News Round Up 2018

[tlmadden73]

News

Operating hours at various AK attractions being reduced

https://www.wdwmagic.com/attraction...-animal-kingdom-attractions-to-be-reduced.htm

Not surprising, considering those are the attractions with animals and after daylight savings time, it is dark by like 5:00 PM on the East Coast in Nov/Dec/Jan.
I am guessing then that the last hour or two of the Safari is still the "sunset" Safari ..
I wonder how popular the Safari is at night anyway? I would think, given a choice, most people would choose daylight anyway. Haven't tried it, as I am not sure how to fit it into the schedule.
AK is just an attraction-light park, it could really use another non-animal attraction for nighttime. I doubt many people hit Kali after dark anyway due to not wanting to get wet.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Not surprising, considering those are the attractions with animals and after daylight savings time, it is dark by like 5:00 PM on the East Coast in Nov/Dec/Jan.
I am guessing then that the last hour or two of the Safari is still the "sunset" Safari ..
I wonder how popular the Safari is at night anyway? I would think, given a choice, most people would choose daylight anyway. Haven't tried it, just not sure how to fit it into the schedule

We did it at sunset once and it was really neat!! It happened to be feeding time also so we saw a lot more active animals than we have in the past. We teased that the lions really did have legs when they were up and walking around as we'd only ever seen them laying on the rocks. I recommend doing the safari at sunset at least once!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

https://www.disboards.com/threads/disney-changed-our-fp-interesting.3710337/

This ^^ thread was created earlier on the month when people were trying to figure out what was going on. Looks like Disney was changing people's FP times throughout the day, then it came about that the specific attractions where people's FPs were changed had shorter operating hours than park hours. Have no idea if this is something they do from time to time though in regards to reducing operating hours after FP dates has passed.

Thanks for the link to that thread - I'll check it out to see what people are saying

Obviously it sucks when Disney changes your FPs as you likely spent a lot of time trying to organize your FP and meals, etc.

I will say that the idea as a whole of shortening the opening time for some attractions I think I like better than artificially inflating wait times by reducing capacity and certainly more than reducing the entire park hours. and the things they are closing early, I mean, how many people were really using the trials at night? And while I like the safari right around dusk, in the full dark it generally isn't that great. And waiting 30 mins to open Kali I don't think is that big of a deal either.

Of course in a perfect world everything would be open and park hours would be even further expanded, but in the reality we live in, I think this makes more sense than other options

 

[tlmadden73]

We did it at sunset once and it was really neat!! It happened to be feeding time also so we saw a lot more active animals than we have in the past. We teased that the lions really did have legs when they were up and walking around as we'd only ever seen them laying on the rocks. I recommend doing the safari at sunset at least once!

It does sound neat .. but with the reduced November hours now, not sure how to fit that in with potentially wanting to see Rivers of Light.
Oh well.

 

[only hope]

News

Operating hours at various AK attractions being reduced

https://www.wdwmagic.com/attraction...-animal-kingdom-attractions-to-be-reduced.htm

I understand closing those things early- how many people really do that stuff when it’s dark anyways? Same with the Asia trail first thing in the morning. But delaying the opening of the Gorrila trail doesn’t make sense. The safari is popular at park open, and the trail is at the exit of the safari. Our normal pattern is to ride the safari, do the trail, and ride the safari with a fp. We usually walk onto the trail by 9:20.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Not surprising, considering those are the attractions with animals and after daylight savings time, it is dark by like 5:00 PM on the East Coast in Nov/Dec/Jan.
I am guessing then that the last hour or two of the Safari is still the "sunset" Safari ..
I wonder how popular the Safari is at night anyway? I would think, given a choice, most people would choose daylight anyway. Haven't tried it, as I am not sure how to fit it into the schedule.
AK is just an attraction-light park, it could really use another non-animal attraction for nighttime. I doubt many people hit Kali after dark anyway due to not wanting to get wet.

The "it gets dark" explanation works only if they did this as a norm during that time of year otherwise something else is afoot.

I don't have attraction hours in comparison to park hours information for the last couple of years but I'm sure they are out there somewhere lol.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

We did it at sunset once and it was really neat!! It happened to be feeding time also so we saw a lot more active animals than we have in the past. We teased that the lions really did have legs when they were up and walking around as we'd only ever seen them laying on the rocks. I recommend doing the safari at sunset at least once!

yeah, "At" sunset can be rather cool for the Safari - but "after" sunset seems to be much less eventful ... but definitely agree that trying it once around dusk/sunset is worth it!

Note, once you get to to after day light savings time, and clocks "turn back an hour" on November 4th sunset in Orlando is around 5:30

 

[tlmadden73]

The "it gets dark" explanation works only if they did this as a norm during that time of year otherwise something else is afoot.

I don't have attraction hours in comparison to park hours information for the last couple of years but I'm sure they are out there somewhere lol.

Well how long has AK been open at night now? I mean, I always remember going to it years ago and it closing at 5 (maybe 6 pm at latest). So closing the animal-based attractions early during winter doesn't seem shocking or out of the norm.

I doubt the park will abandon the nighttime hours after they time/money they put into Rivers of Light, the tree projections and the night-time lighting in Pandora.

 

[sachilles]

I doubt the park will abandon the nighttime hours after they time/money they put into Rivers of Light, the tree projections and the night-time lighting in Pandora.

I have the same sentiment. However, as of late, prior investment, even recent investment doesn't mean that Disney won't change directions and plans at the drop of a
hat.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well how long has AK been open at night now? I mean, I always remember going to it years ago and it closing at 5 (maybe 6 pm at latest). So closing the animal-based attractions early during winter doesn't seem shocking or out of the norm.

I doubt the park will abandon the nighttime hours after they time/money they put into Rivers of Light, the tree projections and the night-time lighting in Pandora.

I think you're missing my point. Whether I think it's reasonable or not isn't the point at all. Whether I think it's shocking isn't the point. It's what has Disney done that's the point.

Your point was "it gets dark"...yeah that part hasn't changed since AK has been opened. If however this is a newer trend of closing certain attractions earlier after 60 days has happened for FPs thus shifting FP times, during this time of year it's not going to be "oh yeah guys it's because it get's dark around 5:30pm during this year" because that was always the case...

In the thread I linked people were having their FPs adjusted throughout the day so it was impacting a variety of times.

ETA: This is from the other thread:
"I have looked at posted park hours for mid Oct to first week Dec and they have not changed. I then looked at the hours posted for Kali and Kilimanjaro. Kali seems to run 9:30-7:30 when the park is open 9:00-8:00. Kilimanjaro is 9:00-7:45 in Oct then 9:00-7:30 and then finally in late Nov 9:00-6:15 with park hours of 9:00-8:00. It seems that Disney is reducing the hours of these rides. It could also affect other rides in Animal Kingdom since I noticed Dinosaur doesn't start till 9:30 on 11/26"

They are adjusting at the front and back end for Kali, Safaris and Dinosaur.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I have the same sentiment. However, as of late, prior investment, even recent investment doesn't mean that Disney won't change directions and plans at the drop of hat.

Given that they're sunk costs at that point wrt decision-making, that can often be the right approach. Doesn't mean we won't get whiplash sometimes...

 

[rteetz]

Today in Disney History

Glow with the Show technology debuted in 2013

Disneyland cancelled runDisney races indefinitely in 2017

 

[rteetz]

News

Details on the LEGO Movie World at Legoland Florida

https://attractionsmagazine.com/legoland-fl-lego-movie-world-rides/

 

[Moliphino]

News

Netflix cancels Marvels Iron Fist

https://www.laughingplace.com/w/news/2018/10/13/netflix-cancels-marvels-iron-fist-after-2-seasons/

What are the chances this goes to the Disney streaming service? The first season wasn't good, but season 2 was so much better and the way it ended left me wanting more.

 

[rteetz]

What are the chances this goes to the Disney streaming service? The first season wasn't good, but season 2 was so much better and the way it ended left me wanting more.

Possible but doubtful I would guess.

 

[rteetz]

News

Falcon Installation underway at Disneyland SWGE

http://blogmickey.com/2018/10/photo...gins-at-star-wars-galaxys-edge-in-disneyland/

 

[tlmadden73]

I think you're missing my point. Whether I think it's reasonable or not isn't the point at all. Whether I think it's shocking isn't the point. It's what has Disney done that's the point.

Your point was "it gets dark"...yeah that part hasn't changed since AK has been opened. If however this is a newer trend of closing certain attractions earlier after 60 days has happened for FPs thus shifting FP times, during this time of year it's not going to be "oh yeah guys it's because it get's dark around 5:30pm during this year" because that was always the case...

In the thread I linked people were having their FPs adjusted throughout the day so it was impacting a variety of times.

ETA: This is from the other thread:
"I have looked at posted park hours for mid Oct to first week Dec and they have not changed. I then looked at the hours posted for Kali and Kilimanjaro. Kali seems to run 9:30-7:30 when the park is open 9:00-8:00. Kilimanjaro is 9:00-7:45 in Oct then 9:00-7:30 and then finally in late Nov 9:00-6:15 with park hours of 9:00-8:00. It seems that Disney is reducing the hours of these rides. It could also affect other rides in Animal Kingdom since I noticed Dinosaur doesn't start till 9:30 on 11/26"

They are adjusting at the front and back end for Kali, Safaris and Dinosaur.

I get you. Adjusting times with under 60 days notice is indeed "not good" .. we all suspect cost-cutting.

Good news (for those who are going over the next two months) is that they probably are seeing lower than expected crowds for November - December (since they probably have a good estimate of those crowds BECAUSE of Fast passes reservation. Bad news is that Disney is jumping on that and not just cutting staff (which they probably will do) but cutting hours of the "less popular" attractions.

Shutting an attraction down "early" isn't anything out of the ordinary. Doing it AFTER people are asked to make their plans 60 days in advance is a bit underhanded.

I understand closing those things early- how many people really do that stuff when it’s dark anyways? Same with the Asia trail first thing in the morning. But delaying the opening of the Gorrila trail doesn’t make sense. The safari is popular at park open, and the trail is at the exit of the safari. Our normal pattern is to ride the safari, do the trail, and ride the safari with a fp. We usually walk onto the trail by 9:20.

Yes .. the delayed opening for attractions ARE concerning.

Disney definitely seems to be trying to micromanage their staff around what is crowded or not crowded.
Some bean counter must say: "Oh .. Gorilla trail isn't really busy until 9:30 .. why even open it until then?" We can pay X cast members for 30 less minutes! Bonus!"

How far are we until the "normal" park hours are 10:00 pm to 8:00 pm .. thus making room for more paid ticket events for morning and evening hours? Getting people to essentially buy two tickets for one day.

​

 

[SG131]

Good news (for those who are going over the next two months) is that they probably are seeing lower than expected crowds for November - December (since they probably have a good estimate of those crowds BECAUSE of Fast passes reservation. Bad news is that Disney is jumping on that and not just cutting staff (which they probably will do) but cutting hours of the "less popular" attractions.

A couple of days ago I got a touring plan alert that MK closing hrs were pushed to 11pm for my early December trip. And considering how booked up the hotels have been even 6 months ago when I added 2 days to the front end of my trip actually has me rather nervous for crowds in the beginning of December....

 

[sachilles]

The magicbands are what allow them to see this info. We've wondered how they are going to use the info harvested from the my magic system. Certainly one would hope they've been using the info from this system to make the cuts where they'd be most effective and not hurt guest interactions.

 

[scrappinginontario]

A couple of days ago I got a touring plan alert that MK closing hrs were pushed to 11pm for my early December trip. And considering how booked up the hotels have been even 6 months ago when I added 2 days to the front end of my trip actually has me rather nervous for crowds in the beginning of December....

I agree with you! The anticipated crowd levels for our early Dec trip dropped a couple of months ago then most days took quite a jump back up lately. That combined with the fact that it's next to impossible to get a reservation at a Disney resort in Dec has me preparing for large crowds. We'll go with a plan and have a blast!!