Not sure $149 Disney After Hrs event is doing well... (ETA: reviews in 1st post)

[maxiesmom]

Up to this point Disney has NOT trimmed regular hours for this event. They added it on to their already published hours. We don't know if that will change. Everyone is assuming it will and panicking that they will, but at this point that statement is not true.

Just because they haven't updated June's hours to reflect later openings doesn't mean that won't happen. last November we were only a couple of weeks out when all of a sudden Novemver hours were updated to an extra hour or two most nights from the base hours previously posted. Maybe they're holding off on publishing MK hours until they see where the other parks are at (I've Eivers of light and AK later openings, Epcot rides finished or reopened etc). There could be any number of logistical reasons that those hours haven't been updated yet. If they updated them last week, and things changed so they had to adjust them again everyone would be screaming, so best to hold off until they see where everything with all the parks is falling.

Now don't go ruining a good rant with the facts.

 

[mom2rtk]

Amen! I am tired of the haters. I'm begging them to stop going to WDW. If you don't think its a good value, then don't go, but be quiet about it. We're going and I don't think I'm stupid and my guess is that I won't for the 3 hours I'm in MK that night.

It's a discussion board. We discuss. If you're not happy with the discussion, you can choose to move along or not. It's up to you.

 

[Lothlórien]

The thing it was announced so recently that a lot of people haven't had time to even discover its out there.

(remember we are in the minority here of being "in the know") ..

They need to get some people going to it to generate some word of mouth publicity.

Disney knew exactly what they were doing. They waited until people made reservations and were mostly locked into their plans. Then, switch-a-roo...... so for people to maximize their day or keep with their plans, they are enticed to pay the extra fee to get those hours.

 

[Lothlórien]

Does anyone know what they cap attendance at for the holiday parties?

Disney does not release this information. I can tell you this.... the first party I went to was in 2001 and it was easy to walk on every attraction and the lines for characters were short. I have gone every year since. Lines for characters are crazy and many attractions have a line. From a visual standpoint, IF the party in 2001 has 20K guests, the ones today have about 60K - 70K.

 

[tlmadden73]

Disney knew exactly what they were doing. They waited until people made reservations and were mostly locked into their plans. Then, switch-a-roo...... so for people to maximize their day or keep with their plans, they are enticed to pay the extra fee to get those hours.

I don't think it was that nefarious. This isn't some evil company cackling with glee and trying to "screw" over their guests plans. If so, they closed the park at 7:00 PM like they do for the holiday parties.

The night party does/did not affect people who already made plans. As a matter of fact because of such the quick turnaround between announcement and implementation it could HELP guests who DO find this something they would like to do.

I think it was put out there so quickly because unlike a new attraction or show .. simply having the park open an extra few hours and handing out ice cream takes hardly any time at all to plan and prepare for.

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

My dad complained about the price of a one day Epcot ticket last year (he hadn't been since the 00s), and I said to my husband, "this from a man who belonged to Augusta." Different strokes.

Nice pun...

 

[nicko]

Up to this point Disney has NOT trimmed regular hours for this event. They added it on to their already published hours. We don't know if that will change. Everyone is assuming it will and panicking that they will, but at this point that statement is not true.

Just because they haven't updated June's hours to reflect later openings doesn't mean that won't happen. last November we were only a couple of weeks out when all of a sudden Novemver hours were updated to an extra hour or two most nights from the base hours previously posted. Maybe they're holding off on publishing MK hours until they see where the other parks are at (ie Rivers of light and AK later openings, Epcot rides finished or reopened etc). There could be any number of logistical reasons that those hours haven't been updated yet. If they updated them last week, and things changed so they had to adjust them again everyone would be screaming, so best to hold off until they see where everything with all the parks is falling.

(Edited to fix typos)

You are correct that at this point they have not technically trimmed hours for June and July. Every day is showing a 10 PM closing on Disney.com. It’s also true that historically, during June and July (going back at least 4 years) Disney has extended MK hours for June and July to 11 PM or Midnight. It’s also true that Disney historically posts lower operating hours and as the dates approach, hours are sometimes added. I have seen this myself in previous years.

What’s different this year is that June is already mostly in the 60 day FP+ booking window and Disney still has not extended hours. It’s also a fact that during Easter week this year, for the first time in many years, Disney did not extend hours significantly such as opening every day at 8 AM. It’s also a fact that earlier in 2016, the water parks had the following operating hours posted for June and July: 9 AM – 8 PM. A month ago they explicitly reduced the water park hours in June and July to 10 AM – 7 PM. I have never seen Disney reduce hours as a date gets nearer.

Nothing I mention above proves beyond a reasonable doubt that Disney will not extend MK hours for June and July back to 11 PM or midnight. However, given the pattern of operating hours cutbacks we have seen across the board over the last couple of months, and given the fact that Disney has announced DAH for April and May that conveniently start at 10 or 11 PM, it’s not unreasonable to conclude that they intend to do the same in June and July. That’s why I believe they haven’t extended operating hours for June and July. I could be wrong. In fact I hope I am.

For many people (not all), DAH feels like a bad deal because regular hours are reduced (causing even longer lines) and then Disney creates an upsell event to alleviate some of the crowding that they created by trimming hours.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I don't know... maybe it's just me, but I think I have enough real challenges in life and in planning a Disney trip with uncertainty abounding, that I can't muster any energy to worry about cuts in hours that they MIGHT make.

I don't have a good enough crystal ball... or magic 8 ball...

 

[SaintsManiac]

Just read on Facebook that people staying at AoA today are getting free passes to this. This is just getting hilarious now.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Just read on Facebook that people staying at AoA today are getting free passes to this. This is just getting hilarious now.

Go back a few pages and I think there are many reasons posited for Disney doing this. Not sure what's hilarious.

 

[mom2rtk]

I don't have a good enough crystal ball... or magic 8 ball...

That's what the DIS is for.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

That's what the DIS is for.

Do they get more accurate when we pool our defective crystal balls??

 

[mom2rtk]

Do they get more accurate when we pool our defective crystal balls??

Well yeah!

 

[3DisneyFanz]

Just read on Facebook that people staying at AoA today are getting free passes to this. This is just getting hilarious now.

They deserve it for overpaying to stay at AoA.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Well yeah!

The magic of DISboards!

 

[Sevey13]

Disney knew exactly what they were doing. They waited until people made reservations and were mostly locked into their plans. Then, switch-a-roo...... so for people to maximize their day or keep with their plans, they are enticed to pay the extra fee to get those hours.

Might want to read:

Up to this point Disney has NOT trimmed regular hours for this event. They added it on to their already published hours. We don't know if that will change. Everyone is assuming it will and panicking that they will, but at this point that statement is not true.

Just because they haven't updated June's hours to reflect later openings doesn't mean that won't happen. last November we were only a couple of weeks out when all of a sudden Novemver hours were updated to an extra hour or two most nights from the base hours previously posted. Maybe they're holding off on publishing MK hours until they see where the other parks are at (ie Rivers of light and AK later openings, Epcot rides finished or reopened etc). There could be any number of logistical reasons that those hours haven't been updated yet. If they updated them last week, and things changed so they had to adjust them again everyone would be screaming, so best to hold off until they see where everything with all the parks is falling.

(Edited to fix typos)

 

[Mikie]

Just read on Facebook that people staying at AoA today are getting free passes to this. This is just getting hilarious now.

Go back a few pages and I think there are many reasons posited for Disney doing this. Not sure what's hilarious.

I wonder if there's any science to who they offer the freebies to. Perhaps they're trying to see what the reaction is from DVC versus value versus moderate vs. Deluxe guests? Then again what will they really find out about who wants a free ticket versus who'd be willing to pay for a ticket?

 

[mom2rtk]

I think it's interesting they chose AOA. Most of those guests really aren't the target market. I would see target market as small groups of adults only. Yet AOA is mostly family suites. Standard rooms are a very small part of their rooms available. People with small kids aren't likely to stay out late enough to fully enjoy it, nor would they be as willing to buy it at a future date (would require more $$$$ for their larger group).

 

[Planogirl]

Amen! I am tired of the haters. I'm begging them to stop going to WDW. If you don't think its a good value, then don't go, but be quiet about it. We're going and I don't think I'm stupid and my guess is that I won't for the 3 hours I'm in MK that night.

I wouldn't call you stupid for going even though I don't think it's a good value. However I also won't stop going just because you beg and I certainly won't be quiet.

 

[Planogirl]

I think it's interesting they chose AOA. Most of those guests really aren't the target market. I would see target market as small groups of adults only. Yet AOA is mostly family suites. Standard rooms are a very small part of their rooms available. People with small kids aren't likely to stay out late enough to fully enjoy it, nor would they be as willing to buy it at a future date (would require more $$$$ for their larger group).

Maybe because whole families going can better inflate attendance numbers? Or maybe they just feel generous.