October hours at MK

[raidermatt]

Matt, first of glad we are buddies

Yes, now we should all hold hands and sing kum-by-yah (sp)....

Second, WFH is correct.

I stand (actually sit) corrected...

If MK had been open until 9pm, we probably would have stuck around until then just because we could...you know the people watching.
However, since it closed at 6pm, we tried other things.

Great, it worked out for you. But what we are really talking about is limiting your options. By closing earlier this October than last, some guests no longer have the choice to try other things (most of which do come at an extra cost).

Now that you've tried other things, suppose you still wanted to linger in the park. Sorry, can't do that as long as you used to.

The fact is, you always had the choice to try other options. Now, at least in October, you would not have the same choices you did last October.

I'm not saying that means you cannot enjoy your trip. As with any cutback, if it doesn't impact your family vacation, it wouldn't make sense to change your destination. Its like cutting off the nose to spite the face. So if you no longer care if you have the option of lingering in the park, the reduced hours are not negative to your experience (unless the compressed crowds cause a negative impact). However, they certainly aren't positive, and they will definitely be negatives to others.

So we have to say that from an overall perspective, reduced hours do decrease the guest experience.

Don't get me wrong, it would be great if the parks were open every day from 9-12. I'd applaud that. Unfortunately, I think my ticket would end up costing more for those kind of hours...just a hunch...

Agreed. But even if we only look at it from a net revenue point of view, there does come a point where closing earlier will also result in an increase in the price of your ticket. The question is, where is that point in October?

Also, WFH makes a very good point about those options that open up when parks close earlier. They aren't always on Disney property.

I'm sure Disney factored this into their decision, but only time will tell if they factored it in correctly, with the right weight.

 

[mrtoadslastride]

Part of the reason why these hours upset me so much is that we head to WDW each year in October. We typically plan our trip 6 months out from arrival. With WDW's current policy of setting park hours only weeks before the date we are now stuck. Since we already have tickets, reservations, etc. we have no choice but to head to WDW regardless of what the hours are.

My point is the 6 close time is enough for me to consider not going, however because they established hours so late I now don't have that option. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. I don't think I will plan another trip until hours return to normal. For Disney's sake I hope the accountaneers didn't mis calculate the affect of reduced hours on attendance.

 

[Walt's Frozen Head]

Don't get me wrong, it would be great if the parks were open every day from 9-12. I'd applaud that. Unfortunately, I think my ticket would end up costing more for those kind of hours...just a hunch...

Do you think such a ticket would cost more than the ticket you're buying now plus the DQ or PI or FG ticket you're also buying now, as you complete your WDW day?

One more thing I'd like to point out. Much of what you say is excellent information for those wishing to plan ahead and make the absolute most of what Disney still offers. Good stuff, and it's true that through planning ahead, you can nearly, if not perfectly, emulate the average pre-cuts Disney experience.

But a lot of us did nutty levels of planning ahead even pre-cuts, because we wanted to get all the Magic we could for the not inconsiderable sum we were paying then, making the most of what Disney offered at that point.

Disney refuses to sell us that vacation, anymore, although they still sell a vacation priced that way.

The pre-cut well-planned Disney experience is just gone. Guests are simply not offered, at any price, options that used to be included in the price of the ticket.

-WFH

 

[YoHo]

DQ or PI or FG ticket you're also buying now

Considering some part of those expireances are already included free of charge with most hopper and LoS passes, I suspect that yes there would be an increase.

Of course at the same time would there need to be an increase to maintain profit levels is a different question.

 

[raidermatt]

Between Matt aka Mr. Tom Brady fan,

AAAAAHHHH!!!! IT WAS A FUMBLE!!!!!!!!

Sorry, some things trigger some rather intense responses within my fragile psyche....

I've always understood why short hours wouldn't make sense but I also thought that the first weekend in Oct. was normally pretty slow.

We've been in Sept and May/June, and after our next trip (May again, tentatively), its going to be Summer only since Raidermatt Jr. will be in school.

My understanding is that Oct picks up somewhat from September. Certainly its not as busy as Summer, but it is busier than January.

...although, truth be told...I liked the old raidermatt better....

I'm still here, and I still don't think the Magic has faded all that much. But if 2002 hours are going to be as short or shorter than post 9/11 hours, geez, that's a tough one to take.

 

[TiggerFreak]

Being a DVC family, we are required to make our plans at least 7 months in advance to ensure the type of rooms we desire. So I agree that the current trend in publishing/adjusting park hours makes planning dificult.

We almost exclusively visit in Oct/Nov, for two of the reasons that others have stated, weather and crowds. If the MK hours (9-6) are in effect, then no Spectro or Fireworks or MainStreet at Night or Castle Lit Up. Our 5 yearold Grandson is going on his first trip to WDW and these are some of the things I hope to share with him. The inability to do this would be very disturbing, even with my glasses on.

All that said, last year, prior to our trip I was full of angst due the prognostications of many here on the boards that with the cuts in hours and staff, no Magic would be available in WDW.

Well, the trip (10-26 thru 11-1) was still wonderfull, early closing times that had been scheduled were extended. Parades that were not scheduled Magically appeared on the next days events list.

So... , with a trip scheduled for 10-26 thru 11-2, I will cross my fingers and hope that, again this year, all of this hand wringing is all for naught.

Hey, maybe all of our dreams will come true and ME will be gone by then

 

[Douglas Dubh]

It's probably easier PR-wise to schedule fewer hours and then extend them if demand is higher.

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

Mr. Scoop, it all comes down to OPTIONS!! (Didn’t you read the state of the parks address?? I ragged on that one pretty good!) That is my biggest complaint about the elimination of EE and the reduced hours. I no longer have any options. And my thirty years of Disney know-how and expertise at avoiding crowds, working against the flow and not having to guess where to be and when to be there, have gone right out the window!!! And I am forced, like cattle that Disney thinks we are, to be one of the herd!! It is humiliating (tour-guide as I usually am), aggravating and very, very frustrating!!! But that’s Disney lately. Not a guest, only a number

I AM NOT A NUMBER – I AM A FREE MAN!!!!!


(cult TV show reference. Anyone – anyone?)

 

[space42]

I've always understood why short hours wouldn't make sense but I also thought that the first weekend in Oct. was normally pretty slow.

I was looking for why exactly Jan. like hours in Oct. would be such a bad thing.

October is no longer "off season".
Crowds and weather should be about what they were in April / May sans spring break.

 

[d-r]

Originally posted by space42


October is no longer "off season".
Crowds and weather should be about what they were in April / May sans spring break.

Well, lots of us were there in May, and the MK closed at 6 on week days and later on the weekend. There were only fireworks on Saturday night. The thing that we did that was sort of a mistake was during the week we stayed at wlv - when you stay there you want to go to MK more. We should have stayed at bwv during the week, that way we would have been right next to the two parks that stayed open late. It gets to sort of be a drag getting on the bus back from epcot, so we didn't go every night. I think two or three of the week nights we hung out at the wilderness lodge, hot tubbed, ate at artist point, watched the electric water pagent, drank some beer, hung out at territory lounge, etc. There were lots of families doing the same thing, taking it easy swimming, relaxing, whatever. Everybody didn't have to cram in theme parks to every single waking moment, a lot of people were having a lot of fun taking it easy and enjoying the vacation - it would have been nicer in some ways to be at the epcot area because you could go to those parks easily, but it was nice to be at the wlv and live at that pace, too. So I'd reccommend people stay at bwv or beach club during the week off season, and just get a mk area hotel during the weekend.

I understand about time smelling the roses, really I do, but there are lots of roses that you can smell during off season, not all of them are at the MK. We usually go in May and September, and the past couple of years we went once in January and once in Feb. I think the most empy I have ever seen was October in 1998.

Editing here.

The really bad thing about off season is not going to the MK at night. That really is a special thing - tomorrowland all lit up, adventureland feeling adventur-y, main street lit up. During the off season you only get this on Saturday night, so it is a mad house, because everyone wants to be there. Now they don't even seem to have e-nights anymore during off-season, which is pretty bad, because then it gets hard to find that special night-time feeling, the kiss good night, etc.

Instead they keep mgm open until dark because of fantasmic. Fantasmic is OK and everything, but to me - just my opinion so don't flame me - to me if you are over four you only have to see fantasmic so many times. I wish that they would close MGM during the off season week nights and leave MK open until later. Actually, I think the best thing would be to alternate them, MK open later on some nights with fireworks, the studios open later on some nights with fantasmic! Now, that is only if there is no e-night - if there are e-nights then the studios could stay open later too.

DR

 

[manning]

Perhaps the reduction in attendance is not all the fault of the economy!!

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

Perhaps the reduction in attendance is not all the fault of the economy!!

BINGO!!!!

 

[Miss Park Avenue]

Newbie here can't figure out how to quote so I'll just cut and paste.

DR says, "I wish that they would close MGM during the off season week nights and leave MK open until later. Actually, I think the best thing would be to alternate them, MK open later on some nights with fireworks, the studios open later on some nights with fantasmic!"


Now I can live with that! A few nights a week of late night MK. I just schedule my MK days when it's open later. Hopefully that won't conflict with the days Epcot is open AT ALL!

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

Fear not fair maiden!! The Baron shall rescue you from the darkness and show you the light of the “QUOTE FUNCTION”.

At least that’s what I thought!!! But alas!! She ‘has chosen not to receive e-mails or PMs’!!

Ahhhh! It’s tough to be a good knight in the cyber age!!!

 

[Miss Park Avenue]

I know, internet chicken here! Too many scary things happening in the world today. I've got to keep my secret identity.

 

[Miss Park Avenue]

Have a great trip in October. For me (my parents are the DVC owners and they have the final word on when we go), May is when we go and there is no way to design a touring style to see the fireworks or spectro when there's none scheduled because the park closes 2 or 3 hours before dark. Maybe when my kids are in school and we start going in the summer we'll be able to catch them if things don't change. Or maybe by then every ride will have fastpass and the park will close at noon! If you go to the MK in Oct wait and see what it's like leaving at six. You'll be having this wonderful day and then suddenly someone turns off a switch. I walked with my daughter through the castle and walked with everyone toward the exit. Everyone was so quiet. It was broad daylight! It shouldn't end that way. We went to Epcot to finish off the day, (big deal, future world closes at 7). There was just something very sad about it. That's not the way to end a day at the MK. I hope someone changes something soon. In the meantime I have a picture of a lit up castle with fireworks on my desktop wallpaper.

 

[rasvar]

One other item, October is a prime convention time. I hate to say this; but those little special events pay some big bucks if you know what I am getting at.

 

[mjstaceyuofm]

Delve way back into your memory banks... At one point a few decades ago I could swear that during the off-season, the MK was open from 9-dusk (or even 10-dusk) and hours were extended to say 10 or 11 when attendance patterns dictated so (i.e. weekends, holidays). It used to be that when the sun went down, people intrinsically knew that it was time to saunter over to Main Street, look at the castle, get an ice-cream cone and shop as you moseyed on out. But alas, that does not happen anymore. I honestly think even if this were the policy, that people nowadays would abuse it and linger in the lands to get "that last ride". Whether this is a societal thing or the fact that Disney has forced us into getting the maximum out of the minimum - I don't know. As much as I like this idyllic philosophy, I just don't think it'd work. That's sad...

As many of you said, there's something inherently WRONG being herded out of the MK when it's still daylight out. My last 4 trips have all been subject to this - 2 in May and 2 in September. It just doesn't seem right to have to leave when it's daylight out. For reasons previously said by other posters - shorter hours = less value. And let's not get into this quantifiable argument. Disney as a corporation is quantifiable, the Disney experience is not. It's qualitative. Shorter hours takes away from the overall quality of the Disney vacation experience.

 

[mjstaceyuofm]

quantitative: capable of being measured.
quantify: to express the quantity of.

The two aren't all that different (at least for an engineer that doesn't have the best command of the language, but slightly better than some other engineers I know. )

My whole point revolved around the history of the park hours and a long-forgotten policy. I guess it should have been posed as a question: does anyone else remember when the MK closed at dusk, irregardless of time?

 

[lrodk]

For those who may not have heard yet, Disney announced today (among other things) that they will miss their earnings mark for the next quarter, primarily due to softness in attendance and consumer spending at the theme parks. This perfectly explains why we've seen a reduction in park hours for this summer, fall and for the forseeable future. It seems that they knew about the short fall some time ago and had taken pre-emptive steps to soften the impact. Agree with it or not, it's all about damage control at this point. At this point it looks as though management is perfectly willing to sacfrifice whatever it takes to save their hides.