Weird closing hours in May?

I am pretty sure that the early closures in May are due to preparing and testing the final parts of the new fireworks show and the new parade since it'll be the 60th at the end of that month.
 
Well, it looks like the changed the closing time for my dates (May 6 & 7) to 7:30. I'm pretty irked! They are opening Disneyland earlier on that Thursday, but it's a MM day so we weren't planning on starting there anyways. I'm honestly considering paying the extra $50 each to get three day tickets even though we wouldn't use the third day, just so we can get that extra hour. Which, of course, as I type it sounds extremely ridiculous.

I'm so frustrated; with the shorter hours and additional ride closures, it seems like every day I'm getting bad news about this trip :sad2:
 
WOC often happens at or just after closing on short nights. So it makes sense. The park hours allow people about an hour to get out of the park. 8pm closing means rides no longer allow you in line at 8pm. They still run until everyone gets through the line. So at 7:55pm you can get in line for RSR if you want.
 

You know, for my young family, I wouldn't be too upset if the park was opening an hour early and then closing at 7:30. For us that would mean more morning time, the least busy time of day and getting the kids in bed at a decent hour, but my kids are young. Also, keep in mind that many locals visit the park after school/work for a few hours. So the park gets busier as the evening goes on. It should be less busy as they're not as likely to come since the park will be closing so early (unless it's an AP event, but there are so many of them I'm thinking CM events). And one more thing, if they're testing the fireworks, you can stand in the esplanade and see what you can see. Or at some hotels you can watch from the rooftop.
 
It does look like on those days that disneyland closes at 7:30 they are opening the park an hour early and DCA will be staying open an hour later then normal. So if you have hoppers your actually gaining 30 minutes of park time on those days
 
I think the weirdest thing about the hours is that for the first time since early 2012, the parks are not opening at the same time.

Crowd dynamics could be really unpredictable on these days.
 
So on the Thursday (21st) DLP is closing at 6pm? Far out, that is early ... luckily for us we'll be there for the 24 hour event so I guess we'll need the downtime.
 
So if DCA is opening at 8am, is the early morning at 7 that day? Ugh, that's early! this stinks about the short hours
 
I think DCA is opening at 10 most days.

I didn't even think about what it would do to park dynamics to have the parks open at different times. We have a choice of which day to use our MM, Tues or Thurs. Thursday the parks open at the same time but Tues it would mean 8am entry to DL. Choices...
 
I think DCA is opening at 10 most days.

I didn't even think about what it would do to park dynamics to have the parks open at different times. We have a choice of which day to use our MM, Tues or Thurs. Thursday the parks open at the same time but Tues it would mean 8am entry to DL. Choices...
The earlier the start time of MM, the lighter the crowds usually.
 
No DCA is opening at 9 that week except one day it opens at 8, and that is an EMH day for hotel guests.
Wow, these are some interesting hours. I may have to re-think my strategy. Hmm...not sure, not sure. Was planning Mon and Wed morning at Disneyland and Tues and Thurs morning at DCA with an early character meal on Tuesday. But now...I'm not sure. Usually we go against the early morning hours, but with early park hours...I'm just not sure. Need to think, think, think
 
And it looks like Touring Plans was right and Peter Pan reopens on Thursday the 21st. That's our last day.
 
No DCA is opening at 9 that week except one day it opens at 8, and that is an EMH day for hotel guests.
Wow, these are some interesting hours. I may have to re-think my strategy. Hmm...not sure, not sure. Was planning Mon and Wed morning at Disneyland and Tues and Thurs morning at DCA with an early character meal on Tuesday. But now...I'm not sure. Usually we go against the early morning hours, but with early park hours...I'm just not sure. Need to think, think, think

We will be DLH guests. Does that mean we can get in at 7 on the day they open at 8?
 
It also looks like Soarin' may be done by May 15th, since it's not on the refurb list beginning that day going forward. I wonder if the whole new Grizzly Air Field will be completed by then. Exciting!
 
I'm taking all of the hours currently listed with a grain of salt. Whatever they end up being, we'll deal with it. However, they look really strange; I'm just not sure that they are correct yet.
 
We will be DLH guests. Does that mean we can get in at 7 on the day they open at 8?

Yes, and it should be very light at that time of day without the summer crowds.

It also looks like Soarin' may be done by May 15th, since it's not on the refurb list beginning that day going forward. I wonder if the whole new Grizzly Air Field will be completed by then. Exciting!

Soarin, Matterhorn, and Peter Pan were originally all supposed to be open by that weekend. I won't be able to ride Matterhorn, but I'm looking forward to seeing the improvements on Peter Pan and Soarin's Grizzly area.
 












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