Why is the park closing at 7pm every night?

[TheLanes]

These hours are very disappointing! But yet our tickets cost the same as the days they are open until midnight! We are going Sept 21-29 but only going to parks 4 of those days, I may need to change to a 5 day hopper to see everything!
Can I just pay the difference between a 4 & 5 day hopper if we decide to do that?

I'd like to see a chart that shows cost per hour based on open times. These short days are VERY expensive compared to longer days.

Another poster asked how can Disney do this to all the local AP's. They don't care, they got our money, that's why.

 

[DLR29]

I don't know about DL but to address the WDW:
AK always closes early. Sometimes they have evening EMH till 8 but that is all. This is for the animals.

DHS does close at 8

MK at 7 in october on a Friday means this is 99% likely a MNSSHP night. So the park will be open til midnight, you just have to pay extra

and as you said Epcot is open til 10.

So half the parks are open until 10 or later... not too bad.

AK discontinued evening EMH over 2 years ago. I get the animals go to bed early, but 5 is crazy, IMO. And MK staying open for MNSSHP does not count (in my opinion) because I, as a regular guest, cannot experience attractions after 7. All I'm trying to say is that WDW often gets praised for having "better" off season hours. I don't agree with that at all.

 

[Priory]

Kinda off topic, but when I went to WDW in May of 2011, Magic Kingdom was open until 3am several nights I was there. It was awesome.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I'd like to see a chart that shows cost per hour based on open times. These short days are VERY expensive compared to longer days.

Another poster asked how can Disney do this to all the local AP's. They don't care, they got our money, that's why.

They are, but you can also get a lot more done in those hours because the crowds are less. There is always going to be a payoff - you go during peak season, you get longer hours, fewer refurbs and a lot more crowds. You choose to go during off season, you get shorter hours, more refurbs and less crowds. Everybody has to weigh what is most important to them.

Now I'm not defending a 5pm closing as that does seem exceptionally early, but if it is for a special event that could happen anytime of year, to anybody.

 

[Priory]

They are, but you can also get a lot more done in those hours because the crowds are less. There is always going to be a payoff - you go during peak season, you get longer hours, fewer refurbs and a lot more crowds. You choose to go during off season, you get shorter hours, more refurbs and less crowds. Everybody has to weigh what is most important to them.

Now I'm not defending a 5pm closing as that does seem exceptionally early, but if it is for a special event that could happen anytime of year, to anybody.

But when the crowds are less, they may run attractions at lower capacity, so the potential time-saving benefits could be diminished.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

But when the crowds are less, they may run attractions at lower capacity, so the potential time-saving benefits could be diminished.

Then one would need to make the choice to visit when attractions are running at their optimal. All I'm saying is that it's always going to be a case of the "grass is always greener." Time/money vs. crowds. We have done both when the kids were little and there are benefits and drawbacks to both. Now because of school & extracurriculars, we have to go during peak season.

 

[mom2rtk]

Hey.... if the hours aren't long enough, just add more days. You know..... as long as you don't want more than 5.

 

[sierranevada]

In an update on another site, this seems to be the reason they are closing at 7 pm in Sept - to save money on labor!

"TDA’s industrial engineering team will be attempting a few experiments with that new reality this September. With Disneyland’s ride per cap safely above the number 10, TDA will be cutting back on weekday hours the first few weeks in September and closing Disneyland at 7:00 p.m. while DCA continues to stay open until 8:00 p.m. and host a nightly World of Color show. Disneyland has also cut back on late evening hours on the first few weekends in September, until at least the HalloweenTime offerings kick off later in September. They’ll watch the numbers and crowd flow closely on those days, to see if they can get away with shorter operating hours at Disneyland while DCA remains very popular. It also helps that these are the last few weeks of the fiscal year, and saving some labor dollars as the resort coasts to the financial finish line will make the sharp pencil boys in TDA smile. But who could have ever thought we’d see the day that DCA could pull in such huge numbers that Disneyland would have shorter daily operating hours than DCA? The Disneyland Cast Members getting off an hour early this September can thank Cars Land for
that."

 

[WestMom2two]

I have to say that September, crowd wise, is a pretty amazing time to visit. We went last year in September and pretty much walked on all rides all day. At the most we had a 10 min wait late in the day when the park filled up more for dapper days. We prefer going in September especially with little kids. We were aware of the shortened day and added an extra day to see everything. Maybe you can add a couple days in the park to ensure you get it all in? I do remember some nights being bummed that the park was all ready closing but I guess that the trade off for no crowds and I will take then any day then going in the summer!

 

[Girimama33]

In an update on another site, this seems to be the reason they are closing at 7 pm in Sept - to save money on labor!

"TDA’s industrial engineering team will be attempting a few experiments with that new reality this September. With Disneyland’s ride per cap safely above the number 10, TDA will be cutting back on weekday hours the first few weeks in September and closing Disneyland at 7:00 p.m. while DCA continues to stay open until 8:00 p.m. and host a nightly World of Color show. Disneyland has also cut back on late evening hours on the first few weekends in September, until at least the HalloweenTime offerings kick off later in September. They’ll watch the numbers and crowd flow closely on those days, to see if they can get away with shorter operating hours at Disneyland while DCA remains very popular. It also helps that these are the last few weeks of the fiscal year, and saving some labor dollars as the resort coasts to the financial finish line will make the sharp pencil boys in TDA smile. But who could have ever thought we’d see the day that DCA could pull in such huge numbers that Disneyland would have shorter daily operating hours than DCA? The Disneyland Cast Members getting off an hour early this September can thank Cars Land for
that."

If this is indeed true, the guests visiting during the &pm closing week should express their displeasure with the shorter hours.

 

[Pinup Mommy]

I have to say that September, crowd wise, is a pretty amazing time to visit. We went last year in September and pretty much walked on all rides all day. At the most we had a 10 min wait late in the day when the park filled up more for dapper days. We prefer going in September especially with little kids. We were aware of the shortened day and added an extra day to see everything. Maybe you can add a couple days in the park to ensure you get it all in? I do remember some nights being bummed that the park was all ready closing but I guess that the trade off for no crowds and I will take then any day then going in the summer!

^^^THIS^^^

We visited last year in September a few times, and there was really not much of a crowd.We really enjoyed shorter waits and fun chats with the CMs.

As a locals, with APs we do not mind the early closing times because chances are we already have had our fill of fireworks, parades, Fantasmic..... It is nice to have some silence before it picks up again for Halloween and Christmas

 

[Disneyland1084]

I think it's pretty $%^*( of Disneyland to do this, but kind of understand. But people pay good money to come there. I can see closing it for a special event, but to close this early for THAT long would tick me off if I were going then. I use to travel to Disneyland in September before my DD started school and I was annoyed the park closed at 8, but 7 I'd be livid. But Disneyland's got to do what it's got to do.

 

[theggs4ever]

What's weird is that it says DCA closes at 8:00 but WOC is on the schedule as 8:15. So everything will close at 8, then after World of Color they will usher us out?

 

[JeffryK]

The 12th it even closes at 5pm. Thats disappointing.. Guess we have to change shedule a bit or parkhop. Lower crowds are nice but closing at 5 is a bit too early. Guessing they have a private event then.

 

[mom2rtk]

^^^THIS^^^

We visited last year in September a few times, and there was really not much of a crowd.We really enjoyed shorter waits and fun chats with the CMs.

As a locals, with APs we do not mind the early closing times because chances are we already have had our fill of fireworks, parades, Fantasmic..... It is nice to have some silence before it picks up again for Halloween and Christmas

But surely you can see how someone who has paid airfare for their one trip to DL that entire year, someone who has paid full price for tickets, someone who can't just pop back in next month to do what they miss.......... would find this to be very disappointing?

I think this is very cheeky of Disney. I read that statement as "Disney is going to see if they can get away with it".

 

[Pinup Mommy]

But surely you can see how someone who has paid airfare for their one trip to DL that entire year, someone who has paid full price for tickets, someone who can't just pop back in next month to do what they miss.......... would find this to be very disappointing?

I think this is very cheeky of Disney. I read that statement as "Disney is going to see if they can get away with it".

I can see how this is disappointing, but if I recall correctly, in the past years the park opens later and close earlier in the month of September due to the lower crowd levels, refurbs and preps for the holidays. So I am not sure that it is really a surprise.

There are benefits to visiting DLR during the off season... shorter wait times that allows more attractions to be done even with abbreviated hours. Which leads me to believe this is the reason most travel in the month September, to avoid the crowds.

It is unfortunate that Disney does not post their schedule further in advance to allow for vacation planning.

 

[mom2rtk]

I can see how this is disappointing, but if I recall correctly, in the past years the park opens later and close earlier in the month of September due to the lower crowd levels, refurbs and preps for the holidays. So I am not sure that it is really a surprise.

There are benefits to visiting DLR during the off season... shorter wait times that allows more attractions to be done even with abbreviated hours. Which leads me to believe this is the reason most travel in the month September, to avoid the crowds.

It is unfortunate that Disney does not post their schedule further in advance to allow for vacation planning.

But when someone expects short hours, and gets SUPER short hours, they still have a right to be disappointed in that. Especially when they have likely locked in flights already.

Totally different issue for locals I know. DLR just seems to forget that some of their guests are not local.

 

[squirrel]

But when someone expects short hours, and gets SUPER short hours, they still have a right to be disappointed in that. Especially when they have likely locked in flights already.

Totally different issue for locals I know. DLR just seems to forget that some of their guests are not local.

Exactly! Some of us book a year in advance and would have used last years hours to go on for this years. I thought 10 hours of park time was short last year, 9 hours is too short.

If they allowed more than a 5 day ticket, then I would feel as though I was getting my $'s worth. I have a 7-night trip planned but can only go 5 days of it.

It's time to go back to WDW where I can stay in the park for 12 hours without even planning that hard.

 

[Denine]

But when someone expects short hours, and gets SUPER short hours, they still have a right to be disappointed in that. Especially when they have likely locked in flights already.

Totally different issue for locals I know. DLR just seems to forget that some of their guests are not local.

I agree. We are going in September prior to a cruise. We only have a couple of days and it is closing at 5PM one of those days. No we can't come extra days and give Disney even more money to make up for the fact that they are closing so early. But, we will still have to pay full price for the tickets. Not happy at all about the extremely shortend hours.

 

[squirrel]

I agree. We are going in September prior to a cruise. We only have a couple of days and it is closing at 5PM one of those days. No we can't come extra days and give Disney even more money to make up for the fact that they are closing so early. But, we will still have to pay full price for the tickets. Not happy at all about the extremely shortend hours.

I can't even see the park hours for September anymore. Are they even opening a bit earlier that day? That would drive me crazy to have it close so early and on a Friday night when you are expecting Fireworks and Fantasmic. Please do take a few minutes and complain to Guest Services on your way out of the park one evening. If we don't complain then they won't know. I think DLR is geared more to locals but they need to remember there are some of us who aren't and we don't like the changes.