We had a dinner reservation for Jungle Navigation at 6:00 on a party night last December. I expected a CM to walk us out of MK and let the rest of our party know to probably expect it (and use the restrooms before we left the restaurant). I was surprised when no one met us at the door. We walked directly to the exit and were never stopped or even noticed by a CM.
We had a 7 Dwarves FP+ for 6:30 on another party night which was changed to a different ride at an earlier time about a month before our trip, making it impossible to get another for 7D. No explanation was given but it sure looked like MK wanted to make sure we would not be there after 7.
I remember when the party guests did not enter at 4:00 and it worked much better, I hope MK returns to that plan. The way parties continue to take more away from the normal guests is getting annoying.
Can you imagine the crush not only trying to get in but get out? I see a nightmare.
Also, the person paying for the day is not getting a full day so their ticket should be prorated accordingly. If they changed the time to 6:00 pm in the dining reservation system why do they need to say the park is closing at 6:00 if they are allowing people to stay until 7:00 pm. My guess is non party guess will be required to leave at 6:00 pm also. We shall see.
Disney is not going to prorate tickets. You can choose to go to MK on a party day or to choose a different park. The hours are posted, so youknow exactly what your ticket will pay for.
I am definitely not saying the experience at MK is ruined but you have to admit certainly altered and not for the better for non-party guests. I am very careful to not be too critical about Parties because if you want to see crazy then really say something negative about parties....then stand back!
I think it depends on how you choose to look at party days. We always choose at least one party day to visit the MK. WE get there at RD and have a less crowded park to enjoy. My family always has at least two MK days on our trips, so I plan accordingly. WE like evening entertainment so I knwo that if I plan one day as an early day that a party is scheduled, we can get a lot of attractions done in a relatively short space of time. On a non party day we arrive later, book FP so that we have the attractions we enjoy in the dark, and temper our expectations for that night. I think it all evens out.
I am well aware of the dozens of non-park restaurants... but not thinking of myself solely there are many people who really want to experience BOG dinner in the evening and taking in the fireworks. Personally when I go to MK I love to spend the entire day and evening there. We do not rush and hopping for us is more hassle then it is worth. We love closing down the park.
There is absolutely no denying that people who do not like parties or do not want to spend the money for parties are really put at an imposition at certain times of the year having to work around them. People here on the disboards (crowd calendars) are true planners and I like to plan park days for certain as well. I can testify it is no problem when I am paying for a party because I know I will have a MK day that is decent if I spend the entire day there on the party day. The only time I can count on being busy is that period between 4:00 and 7:00. The years I am a non-party guest are a real pain!
I do not know why most party proponents are not at least wiling to admit that it is a real pain for people not going to the parties instead of letting us "know" the alternatives. I can certainly see the desire to have the party. It is novel..get to see rare characters, get to have a less crowded park, special parade.. etc., etc. MK is the most popular park. If you have already spent a lot of money on a vacation the idea of spending more money on party tickets is not doable to some people and then they are stuck going to MK on days that are highly unrecommended or go on a party day and miss out on a lot.
I do not know what the answer is to make both sides happy...I know not letting party people in quite as early as 4pm would go a long way for me. I do not think 3 hours of transitioning is necessary. Also if that amount of time for the money is too much for party ticket cost perhaps Disney should adjust the price of the party ticket accordingly so it is a better experience for all.
You know, I get that the parties impact people but they are offered during seasons that have discounts. You want a discount? There is going to be a tradeoff. Personally, I think some preplanning can make all the difference and while I get that there may be a compromise, there are some real benefits as well. You can still spend an entire day at teh MK, but you need to make a plan becuase it si going to be more crowded than normal. You may also get an additional three hours tacked on, MK will often stay open later then normal to address the higher crowds.
I seldom go to parties anymore, so I do understand the challenges. WHat I do not understand is why folks continue to book vacations during party season and then complain that they have limited options in regards to MK evening hours. If I book a trip during F&W I am completely aware that Epcot is going to be wicked crowded on weekends. If I plan so my only open days are weekends my experience is going to be much different than a Monday and Wednesday.
I use the parties to my advantage and do not feel that I am negatively impacted. I do think I get a great bang for my buck. I book with a resort discount, plan MK days so I can have the best of both worlds, light crowds on a party day, and evening entertainment on a non party night. I book a meal to coincide with the party fireworks show and get to enjoy them from the comfort of my restaurant. I do not blame Disney if I choose to travel when they offer parties, and I do not resent party goers who benefit from a few hours when I may be in the park.
