Why is the park closing at 7pm every night?

[mummabear]

What I would say to this is...go during a non-off season then! Summer is a wonderful time to visit the resort. Almost no ride closures and the parks are open late (10 for DCA, 12 at DL). I can always navigate around crowds. I can't change ride closures or park hours.

Not everyone is able to travel during the US summertime.

 

[bryanb]

To be fair, this whole thread went to eight pages without the actual hours being posted... just speculation based on some tentative information.

And also to be fair, if Disneyland hours were posted earlier, it could've saved a lot of the speculation.

Operating hours are entirely based on attendance. Yes, it costs more labor to keep the park open longer, but they'd do it if the crowds were there to spend the money. Disney would prefer not to miss out on merchandise and dinner revenue.

Personally, I'm a fan of short days. If the park is open one hour less than you were hoping, you'll make up for most of that hour in shorter wait times. It was kind of weird the first time I experienced a "lazy day" at Disney where everything was so quiet, but I loved it. So relaxing. I understand that even in deep value season, WDW never gets that quiet.

 

[bryanb]

Not everyone is able to travel during the US summertime.

That's a really good point. One possible strategy, if you can manage it, is to schedule two days... perhaps a Sunday and a Monday... and experience both the longer hours one day and the shorter lines the second day.

 

[mummabear]

That's a really good point. One possible strategy, if you can manage it, is to schedule two days... perhaps a Sunday and a Monday... and experience both the longer hours one day and the shorter lines the second day.

Thanks-we are going for 10 days and will use 2 of those on weekend evenings to catch F! and the fireworks plus general evening atmosphere.

It still really annoys me that you pay the same for a ticket year round, Disney do not sell on peak and off peak pricing and yet they make such a massive cut in hours and entertainment during off peak then add that to the refurbishments at this time of year and its a bit of the short end of the stick.
Yet we are between a rock and a hard place, go in Sept or don't go at all.

PS I just noticed this thread originated in 2013-not sure why it's active again?

 

[addicted2dizney]

For what it's worth, I went to SunriseSunset.com and built a calendar for Anaheim in September to see when sunset/twiight would be. Sure enough, sunset is just after 7PM the second week of September when we'll be there.

So it looks like it'll be dark enough in DCA at 8PM for World of Color, but really won't get dark at Disneyland at all on Weekdays. Poop. At least we get the one Sunday to see Disneyland in the dark.

what are your dates? I will be there Sept 13th-20th.. as a die hard WDW traveler I share your frustration. I am looking forward to a more laid back california pace but I guess I will be hanging in DTD every night. 7 and 8pm are just so early for a park to close even during slow season.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

I don't think the hours are surprising. DLR's visitors are mostly locals, and kids are back in school in September, so if there was any post-summer time to close early to set up for the holiday season(s) and schedule private parties, September would be prime time for that.

 

[addicted2dizney]

I don't think the hours are surprising. DLR's visitors are mostly locals, and kids are back in school in September, so if there was any post-summer time to close early to set up for the holiday season(s) and schedule private parties, September would be prime time for that.

although I agree for the most part I was just kind of taken back by a 7pm close time. I kind of expected 8 and 9pm. I wouldn't mind if DL closed at 7 for the parites.. even MK does that but the week I am there little ride closures are posted other than long term ones and no parties till the week after. I will be eager to see the true schedule once they repost the hours. Looks like I will be up at the crack of dawn each day to maximize my park time. It's really all about moving things around now to make it all work.

 

[Malcon10t]

although I agree for the most part I was just kind of taken back by a 7pm close time. I kind of expected 8 and 9pm. I wouldn't mind if DL closed at 7 for the parites.. even MK does that but the week I am there little ride closures are posted other than long term ones and no parties till the week after. I will be eager to see the true schedule once they repost the hours. Looks like I will be up at the crack of dawn each day to maximize my park time. It's really all about moving things around now to make it all work.

This thread is over a year old. Currently, the calendar goesto Sept, with weekends to 11 and tues-thurs to 8.

 

[peterpanandwendy]

Wait, so if you want to be able to enjoy the park until 8, why don't you just pop over to DCA since it is still open? You don't have to watch WOC, you could just do rides....

 

[bryanb]

It's actually worse when the park closes early for parties, because that means the hours were not adjusted for attendance, but rather out of necessity to accommodate an event. At least when there is no party, it's because the crowds are so thin that you can get a lot done.

 

[auteur55]

I'm still seeing 10:00-8:00 for September so I don't know what everyone here is talking about. They've only released the schedule for first four days on September.

 

[Random Ninja]

I'm still seeing 10:00-8:00 for September so I don't know what everyone here is talking about. They've only released the schedule for first four days on September.

This is a zombie thread from last year. A pp wanted to know how it went and everybody else seems to have missed the dates.

 

[back2disney]

This is a zombie thread from last year. A pp wanted to know how it went and everybody else seems to have missed the dates.

Yes, you are correct. I am looking for feedback on how the shorter hours from last September 2013 affected everyone. There was alot of disappointment when it was announced just like this year for August 2014.

edit: Maybe I will have to pm each individual. I was hoping they were still subscribed to the thread

 

[Susie63]

OP here. The hours were changed as our dates got closer. They were the standard hours of 10-8 on weekdays.

 

[back2disney]

OP here. The hours were changed as our dates got closer. They were the standard hours of 10-8 on weekdays.

Oh wow! That is very interesting and good to know, maybe that will happen here as well. Thanks for replying. Ok disappear thread, lol