Nov. & Dec. Hours Changed-MK opens: 8AM, Daily-Starting TODAY

[tyandskyesmom]

so when they change the morning open times do they ever add earlier ADR times?

 

[Missyrose]

so when they change the morning open times do they ever add earlier ADR times?

No, they don't add earlier ADRs.

 

[O2H O2H]

Disney philosophy, force you to decide where you will be at what time, 180 days from when you'll actually be there. Then at 26 days out they pull the rug out from under you and force you to scramble to rearrange plans.

Amen.

This is REALLY disappointing.

 

[BandMom1]

Looks like the first few days of January (Jan. 1 & 2) have been adjusted also. Now I need to decide if I want to keep my 8:05 ADR for Crystal Palace....

 

[HeidiGW]

it must mean the resorts are PACKED!

 

[Priory]

it must mean the resorts are PACKED!

Yep. They have to be doing this based on resort bookings. I am selfishly happy I am there the 2nd - 12th, so I'm hoping resort sales haven't indicated unusually large crowds for me... yet... (Knock on Pinocchio).

 

[DaisyNY]

We're going Dec 14-19 and were hoping for moderate crowds and to be gone before it got really crazy...now I'm a little worried,

 

[mom2rtk]

We're going Dec 14-19 and were hoping for moderate crowds and to be gone before it got really crazy...now I'm a little worried,

Tour the MK on non-party days and the park will feel moderate. Tour the MK on Saturday or other non-party days...... and it will feel very crowded.

We were there that Friday and Saturday a couple years ago. Friday was just lovely (a party day). The next day was just crazy. A CM told us they had about 30K guests the day before but were expecting 60K that day (Saturday). And it certainly felt like it. Wishes that night was the first time we had ever seen the back exit open because of high crowds.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

it must mean the resorts are PACKED!

Here's the weird thing, for our trip 11th-16th there are still a lot of hotel vacancies. This was not the case at all for our August trip, so that's encouraging. However there are also very limited to zero ADRs for most days, which is worrying. I guess we'll see what happens.

 

[Brian Noble]

The Disney resort occupancy levels are fairly consistent year-round. What drives crowds is how busy the offsite places are. Orlando tourism is continuing to pick up steam; this might just be more evidence of that.

As for planning in advance: I'm going during the first of the two Christmas weeks. I always assumed that, eventually, MK and AK would both go to 8AM. I didn't think about whether or not Studios would change as well, but we have an early night before our Studios morning, so I'm not that stressed about it.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

This typically happens Christmas week. They add hours and EMHs all the time.

Last year, they added EMHs for EPCOT intra-week.

We were prepared for Disney to open at 8am. I remember sitting down with my family making a tentative itinerary. I insisted that MK opened at 8am, my sister cited the schedule at that time and said "no, 9am."

It's actually really nice and peaceful from 7am-8am. We could never get there for the full hour of EMH, but we typically get there around 7:30-7:45 for the last part of the EMH. The sun is coming up and the castle looks REALLY cool.



Anyway.. it usually starts to get pack at 10am-11am on Christmas Day. It's surprisingly empty early in the morning - maybe due to families taking longer to get out, opening presents or just sleeping late - but you could definitely get on some rides in a short wait time. Take advantage - Space Mountain won't be a 20 minute wait for long - it'll quickly jump to 90 minutes!

For more info, check out my free guide at survivedisxmas.com

 

[Figmentmommy]

Does anyone have any experience with getting into MK for an 8AM ADR when the park opens at 8AM? Not EMH - just regular 8AM rope drop. Are you still allowed to enter a little early?
TIA

 

[mom2rtk]

Does anyone have any experience with getting into MK for an 8AM ADR when the park opens at 8AM? Not EMH - just regular 8AM rope drop. Are you still allowed to enter a little early?
TIA

We got in 10-15 minutes early for our 8:05 BBB appt with a regular park open time of 8 AM.

 

[Aurora0427]

Dec. 13 seems a bit too early in the month to start the Christmas Hours (8AM regular opening, and on selected days, 7AM EMH) but that's what the "official" WDW calendar (HERE) has listed right now.

The TA calendar (HERE) -now reflects these changes, too.

But, stay tuned.

In 2010, 2011 and 2012, the 8AM opening time began about Dec. 16th-18th.

In 2013, they did not begin the 8AM opening that early in the month.

Pardon my language, but this kind of stinks. We usually have to wake our daughter up at 8 to make rope drop by 9. Now we'll have to wake her up even earlier or just arrive between 8-9. Luckily we will get one day, 12/13 with a 9am opening.

 

[Aurora0427]

Tour the MK on non-party days and the park will feel moderate. Tour the MK on Saturday or other non-party days...... and it will feel very crowded.

We were there that Friday and Saturday a couple years ago. Friday was just lovely (a party day). The next day was just crazy. A CM told us they had about 30K guests the day before but were expecting 60K that day (Saturday). And it certainly felt like it. Wishes that night was the first time we had ever seen the back exit open because of high crowds.

Excellent advice. We avoid MK on Saturdays and will heed the advice to stay away on non party days this year as well!

 

[Figmentmommy]

We got in 10-15 minutes early for our 8:05 BBB appt with a regular park open time of 8 AM.

Thanks!

 

[smitty0705]

Question- if MK posted hours for a certain day are 8 am to 1 am and then listed EMH say AM/PM 2, does that mean park opens at 6 am for resort guests?!

 

[Robo]

Question- if MK posted hours for a certain day are 8 am to 1 am and then listed EMH say AM/PM 2, does that mean park opens at 6 am for resort guests?!

Generally, AM EMH is ONE hour long. (So, MK would open at 7AM for WDW resort guests.)

PM EMH is TWO hours long. (So, MK would remain open until 3AM for WDW resort guests.)

Yes, I see on Dec. 26 & 30 the TA calendar has a "(2)" after the AM/PM EMH.

While it is POSSIBLE that on Dec. 26 & 30, MK MIGHT open at 6AM, the "official" WDW calendar says 7AM EMH.

Stay tuned.

 

[LittleHunnipot]

Question- if MK posted hours for a certain day are 8 am to 1 am and then listed EMH say AM/PM 2, does that mean park opens at 6 am for resort guests?!

I know from past trips that Morning EMH is usually just one hour, and Evening EMH is usually two. I want to believe the 2 is supposed to correspond with the PM, as looking at the TA i see 2 for a lot of the PM EMHs.

Looking at the Disney World Park Hours from the disney website it shows for 12/26
EMH for AM and PM. 7-8 AM and 1-3 AM

Hopefully that helps

 

[nats311]

It seems that they have opened up FP+ for 8:00-9:00 am those days, at least for 7DMT.

Does anyone know if they opened up A&E and I missed it, or have they just not opened the 8-9 time yet?