May hours: not too bad

[mslangen]

Hi,

Today finally the may hours are on the Disney site. It was a long wait, but I'm happy that they are out now.
Many people on this board complain about the May hours. I thought the May hours are not too bad. OK, we all wish that the parks should close later in the evening, but if you count in the slower times in may and the war that's going on in Iraq I think they have done a good job.

MGM open daily from 9.00am, closing at 8.30pm or 9.00pm. Here you can add a 30 minutes more because of Fantasmic.
I think everyone will agree that for MGM the hours are really good.

AK open daily from 9.00am, closing at 5.00pm. This park has the shortest hours, but this is typicall for Animal Kingdom. Since the park has fewer attractions then the other three themeparks I think its not too bad. If you make sure to arrive early at AK you can visit all attractions on the same day and some attractions more times.

EPCOT: Daily from 9.00am to 9.00pm. Worldshow Case opens 11.00am, Future World Closes at 6.00pm. Test track, Space ship earth and HISTA will be open till 9.00pm.
OK, you need some planning at EPCOT, since its a large property.
People will allways tell that they want to do first world showcase and later on the day future world, because every other people should do just the opposite. Only if you like world showcase really that much in the afternoon I should do this, but otherwise I think its best to visit Future World in the afternoon and go later on the day to World Showcase. Also you want to be at world show case in the evening for illuminations.
Personally I can't remember that I'v done future world attractions after six o clock, other then Test track and Space ship earth. Maybe we did body wars because there wasn't anybody in the evening.

MK: Daily open from 9.00am, closes at 7.00pm. Only a few saterdays at 9.00pm.
This is the only park where I'm a little bit disappointed. Not about the hours, but about the fact that there is No spectro Magic and only Fire works on very little saterdays.
It looks like that there will be just one of thirteen days when I can see the fireworks.
If the crowds are really down I can understand that they don't open a park till nine o clock every day. But at least they should add a few days when the park stay open later and there is Spectro magic and fireworks. If they need to cut hours, why not cut in the morning. Say daily open from 11.00am to 9.00pm. Also they can decide to open and close fantasyland early.
Think they can make more money because people will dine in the Magic Kingdom.
Biggest disappointment is that I am not able to see Spectromagic, second, there is not much time to ride big thunder, riverboat and splash mountain in the dark and third there is only one evening I can see the fireworks.

Waterparks: daily open from 10.00am to 6.00pm. It seems this is typical for the waterparks and is not too bad.
Blizzard beach will be closed on fridays and saterdays, typhoon lagoon will be closed at sunday, monday and tuesday.
Its strange that on weekend days one park is open, while on wed and thun both are open.
So wed and thun will be the best days to go to a waterpark.

If I compare these hours with hours of a mayor themepark here in the Netherlands, Europe, I have to say that Disney hours are much better.
This park (De Efteling, Netherlands www.efteling.nl) has daily opening hours from 10.00am till 6.00pm. Only in july and august they are open till 9.00pm and seven saterdays in july and august they are open till midnight. Of course the situation is different because most of the people make day trips to this park, but if you compare just the number of attractions that you can see and the time needed to see it all I think its good comparable to the magic kingdom. Actually I think you need more time in the Efteling because the property is very large. At least twice the size of Magic Kingdom.

This are just my thoughts about it which I want to share with you.

Marcel.

 

[pouncingpluto]

Thank you for your positive post. It does get tiresome to read people saying the same negative things over and over.

I agree with your synopsis.. I think the May hours are fine, with the exception of needing perhaps some longer weekend hours at MK, and I do wish that both water parks were open on the weekends. I'm going to Typhoon Lagoon the first Saturday in May, and I expect it to be packed.

 

[DebbieB]

I've gone the past 3 Mays and am going May 9 to 16. The only disappointment I have is no Spectromagic, the rest is a little better than last year. Last year MK closed at 6:00pm on many weekdays. Future Word was open 10am to 7pm and World Showcase 12 noon to 9pm, so WS is an hour more this year. MGM & AK are the same as last year.

 

[jaysue]

Agreed, if I was wishing for pixie dust though I would ask for one E-Ride night and one Spectromagic duing my stay

Thanks
Jason

 

[Fantasia Sam]

You're right they're not too bad and they are certainly better in some respects than the same time last year. Shame about "no" Spectro for first-timers though

 

[northernmouse]

I don't think the overall park hours are a big change from last year when we were there, but I really don't get the waterpark hours. That is a huge change from the norm for May, and a very disappointing one for those who like to visit them during the afternoons. However, I'm still optimistic that things may change for the better before we arrive.

 

[mslangen]

Originally posted by northernmouse
I don't think the overall park hours are a big change from last year when we were there, but I really don't get the waterpark hours. That is a huge change from the norm for May, and a very disappointing one for those who like to visit them during the afternoons. However, I'm still optimistic that things may change for the better before we arrive.

Hi,

My first visit to WDW was in march 2000. At that time each waterpark had also two or three off days per week.

Marcel.

 

[n2mm]

No surprise for me on the hours either. Was a little stunned that there were no fireworks during my 15 day stay (on the day I'm leaving). Also was taken by the water park hours. I would have rather seen them open later and cut maybe a day or 2 each.

 

[Mickey]

I'm also happy with the hours. A little disappointed no Spectromagic, it is one of my favorite things. Hopefully they will add one, if not, I still have fun

 

[DNBois]

I am playing the other side of the coin - I am one of those that complained (nicely) to Disney about their hours and also posted my comments on the other two forums that deal with May hours. The only thing I am upset about is the fact that while we are there (8 nts, 9 days), MK will be closed at 7pm with no fireworks and no E-ride night (which is more upsetting than anything). If they had one e-ride night, I would be fine with the trade-off but it is just upsetting to have to leave the MK before the sun goes down. Hope you can put up with me changing the mood on the post - we're still going and can't wait. . .just a little disappointed is all

 

[raidermatt]

Just for the sake of accuracy...

MK did close at 6pm on 4 nights in May last year, but it also closed at 8, 9 and even 10 on some non-Saturdays. Saturdays were between 10pm and 11pm. Spectro was shown on 6 different nights.

Future World did open at 10am through 5/11, but then opened at 9am the rest of the month. It closed at 7pm all month.

MGM hours are virtually identical, though there were a couple of 10pm closings last May.

AK is identical, 9-5, but hours were reduced each year from the year it opened (1998) through last year.

The water parks were not closed on certain days during May last year, and while I don't know the schedules for the whole month, I know that they were open until 7pm at least some days. Having only one open on several Saturdays this May is curious. Also, there used to be a third, smaller water park, River Country.

No negative commentary, just the facts.

 

[Pig Pen]

The early closings are for Grad Nights. I will get to see fireworks during my stay, but no Spectro. I got to see Spectro first time ever last Sept. It was great, but what a madhouse! People turned into raving maniacs trying to get seats. I won't miss that at all.

I am not disappointed in the hours and, having never went to an e-night before, probably won't miss that. In Sept it was so empty we got to see/do most everything we wanted very quickly. E-nights were not really a necessity (I hear they are awesome though).

 

[doombuggy]

I too am a little disapointed that Spectro magic will not been run during my trip. I am taking Grama on what may be her last vacation, and she has not been to WDW since 1973! She really wants to see EPCOT, so with that comes illuminations. I am pretty satisfied with the hours, as we will have to have some "rest periods" anyway.

Just a side note: when I went to MNSSHP last Halloween, we ended up viewing the fireworks while riding BTMRR. It was really neat!

 

[DebbieB]

The early closings are for Grad Nights.

Grad Nights in May are May 2, 3, 9.

 

[wld]

First time for us in may. We will only be there 5 nights, guess we're lucky to see fireworks 1 night as that is our favorite. Not really into the parades. We'll make do.