where is the outrage over the reduction in park hours!?!

[TigerLaw]

Am I the ONLY person upset that US will soon be open only 8 hours (even on weekends!) and IOA is soon to open at 10am! Simply put, I am staying onsite for the first time at the end of sept. and was so looking forward to the universal experience, but this is EXACTLY the kind of crap that angers so many disney fans! Let's see, stunt show-closed, characters-reduced, park hours-reduced, admission price-SAME! I was SO looking forward to repeat rides on everything, now I just want to try to get it all in w/o rushing around!

I have already emailed guest services asking them to reconsider, any other ideas?

 

[highlander447]

These hours are seasonal last year we where there last october and it was the same as for expressing your outrage sign the petition see if that helps

 

[robvia]

I'm frustrated too.

But in September, the park is empty, you'll get walkon rides all day.

I just can't imagine waiting around until 10am for the park to open. I'm an early person, arrive to the gate at 08:15am. And cable surfing in the hotel room gets boring, and no, I don't sleep in. I'm up at my normal time of 06:30am and ready to go.
I'm sure some will be bummed about waiting the extra hour to get into the park.

 

[webray]

I don't mind this...the parks don't take a full day...you can enjoy the resort pools in the morning.

 

[Flyfly_Eclipse]

If you have 2 park passes, start out over at Universal Studios at 9AM and then head over to IOA when it opens. This may actually work out better because I like getting to both parks when they open but would have to on seperate days.

You should not have much of a problem at the parks...seriously. Don't stress out too much, you'll have a GREAT time, I am sure!

As for the show closing and characters leaving...I'm sure there is a reason for it and since we do not know all the facts we can not judge.

Good reason to enjoy the hotels when you go. My parents always regretting not spending any time at the hotel because we were always at the park. The hotels are wonderful.

Have fun...I know you will! How many days will you be at the Universal parks?

 

[damo]

I'm pretty sure that those are the same hours we had last year in December and again in May. IOA was 9-6 and Universal was 10-7. After the park closed we went and had dinner until about 9 and then went to the pool and then to bed. It worked out fine.

We're in Williamsburg right now and they don't open until 10 and neither does Kings Dominion. It seems to be the norm.

 

[Tekneek]

If that's the 'norm', you can expect Universal to start matching that. Does Universal charge more to get into their parks than those other ones do? If they do, then they need to be a ran another way. Price yourself out of the 'norm for the industry' and you are expected to perform above the norm.

I have grown tired of corporations aiming for the 'norm' in their industry, or just slightly above. Few places seem interested in holding themselves to a higher standard anymore. They are content to be just like everybody else.

EDIT: I have no reason to expect them to completely change, actually. Just wish the hours would stay the way they had been historically.

 

[TigerLaw]

flyfly, we will be coming in on a friday around noon and then moving over to disney on tuesday. Here is my plan (any comments are welcome)

sati: check in at HRH, maybe pool-dinner at mama's-pool movie
sat. IOA morning and lunch there, come back to pool, dinner at mythos, more IOA till close, then night swimming

sun: US, maybe afternoon pool. dinner at chop chop (sp?) and then hit citywalk

mon: I go hit the parks in the morning while girlfriend hits the pool (she got a cabana) dinner pool side.

tues morning: hit the parks again till noon-lunch at jimmy's and then head over to disney.

what do you think?

 

[BarryHom]

FYI -- most parks around the U.S. open at 10 am, like Cedar Point, most Six Flags parks, etc. Some Six Flags parks don't open until 11 am. Morey's Piers usually don't open their rides until noon.

 

[robvia]

Originally posted by Barry Hom
FYI -- most parks around the U.S. open at 10 am, like Cedar Point, most Six Flags parks, etc. Some Six Flags parks don't open until 11 am. Morey's Piers usually don't open their rides until noon.

Kennywood also doesn't open their rides until 11am, but this year the park wasn't that crowded.
Cedar Point opened for hotel guests at 9am with two rides (Millennium Force and another), then let the GP in at 09:30am, then opened all rides at 10am. And the crowd waiting at 9am was huge. I wish they'd open at 8am.
I like IOA when they open at 08:45am and the Hulk is running with all 3 trains.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Originally posted by TigerLaw
Am I the ONLY person upset that US will soon be open only 8 hours (even on weekends!) and IOA is soon to open at 10am! Simply put, I am staying onsite for the first time at the end of sept. and was so looking forward to the universal experience, but this is EXACTLY the kind of crap that angers so many disney fans! Let's see, stunt show-closed, characters-reduced, park hours-reduced, admission price-SAME! I was SO looking forward to repeat rides on everything, now I just want to try to get it all in w/o rushing around!

I have already emailed guest services asking them to reconsider, any other ideas?

*****************************

I am one of Disney's biggest fans & let me tell you...Disney's hours aren't any better......take Epcot.....Future World is closed at 6pm and World ShowCase opens at 11 & 12 noon..... even in the busiest season!!!! There is nothing we fans can do unless we ALL stopped going & then the big-wigs would see that no visitors=no money....but that day would never happen. We all just need to live with what the hours are, not happy but dealing with it.......

 

[Flyfly_Eclipse]

TigarLaw: your plan seems fine. Just make adjustments as your days go on to see what works best for getting as much done as possible. I *almost* wouldn't even bother going swimming in the middle of the park day everyday, only because it will take a good chunk out of your park exploring time. However, since you have FOTL and a few days, you may be able to get away with it.

I recommend getting a show schedule ahead of your trips so you can plan your day in case you want to see any shows. Since I HAVE to see all the Ghostbusters Shows I plan what rides and other shows I'll do before, after, and in between.

If you have any questions about anything, feel free to PM me or e-mail me

BTW - I may end up going September 5 and 6!! Yippee!! May go one night to Rock the Universe as well. Anyone going??

 

[Dznefreek]

Outrage will not change anything. Just like the petition for the WWWSS and the characters. Remember the fuss over Mr. Toad's Wild Ride closing, it did not help.

 

[Flyfly_Eclipse]

You make a good point Dznefreek.

I do think that they have their reasons for closing the Wild West Stunt Show. You hear many people skipped the show for various reasons. Maybe they'll add something that would appeal to a greater number of people. The fact that the WWSS has been around for many years also has an affect on the lack of attention. WWSS has run its course.

As for the park hours, yes, I highly doubt complaining would change anything, but since the parks are much less crowded durin this time of month, it shouldn't really matter. There is a good chance you can do MORE during one day in September with the shortened hours that you could in one day with longer hours during Spring Break.

 

[Dznefreek]

"Attraction hours and availibilty are subject to change without notice." Enough said.

 

[soojay]

Having just returned from Florida - my outrage is with Universal/IOA $25 fastpass system [ btw - Shrek had a 200minute queue !]- we had to buy the fastpass for any hope of getting around the park during the hours it was open ! vWe got on all the rides, which ended up costing the same per ride as it would have without the pass, as we would have only managed 6 rides as against 10 - cheeky system though !

 

[damo]

I don't think that this really is a change in hours, historically. This is pretty standard stuff, from my experience of visiting the parks in off season times.

Soojay, you should be happy that the fastpass system was available for you to buy. If you were that much against it, I doubt that you would have purchased it! I don't think any park guarantees that you will be able to see it in its entirety in one day! More and more parks seem to be adopting this system and as long as people purchase these passes, the parks will continue to sell them. After all, Universal Studios is a profit oriented business.

 

[soojay]

Damo, you are right, I could afford to do it, and didn't mind paying for that priviledge - that wasn't the cause of the outrage - it was the fact that we were basically paying for one and a half tickets to get on anything. I only have one child, but imagine the cost of that to a large family, and being a rental home owner I worry that it may be expensive for families to visit also.

 

[joe]

IOA can be done in 3 hours if you plan it right and get there when the park opens, even in July. You have to plan a strategy that will allow you to see everything without long waits. I'd rather do the parks commando style and have the rest of the day to see shows and reride my favorites using the express system.

 

[DocBosch]

Soojay, you didn't have to buy the passes. You can get Express Passes for nearly every ride for free, if they are still available.

Around this time of the year, it's nearly impossible to be able to do all the rides you want in one day. Would you rather have paid the extra $25 for an Express Plus to do all the rides, or another $50 for a second day's admission?

I don't think I'd pay $25 for the Express Plus, but then again I don't go to Universal to hit all the rides. Regardless, the Express lines still seem too long for me during this time of the year. I rather come back during the winter when I can have the whole park for myself.

-Kevin