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No extended hours for summer and fall 2017?

Bri hp15

Bri hp15

New Member
Original Poster
This will be our 8th trip since 2008 and it will be the first time EVER we do not see extended hours for Aug - Sept 2017, not to be confused with extra magic hours! Is this because of the Disney weddings? I see there has been quite the $$$ accumulated so far. It is awful not to have these much beloved extended hours a couple of times a week/ weekend! If anyone working at Disney knows the answer to this, your response would be much appreciated :)! We love Disney, but are saddened by the multiple cutbacks and price increases every year... https://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories/disneys-magic-kingdom-offers-nighttime-weddings-for-180000/
 
Bri hp15

Bri hp15

New Member
Original Poster
JudyHopps said:
They usually extend hours for August toward the middle of this month... I'd keep checking! :)
Click to expand...
Yes I will I always check every year and have a great big smile when I find out the much extended hours. But the weird part, is that this year not even June nor July has extended hours. We'll keep our fingers crossed, but not holding my breath!
 
Me 'Earties

Me 'Earties

Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate
Bri hp15 said:
Yes I will I always check every year and have a great big smile when I find out the much extended hours. But the weird part, is that this year not even June nor July has extended hours. We'll keep our fingers crossed, but not holding my breath!
Click to expand...

Earlier this year, MK was listed with a 9 pm closing on the days we would be there in mid-late August (except for MNSSHP nights); and then at some point from the start of planning to now, the days through the third week in August were changed to 10 pm for the MK. I'm not sure if that's the best we're going to get, but I'm hoping for it to be extended again. Like you, I won't hold my breath!
 
Bri hp15

Bri hp15

New Member
Original Poster
Me 'Earties said:
Earlier this year, MK was listed with a 9 pm closing on the days we would be there in mid-late August (except for MNSSHP nights); and then at some point from the start of planning to now, the days through the third week in August were changed to 10 pm for the MK. I'm not sure if that's the best we're going to get, but I'm hoping for it to be extended again. Like you, I won't hold my breath!
Click to expand...
I see what you mean... I just looked at the week of Aug. 13-19th... 10pm is better than 9pm. But it is nowhere near the 12am, 1 or 2am closings we have had in the last 2 years, end of Aug/ early Sept. Anybody else think it is because of those weddings? I did read correctly, when you buy the big package starting at $180'000... this is crazy prices, but Disney always seems to have people willing to pay just about anything. I have nothing against people who can have such extravagant weddings, but when it cuts into our hours for visiting the park, that is not ok. Makes me want to rethink future visits... Can't believe how much the parks have changed in the last 10 years!
 
L

Liberty6

Active Member
Me 'Earties said:
Earlier this year, MK was listed with a 9 pm closing on the days we would be there in mid-late August (except for MNSSHP nights); and then at some point from the start of planning to now, the days through the third week in August were changed to 10 pm for the MK. I'm not sure if that's the best we're going to get, but I'm hoping for it to be extended again. Like you, I won't hold my breath!
Click to expand...

The main way that the hours for the parks are set in based on forecasted attendance. The higher number of people they expect the later they will stay open. Everyday they view actual attendance during the 1:00pm hour and will extend park hours if attendance has exceeded park forecasts. Side events like the weddings won't have a noticeable impact to an hours change.

So the nights MK closes earlier are actually the best nights to go because less people will be there.
 
Dory71

Dory71

Well-Known Member
Unfortunately I would not expect any extended hours. We were there before the 4th of July a very busy time and were very surprised the Magic Kingdom closed at 10pm. We are night owls and had been accustomed to stay at the parks late and sleeping in. Seems management is all about increasing profits. Higher ticket prices plus less hours equals $$$. Disappointed is an understatement.
 
R

Rumrunner

Well-Known Member
We have a three family trip on the agenda for June 2018 but have just about decided that closing MK at 10:00 would make the trip highly questionable from a value stand point. We are used to closings at 11:00 or 12:00. Each year the hours of operation seem to drop.
Also closing right after fireworks means everyone piling out of the park about the same time. We will leave the park and most likely be waiting for a resort bus for at least an hour or two. We are not pleased with what appears to be a sign of cheapness on the part of Disney.
 
R

Rumrunner

Well-Known Member
Liberty6 said:
The main way that the hours for the parks are set in based on forecasted attendance. The higher number of people they expect the later they will stay open. Everyday they view actual attendance during the 1:00pm hour and will extend park hours if attendance has exceeded park forecasts. Side events like the weddings won't have a noticeable impact to an hours change.

So the nights MK closes earlier are actually the best nights to go because less people will be there.
Click to expand...
That is the excuse my Disney representative gave me. It is still cheap and not fair to the patrons and does not allow us to take advantage of the cooler hours later, esp in the summer. It means we all pile out after fireworks and stand in line of the buses for another hour or two.
I love WDW but these tactics are giving us pause if we want to spend $15000 for our annual trip to Disney.
 
crxbrett

crxbrett

Well-Known Member
The shorter hours in summer also mean less time in the parks at night and being able to see the beautiful lights and sights in the dark. It's pretty lame actually. I feel like all of the parks should be open until 11p thru Labor Day weekend. And then they should not switch to 9p closures until the very last week of September. Or at the least they should bring back extended late magic hours to the Studios and AK and have those extended closures once a week be at midnight or 1am. I plan to write to corporate and complain at City Hall this year. I feel like they might listen to complaints if they are written by hand and verbally addressed at City Hall. There's no reason the parks should be closing this early. Especially when the parks are still quite busy.

It is definitely Disney being cheap.


.
 
ninjaprincesst

ninjaprincesst

Well-Known Member
We go every year for Thanksgiving and it seems they always have early closing times posted until we get there and then the MK closing hours are midnight or 1 am so I just don't even bother looking anymore until Im there.
 
R

Rumrunner

Well-Known Member
Bri hp15 said:
This will be our 8th trip since 2008 and it will be the first time EVER we do not see extended hours for Aug - Sept 2017, not to be confused with extra magic hours! Is this because of the Disney weddings? I see there has been quite the $$$ accumulated so far. It is awful not to have these much beloved extended hours a couple of times a week/ weekend! If anyone working at Disney knows the answer to this, your response would be much appreciated :)! We love Disney, but are saddened by the multiple cutbacks and price increases every year... https://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories/disneys-magic-kingdom-offers-nighttime-weddings-for-180000/
Click to expand...
With earlier closings and no extended hours we have decided staying at a Disney resort is just not worth it.
 
danyoung56

danyoung56

Well-Known Member
crxbrett said:
It is definitely Disney being cheap..
Click to expand...

Sorry, but I have a really hard time with this. Yeah, Disney USED to stay open later, but I would assume they recently decided that it just wasn't worth it as a company to stay open for 5% of the daytime crowd (I'm just making numbers up to make a point). It doesn't mean they're cheap if they adjust their operation to make more money for the stockholders. You'd like to see them hitting a middle ground on things like this - taking care of the guest while also taking care of the stockholders. But always remember that Disney is a business, and they make their major decisions from that standpoint rather than that of the tourist.
 

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