along and sit and rest a bit here and there on the way out. I sure do miss those rocking chairs at the entrance as well.

SG/Linda

 

[Simba's Mom]

Originally posted by SlightlyGoofy


Has anyone noticed that many of the benches at MK have been removed? Used to be wonderful to wander along and sit and rest a bit here and there on the way out. I sure do miss those rocking chairs at the entrance as well.

SG/Linda

Oh, No! I hope you don't mean the rocking chairs in front of Tony's. I love to sit there! Another neat place after MK closes is up where the railroad station is. You get a great view looking up Main Street, watching people leave and watching the castle change colors. I wanna be there!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Dear Simba

I regret to tell you that most, if not all, the rocking chairs were missing on our last trip. It was my favorite place to watch the parade. We would stake out seats far in advance and dh would go for some treats. Just before the parade would start we would welcome any small children in front of us so that they would have a view of a lifetime and we could enjoy the parade through our eyes and theirs. Close to the entrance as well. Great for us oldsters who have trouble with all the steps to the RR station.

SG/Linda

 

[Poohbear123]

Of this year, but, I didn't wait long enough. I waited 45 min and by the time I strolled thru to the busses, it took 9 busses before I got on one! Maybe I will start from the back next time, and work my way thru.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Faith, as often as you and I miss connections we surely must get lost enough to not make it until the last bus, if then. LOL

BTW, I am headed back in October for The Beachboys through Three Dog Night.

SG/Linda