MK 11pm Parade with 11pm Closing

[MaybeMaybeline]

Just looking at the updated June hours and right now my dates in June for MK are showing 11pm closing with a 2nd 11pm parade. Is that normal? It seems rather silly not to keep the park open till midnight as anyone not out by 10:45 would be pretty much trapped until after the parade passed with nothing to do. I was hoping for a midnight close so we could watch the 2nd parade in Fronteirland and snag a few rides on the mountains before heading out but with an 11pm close I'm not sure what my strategy should be. Fight the crowd for the 9pm parade and get in a few rides after Wishes? See the 11pm parade and park on a bench for awhile to enjoy the atmosphere while the parade finishes and the crowd disperses? Planning dilemma!

 

[zaccaglin]

Yes this is normal and happens all the time, heck it happens tonight. The thought is that guests will see the second parade scheduled, will then enjoy other attractions, shopping or dining during the time of the first, then they watch the firework and final parade. Since they were "watching" the final parade as the park closed; Fantasy land, adventure land and tomorrow land should be clear thus making the exit quicker and easier.

 

[Robo]

Just looking at the updated June hours and right now my dates in June for MK are showing 11pm closing with a 2nd 11pm parade.
1. Is that normal? It seems rather silly not to keep the park open till midnight as
2. anyone not out by 10:45 would be pretty much trapped until after the parade passed with nothing to do. I was hoping for a midnight close so we could watch the 2nd parade in Fronteirland and snag a few rides on the mountains before heading out but with an 11pm close I'm not sure what my strategy should be. Fight the crowd for the 9pm parade and get in a few rides after Wishes?
3.See the 11pm parade and park on a bench for awhile to enjoy the atmosphere while the parade finishes and the crowd disperses?

1. Completely normal. (Epcot "closes" at the start-time of IllumiNations virtually every night of the year.)
2. They are not trapped for 45 minutes. Thousands of guests will be exiting during the parade. (That's normal, too.)
3. Sounds right.

 

[cel_disney]

Ride the mountains until 10:59 and then hop over to watch the parade at 11! It's great to sit and watch at night and then stroll out of a mostly empty park - they will still take your picture on Main Street as you stroll out around 11:30/11:45!

 

[joelkfla]

It's the reason nighttime parades almost always start at Town Square. As the parade passes, there's a clear route to the exit.

If it's a heavy attendance night, they'll also open the backstage bypass from TL to the exit. From Adventureland, guests can also exit thru Emporium 15 minutes after the start time.

 

[Robo]

If it's a heavy attendance night, they'll also open the backstage bypass from TL to the exit.

The image below does not show the new theming they added to make the passage look much more "guest-friendly."

 

[MaybeMaybeline]

It's the reason nighttime parades almost always start at Town Square. As the parade passes, there's a clear route to the exit.

Ah that's the key I was missing. I was envisioning it beginning in Fronteirland and then basically being stuck there till the parade made its way down main street and the crowds dispersed. The other way makes much more sense!

 

[joelkfla]

The image below does not show the new theming they added to make the passage look much more "guest-friendly."

This more recent image from Google Earth does show the wall that was built to separate the bypass from the backstage parking. Main Street USA's on the left; the white line at center bottom is the Tony's backstage gate.

 

[Accident]

Just looking at the updated June hours and right now my dates in June for MK are showing 11pm closing with a 2nd 11pm parade. Is that normal? It seems rather silly not to keep the park open till midnight as anyone not out by 10:45 would be pretty much trapped until after the parade passed with nothing to do.

It's normal.. Closing time is the last chance to jump into a ride queue time.. The place itself stays opened so you can shop on your way out as long as you need (and those that jumped in line at the last second get their ride).

Others mentioned the your not trapped but wanted to add that on the emplorium side of main street, they do let people cross the from the center to the side between floats. There is no spot in disney where you can't get around the parade and out.