MK Closing at 9pm? What?

[Madonna3]

Last year we were there first 1.5 weeks of June. The first week MK had early closings 9 or 10 pm. The second week opened up a little, I think 11pm.

It is kind of a drag because parks hours and EMH schedule are the first thing I check when starting trip planning. Used to be that the hours were know much further out...at least a few months.

Well that's somewhat unsettling as we will be there the first week of June.

I cannot understand why they would close MK any night before 10pm.

 

[IrishNYC]

I'd plan for what's posted, and consider anything additional as a bonus.

 

[ArwenMarie]

They aren't motivated to post them too far ahead of time because they don't want people in the parks over a certain number of hours. They want you at your resort or Disney Springs as someone mentioned above. Less time in the parks = More people they can cycle through the parks

 

[NileNellie]

As much as Disney basically forces people to plan their vacations months in advance, it just doesn't seem fair to not have accurate park hours. I think it's reasonable that they should be correct >6 months before the date.

 

[Bullseye]

Well that's somewhat unsettling as we will be there the first week of June.

I cannot understand why they would close MK any night before 10pm.

Yes we will be there that week also. Back in the day (maybe 4-5 years ago) I remember MK during summer would open until 11-12 every night of the week and 1-2 am on EMH days. That was one of things we always liked about going in June.

 

[Madonna3]

Yes we will be there that week also. Back in the day (maybe 4-5 years ago) I remember MK during summer would open until 11-12 every night of the week and 1-2 am on EMH days. That was one of things we always liked about going in June.

Right? I remember the park being open until 12-1 as standard operating and as late as 3am-4am for EMH

 

[ArielSRL]

Well that's certainly an interesting trend I hadn't noticed before. I think 90+ days is more acceptable than 60. I guess the hours matter slightly to me because we were going to do a California Grill and wanted to time it to where we could see the fireworks from the terrace for no other reason than it's a perspective we hadn't seen before. To find that I can't rely on hours at what (70ish) days in advance is frustrating. I guess my focus is only on MK. The rest of the parks are gravy if they stay open later. We don't find ourselves wanting for more than EP or MK to stay open later as EP is our fave with MK coming in second when I want to time something to a show. So, it's not my fastpass windows that are affected, but my dining so I feel even more impacted than usual.

Wishes last year during your time was from at 10pm, I'm fairly certain. We were there 6/4-6/11 and MK was open til 11 or 12 most nights. Of course, there is now a new show debuting May 12th so there could possibly be a change in the schedule from last year but I'm going to go with thinking it will be around 10, as before. Also it will be more projection based so views from outside the park may not be as good, fyi..

ETA: I'll agree with PP...updating/extending hours about mid month the month before has become the trend and it was most definitely going on a year ago.

 

[ArielSRL]

Last year we were there first 1.5 weeks of June. The first week MK had early closings 9 or 10 pm. The second week opened up a little, I think 11pm.

It is kind of a drag because parks hours and EMH schedule are the first thing I check when starting trip planning. Used to be that the hours were known much further out...at least a few months.

What were your dates? We were there 6/4-6/11 and MK closed no earlier than 11pm every day we were there.

ETA: I just checked 5/30-6/3 from last year and they were 11pm or 12am, as well.

https://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours/may16.cfm
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours/june16.cfm

 

[AngiTN]

Hours for April were just updated this week. Would leave one to expect June hours 2 months from now.
Hours change quite late now. It's the new way. Best get used to it

Right? I remember the park being open until 12-1 as standard operating and as late as 3am-4am for EMH

But how many people did you find at the parks during those times? Think about it. It's becomes easy to see why they eliminated the very late hours

 

[wnwardii]

At least with WDW they have hours posted as far out as 6 months. With Disneyland Resort, if you go look right now, there are no Park Hours posted past May 2nd. So Disneyland Resort only posts about 6 weeks of park hours. This was extremely frustrating when I was trying to plan my most recent trip to California.

I remember when I planned my trip for last October, as the dates got closer, the hours were adjusted. So I would expect, as many other people have indicated previously, the hours will most likely be adjusted the closer it becomes. But I totally understand the frustration of wanting to schedule ADRs and FP+ ahead of time.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

At least with WDW they have hours posted as far out as 6 months. With Disneyland Resort, if you go look right now, there are no Park Hours posted past May 2nd. So Disneyland Resort only posts about 6 weeks of park hours. This was extremely frustrating when I was trying to plan my most recent trip to California.

I remember when I planned my trip for last October, as the dates got closer, the hours were adjusted. So I would expect, as many other people have indicated previously, the hours will most likely be adjusted the closer it becomes. But I totally understand the frustration of wanting to schedule ADRs and FP+ ahead of time.

I wonder if other heavily local places are like that.

Just using my local place Worlds of Fun opens for the season April 14th. All of their operating hours for the season are up. Oceans of Fun (opens May 26th) also has their opening hours up.

I don't have experience with DLR operating because last time I went I was just a few years old and have no memories of it.

 

[Bullseye]

What were your dates? We were there 6/4-6/11 and MK closed no earlier than 11pm every day we were there.

ETA: I just checked 3/30-6/3 from last year and they were 11pm or 12am, as well.

https://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours/may16.cfm
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours/june16.cfm

We were there 5/27 - 6/8. I could of sworn our first MK night was 10pm and later in the trip was 11pm which bears out from your link. I may have been hearkening back to what the posted hours were shortly before my trip. Once I get my park days & ADR's planned...I kind of stop paying attention to changes in park hours since my plans are set.

 

[ArielSRL]

We were there 5/27 - 6/8. I could of sworn our first MK night was 10pm and later in the trip was 11pm which bears out from your link. I may have been hearkening back to what the posted hours were shortly before my trip. Once I get my park days & ADR's planned...I kind of stop paying attention to changes in park hours since my plans are set.

Well I realize I made a mistake. I meant to type 5/30 not 3/30. I didn't actually look at anything previous to 5/30 so you may be correct on the earlier dates.

 

[dlavender]

Right? I remember the park being open until 12-1 as standard operating and as late as 3am-4am for EMH

The June 2015 hours are where I wish they'd go back to. 9-1AM. You can get the whole park in with those hours.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours/june15.cfm

 

[DisneyMaleficent50]

I was there that time last year. Here were the hours for MK
Friday 5/27 9am-12am with EMH 8am-9am
5/28 9am-12am
5/29 9am-12am
5/30 9am-12am
5/31 9am-12am
6/1 9am-10pm EMH 10pm-12am
6/2 9am-10pm
6/3 9am-10pm EMH 8am-9am
6/4 9am-10pm

we had booked hoping to catch the 24 hour day as it usually the Friday before Memorial day but it was not held last year. So I would keep checking those hours. Local school are already out and it is a holiday. Very likely you will see similar hours to what we saw last year.

 

[Madonna3]

The June 2015 hours are where I wish they'd go back to. 9-1AM. You can get the whole park in with those hours.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours/june15.cfm

YAAAS

I don't wanna do the whole day. I wanna sleep in late, swim, have lunch, head to a park at 4pm and still get in 8 hours of park time

 

[Madonna3]

I was there that time last year. Here were the hours for MK
Friday 5/27 9am-12am with EMH 8am-9am
5/28 9am-12am
5/29 9am-12am
5/30 9am-12am
5/31 9am-12am
6/1 9am-10pm EMH 10pm-12am
6/2 9am-10pm
6/3 9am-10pm EMH 8am-9am
6/4 9am-10pm

we had booked hoping to catch the 24 hour day as it usually the Friday before Memorial day but it was not held last year. So I would keep checking those hours. Local school are already out and it is a holiday. Very likely you will see similar hours to what we saw last year.

Meh, that's better, but I don't like the 10pm closing time either

 

[dlavender]

Meh, that's better, but I don't like the 10pm closing time either

I really don't know how they justify a 10 PM closing in summer.

Unless their only justification is that they can resell those hours........

 

[Lesverts]

I was there that time last year. Here were the hours for MK
Friday 5/27 9am-12am with EMH 8am-9am
5/28 9am-12am
5/29 9am-12am
5/30 9am-12am
5/31 9am-12am
6/1 9am-10pm EMH 10pm-12am
6/2 9am-10pm
6/3 9am-10pm EMH 8am-9am
6/4 9am-10pm

we had booked hoping to catch the 24 hour day as it usually the Friday before Memorial day but it was not held last year. So I would keep checking those hours. Local school are already out and it is a holiday. Very likely you will see similar hours to what we saw last year.

Your hours for June are a bit off. 1, 2 and 3 were 11 and 4 was 12am. I was there in MK till well after midnight on June 4 last year.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours/june16.cfm

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Expecting guests to decide what they want to eat for lunch six months from now, but not showing accurate park hours until two weeks out... that's so Disney.

I love each and every one of those rascals doing the bean counting and park planning at my all time favorite resort, however this new way of doing things is guaranteed to make people cuckoo. As others have said, we are left with a lot of guesswork now. Surely to goodness MK will be open until 11pm or later most nights between Memorial Day and mid August. AK should be open as late or later because after all Disney has been breathlessly hyping Pandora's bioluminecence. It would be bizarre to limit AK to extended summer duskiness and not open up some true night time hours. DHS may be be needed to take some relief off the other two parks so will see closings at least after dark every night. Good ol' Epcot closes at 9 Every. Single. Day.

I'm not a fan of the delayed park hour release, but I think Disney believes we will be delighted at having been given more hours. Most people will see it as a bonus and not a burr in the saddle of those trying to plan meticulously.