My empty Main Street/early entry CP morning is gone...

[cuchu2005]

I know many are disappointed with the new hours.

But my family is doing the happy dance since it gives us another hour at MK.

And I would add a not so well communicated new rope drop time. Which could mean fewer people. I don't know if with those crowds the difference would be noticeable but...

Mx

 

[Suvadoo]

Since an 8:05-8:15 or so is one of the hardest to get, or used to be, I would say quite a few. And don't they also have 8 am appointments at the Bippity Bobbity thing?

The thing is that its more than a picture on Main St. When we do that ADR at CRT, its also being one of the first people in Fantasy Land ahead of all those folks at RD. Its having a little part of WDW all to yourself for a moment. Its an experience that is just part of the magic.

I don't think it should ruin anyone's trip but it would irritate the heck out of me.

They knew 12 years ago that Thanksgiving is one of the busiest weeks of the year, I really think they knew 6 months ago.

In years past they extended the hours at night not in the morning. That worked great in giving the large crowds more time and in spreading them out through the day. Waiting until late night for some of the rides meant lots of walk ons.

This! Disney knows it will be crowded, why do they wait until the last moment to change times?

 

[maxiesmom]

This! Disney knows it will be crowded, why do they wait until the last moment to change times?

Maybe because EMHs were undecided?

 

[Disneylover99]

We knew about it, which is why we requested time off work the week of the 11th, because they've never screwed around with hours that early in December, now we sit here with all our plans blown up because they did just that.

I guess that's just it. No matter what time of year you go, you have to assume this could be a possibility.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

OP - I was there last week of Oct. I was told there is a 15 min grace period for ressies. You just might be able to do as PP mentioned and get in early, get pics and head to Tomorrowland to ride Space. And then run to CP.Just make sure everyone knows they have to walk with a purpose and no dragging feet. Good luck!

 

[luvsJack]

Maybe because EMHs were undecided?

Are they not deciding them in advance now? Every trip I ahve planned, EMH was on the calender 6 months out, just like the hours used to be.

 

[maxiesmom]

Are they not deciding them in advance now? Every trip I ahve planned, EMH was on the calender 6 months out, just like the hours used to be.

I've seen those moved around too. Added and subtracted.

 

[keh422]

I'm pretty bummed too. We have an 8:25 CRT reservation, so I know we have no chance of getting in early. I know it's not the end of the year, but this is our first December trip, and I was really looking forward to those early morning pictures with the Christmas decorations.

 

[Peanut Butter]

Am I the only one who did not find Main Street to be nearly empty? In May we had an 8am CP reservation and I was shocked to see how many people were in the park. Sure there wasn't as many people as after park opening but I certainly wouldn't call it nearly empty.

The hilarious thing about this comment is that you were posting it as I was walking down Main Street for my first pre RD ADR at CP (that's a lot of acronyms) thinking the exact same thing. It definitely wasn't crowded but there were easily 50-75 people there with us. I had to get really creative to get a shot of us in front of the castle with no one else in it. Props to Brian the Photopass guy for his help!

 

[agavegirl1]

I have not read all the responses but have read most. I do empathize with the OP. I spent five months stalking the ADR cancellation thread to find the elusive pre-park open CP breakfast ressie. I couldn't get one at 180 days out so I kept a vigilant eye on MDE as well. An 8:30 ressie finally appeared and I snapped it up a month from my trip. My experience on Main Street that morning was really one of the few "Magical" parts of my trip and I felt it was worth every minute of my obsessive stalking.

I hope the OP is able to get in a little early for that experience. However, I would not pay any amount of money to be the first person on any ride in any park ever. My Halloween season photos of nearly empty Main Street are very precious. The fact that we took the second boat on Jungle Cruise and it wasn't even full...not so much. It was kind of a fun trip though...only us and one other family.

 

[kaytieeldr]

This defending WDW because somewhere on something it says "subject to change" is ridiculous, imo. Most venues that put that statement in do everything in their power NOT to make a change.

Except, of course, when it makes smart business sense to extend operating hours.

I would bet you dollars to donuts that if the number of 8:05 ADRs (you know, the hardest ones to get at CRT??) went down in numbers at holidays, they would suddenly not have a need for these changes. And that is exactly what one would expect from a business.

Any restaurant can handle only a fixed number of reservations at each designated time - so, no, a(n unsupported stab at a) drop in the number of reservations won't affect park hours. What will/did does is a revised estimate of total park visitors.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I don't understand why Disney waits until the last minute to make changes. It's not like they didn't know the parks would be crowded over the holidays. Disney wants' people making ADR's 180 days out, why can't they be nice to their guests and post their extended hours 180 days out? This is simple courtesy!

Two or more weeks in advance isn't last minute. Yes, it tgrows a wrench in some plans, but apparently there will be more guests than originally anticipated.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

Two or more weeks in advance isn't last minute. Yes, it tgrows a wrench in some plans, but apparently there will be more guests than originally anticipated.

There was another thread on here where the OP left today and had their hours changed for Thanksgiving week 3 days before their trip. 3 days. That is not a wrench in the plans, that's full blown destruction brought on my Disney.

 

[maxiesmom]

There was another thread on here where the OP left today and had their hours changed for Thanksgiving week 3 days before their trip. 3 days. That is not a wrench in the plans, that's full blown destruction brought on my Disney.

Exaggerate much?

News Flash: Disney can and sometimes does, change hours the day of.

The same Disney you are blaming for a "full on destruction" makes no secret of the fact that park hours are subject to change. Maybe if someone's plans are destroyed by the addition or subtraction of an hour of park time, they shouldn't be so heavily invested in those plans? Bummed out, ok, I get that. Destroyed? That is more than just a little extreme.

 

[Suvadoo]

Two or more weeks in advance isn't last minute. Yes, it tgrows a wrench in some plans, but apparently there will be more guests than originally anticipated.

I'm sorry, but WDW is run by morons if they don't know that the week of Thanksgiving 2015 (one year out) and Christmas week 2015 will not be busy! MK closes to capacity annually over the Christmas holidays. They've known this since the parks opened. So, prior to the 180 mark Disney could've posted updated hours, but customer service is no longer essential to Disney.
Your assertion that 2 weeks out isn't last minute is really funny when ADR's for popular restaurants are booked at 180 days and FP+'s are booked 30-60 days out. Maybe you can get a reservation at 9 Dragons and a FP+ for Figment or EO, but not much else at 2 weeks out.
In WDW speak: 2 weeks out is last minute.

 

[pavicich]

Correct-they are not stupid and have the data that shows how often they do this (plus recovered park attendance).

There has to be a reason other than they just got around to deciding this.

I am starting to wonder if it is somehow related to labor requirements/agreements? I know many represented labor groups are just now starting to get canvassed to work more hours/days during the traditional end of the year break. Perhaps there is something that had to be worked out between Disney and the workforce before they added extra hours?

 

[luvsJack]

Except, of course, when it makes smart business sense to extend operating hours.

Any restaurant can handle only a fixed number of reservations at each designated time - so, no, a(n unsupported stab at a) drop in the number of reservations won't affect park hours. What will/did does is a revised estimate of total park visitors.

Are the hours also extended in the evening?

Fewer 8 am reservations would equal less money made at those
restaurants. Opening at 9 instead 8 is not going to change revenue. Remeber this isn't just one day but many days throughout the year. And no I am not saying there ARE fewer, I said if. Their bottom line is their ultimate conern, as it should be.

And again, I find it hard to believe that if they did this last year and the year before they couldn't see 6 months ago that they needed to do it this year.

9 or 10 years ago they extended their night hours once we arrived and added a second night parade at MK. Made sense, it ws crowded. The next year when we started planning again, those things were already in place. And from that point on we knew to expect it. The crowds are not a surprise to them.

 

[luvsJack]

Two or more weeks in advance isn't last minute. Yes, it tgrows a wrench in some plans, but apparently there will be more guests than originally anticipated.

It is last minute when ADRs are done at 6 months and FP at 2 months.

 

[Bellanota]

Are the hours also extended in the evening?

Fewer 8 am reservations would equal less money made at those
restaurants. Opening at 9 instead 8 is not going to change revenue. Remeber this isn't just one day but many days throughout the year. And no I am not saying there ARE fewer, I said if. Their bottom line is their ultimate conern, as it should be.

And again, I find it hard to believe that if they did this last year and the year before they couldn't see 6 months ago that they needed to do it this year.

9 or 10 years ago they extended their night hours once we arrived and added a second night parade at MK. Made sense, it ws crowded. The next year when we started planning again, those things were already in place. And from that point on we knew to expect it. The crowds are not a surprise to them.

They extended the night hours a few weeks back.... well before the start of Novemeber. So yes they have extended night and morning hours... when i made my ADRS parks were open 0900-1000 now MK is open 0800-0000 at least almost every day and the other parks have changed too.

 

[luvsJack]

They extended the night hours a few weeks back.... well before the start of Novemeber. So yes they have extended night and morning hours... when i made my ADRS parks were open 0900-1000 now MK is open 0800-0000 at least almost every day and the other parks have changed too.

So for some reason they had the hours posted at regular hours then extended all of them starting with night hours. But years ago they were extending the night hours 6 months out.

Maybe the pp that suggested it had something to do with labor, contracts and such is right. It just being crowd capacity doesn't make a lot of sense.