May MK hours - venting frustration :-)

[Barbanellie]

What is up with May hours, more specifically the two weeks we will be there?

We'll be in WDW May 10-20. We've gone those same dates twice before (2014 and 2016), and the hours this year are making me sad! For all of April, MK is open until 10, and then until 11 and even midnight on the first weekend in May (before we arrive of course). Then, until we leave, hours are down at MK to a 9PM close, only to get back to a 10PM close, starting the day after we leave.

I understand we're not going at a very crowded time (that's why we go those weeks!), I'm just bummed that the hours are cut for just then!! It's not going to "ruin our vacation", and I'm still excited at being able to stay in AK after dark this time (missed by a couple weeks in 2016!), but It's a far cry from the 2AM EMH close we had our first evening in 2014.

Are any other early May travelers stalking the WDW website like me, hoping that they update the hours, at least a little bit?

 

[lvdis]

Yes! I have mixed feelings about it though! If it stays at a 9:00 PM close we'll get back to our room sooner so possibly more rest, but I love the later closings we used to experience. Even though too many late nights tend wear me out. We just can't seem to leave if the park is still open! I'm hoping the hours might still get adjusted but it seems like they should've been by now.

 

[BrookieM2001]

I sympathize with your plight. We are there beginning of June and have the same issue! Sun doesn’t set until 8:30 during our trip but AK closes at 9?? How can we experience all the nighttime things there are to do in a half hour? I am so stressed about it because everybody wants to do something different and there’s just not time to see the tree awakenings, ride the safari, ride Everest and see avatar land in a half hour!!!! I have no idea what we will do if they don’t extend hours.

 

[Shanti]

What is up with May hours, more specifically the two weeks we will be there?

We'll be in WDW May 10-20. We've gone those same dates twice before (2014 and 2016), and the hours this year are making me sad! For all of April, MK is open until 10, and then until 11 and even midnight on the first weekend in May (before we arrive of course). Then, until we leave, hours are down at MK to a 9PM close, only to get back to a 10PM close, starting the day after we leave.

I understand we're not going at a very crowded time (that's why we go those weeks!), I'm just bummed that the hours are cut for just then!! It's not going to "ruin our vacation", and I'm still excited at being able to stay in AK after dark this time (missed by a couple weeks in 2016!), but It's a far cry from the 2AM EMH close we had our first evening in 2014.

Are any other early May travelers stalking the WDW website like me, hoping that they update the hours, at least a little bit?

They might extend the hours closer to May, but I agree that WDW's generally shorter hours are a real shame.

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

May 5-12 here. MK closes at 9pm except for one night of EMH evening I believe.
Fine by me. It forces us to enjoy the Poly more in the evening!!!!

 

[Elle :)]

I have mixed feelings too. Disney World is exhausting! Having the parks close at 9 is great in the respect that I can get some extra sleep in (we RD every day). On the downside though, there is something magical about walking around the parks at night. For one thing, I don’t need sunscreen (which means a lot to this lily white girl). Not to mention how different all the rides feel after dark.

We’re going in the first couple weeks of May. So far, the only hour changes happened to the first couple days of our trip.

 

[Barbanellie]

For one thing, I don’t need sunscreen (which means a lot to this lily white girl). Not to mention how different all the rides feel after dark.

I'm a whiter-than-white girl too, and love not needing the sunscreen, hat and sunglasses too! Since they will close earlier, we'll probably do more mornings than we did when we stayed up for the super late nights. We just need to shift our mindset a little before we go.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Well, on the plus side, not having extended hours means Disney doesn't expect it to be busy the days you're there so there's that. I liked last year when hours for extended at night but I'm not loving that our last park day in early May has an 8 am open now. To me that means Disney expects it to be very busy.

 

[MommyinHonduras]

They have not been extending hours till a little bit before. April through May 5th was just extended about 2 weeks back. Waiting for them to add for May. Surely they have to add more hours.

 

[Bullseye]

Yeah it's sure not like the old days when you could still be plunking around the MK at 2AM. That's what I used to love about going in the summer. Heck, you could come back from afternoon break at 7 PM and still have 6-7 hours of park time left.

 

[BrookieM2001]

Rig

Yeah it's sure not like the old days when you could still be plunking around the MK at 2AM. That's what I used to love about going in the summer. Heck, you could come back from afternoon break at 7 PM and still have 6-7 hours of park time left.

Right! it feels like by 6-7pm now that the entire night is almost over. It used to be hours of fun after dark and now thats DEFINITELY not the case!

 

[davale4]

I’m hoping they extend the hours for our trip. We are definitely night owls. I love the parks at night!

 

[smcabee]

Increased Ticket prices + shorter park hours=More Income for the Mouse.

 

[Shanti]

Increased Ticket prices + shorter park hours=More Income for the Mouse.

It acts more like a rat than a mouse these days...

 

[Elle :)]

Well, on the plus side, not having extended hours means Disney doesn't expect it to be busy the days you're there so there's that. I liked last year when hours for extended at night but I'm not loving that our last park day in early May has an 8 am open now. To me that means Disney expects it to be very busy.

Excellent point! I believe our trips overlap (we start Disney on 5/04, after a 3 day Universal trip). I’m excited that MK is open until midnight on 5/05 but I don’t like how busy they must be expecting it to be. Plus, an 8am opening often means a 7am EMH and those are painful!

 

[dlavender]

They've been known to update hours as little as a week in advance, I'd still hold out some hope that they at least get to 10 on those 9 closes.....

 

[vicb]

They have not been extending hours till a little bit before. April through May 5th was just extended about 2 weeks back. Waiting for them to add for May. Surely they have to add more hours.

Yup, I don't think park hours beyond May 5th have been adjusted yet. Keep watching, could be very soon.

Excellent point! I believe our trips overlap (we start Disney on 5/04, after a 3 day Universal trip). I’m excited that MK is open until midnight on 5/05 but I don’t like how busy they must be expecting it to be. Plus, an 8am opening often means a 7am EMH and those are painful!

We'll be there May 3-8, we decided against MK on that Sat even with the midnight closure as Sat. is always a crazy day at MK. We will be at AK instead, entering park by 1:30 for the new Up bird show then our first FP is FoP at 3pm. We will stay till the new extended close which is 10:30pm. Thats a long enough day for us!

 

[Elle :)]

Yup, I don't think park hours beyond May 5th have been adjusted yet. Keep watching, could be very soon.



We'll be there May 3-8, we decided against MK on that Sat even with the midnight closure as Sat. is always a crazy day at MK. We will be at AK instead, entering park by 1:30 for the new Up bird show then our first FP is FoP at 3pm. We will stay till the new extended close which is 10:30pm. Thats a long enough day for us!

We're planning on Epcot that day. I may consider going to MK very late in the evening but you're right about the weekend crowds.

 

[lugnut33]

I understand we're not going at a very crowded time

Found your problem!!

 

[jina]

touringplans sent me alerts in mid-March that MK and AK close moved out 1 hr for our upcoming mid-April dates so hang in there.