Week After Turkey Day Shenanigans

[TiggerManiac]

October calendar shows SW fireworks not every day - fri, sat, mon, wed

Ugh ugh ugh.

UGH.

Wonder if they'll keep that schedule going forward? We have Saturday open to go around and see anything we've missed, so I can do the SW fireworks that night if necessary.

Our actual HS day is Tuesday, but if there are no fireworks, we'll probably leave early and head over to Epcot or AK for the rest of the evening. We'll have just been at Epcot all day on Monday, so I think AK would be a good end if they're going to be open late.

But seriously, why can't they just publish a schedule now so we can plan?

 

[Meeko5]

Wonder if they'll keep that schedule going forward? We have Saturday open to go around and see anything we've missed, so I can do the SW fireworks that night if necessary.

Our actual HS day is Tuesday, but if there are no fireworks, we'll probably leave early and head over to Epcot or AK for the rest of the evening. We'll have just been at Epcot all day on Monday, so I think AK would be a good end if they're going to be open late.

But seriously, why can't they just publish a schedule now so we can plan?

I'm hoping enough people complain that they go back to nightly haha. I'm for sure emailing Disney about their last minute schedules and changes considering we have to plan so far in advance. It's getting crazy and I'm over it. We have hoppers and will have to adjust our ADRs so we can see SW show on another night. But not everyone has hoppers, and can't plan to do that. It's really pretty crappy of them to do this month by month.

 

[Meeko5]

I emailed Disney - I'm just so frustrated. Now do I rearrange plans based on the change to the SW show? What if it changes again in the next 3 months and I've rearranged things that won't work then? Such crap. I just told them it was unfair to expect their guests to make plans 6 months in advance then pull things out from under the rug on them. MSEP, nighttime show at AK, SW fireworks (which is listed as nightly on the info page for it still! come on!) then told them the same crap happened before our first trip and I had to tell my kids there was no baymax or jedi training.

I don't expect it to change anything, but feel better that I've at least said my piece.

off to set up some alerts for dining switches

 

[heath92681]

I emailed Disney - I'm just so frustrated. Now do I rearrange plans based on the change to the SW show? What if it changes again in the next 3 months and I've rearranged things that won't work then? Such crap. I just told them it was unfair to expect their guests to make plans 6 months in advance then pull things out from under the rug on them. MSEP, nighttime show at AK, SW fireworks (which is listed as nightly on the info page for it still! come on!) then told them the same crap happened before our first trip and I had to tell my kids there was no baymax or jedi training.

I don't expect it to change anything, but feel better that I've at least said my piece.

off to set up some alerts for dining switches

You go girl! I might not be far behind you. I just don't think I have enough energy to look for other dining reservations....

 

[X96msm]

I emailed Disney - I'm just so frustrated. Now do I rearrange plans based on the change to the SW show? What if it changes again in the next 3 months and I've rearranged things that won't work then? Such crap. I just told them it was unfair to expect their guests to make plans 6 months in advance then pull things out from under the rug on them. MSEP, nighttime show at AK, SW fireworks (which is listed as nightly on the info page for it still! come on!) then told them the same crap happened before our first trip and I had to tell my kids there was no baymax or jedi training.

I don't expect it to change anything, but feel better that I've at least said my piece.

off to set up some alerts for dining switches

I think I will be doing the same. We planned for AK on the 28 and HS for the 29 with all the ADRs we wanted My son will be so upset if he can't see the Fireworks. We even bought special Star Wars glow necklaces today for the fireworks, grrrrrr!

 

[CCxmas]

Now I just have to wait to see if and when Club Villain is going to be scheduled for November and December!

Have they ever extended Club Villain into Nov/Dec? My DD loves all the villains but I've decided it will have to wait until we go for Halloween one year..

 

[CCxmas]

So of course there is EMM the day we are going to HS and the two days we are going to MK with ppo bog.....triple blah.

I was thinking about going to Mk that morning. Could never justify spending that extra money. Have considered convincing DH that he could sleep in and have a relaxing morning to himself while DD and I go do the EMM. Logistic nightmare to meet in the park or go all the way back to hotel... Sounds so fun though!!

 

[Meeko5]

I think I will be doing the same. We planned for AK on the 28 and HS for the 29 with all the ADRs we wanted My son will be so upset if he can't see the Fireworks. We even bought special Star Wars glow necklaces today for the fireworks, grrrrrr!

I figure a strongly worded email won't get me anywhere, but if more than a handful of people send them maybe?

Probably not. But it felt cathartic to tell some poor CM at Disney off LOL

 

[Meeko5]

I was thinking about going to Mk that morning. Could never justify spending that extra money. Have considered convincing DH that he could sleep in and have a relaxing morning to himself while DD and I go do the EMM. Logistic nightmare to meet in the park or go all the way back to hotel... Sounds so fun though!!

I'm having a hard time swallowing the cost of the EMM I booked - and feeling guilty about the added cost. Especially since I'm the only on here who even knows it exists and that its booked for us haha.

I'll probably cancel it, because my cheapskate side usually wins out.

 

[heath92681]

I'm having a hard time swallowing the cost of the EMM I booked - and feeling guilty about the added cost. Especially since I'm the only on here who even knows it exists and that its booked for us haha.

I'll probably cancel it, because my cheapskate side usually wins out.

We're cheap too. Just can't justify it.

 

[TheSweetestThing]

Have they ever extended Club Villain into Nov/Dec? My DD loves all the villains but I've decided it will have to wait until we go for Halloween one year..

Club Villain debuted in January of this year. No telling yet what will happen in November. If there is a desire for it from guests, then probably.

 

[MonaMN]

83 days! Slowly but surely, we are getting there!!

 

[jlundeen]

For those of you who, like me, are totally frustrated with Disney not publishing event hours (such as the Star Wars fireworks and dessert party, not to mention ROL) until just weeks before, making it devilishly hard to plan, please don't hesitate to write a note to the guest services folks, as has been suggested several times on this and the Yulilin3's Star Wars threads. They may not be able to do anything for any of us individually, but the power of many folks all making the same comments of frustration have to at least get attention. Here's the email address:

wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

 

[heath92681]

Our flight home just dropped to $97! Now we have a $26 credit. I'm going to start stalking departing flights to see if an earlier one drops any and we can fly out a couple hours sooner.

 

[MonaMN]

For those of you who, like me, are totally frustrated with Disney not publishing event hours (such as the Star Wars fireworks and dessert party, not to mention ROL) until just weeks before, making it devilishly hard to plan, please don't hesitate to write a note to the guest services folks, as has been suggested several times on this and the Yulilin3's Star Wars threads. They may not be able to do anything for any of us individually, but the power of many folks all making the same comments of frustration have to at least get attention. Here's the email address:

wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

Surprisingly, I am not all that worried about it. Maybe because I don't have any "must-do" evening stuff other than Candlelight Processional, so we have a lot of evening flexibility and hoppers. All our ADRs are either breakfast or lunch, so we should be able to figure it out.

Usually I am so type A about things... this is kind of unlike me to be so mellow!

 

[Iowamomof4]

Did you guys see this thread? Josh responded a couple times with his thoughts on his crowd calendars and the difficulties for all of us moving forward. I found it very helpful, enlightening, and at the same time, frustrating! lol

http://www.disboards.com/threads/easywdw-crowd-calendars.3542001/

 

[jlundeen]

Did you guys see this thread? Josh responded a couple times with his thoughts on his crowd calendars and the difficulties for all of us moving forward. I found it very helpful, enlightening, and at the same time, frustrating! lol

http://www.disboards.com/threads/easywdw-crowd-calendars.3542001/

Honestly, I just don't fixate on crowd calendars...in the past they were useful. Now, there are some times during the year that are less crowded, and some times that are MEGA crowded. Common sense says that Holidays (especially when school is out for awhile) will be much more crowded than other parts of the year, but otherwise, Disney has come up with enough incentives (Special Offers) to attract crowds all year. And the times that are the least crowded, even with the incentives, will have shorter park hours, and more things down for maintenance.

I base my trips more on weather (can't do the HOT times - and I stay away from hurricane season), and seasonal rates. I just assume there will be crowds, and if they are too much, I leave that park and go somewhere else.

Just my 2 cents on crowd calendars - interesting to look at, but not gospel.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Honestly, I just don't fixate on crowd calendars...in the past they were useful. Now, there are some times during the year that are less crowded, and some times that are MEGA crowded. Common sense says that Holidays (especially when school is out for awhile) will be much more crowded than other parts of the year, but otherwise, Disney has come up with enough incentives (Special Offers) to attract crowds all year. And the times that are the least crowded, even with the incentives, will have shorter park hours, and more things down for maintenance.

I base my trips more on weather (can't do the HOT times - and I stay away from hurricane season), and seasonal rates. I just assume there will be crowds, and if they are too much, I leave that park and go somewhere else.

Just my 2 cents on crowd calendars - interesting to look at, but not gospel.

I'm glad that works for you. We have hoppers but it's kind of difficult to just decide to leave a crowded park when you have a dinner reservation in that park for that evening. Those are the kinds of things that make crowd calendars very important to me. With fastpasses and ADR's set ahead of time, it becomes more difficult to freely move around when you end up in a surprisingly crowded park.

 

[jlundeen]

I'm glad that works for you. We have hoppers but it's kind of difficult to just decide to leave a crowded park when you have a dinner reservation in that park for that evening. Those are the kinds of things that make crowd calendars very important to me. With fastpasses and ADR's set ahead of time, it becomes more difficult to freely move around when you end up in a surprisingly crowded park.

Yep, I agree that sometimes you just need to deal with the crowds, but so often the crowd calendars are not really that accurate. I look at them too...and hope that my plans work out.

Since we don't travel with small kids (yet - soon to take our first grandson!), we have a bit more flexibility. And since we've been there often enough, if we don't use all of our FPs, it's not the end of the world. The biggest thing that we have found helps us to avoid the crazy crowds is arriving at rope drop for those "MUST DO" ride, and then, making our FPs for later in the day, and maybe during parade times. We often have been able to switch out times on many of the FPs (not for the biggies like 7 dwarfs, of course) but if it doesn't work out for us to do a scheduled FP, then so be it. Dining is different, especially, if you really want a certain restaurant, but there again, since we rarely do the dining plans anymore, we only do a few sit down meals, and have specific favorites for those as well as the QS ones.

Every family is different - every trip is different. You plan the best you can, and often have to change on the fly... Somehow, each trip still is a great experience with lots of wonderful memories!

 

[heath92681]

There's so much up on the air. None of us can predict what the parks will look like on any given day. I think the low crowds this summer are especially indicative of that.