Waiting for August Hours - All hours are up!!

[BelleBway]

Yeah, but at least back then, not everyone was making ADR's nearly six months in advance. Now if you have to make adjustments with less than 90 days to go, you have a better risk of being shut out.

Plus, you used to be able to count on Fantasmic and Spectromagic being performed at least once a night during peak times.

 

[LUVDZNY2008]

At least last year when I made my ADR's 180 days ahead--I knew that Fantasmic was shown every night. It looks like it is shown on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but who knows for sure.

 

[Aliceacc]

Plus, you used to be able to count on Fantasmic and Spectromagic being performed at least once a night during peak times.

OK, that we can blame on the economy. I can only imagine the cost of producing Fantasmic 10 or 12 times a week.

But come on! In the greater scheme of things, it doesn't matter to Disney whether MK or AK has the Tuesday AM EMH. But to so many people trying to juggle planning demands, it does. So make up a calendar, and release it already!!! Make it possible for the people who are spending their money and vacation on Disney property to get what they want from that vacation!

 

[frisco]

Well the point is valid, but remember, up until recently, you could make your adr's 180 days in advance, so it was a total crapshoot as far as hours went.

True, but up until just a couple years ago, there was DDP, and there was no free dining. With the advent of those programs, ADR's are virtually impossible at busy times of year if you wait.

 

[OneTreeHillAddict]

I'm waiting too and this is crazy! Not everyone buys the park hopper and they need an hourly schedule to decide where they're going on certain days!

Disney is cutting hours like crazy....even in the "peak" seasons they are closing the MK at 7 and 8pm. (It was like that in March when we went!) This is ridiculous. I honestly think people are using this "economy" phrase to hurt their employees and in Disney's case, their guests. I'm going to make a guess on the hours...

Animal Kingdom 9-5. One day a week 9-8.

Epcot 9-9 except EMH nights 8-11pm.

MK All nights they will close at 8, possibly 9 except for the weekends and EMH night. And then it will be 11pm or midnight at the latest.

DHS 9-7 on most nights w/ one night a week being EMH. Probably 7-10.

Last year we went during the same time and the two years prior and we had plenty of late nights! 1-3am sometimes. The worse part of it all....NO evening EMH at the Water Parks anymore! (Not that I see anyway)

 

[gssmks]

I can't believe that the hours haven't been released yet. We haven't been since Dec. 2007, but we have been a total of four times and every time the hours were release weeks before the ADR open date. I had complete daily schedules with a tentative order for riding rides, every meal, every show, etc. planned out way before I had to actually call and schedule anything. This really sticks!!!!!!

 

[maroo]

I am not going until Sept...but I am going to go ahead and write and complain and maybe this will be fixed this month?!

 

[Melora]

I want to find out which days have EMH, both early and late so I can figure out which dining ressies I want to make.

I have until the 9th of this month but still...I wish they were out already!!!

 

[marciemi]

I know when we went in 2007 we had to make ADR's 180 days out, but the hours were also released 180 days out and Mike had his charts out then. So it wasn't a crapshoot like suggested - everything was at that point. By this point of my last trip (3 months out), I had everything done and planned and had made up spreadsheets with all the info, made a countdown calendar, made pretty picture calendars from the templates on TGM, and it was just counting down the days. Changing the ADR's to 90 days was the first time that the hours were at 90 days as well, as far as I know.

And I'm not as worried since we don't go until the end of the month, but I do think the hours at that point will be WAY different from June and July, so I wouldn't even know where to start. But for those of you going the first week of August, I think the hours, EMH days, Fantasmic days, etc. have been pretty consistent for the last month, and should at least stay that way for the first week or so of August (still summer/peak time). Of course Disney may change all of this, but that's what I would use if I had to guess at this point. I'm hoping by late May, I won't have to guess!

 

[gssmks]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone called and asked why they have not been released yet? I am assuming that they would just say something like "They should be released any day." I've never complained to disney about anything, but I just may on this one if they aren't released tomorrow.

 

[labdogs42]

I know when we went in 2007 we had to make ADR's 180 days out, but the hours were also released 180 days out and Mike had his charts out then. So it wasn't a crapshoot like suggested - everything was at that point. By this point of my last trip (3 months out), I had everything done and planned and had made up spreadsheets with all the info, made a countdown calendar, made pretty picture calendars from the templates on TGM, and it was just counting down the days. Changing the ADR's to 90 days was the first time that the hours were at 90 days as well, as far as I know.

Yep.. When ADR's were 180 days, park hours came out around 180 days, too. Until the dreaded debacle of November '08. I know Robo remembers that one!! It seems like I'm the cursed person that causes this to happen!

 

[MomBoyd]

Yes, I called. They tell me they do not know when the hours will be out , just to keep checking back.

 

[marciemi]

Yes, I called. They tell me they do not know when the hours will be out , just to keep checking back.

THAT helps!

Edited to add, THEM, not YOU! It is helpful to know what they're telling people who call, but it would be nice if they could tell them something useful like "They'll be up by 7am tomorrow!"

 

[KigerKat]

Yep.. When ADR's were 180 days, park hours came out around 180 days, too. Until the dreaded debacle of November '08. I know Robo remembers that one!! It seems like I'm the cursed person that causes this to happen!

It's happening to me, too!! We went 10/28-11/02 last year. Maybe we're both jinxed!!

 

[gssmks]

THAT helps!

Edited to add, THEM, not YOU! It is helpful to know what they're telling people who call, but it would be nice if they could tell them something useful like "They'll be up by 7am tomorrow!"

I think that most of the time the CM just say they don't know to questions when they really do know. I've never received much information when I call with questions and to be honest a lot of the information I have received has been inaccurate. I usually just come on here with questions. I get far more information and very seldomly is it wrong.

 

[marciemi]

I think lots of times they give you information that they DON'T know, pretending that they do know!

Our first trip with all 3 kids in 1997, I called a bunch of times with questions, and very obviously every time I was told whatever it was that I wanted to hear, although it usually was wrong, as I found out once we got to the park. (And had a disappointed 5 year old that I had told could ride Dumbo alone!). Since then I too have hung out on the DIS and would never consider trusting anything I was told on the phone.

 

[BostonRob]

Plus, you used to be able to count on Fantasmic and Spectromagic being performed at least once a night during peak times.

Good point. So what would happen if you called today and tried to reserve a fantasmic dinner package for Aug 1? I mean we don't know if fantasmic is being performed on Aug 1, but is it already in the computers somewhere? Or would they tell you you have to wait until the calendar is released? Or would they just give you the reservation only to potentially find out later that Fantasmic is not being performed that day?

 

[turkeymama]

Good point. So what would happen if you called today and tried to reserve a fantasmic dinner package for Aug 1? I mean we don't know if fantasmic is being performed on Aug 1, but is it already in the computers somewhere? Or would they tell you you have to wait until the calendar is released? Or would they just give you the reservation only to potentially find out later that Fantasmic is not being performed that day?

According to the lady I spoke with this morning when I made my ADRs, she was unsuccessful booking an August Fantasmic dinner package for another guest. Of course, she didn't say which day in August, just that she couldn't book it for the guest. She said they had to wait until the hours come out. What a bummer.

 

[marciemi]

We were discussing that at lunch today. Or as someone else said, what if they wanted the last reservation of the day at a park so they could do as much as they can? Shouldn't it be in the computer that they can only take reservations up to a certain time? Wouldn't that have to coincide with closing time? Or are they giving out 9:50 ADR's for the MK and then they'll find out in a few days "Oops, MK is closing at 9 that day now - sorry, you don't have an ADR anymore!"

 

[Aliceacc]

We were discussing that at lunch today. Or as someone else said, what if they wanted the last reservation of the day at a park so they could do as much as they can? Shouldn't it be in the computer that they can only take reservations up to a certain time? Wouldn't that have to coincide with closing time? Or are they giving out 9:50 ADR's for the MK and then they'll find out in a few days "Oops, MK is closing at 9 that day now - sorry, you don't have an ADR anymore!"

I'm guessing that they err on the side of caution-- assuming that some OTHER park has the evening EMH. Of course the down side is that your "last reservation" might turn out to be otherwise.