Whats up with paying Peak prices in March but not getting peak hours?...a vent thread

[angey77]

OK, maybe this is just a vent (please feel free to join in), but even being the Disney nut I am, I am somewhat upset to be paying peak rates for CSR and getting less-than-peak hours in the parks March 1-4. Now don't get me wrong, any time in Disney is better than sitting here "working" (haha), but I mean, 7 p.m. closing for MGM and MK??? Those hours are worse than when I went in October in "regular" season!
Am I the only one who feels this way? When and where do we find out if we're blessed enough to have E nights?

 

[jazyjewel]

I agree too. I always go either in oct-nov and I hate that I only get one full day in (Saturday). This year I am going Feb 26-March 1 and the hours stink. For it to be peak season, longer hours would be nice. I know it uses a little more electricity to light the park at night, but good grief.........
Julie

 

[eeyore0062]

Unfortunately, it has been that way for several years. The only times that hours are significantly extended during March is when Easter falls during that month (hence the extended hours last year).

The thing is, if they can get the rates for the resorts, and demand, during that time is high for rooms, then they will continue to charge the prices without increasing the hours. Fair?... in a word... no... but it is a business decision, and business decisions, unfortunately, don't always turn out in the consumers favor.

Instead of wasting precious vents here on the boards, why not drop an email to WDW and let them know how you feel? They may not be aware of the publics' feelings. Only they can change their practices.

 

[angey77]

Good idea eeyore0062, I think I will drop a line to Disney on my dismay. In October, they did extend hours two weeks before my vacation, it would be nice if they did it again. Or give us a Mickey's Not So Flashy Mardi Gras Party to make up for it!

 

[Carrickdisfan]

I agree with the above and I also think that when Disney decide to reduce park hours then it is only appropriate that they should reduce the gate prices accordingly.

OK I know that the lines may not be so long and therefore it does not take as long to get round the parks however if you are travelling from outside the US, as I would be from the UK, it is very unfair that you still pay the same amount to enter a park as you would in June, July, Agust yet it stays open for perhaps 5 hours less.

Disney must realise how much it costs for people to travel to the US and also even after September 11th we have still supported the parks and not stopped going.

When the parks close early I am sure the staff only get paid for the hours they actually work. If Disney and the other parks started an evening ticket it could prove very popular all year round.

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by Carrickdisfan
I agree with the above and I also think that when Disney decide to reduce park hours then it is only appropriate that they should reduce the gate prices accordingly.

One thing that many of us forget is that standard hours at the Disney parks are the 7pm closings. When the parks are open later -- 8pm, midnight, whatever -- that is considered "extended hours."

Back when I first started going to the World, the parks were pretty much 9am-7pm year round. You'd get a few extended days near major holidays, and then during the summer, but otherwise, it was a 7pm close. (Except for Epcot, which premiered with later hours because of the nightly laser show.)

These days, we're all so used to the parks being open until 9pm or later much of the year, that we feel gypped if we have to leave at 7pm. But from an operational standpoint, Disney is not reducing park hours in this instance. They are choosing not to extend them.

 

[DisneyFan79]

This is just my opinion and I am not bad mouthing Disney by any means, but if you aren't going to extend hours then why are the prices so high? You can tour other theme parks a lot cheaper and get a lot more hours in those parks. Most of the times I have gone to Disney they are always open later. Why close so early to begin with? Just my thought. No offense

 

[jctwizzer]

Even with short hours, WDW works out to about $5 per hour per person.......I'm surprised they can do it for that price---around here, movies work out more than that. And major league sport tickets aren't even close......evidently Derek Jeter makes more than Donald Duck!! Anyway, to me the dollar at Disney gets me more entertainment than just about any place else....which is why we go 4+ times annually.

 

[popy]

Disney is getting cheap.

I got mad last year when MK hours was reduced
for the later part of August and I cancelled my trip.

I for one like to go to MK at night and I expect that
on my vacation, after all I cut no corners when I
pay for it.

I only, hope Disney wakes up and keeps MK
opened later a night or two in mid week during
the off months.

But, those boy's are geeting cheap and are going
to give us less and less bang for our bucks.

 

[luvaladdin]

When we there in March of 2001, during peak spring break time, the parks were very crowded and yet MGM and MK were closed at 7 pm. One night it was announced at MGM that the park would stay open late, but the only attractions still open were RnR and ToT. Around New England, when the weather gets warm and amusement parks open, they are open late. We went to Hershey Park in PA in May and the park was open until 10 or 11 pm. The prices there were about the same as WDW.

But there are people that seem to feel grateful that Disney even stays open until 7 pm, and because people who love WDW will put up with just about anything and still keep going, then Disney will continue to make cutbacks. Just my opinion, of course.

I was thinking of going next month, but am strongly hesitating because of high room rates, even with the discount codes, and because of park hours.

 

[eeyore0062]

But there are people that seem to feel grateful that Disney even stays open until 7 pm, and because people who love WDW will put up with just about anything and still keep going, then Disney will continue to make cutbacks.

We aren't putting up with anything. Official MK and MGM park hours are, and always have been 9am-7pm... those are the hours for which we pay. AK hours are 9 am-5 pm, and Epcot is 9 am until 9 pm. Yes, hours may be extended in the summer, Christmas, spring break and at the discretion of the park officials, according to crowds, and need. Anytime they extend the hours, that is a bonus. I think because they have extended the hours in the past, we seem to loose sight of that. I don't see where we can get by with complaining. At least WDW is open Nov through March, unlike those theme parks further north. Also, if you look at the competition in Orlando, you will find that the admissions are at least as high, if not higher, and there isn't a whole lot of difference in the hours, either.

As I said before, instead of insiting everyone on this board, put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, as it were, and let Disney know how you feel. Nothing may change, but you may feel better!

 

[Eeyore2U]

I guess I look at it as to how much I can get done on a given day is whether the hours work for me. When we going in Feb we have shorter hours, Spectro on the weekend, if we are there and on some trips no FITS. We never have lines and get to do the rides we want multiple times. So whatever I pay is no big deal. I've been in November, December and April and have had the same experience. It seems when hours are extended are times when Disney feels it patrons need the hours to get it all in.

As far as cost goes. I feel I get money's worth. I think that when hours get extended they should charge more.

 

[raidermatt]

"Base" hours for MK are 9am-6pm, I believe.

Charging the same for different seasons isn't anything new. And, as Eeyore says, it makes sense. You can get more done on slower days in less time without having to rush anymore than in other times.

That said, Disney has been cutting hours over the previous year for at least the last 4 years or so.

Unfortunately, the current Disney philosophy is pretty much to charge as much as we are willing to pay for as little as they can get away with giving us. Certainly you won't see that on their mission statement, but its essentially what it all boils down to.

There's nothing morally or ethically WRONG with that. After all, its how many companies are successfully run. The problem is that its not how DISNEY was built, and how its legions of fans expect it to be run.

So, until somebody who understands this gets control of Disney, they will set hours at the shortest times they can while not hurting attendance too much. In other words, they try to maximize the profit for that day. They ignore (or don't understand) the long-term impacts of this philosophy, but nonetheless its what we are stuck with if we still want to go.

 

[luvaladdin]

I can appreciate and value the different opinions and philosophies expressed, but I mentioned the timeframe of March, which is a peak time when the parks are crowded. If what others just said is true, the parks would be open longer during March to accomodate the larger crowds. That is not happening.

 

[eeyore0062]

luvaladdin... you will not know if it is going to happen until you get there. They have been extending hours on an as needed basis, so you could get down there, and even though the park hours now say open until 7, they could decide that they will keep them open longer. No sense in complaining until you see what actually happens.

 

[angey77]

In October, they changed MGM times about two weeks before we arrived. It may have something to do with the first time MNSSHP was offered the first week of October and that affected crowds. I can only pray they do this again. From what I hear, there will be many people in Disney for Mardi Gras, I'm sure more than what was there in October, and I hope Disney prepares for these crowds and give us better hours.

 

[raidermatt]

According to Birnbaum's...

End of Feb through 2nd week of March is "Average".

3rd week of March through 3rd week of April is "Most Crowded".

I think it really depends on when Easter falls. Last year, the week before and after Easter had closings as late as Midnight. I would expect something similar this year.

That said, I'm not really defending what Disney is doing with regard to cutting hours from year to year. In fact, I think I said its not in-tune with what the "Disney philosophy" is supposed to be. I'm just explaining why they are doing what they are doing.

They have been extending hours on an as needed basis...No sense in complaining until you see what actually happens.

True, that could happen. But from a planning point of view, this makes it difficult to make PS's. Also, some like to schedule there day at MK, for example, when it has a later (or earlier) closing.

Further, there is no guarantee the hours will be extended, so its better to speak up (to Disney) now.

 

[jazyjewel]

I know in the summer they have always had late hours, closing anywhere between 9 and midnite, I just hate the fact that to get the long hours, you have to suffer through the heat. Now at Christmas they were open late, but they had to be, it was so crowded if they weren't open til midnite you would only get to do about half of the parks.
Julie

 

[yesdisneyfool]

Originally posted by eeyore0062
luvaladdin... you will not know if it is going to happen until you get there. They have been extending hours on an as needed basis, so you could get down there, and even though the park hours now say open until 7, they could decide that they will keep them open longer. No sense in complaining until you see what actually happens.

This happened to us last Feb when we got there the hours were extended, only be an hour but hey, it's and extra hour in Disney, I'll take it. You can also use E night to extend your time - we do. The enights are out for March, check hereenights

 

[angey77]

OOOH, March 4 E-night...I knew they had to do something for Mardi Gras!