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.
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.