November Hours! What is Disney Thinking!

[5DisneyNuts]

Totally agree asbryneva. We have been going the week of Thanksgiving for years too and you can count on Wishes every night and usually 2 MK parades one at 9pm and one at 11pm. While I wouldn't say it isn't crowded like a previous poster, it is manageable with planning. The only real thing that can't be planned is a pre-rope drop breakfast. Count on the hours being extended especially at MK with a much later close and therefore a much later pm EMH. Additional am and pm EMHs might be added too. I was surprised the Sunday before Thanksgiving is not listed as a MVMCP as it has been in the past.

I agree it is confusing with the announcement that Nov park hours are out and then to look and see NONE for Wishes and Parades, but they will definitely be added and hopefully before 180+10.

 

[ThistleMae]

I've been looking at MDE site now....they are up to Nov. 18th. They seem to add one day at a time...at least lately. After combining last year's hours and some speculative guesses from other sites....I don't think we have any idea about the schedule....really! But....I'm hoping Wishes is every night the week of Thanksgiving....it seems crazy that it wouldn't be scheduled that week!

 

[ThistleMae]

kenny the pirate just posted Dec hours on his site (love the pirate!) He also kept the 2014 hours so you can get an idea of what it may look like. If you go back to last year they are usually pretty close. For November if you don't use the exact date but look at things like tuesday before thanksgiving or Sunday after thanksgiving you will get an idea of what will change and then prep around that.

We have been doing thanksgiving week since 2009 and we have a pretty good feel for morning EMH and evening EMH. Pretty similar year to year.

If you are a planner then you have a leg up on all those folks that don't research. We have gone around easter and were surprised on the bus on our way back to the resort, listening to folks tell us that they got to rope drop and there must have been a private event because everything was already open. When I asked when they got there they said 9. I didn't have the heart to tell them MK opened at 8 that week and EMH was 7!!! The times guide even said 8 am for easter week that year! They didn't even bother to read what disney handed them when they got there.

Their loss is a planners gain and if you are on these boards you have so many resources to anticipate what November and December will likely look like and you can plan around it.

Dont agonize or fret use this time before the booking window opens and research your days from last year!

For what its worth dont plan any MK "pre-park adr" thanksgiving week(or easter week or christmas week) they historically open up the park at 8 or earlier since those are the busiest times of the year. (there probably is a day that is a 9am opening but that may go depending on crowd levels)

Where do I find Kenny the Pirate's site?

 

[Fantabulously Cherry]

They're thinking

1. "It doesn't matter what we post in May because it'll change at least twice before November"

2. "Are we going to have holiday fireworks, probably, do we know what we'll call them, not really, so let's just leave it blank after all it's only May"

Which sucks since planning starts in May for November, but the hours (except for party nights) are approximate and there will be some kind of fireworks so plan the best you can and hope it doesn't change too much.

Completely agree!!

 

[asbyrneva]

Thistlemae, go to kennythepirate.com click on crowd calendars and by month and by week he has the complete schedule on one east to read spread sheet.

His site is a great resource for tons of things (maps with kiosks and characters etc.)

Also remember at thanksgiving you have the cinderalla castle lights that go on which may impact your planning as well. Usually done at dusk. Last year however with Elsa and the frozen crew taking over they had two scheduled performance that week 6:15 and 7:30.
Unknown what they will do with the lights this year but it is something that you can put in your planner for MK nights.

Also we know that on party nights they wont have "wishes" because it will be party events so you can check those date against when you are there.

Also wdwmagic shows historical operating hours for all months. Wishes was at 10 pm everynight the week of thanksgiving.

 

[ThistleMae]

Thistlemae, go to kennythepirate.com click on crowd calendars and by month and by week he has the complete schedule on one east to read spread sheet.

His site is a great resource for tons of things (maps with kiosks and characters etc.)

Also remember at thanksgiving you have the cinderalla castle lights that go on which may impact your planning as well. Usually done at dusk. Last year however with Elsa and the frozen crew taking over they had two scheduled performance that week 6:15 and 7:30.
Unknown what they will do with the lights this year but it is something that you can put in your planner for MK nights.

Also we know that on party nights they wont have "wishes" because it will be party events so you can check those date against when you are there.

Also wdwmagic shows historical operating hours for all months. Wishes was at 10 pm everynight the week of thanksgiving.

Thank you, I will check out the site. Your tips were very useful!

 

[Kendallou]

So I guess I would be one of those rookies who booked ADR before looking at the calendar!! I was so excited about my CRT 8:15 AM in November and then I saw that it was EMH and the park opens at 8 Will we get in any earlier? I was really hoping for that magical castle picture with no one on the street!

 

[Robo]

I was so excited about my CRT 8:15 AM in November and then I saw that it was EMH and the park opens at 8


1. Will we get in any earlier?
2. I was really hoping for that magical castle picture with no one on the street!

1. Very unlikely. You can always show up early and ASK (nicely.)

2. I'd change the ADR to a non-AM EMH day.
Just keep checking and rechecking.

 

[ThistleMae]

Well, I guess I will have to keep juggling ADR's and do a best guess scenario for reservations. With the FD folks having to get park hopper passes, it would be nice to have the parks stay open later. The schedule is not looking that great, so I hope people here are right and the hours will change as it gets closer to Thanksgiving. Many of the restaurants only have availability very late, which makes it rather sad that a park will be closed by the time you finish dinner. Not to mention (but I will) very early pool closings. But....I will make the magic happen no matter what. And...if I had my wish, Disney would post the hours 6 mos. in advance and stick with them so people can better plan.