09 Hours SLASHED!

[fosse76]

Where do you stay offiste? Because we use to stay offsite and to get a decent hotel we were saving nothing when taking into consideration that the parking is free if we stay onsite since we drive our own car.

I like staying onsite for the "Magic" we actually don't use the Extra Magic Hours that often but it is nice to know that it is there if we want to. I would not stay offsite again now that we are used to staying on property.

I agree. People should really crunch numbers first. I remember thinking about buying tickets through a retailer at a discount, but with the added shipping it would have cost more than the gate price! I wasn't renting a car, so paying for the tickets and picking them up at their office wasn't feasible. I am thinking of staying off property for my next trip...it depends though. It will depend on what deals Disney will be offering.

 

[Tim G]

I bet the CEO isn't crunching his salary and bonus...

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

When exactly did EMH start? One site said they started with Magic Your Way. From what I've read on this thread, I don't think that's true.

 

[Timmay]

And as I said, they changed the hours listed on their website some time in the past month or 2. I checked the hours ... I entered them onto a chart ... I double-checked them ... I had them listed correctly ... and then they changed.

I never used the word "slashed." I said "trimmed." I'm a very precise person, especially with numbers and with vacation info. I'm certain I transcribed the numbers correctly when I first made my chart. Hence, I am certain that Disney trimmed the hours, as I noted in the other post, some time after they originally posted the hours on their website.

They didn't "trim" the hours. It is obvious the hours they posted were simply wrong. The parks are open in January and February 2009 the same hours they have been for the past 4-5 years. Trust me...it is the only time of year we go and there isn't a difference other than EMH at Epcot. I am not sure where all the confusion is coming from. WDW always reduces their hours during the winter months.

 

[epcotWSC]

I assume that in the summer things will be Business As Usual with the exception of the Space Mountain refurb?

Summer will still be busy recession or not.

 

[WDW1974]

^While I see what you are saying, I still stand by what I said before.

I believe this entire subject is an overreaction. Past hours have been posted above, and show that this year is really not much different.

And I stand by what I have said because it is based on history and fact.

There is no accurate information that has been posted that reflects that 2009 hours (or those currently in effect) are the same as in years past because they are NOT.

I'll repeat for the umpteenth time that MK was open until 10, 11 or midnight on weekends in January and during President's week in February and assorted nights in March. Take a look at the current schedule.

I'll repeat that Epcot hasn't closed at 8 p.m. regularly since the 1980s.

I'll repeat that DAK is pretty much 9-5 until mid-March when it adds an hour.

I'll repeat that DHS doesn't have the 10 p.m. closings of the past few years at the holidays and selected weekends/dates in winter.

Just because someone says 'the hours are no different than they have been for years' does NOT in any way make it so.

Again, I'm not saying Disney is wrong for cutting hours after 1/1/09. If I were running WDW, I may very well be doing the exact same thing. But please let's not pass this off as if it isn't happening because it is.

When I say EMH EVENING is a new thing, it really is. You even said that. 2004 was only 4 years ago. That's new...REALLY NEW in Disney terms. The resort is 37 years old!

So? I don't get your point. EMH evenings are relatively new. Big deal. Late night hours at ALL the parks for ALL guests was how Disney operated for more than a quarter of a century. You could say that closing parks so early is a really new thing.

Which we are looking at simular economic times! The economy is down, and things may start to really be simular to that time period.

I think this period is MUCH worse than during the 1987 or 91 recessions, or even the 2001 recession followed by the attacks.

This in so bad it really is unchartered territory. That much is certain.

The company is much different than it used to be, the huge resort growth during the 90s and early 00s, put so much more on property. If these other things weren't around, the way Disney adjusts things for tough times would be FAR different. We can't look at things as they were in the 90s, because the resort has changed too much. We can learn more from the time frame of 2001-Present to see how things may happen. This may seem a contridiction to the above about EMH, but it really plays along well, because EMH was added when a resort similar to the one today was in operation, after the slump of 01-02. Evening EMH is very new, and may be something to let go if things take a turn for the worst.

Well, I don't take such a narrow view of WDW or how TWDC operates it as you do. Since most of this decade has seen a constant lowering of quality while increasing prices, I'd say that this decade has largely been a disaster for people who love WDW and/or Disney shareholders who care about longterm value of the 'brand' and not simply the next quarter's results.

 

[WDW1974]

They didn't "trim" the hours. It is obvious the hours they posted were simply wrong. The parks are open in January and February 2009 the same hours they have been for the past 4-5 years. Trust me...it is the only time of year we go and there isn't a difference other than EMH at Epcot. I am not sure where all the confusion is coming from. WDW always reduces their hours during the winter months.

Yes, they do.

But what you are saying isn't true and repeating it won't make it so.

So, no, I don't trust you because what you're saying simply isn't accurate. And I've outlined already some of where the cuts have taken place.

There have been cuts in hours every month through April ... and hours were removed beyond that time because Disney thinks it may have to make substantial cuts beyond.

 

[WDW1974]

I assume that in the summer things will be Business As Usual with the exception of the Space Mountain refurb?

Summer will still be busy recession or not.

You shouldn't assume anything.

And the fact Disney has pulled summer hours back tells you they aren't assuming anything either.

And no Space Mountain rehab has been announced yet.

 

[Chape19714]

And I stand by what I have said because it is based on history and fact.

So? I don't get your point. EMH evenings are relatively new. Big deal. Late night hours at ALL the parks for ALL guests was how Disney operated for more than a quarter of a century. You could say that closing parks so early is a really new thing.

1-Unfortunately, very little in this entire thread is complete History or Fact, but rather a formulated opinion based around histories and facts (some of which are incorrect) History and Facts can be curved to prove the point.

2-I simply said that EMH was a new thing, and that it could be cut. Nothing more. I mainly said it addressing those who said EMH is the main reason for staying on property. It was meant as more of a counter point to that.

Well, I don't take such a narrow view of WDW or how TWDC operates it as you do. Since most of this decade has seen a constant lowering of quality while increasing prices, I'd say that this decade has largely been a disaster for people who love WDW and/or Disney shareholders who care about longterm value of the 'brand' and not simply the next quarter's results.

No comment...I stand by what I said before.

 

[ILDisneyFan]

I highly doubt WDW will slow down attendance wise no matter what time of year it is or how much they cut back.
I've gone in January, February, October, November, December and each time it has been busy. We went the first week of January 2007 and it was busy, we went for many years in February and it started out to be not that busy but our last couple years going at that time was busy, we went Thanksgiving 2007 and it was busy Thanksgiving day but wasn't too bad the rest of the time (into December), and our most recent trip was in October of this year and so much for the "bad" economy, it was PACKED!
Everybody goes to WDW and our days of it not being crowded are way over unless you get lucky and pick the right week!

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

You shouldn't assume anything.

And the fact Disney has pulled summer hours back tells you they aren't assuming anything either.

And no Space Mountain rehab has been announced yet.

Can you please share what you know about summer hours? I've only seen an April calendar. I'd like to know how much summer hours are going to be cut.

 

[epcotWSC]

Can you please share what you know about summer hours? I've only seen an April calendar. I'd like to know how much summer hours are going to be cut.

I think he meant that they had cut summer hours in the past. Maybe I'm wrong though.:shrug:

 

[disney4life2008]

Does anyone know if the castle light show will still be shown until january 4th?

 

[ToTBellHop]

Does anyone know if the castle light show will still be shown until january 4th?

my understanding is that all of the Christmas offerings will now end Jan. 1, though I certainly could be mistaken.

 

[raven]

I remember MK closing at 7PM in September years ago. It was normal back then so why the fuss now?

 

[HauntedPirate]

I bet the CEO isn't crunching his salary and bonus...

You know it. And I bet there are many managers/VP's/SVP's/etc. that aren't crunching their salary or bonuses either.

 

[kimmychad]

This really isn't anything new. February has always been an early closing month.

If you don't believe me check out Mark Goldhaber's weekly park updates from the past 5 years. http://www.mouseplanet.com/search.php?type=c&cid=wd

not all of feb has always been an early closing month. when we were there feb of this year magic kingdom closed at 2 or 3am with extra magic hours.

 

[kasey1988]

I went in october 2001, when the parks were virtually empty, i recall some closing early, but not too early. I didnt feel my time in the parks were cut short, we spent more time shopping around dtd and relaxing by the pools.. it was defintally the most relaxing trip ive had in disney...

but now that i am older and will be traveling with a friend whos never been, it would be nice for later hours, theres just something i love about being in the MK until late at night... (we are going in may so hopefully things will change for then).

 

[WDW1974]

Can you please share what you know about summer hours? I've only seen an April calendar. I'd like to know how much summer hours are going to be cut.

If I knew, I'd be glad to share it.

All I know is they had hours up through July (possibly August) until sometime in either late October or early November when they pulled them all ...

My guess is they don't know themselves how much they're going to have to cut (or if things miraculously improve ... cut at all).

They just likely had hours that were very similar to last summer ( I know I did a quick look and nothing jumped out at me as being cut or changed significantly) and didn't want to have MK closings at 11 p.m. and midnight if they were going to go back to the 9 and 10 p.m. closing of earlier this decade ... or worse.

So now it's all a wait and see deal.

 

[daklimation]

...
DAK is almost entirely on a 9-5 schedule the first 2 1/2 months of 2009....

DAK is on a 9-5 schedule every winter, they close before the sun sets, year round. (If you except high traffic (4th of July) Extra Magic Hours)

Prospective CMs pray for a job at DAK when they work the winter session, they get plenty of time to enjoy the parks and spend time with their friends and families that MK CMs don't get.