Park hours

[Kins1111]

Has anyone who will be going to Disney World specifically Animal Kingdom next week noticed that the park hours have recently changed? Or am I just going crazy?
I booked an early morning breakfast at Tusker House at 8:15 on Friday the 16th.
When booking the reservation a few months ago the park opening was at 9am.
I rechecked many times and the hours remained the same.
The whole purpose was to be in the park before opening so my daughter and myself could get in line for Avatar Flight of Passage before the park opened.
The park hours now say 8am.
I called this morning to inquire but the first person I spoke to was not very helpful, the second was very nice and helpful but didn't solve or answer my question.
The third person was kind of rude and kept interrupting and questioning me.
She actually said why are you complaining that Animal Kingdom is opening an hour earlier?
Did I need to explain...again..!!! why I booked the the early reservation?

 

[mesaboy2]

Park hours changed. That can be frustrating for guests in your position.

 

[AngiTN]

Has anyone who will be going to Disney World specifically Animal Kingdom next week noticed that the park hours have recently changed? Or am I just going crazy?
I booked an early morning breakfast at Tusker House at 8:15 on Friday the 16th.
When booking the reservation a few months ago the park opening was at 9am.
I rechecked many times and the hours remained the same.
The whole purpose was to be in the park before opening so my daughter and myself could get in line for Avatar Flight of Passage before the park opened.
The park hours now say 8am.
I called this morning to inquire but the first person I spoke to was not very helpful, the second was very nice and helpful but didn't solve or answer my question.
The third person was kind of rude and kept interrupting and questioning me.
She actually said why are you complaining that Animal Kingdom is opening an hour earlier?
Did I need to explain...again..!!! why I booked the the early reservation?

Honestly, I know it may not be much consolation but an early ADR at AK would have hurt you getting to FoP, not helped. They drop the rope to the park and allow guests to get in line well before posted opening time. You would have still been eating anyway (it's about impossible to get in and finished before the open the turnstiles)

As to the hours changing, this is the new normal. It's abnormal for them NOT to change now.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Unfortunately a good example of how a pre-9AM ADR is never guaranteed to actually be a be a pre-park opening (PPO) ADR at any park, as Disney can change park hours pretty much at any time (especially around major holidays, busy times, etc). The recent trend of changing hours relatively late certainly doesn’t help matters.

Sorry it messed up your plan OP.

BTW, to the DIS!

 

[Kins1111]

Well I appreciate the responses.
We do have fast passes for Avatar other days in our stay.
We live in Michigan and have been to Disney last October for my daughter's 8th birthday and January of 2017.
I have learned how to meticulously...maybe I should be a little more layed back... plan for getting the most rides without waits...getting to the parks early and booking early breakfast before the parks open....but was disappointed with the change.
I have spent alot of money over the years taking my daughter to Disney so I just want to get the most out of our experience.
Again thanks for the comments.

 

[lisa cameron]

Has anyone who will be going to Disney World specifically Animal Kingdom next week noticed that the park hours have recently changed? Or am I just going crazy?
I booked an early morning breakfast at Tusker House at 8:15 on Friday the 16th.
When booking the reservation a few months ago the park opening was at 9am.
I rechecked many times and the hours remained the same.
The whole purpose was to be in the park before opening so my daughter and myself could get in line for Avatar Flight of Passage before the park opened.
The park hours now say 8am.
I called this morning to inquire but the first person I spoke to was not very helpful, the second was very nice and helpful but didn't solve or answer my question.
The third person was kind of rude and kept interrupting and questioning me.
She actually said why are you complaining that Animal Kingdom is opening an hour earlier?
Did I need to explain...again..!!! why I booked the the early reservation?

Yeah....they changed the hours

 

[Linkura]

Honestly, I know it may not be much consolation but an early ADR at AK would have hurt you getting to FoP, not helped. They drop the rope to the park and allow guests to get in line well before posted opening time. You would have still been eating anyway (it's about impossible to get in and finished before the open the turnstiles)

As to the hours changing, this is the new normal. It's abnormal for them NOT to change now.

100% this. Think of it as a good thing. The PPO would have put you at a disadvantage and you would have been looking at a 2-3 hour wait for FOP, wondering where you went wrong.

 

[lisa cameron]

100% this. Think of it as a good thing. The PPO would have put you at a disadvantage and you would have been looking at a 2-3 hour wait for FOP, wondering where you went wrong.

Agree!!!!

 

[10CJ]

sorry they changed the hours so close to your trip. Hope you can re-arrange things to your liking.

 

[Animal]

I would categorize this as an unavoidable side effect of hyperplanning.

 

[Ensusieasm]

Has anyone who will be going to Disney World specifically Animal Kingdom next week noticed that the park hours have recently changed? Or am I just going crazy?
I booked an early morning breakfast at Tusker House at 8:15 on Friday the 16th.
When booking the reservation a few months ago the park opening was at 9am.
I rechecked many times and the hours remained the same.
The whole purpose was to be in the park before opening so my daughter and myself could get in line for Avatar Flight of Passage before the park opened.
The park hours now say 8am.
I called this morning to inquire but the first person I spoke to was not very helpful, the second was very nice and helpful but didn't solve or answer my question.
The third person was kind of rude and kept interrupting and questioning me.
She actually said why are you complaining that Animal Kingdom is opening an hour earlier?
Did I need to explain...again..!!! why I booked the the early reservation?

On a 9am opening at AK everyone gets in at 8:15 and most everyone heads straight toward Pandora, where they are held back until around 8:30, then allowed to proceed to the Flight of Passage. A couple weeks ago I did this three different mornings. Anyone going to breakfast would definitely end up in a three hour line for the ride after they ate. Whereas, I rode flight of Passage and walked off the ride at 9am on a 9:00 opening, or 8:10 on an 8am extra magic hour opening.
Cancel your breakfast, grab a granola bar, and get to the park 75 minutes before scheduled opening. FOP is awesome and so worth getting up early.

 

[Kins1111]

Honestly, I know it may not be much consolation but an early ADR at AK would have hurt you getting to FoP, not helped. They drop the rope to the park and allow guests to get in line well before posted opening time. You would have still been eating anyway (it's about impossible to get in and finished before the open the turnstiles)

As to the hours changing, this is the new normal. It's abnormal for them NOT to change now.

So do you know exactly how early they drop the rope so we can get there early enough?
Thanks in advance

 

[Ensusieasm]

So do you know exactly how early they drop the rope so we can get there early enough?
Thanks in advance

See my post above.

 

[Kins1111]

I would categorize this as an unavoidable side effect of hyperplanning.

Well thanks for the response but you come off as it is my fault for the change in the opening hours.!?
Hyperplanning for a trip to Disneyworld is a real option which can significantly reduce wait times.... so I'm not sure why you have a problem with it.
Just trying to plan a great vacation for me and my daughter. The last time we were there in October was with my sister, brother in law and five year old nephew and I "hyperplanned" for it and we had a great time with little wait times.

 

[Ensusieasm]

So do you know exactly how early they drop the rope so we can get there early enough?
Thanks in advance

In my post #11 above is a recipe for success if your goal is to ride FOP at rope drop without a fastPass+. Go for it and enjoy your flight!

 

[Kins1111]

On a 9am opening at AK everyone gets in at 8:15 and most everyone heads straight toward Pandora, where they are held back until around 8:30, then allowed to proceed to the Flight of Passage. A couple weeks ago I did this three different mornings. Anyone going to breakfast would definitely end up in a three hour line for the ride after they ate. Whereas, I rode flight of Passage and walked off the ride at 9am on a 9:00 opening, or 8:10 on an 8am extra magic hour opening.
Cancel your breakfast, grab a granola bar, and get to the park 75 minutes before scheduled opening. FOP is awesome and so worth getting up early.

 

[Kins1111]

Thanks for the response. ..just read this!

 

[Ensusieasm]

Thanks for the response. ..just read this!

Yay! It works! Have fun!

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I would just enjoy your breakfast then ride FoP later in the day when the line gets short.

I checked several days recently and the wait times were up to 210 within 10 minutes of park opening. The waits were down to 30 within 10 minutes of park closing on the same day.

 

[Animal]

I hyperplan as well. You should see my trip planning spreadsheets! It gets frustrating when things like this happen! But just like rain, cold, an occasional 30 minute wait for a bus, and a run-in with a BTG, it's hard to predict when a schedule change will negatively affect one's park experience. I am curious...what did you expect a CM to do for you when you called? What was your goal? You talked with 3 people on one call? Or did you make three calls? I only ask because I *hate* the whole rigmarole of calling, waiting 5 minutes (or 20) to speak to a human, communicating what I want, and then being asked to complete a survey. I do it to make a room request or book a bounceback, but that's about it.