Nov 17, 2016 Magic Kingdom - closing at 4:30pm ??????

[WEDWDW]

Anyone have knowledge or guesses on possible fireworks times ?

They have been at 9:30 PM some nights of the Service Celebrations in the past at DHS,so that would be my best "GUESS".

 

[xipotec]

Been in the park hour for like months?

 

[Missyrose]

Castmembers get 1 day a year. 1 day. They deserve it. Cast member celebration is to recognize those who have been with Disney for many years (5, 10, 15, 20, etc) and to let them have a night to enjoy the parks. Yes it sucks that it is happening during your vacation but this has been on the schedule with more than enough ample notice for you to reschedule or cancel if it was really that big of a deal.

Well said!

 

[Usernamestaken]

Happy and proud for the cast members. Seriously I am. But as a current guest who has been trying to get back to Art of Animation for an hour and half (and still not there!!!) is it necessary to close all transportation out of MK for the night also???? We scheduled Mickey's BBQ MONTHS before this closing was ever posting and tranport to it and from it has been an absolute nightmare. We overheard the bus drivers talking about what a mess it is also. I'll be seeing guest services when (and IF!!!) we get back to our hotel.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Happy and proud for the cast members. Seriously I am. But as a current guest who has been trying to get back to Art of Animation for an hour and half (and still not there!!!) is it necessary to close all transportation out of MK for the night also???? We scheduled Mickey's BBQ MONTHS before this closing was ever posting and tranport to it and from it has been an absolute nightmare. We overheard the bus drivers talking about what a mess it is also. I'll be seeing guest services when (and IF!!!) we get back to our hotel.

I'm sorry you haven't been a DISer for very long but this thread began 7 months ago.

Did FW have you bus to DHS or Disney Springs and then to AoA?

 

[Usernamestaken]

I'm sorry you haven't been a DISer for very long but this thread began 7 months ago.

Did FW have you bus to DHS or Disney Springs and then to AoA?

We had to take a bus to the front of Fort Wilderness, then a bus to Disney Springs, then a bus back to AoA (waited for first bus for 15 minutes but didn't make it on, waited half an hour for another bus). It took us about an hour and a half to get back to AoA. Like I said, I knew the park itself was going to be closed, but didn't realize the boats would stop running also. Not to mention it took us almost two hours to get from AK to the BBQ. That one I feel is on me though bc I should have realized how busy MK area would be around 4:30. I planned an hour as we usually do, but clearly that wasn't enough. Thankfully our hotel manager refunded our BBQ experience. Transportation issues just should have been better communicated and planned for.

 

[hiroMYhero]

@Usernamestaken ~ That's good to know your resort management provided the best Guest Recovery possible. Hope the rest of your trip goes much better!

 

[HopperFan]

We had to take a bus to the front of Fort Wilderness, then a bus to Disney Springs, then a bus back to AoA (waited for first bus for 15 minutes but didn't make it on, waited half an hour for another bus). It took us about an hour and a half to get back to AoA. Like I said, I knew the park itself was going to be closed, but didn't realize the boats would stop running also. Not to mention it took us almost two hours to get from AK to the BBQ. That one I feel is on me though bc I should have realized how busy MK area would be around 4:30. I planned an hour as we usually do, but clearly that wasn't enough. Thankfully our hotel manager refunded our BBQ experience. Transportation issues just should have been better communicated and planned for.

When using Disney transportation to get from resort to resort ADRs Disney always tells you to buffer 1.5 hours so sounds like your commute home was normal. I have traveled from POP to FW via MK on transportation and it took us 2 hours on a normal day. The travel times you experienced were fairly normal since you were using buses/boats and transfers. I would never leave my travel to 1 hour if I am going resort-to-resort, you could spend 20 minutes just waiting for a bus at each location and that only leaves 20 minutes (10 minutes each ride) for travel.

You got a VERY nice comp!

 

[abismommy]

They closed entire areas of DLP for a Saudi prince's graduation party for three days for 20M dollars. Anything is possible.

WOW!

 

[J and R's mom]

We were caught up in the transportation chaos last night, too (11/17/16). We were leaving DHS (attended the Jingle Bell Jingle Bam dessert party). We thought we'd go to Disney Springs and check out the Christmas tree trail.

LOL!!!

The Disney Springs bus line was CRAZY LONG. So we walked to the Boardwalk to catch a bus from there. SEVERAL DOZEN people waiting to do the same thing. We just laughed.

Then we walked to the bell hop station and grabbed a cab.

Best $9.60 I spent all trip.