too many mnsshp scheduled in one week

[megster1123]

More parties just means selling more tickets to parties. It does not mean fewer guests per party. WDW would not schedule more parties, taking on the extra costs for the shows and M&Gs, etc., unless parties were selling out so they need to add more, with all parties selling most of their tickets. Just like musical acts adding concert tour dates. Fewer parties would mean more people couldn't go to them because they could not get tickets to a capped event.
What more parties do is crowd up the nights where there are not parties, as then the park is only capped at fire-marshall rules. People not attending parties all have to crowd into a couple of nights for their one shot at doing MK at night. Everyone, party-goers and everyone else, has fewer chances to see the regular Wishes, so those nights are the crazy crowds. Not party nights. Fewer parties would ease the demand for MK on non-party nights.
The parties induce more people to pay extra for PHs if they want to do MK during the day of a party and then enjoy the evening at another park, which seems like the only reasonable way to handle four parties in a week. So parties can cost you a premium even when you do not attend. More parties exacerbate the issue.



Exactly. Yes, my TA gave me pointers about PPO character meals, ADRs at 180, FP at 60, but that is about it. Nothing about the daunting array of premium extras, not even BBB, let alone fireworks parties and cruises or tours, or to watch out for how parties can affect tour planning.
Not to mention BINGO to the PP who mentioned the reality of things being different in the here and now no matter how much research you do. I booked in April before EMM existed, and I made ADRs (which means planning which park on which day) before they extended EMM into December. What should I do about the possible-but-not-definite existence of RoL? And I have every reason to expect that some of my PPO reservations will become RD reservations once they adjust park hours--but I'm 83 days out and I still don't know which/how many of my vacation days will be affected.
No one can plan for every detail and monkey wrench Disney PTB will throw at them.
So, OP, I get how dealing with the reality of planning and executing a trip around MK not being available so many nights is frustrating.

I get what you're saying, but not every party sells out. It seems like this year hasn't had any sell outs yet, except for Halloween. Now who knows what factors play into that, but if there were fewer parties scheduled then maybe some would have sold out by now.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

This! It really is brilliant, to sell the park twice. What I wonder is, if at some point, they will figure out how to do this all year long.

Year round adults only (18+) parties. Once per month for each park. Say, first Tuesday of the month for MK, second Tuesday for Epcot, etc. 7pm to midnight for about $75.

Nothing special needs to be going on, just the lack of kids.

Parents with younger kids can go to a different park on party nights.

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

To a certain extent, yes. But not every party at WDW sells out. DLR has fewer Halloween parties and sells out almost every single one. The WDW Halloween party only sells out a handful each season.

I get what you're saying, but not every party sells out. It seems like this year hasn't had any sell outs yet, except for Halloween. Now who knows what factors play into that, but if there were fewer parties scheduled then maybe some would have sold out by now.

None of that changes what I described about increased crowds on non-party nights at MK, affecting all types of guests, or how it makes PH tickets feel more necessary.
I get that Halloween doesn't sell out the way MVMCP does, but as someone who attended a sold-out Oct 31 DLR party, I still see don't crowd levels at capped events as a big deal.

 

[Spoiledraf]

If Disney insists on having more parties, and charging nearly the same as a full day to get in, the regular price of the day pass should be dicounted since you are losing from two to five hours of what you paid for. Disney is essentially double dipping four days a week. Some people are vary limited on when and how long they can stay. Not everyone can "plan around" parties. That includes my next visit. But Disney is less and less concerned with guest satisfaction than stock holder satisfaction these days.

 

[mom2rtk]

None of that changes what I described about increased crowds on non-party nights at MK, affecting all types of guests, or how it makes PH tickets feel more necessary.
I get that Halloween doesn't sell out the way MVMCP does, but as someone who attended a sold-out Oct 31 DLR party, I still see don't crowd levels at capped events as a big deal.

Oh no doubt that parties on the schedule does make the non-party nights busier. I love it though because at no other time of the year is so easier to pinpoint the lower crowd days. We always prefer party days. We don't buy hoppers, and have never felt the urge to have one. If we want to see Wishes, we also schedule one non party day (preferably a non-Saturday or non-EMH night) and suck it up and deal with the crowds. Or we try to get to the MK the night we arrive.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It is never ever a good idea to book a Disney vacation with anyone other than a Disney travel agent. There is so much to a Disney vacation that it is a bad idea. I've seen many posts where people thought they had a TA who was knowledgeable about Disney, but wasn't a Disney agent, and they ended up with so many problems.

Do you lump AAA into that category of not using because they are not solely a Disney travel agent?

 

[IrishNYC]

Do you lump AAA into that category of not using because they are not solely a Disney travel agent?

Some people would, but I wouldn't necessarily lump them all in together. One AAA agent may know plenty about Disney, while another may know more about cruises. It's luck of the draw when you use any travel agency.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Some people would, but I wouldn't necessarily lump them all in together. One AAA agent may know plenty about Disney, while another may know more about cruises. It's luck of the draw when you use any travel agency.

Yeah I can agree with that. In fact I've read multiple threads regarding people who used Disney travel agents who weren't very good at all (and usually the advice from the DISers is go to a different Disney travel agent/agency).

I know that any AAA office I've been into has been more than knowledgable about Disney. My husband and I just stopped in the one in Oahu, Hawaii a few days ago and tons of materials and a few ladies were armed and ready so to speak to answer any questions we might have about our Disney trip for next year. My local AAA office back in KS multiple times the agents have sat down with me and said hey if you have any questions we would love to be able to answer them (and I made sure to ask if I just wanted to ask a few questions here and there without actually booking a trip through them same answer of we would love to help you was given).

 

[mrbghd]

If Disney insists on having more parties, and charging nearly the same as a full day to get in, the regular price of the day pass should be dicounted since you are losing from two to five hours of what you paid for. Disney is essentially double dipping four days a week. Some people are vary limited on when and how long they can stay. Not everyone can "plan around" parties. That includes my next visit. But Disney is less and less concerned with guest satisfaction than stock holder satisfaction these days.

Couple of things. There are four theme parks to choose from. Also the par opens at either 8 or 9 am and closes at 7pm on party days- that's a full day. The other thing is you have a choice - we love the parties and also love the MK on a party day when we don't have party tickets (way less crowded.) lastly, if you want maximum park hours for your dollar visit June, July, August when MK is open 9-midnight basically everyday. Many people visit in the fall due to lower costs, or scheduling BUT these parties are a cost of visiting at that time. Lastly, Disney company is a For profit entity and revenue is the most important thing to shareholders. It's not double dipping. It is maximizing the asset to maximize revenue.

 

[IrishNYC]

If Disney insists on having more parties, and charging nearly the same as a full day to get in, the regular price of the day pass should be dicounted since you are losing from two to five hours of what you paid for. Disney is essentially double dipping four days a week. Some people are vary limited on when and how long they can stay. Not everyone can "plan around" parties. That includes my next visit. But Disney is less and less concerned with guest satisfaction than stock holder satisfaction these days.

If you're not satisfied with what you get for your money from Disney, why do you keep going back? If I didn't like the hours that were available for when I could take vacation, I would choose a different destination instead of wasting energy being upset about not getting what I paid for.

 

[maxiesmom]

Do you lump AAA into that category of not using because they are not solely a Disney travel agent?

I've read plenty of complaints about AAA and the lack of Disney knowledge.

 

[Missyrose]

If Disney insists on having more parties, and charging nearly the same as a full day to get in, the regular price of the day pass should be dicounted since you are losing from two to five hours of what you paid for. Disney is essentially double dipping four days a week. Some people are vary limited on when and how long they can stay. Not everyone can "plan around" parties. That includes my next visit. But Disney is less and less concerned with guest satisfaction than stock holder satisfaction these days.

Couple of things to unpack here...
1. How is an 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. day at MK any different than the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. day that Animal Kingdom has often had? Do you ask for a discount for your AK tickets too?

2. It's not like Disney puts out park hours and then slashes them for parties. The party days are very clearly 7 p.m. closings from when Disney first releases the hours. How are you gipped in any way in that scenario?

3. Disney has made it VERY clear it is pushing park hoppers, that became crystal clear when it started requiring a hopper or WP&M add-on to be eligible for free dining. No one is telling Disney guests they have to be done with the parks when MK closes at 7 for a party, there is always the option of hopping and Disney is more than willing to help you with that.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Jeez, it seems like the first response to these threads is always "OMG DID YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN OMG?!?!?!"..

First response agreed with the OP, second response agreed with the OP, third response somewhat neutral, completely nonaccusatory. So this statement is f false.

Disney world is not a major city though, is it? it's a theme park / collection of theme parks. If I book with my TA in UK, they are not going to tell me, book your restaurant reservations 6 months out, and I am not necessarily going to think of doing so, because, I have booked an entire on site holiday, I would expect to get in to eat a sit down meal. I would not magically know otherwise. Now, common sense would tell me if I want to eat at a specific restaurant at a specific time, especially if it has a reputation, in London, or New York, or Paris etc, I will make a reservation. Honestly, there is no general, not in the world of disney fans, buzz, in the Uk, about disney restaurants.

If I hadn't googled because I was getting married in WDW and wanted to book a restaurant for a large number of people, even my wedding coordinator over here didn't tell me that it was necessary to book so far in advance, so I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that people generally might not know this level of planning is necessary.

I'm sure the issues are the same. MY issue is not about the money, it's about the fact that it is not just in our DNA to magically know these things. The same for Universal, the same for anywhere. I really do believe that, if Disney (or any other company) expect this level of planning, then TAs should OFFER that information to people as they book. A simple "don't forget" style business card with your deposit receipt, with bullet points
1) Your restaurant reservations can be made 180 days out - you need to make them at that time if you want to eat sit down meals
2) You can book Fast Passes 60 days in advance, check x website for details
3) There are Parties and special events, check x website to see whether this affects you / you want to add them.

And the same for other places, int he same way.

just so everyone understands the way it works.

Not knowing seemingly important information about a destination is the fault of the service provider (TA, wedding planner, etc.) isn't he fault of the venue. Disney doesn't keep the information a secret.

That's not the point. The point is that 4 parties in one week is TOO DAMN MANY!

I don't really care what they did in the past. There are lots of things that happened "in the past" that have changed for the better. Every party night "steals" magic kingdom hours from those without a party ticket. 4 "thefts" of MK hours in one week is too many.

Disney has been cutting back on things everywhere. This is another example. Instead of the park being open from 9:00AM until 12:00AM they shut it down at 7:00PM (for people with normal park tickets) and reopen at 7:00PM (for people with special event tickets) and then close at 12:00AM. So Magic Kingdom is open the same number of hours with the same number of staff (roughly) but they get to double the day's profits because they get to charge entrance fees twice.

It's just blind corporate greed and I do not approve!

Standard MK hours are 9-7 (Epcot 9-9, Studios 9-8:30, AK 9-5.) Everything beyond those times is extended hours. No "theft".

If Disney insists on having more parties, and charging nearly the same as a full day to get in, the regular price of the day pass should be dicounted since you are losing from two to five hours of what you paid for. Disney is essentially double dipping four days a week. Some people are vary limited on when and how long they can stay. Not everyone can "plan around" parties. That includes my next visit. But Disney is less and less concerned with guest satisfaction than stock holder satisfaction these days.

Similar opinions have been expressed in the past. I'm curious why posters resent or disparage Disney from profiting for its owners.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Do you lump AAA into that category of not using because they are not solely a Disney travel agent?

My local AAA has a Disney specialist. While Disney and AAA no longer have a direct business relationship, yes, I do expect th a AAA TA to be knowledgeable enough.

 

[Number Six]

Standard MK hours are 9-7 (Epcot 9-9, Studios 9-8:30, AK 9-5.) Everything beyond those times is extended hours.

Where did you get this from?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I've read plenty of complaints about AAA and the lack of Disney knowledge.

That may be true but as I mentioned in an above comment I've read multiple threads just on this board alone regarding Disney travel agents. As IrishNYC mentioned it's the luck of the draw in any travel agency. Personally speaking I wouldn't discount a travel agency just because they were not solely a Disney travel agency. I do believe though if a person feels like they are getting more information or specific information from a Google search than their own travel agent then maybe they should switch travel agents or agencies.

 

[TandLMommy28]

We just got home yesterday and while I have no problem with the number of parties, I do feel bad for the people trying to got to MK around the parties. I read all about how insanely crowded MK was on the non-party nights because everyone is trying to cram it in. You couldn't have paid me to be at MK last Saturday night. Yuck.

On the other hand, with so many parties to pick from, we saw the lowest crowds we can ever remember seeing at MNSSHP. For the second parade, we could count twenty people from where we were sitting that were also waiting for the parade. Twenty. So the party was fabulous in that respect.

 

[mom2rtk]

We just got home yesterday and while I have no problem with the number of parties, I do feel bad for the people trying to got to MK around the parties. I read all about how insanely crowded MK was on the non-party nights because everyone is trying to cram it in. You couldn't have paid me to be at MK last Saturday night. Yuck.

On the other hand, with so many parties to pick from, we saw the lowest crowds we can ever remember seeing at MNSSHP. For the second parade, we could count twenty people from where we were sitting that were also waiting for the parade. Twenty. So the party was fabulous in that respect.

Wow. Was that the night it rained?

 

[DrunkJam]

Not knowing seemingly important information about a destination is the fault of the service provider (TA, wedding planner, etc.) isn't he fault of the venue. Disney doesn't keep the information a secret.

Absolutely, but, it is unfair to the customer who did not know this to treat them as if they are stupid. They wouldn't know that information was missing to them. As I said, I found the information I needed before it ruined my trip, but, I trusted the TA I booked my wedding package with. I did not imagine they were not providing me all the info. I bet there are people in that situation. They are not stupid.

 

[Missyrose]

Absolutely, but, it is unfair to the customer who did not know this to treat them as if they are stupid. They wouldn't know that information was missing to them. As I said, I found the information I needed before it ruined my trip, but, I trusted the TA I booked my wedding package with. I did not imagine they were not providing me all the info. I bet there are people in that situation. They are not stupid.

On the contrary, I feel absolutely terrible when I hear that a TA gave someone terrible info. There was someone in a Facebook group this week wanting to know when BOG ADRs opened for December dates, because their TA told them they would open in September. I felt so incredibly bad for them.