You've got to be kidding me with these hours!

[Delirium]

We were there the first two weeks of October last year. They were literally changing hours in the middle of our visit. If I recall correctly, we ended up with a midnight closing on Sunday of Columbus Day weekend, and a 2 a.m. closing the Wednesday of Columbus Day week.

 

[Delirium]

Hours generally aren't updated until a couple weeks out and even then could change after that.

While a true statement, Disney has skewed everything totally in their favor by having programs that require guests to plan schedules months in advance.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

While a true statement, Disney has skewed everything totally in their favor by having programs that require guests to plan schedules months in advance.

We usually plan 180 days in advanced based on the hours given at that time.
We pick the days and stick to them no matter what the hours do so no big deal here.

 

[DVCcurious]

This is just one more thing on a long list of why WDW has gone downhill the past decade.

Back in my day, before the iPhone, things were much better!

In 2007 we had paper FP.
We had more extra magic hours days
We had extra magic hours at multiple parks the same day
EMH was 3 freaking hours
We had later MK closing hours
There were fewer tour groups chanting and holding hands as they marched through the parks
The Halloween party was only $30
There were fewer party nights which means the park didn't close early 70% of the days from 9/1-12/23
There were fewer people in the parks. I would guess it was 70% of the attendance we're seeing in 2017.

I want to go back!

 

[Disney_and_Wine]

EMH was 3 freaking hours
We had later MK closing hours

And back in the day, we could pay $15 for E-Ticket Nights. Best. Hard. Ticket. Event. Ever!

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I have been going since the 80's and my parents since 1973.
Yes it has changed. Some things for good and some for bad.
It is what it is.
If you are no longer happy with your experience then it may be time to find a new destination.

 

[flortlebap]

August hours were recently changed from 9-10 and I suspect October will be too.

It isn't a disaster though. We just go out for a nice dinner and relax in the evenings when the parks close early. We tried a 2am MK once and were dead on our feet by 10:30 so haven't bothered since

 

[KittyKitty]

For over a year now hours have not been updated until about a month out. Plan around the hours you currently see, but keep an eye out for October hours to change sometime in September.

This happened Sept 2016. when we went in Oct. 2016. They changed MK to open 1 hour earlier that already had EMH morning, which opened up fastpasses. We got ones for Mine train at 8:15am. It was like we won the lottery!

 

[Elsaalltheway]

Also Disney in the past has adjusted park times based on crowds. So have the crowd levels been down, because im going in Sept and I don't see any time added for Sept either. As they normally adjust projected crowd levels a month out.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Also Disney in the past has adjusted park times based on crowds. So have the crowd levels been down, because im going in Sept and I don't see any time added for Sept either. As they normally adjust projected crowd levels a month out.

I just came home yesterday and it was crowded. They didn't increase MK past 10pm. There were plenty of people still there at closing. Could have benefitted greatly to have another hour or so. It was so much nicer in the parks after the sun was down.

 

[Elsaalltheway]

I just came home yesterday and it was crowded. They didn't increase MK past 10pm. There were plenty of people still there at closing. Could have benefitted greatly to have another hour or so. It was so much nicer in the parks after the sun was down.

Yeah, I just checked hours and Kali is sitting at a three hour wait and a lot of rides are over an hour, so I guess this is all due to cutting cast members hours.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Yeah, I just checked hours and Kali is sitting at a three hour wait and a lot of rides are over an hour, so I guess this is all due to cutting cast members hours.

When we ride potc Sunday, I noticed there was only one cast member to do both the counting/loading AND operate the controls that send the boat off. What in the world!? No wonder I had to wait in line even with a FP.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

When we ride potc Sunday, I noticed there was only one cast member to do both the counting/loading AND operate the controls that send the boat off. What in the world!? No wonder I had to wait in line even with a FP.

Having a FP+ does not mean you always skip the entire line.
FP+ is so that you wait in a SHORTER line.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Having a FP+ does not mean you always skip the entire line.
FP+ is so that you wait in a SHORTER line.

Well the FP line was the longest line I waited in the whole trip aside from FoP. I have ridden potc dozens of times over the last decade and never waited that long, FP or not. That line was an outlier.

 

[LAE7]

To avoid the heat, we don't go into the parks in the summer until after 5 pm (we have APs) so we are really missing the late night hours (been here since Aug 5th). With HEA at 9pm at MK, there isn't much time for rides after the fireworks. Getting out of MK is also a real chore with the early closings as the crowds don't have the time to dissipate (seems like many stay through 10pm). The line for the monorail and ferry were longer than I have ever seem them this past Saturday night. They brought in buses to get people back to the TTC - haven't seen that before.

 

[umichigan10]

I just came home yesterday and it was crowded. They didn't increase MK past 10pm. There were plenty of people still there at closing. Could have benefitted greatly to have another hour or so. It was so much nicer in the parks after the sun was down.

I also returned yesterday and couldn't agree more. Sunday was a zoo at MK. Sorry but 10 o'clock close there as a new norm is ridiculous. MK and AK should be open to at least 11 or 12, and the other two parks can stay the same in my book. It's miserable to be out in the heat during the 1-4 o'clock hour and it hinders planning to not be able to escape the heat late at night

 

[disneymagicgirl]

To avoid the heat, we don't go into the parks in the summer until after 5 pm (we have APs) so we are really missing the late night hours (been here since Aug 5th). With HEA at 9pm at MK, there isn't much time for rides after the fireworks. Getting out of MK is also a real chore with the early closings as the crowds don't have the time to dissipate (seems like many stay through 10pm). The line for the monorail and ferry were longer than I have ever seem them this past Saturday night. They brought in buses to get people back to the TTC - haven't seen that before.

When we tried to leave MK around 10:20 Sunday pm (rode dumbo and space after HeA) it was still a madhouse. There were only the 2 of us adults, luckily, because maneuvering a stroller through that herd would've been a challenge. We commented that it is unfortunate they weren't open later so we could have a relaxing day and do the parks from 6-12. It was so enjoyable after the sun went down.

 

[umichigan10]

When we tried to leave MK around 10:20 Sunday pm (rode dumbo and space after HeA) it was still a madhouse. There were only the 2 of us adults, luckily, because maneuvering a stroller through that herd would've been a challenge. We commented that it is unfortunate they weren't open later so we could have a relaxing day and do the parks from 6-12. It was so enjoyable after the sun went down.

We had a pirates fastpass at 7:15 that took forever to do (as you noted in a pp post) and then just gave up and went to the BLT lounge to watch the fireworks from. There was no sense in fighting crowds for little reward even if it was our last day

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We had a pirates fastpass at 7:15 that took forever to do (as you noted in a pp post) and then just gave up and went to the BLT lounge to watch the fireworks from. There was no sense in fighting crowds for little reward even if it was our last day

Yes!! This is the same time I was riding. FP line was outside the building.
Fortunately we had done emm and accomplished a lot by noon so we went back to the resort for several hours. We then returned to MK to use our potc FP, eat dinner at chh, and enjoy the dessert party. If I had my heart set on doing much else I would have been disappointed because it was crazy.

 

[umichigan10]

Yes!! This is the same time I was riding. FP line was outside the building.

Seriously it was rediculous. Also don't know if you tried the EMH at all this trip but what a disaster. Their system sucks, they scan your band at each attraction instead of giving you a wristband at the beginning of the night like they used to