Drastic July/Holiday Operating Cutbacks

[the-reason14]

Wow, hearing this makes me glad I'm not going to WDW in July. My parents are still going, but I refuse to go with Space Mt. close. I hope they still have fun though. Hearing this also makes me glad that I'm going to DLR for the first time this year.

 

[durangojim]

Don't forget that Disney can and will change hours if attendance increases. I too have memories of staying in the parks in the wee hours of the morning as a child and young adult, but now that I have two young kids of my own, we rarely stay in the parks past 10 anyway so it doesn't bother me as much.

Another thought is that this is one more way to encourage people to stay in Disney resorts by advertising the nighttime EMH. It would be interesting to see if any tv ads start playing up that aspect.

 

[panther726]

I don't think you can compare park hours from when there were two theme parks to an era when there are 4 theme parks and two water parks. It's a totally different place with the guest population distributed in a radically different way. And resorts that have more diversions than ever.

Move along, nothing to see here.:shrug:

Thank you.:sohappy: This just an excuse to praise DL and kick Disney World around (which is like every other thread in this forum). MK will probably undergo phased closing(as mentioned above) so I don't think this is a big deal.

 

[The Conundrum]

I don't think you can compare park hours from when there were two theme parks to an era when there are 4 theme parks and two water parks. It's a totally different place with the guest population distributed in a radically different way. And resorts that have more diversions than ever.

Move along, nothing to see here.:shrug:

In the 90s WDW had much longer operating hours. Staying open till 1-2 am was a regular occurance just like at the other Disney parks.

Of course WDW also had alot more to see in terms of actual attractions back then. The Submarine Voyage and skyway were still open and there were many more rides on the Rivers of America. Epcot had all of there pavillions opened and were packed to the hilt with things to see and MGM had that Fantasy in the Sky show above the Theather. Even when Animal Kingdom and Blizzard Beach opened the hours stayed roughly the same.

So I guess you could argue that Disney has removed so much over the past decade that there is less incentive to keep normal operating hours so they have abbrivated them.

 

[WDWFigment]

I don't think you can compare park hours from when there were two theme parks to an era when there are 4 theme parks and two water parks. It's a totally different place with the guest population distributed in a radically different way. And resorts that have more diversions than ever.

Move along, nothing to see here.:shrug:

In this case, I think the comparison of hours between this year and the last three years reveals dramatic differences. However, as ISTCNavigator noted, the park hours were dramatically increased for June within the last three weeks or so. My fiancee and I actually declined going on a trip with my parents for that period of time because the hours originally looked relatively paltry. Hopefully the July and August hours will receive similar extensions.

I would agree with the other sentiment that WDW is probably erring on the side of extending hours rather than cutting hours later.

I realize hours are cut quite a bit, but I was concerned about the June hours until a couple weeks ago when they extended most of them--two 11 pm and two 12 am closures (not taking EMH into account) at the MK when I'm there, and pretty much every evening when Fantasmic! is shown since March has been expanded to offer two showings. So, are there cutbacks? Definitely. But they seem to be using a system now where they post a VERY conservative schedule 3 months out and then tack on hours later. I don't necessarily approve of this system since it makes it hard to plan (and evening EMHs at DHS have become largely useless to me since they don't show Fantasmic! on those evenings), but we just have to work with it. I would guess the Summer hours for DHS will end up looking like they have been modified to be the week of June 7-13 recently--9-10 pm on Fantasmic! nights w/ F! at 9 pm and 10:30 pm and 9 am to 9 pm the rest of the time. Given that profits are, in fact, down (thought not by as much as expected), I don't think that is particularly unreasonable.

And I think it's time to stop using Epcot's hours to fuel the "Disney is gearing up for the Summer from Hell" argument. It's been 9 am to 9 pm for a LONG time now. I don't see it so much as a cutback anymore as maintaining the status-quo.

 

[jt04]

In the 90s WDW had much longer operating hours. Staying open till 1-2 am was a regular occurance just like at the other Disney parks.

Of course WDW also had alot more to see in terms of actual attractions back then. The Submarine Voyage and skyway were still open and there were many more rides on the Rivers of America. Epcot had all of there pavillions opened and were packed to the hilt with things to see and MGM had that Fantasy in the Sky show above the Theather. Even when Animal Kingdom and Blizzard Beach opened the hours stayed roughly the same.

So I guess you could argue that Disney has removed so much over the past decade that there is less incentive to keep normal operating hours so they have abbrivated them.

Yes you could argue that if you are being biased and completely unobjective. There is no way there is less to do than 10 years ago if you count every option. In case you haven't noticed Disney has turned 180 degrees away from the passive experiences and to interactive and participatory attractions. Unfortunately the traditionalists haven't noticed this as they obsess on the 20K removal and the removal of the skyway (which I still consider a plussing :lol Fantasyland is so much better without that eyesore.:hurl:

 

[MousDad]

In case you haven't noticed Disney has turned 180 degrees away from the passive experiences and to interactive and participatory attractions.

You mean like this?

[source: Yee/Miceage]

 

[SirGoofy]

Thank you.:sohappy: This just an excuse to praise DL and kick Disney World around (which is like every other thread in this forum). MK will probably undergo phased closing(as mentioned above) so I don't think this is a big deal.

I wouldn't be so sure on your phase closing theory. This past weekend should have been insanely busy, and it wasn't even close to that.

 

[jt04]

You mean like this?

[source: Yee/Miceage]

Yee defended the show. I have a feeling it's because his kids enjoyed the show. Which is the target audience obviously.

 

[The Conundrum]

Yes you could argue that if you are being biased and completely unobjective. There is no way there is less to do than 10 years ago if you count every option. In case you haven't noticed Disney has turned 180 degrees away from the passive experiences and to interactive and participatory attractions. Unfortunately the traditionalists haven't noticed this as they obsess on the 20K removal and the removal of the skyway (which I still consider a plussing :lol Fantasyland is so much better without that eyesore.:hurl:

and because 20k and "that eyesore" were removed lines for the remaining attractions at Magic Kingdom have doubled and will continue to increase as more capacity is removed from the park.

If you call interactive playing with a flightstick and pushing buttons in M:S that don't affect the ride (whereas the "Interactivity" in Horizons actually did) then enjoy your stay at Disney Lameworld.

 

[jt04]

and because 20k and "that eyesore" were removed lines for the remaining attractions at Magic Kingdom have doubled and will continue to increase as more capacity is removed from the park.

If you call interactive playing with a flightstick and pushing buttons in M:S that don't affect the ride (whereas the "Interactivity" in Horizons actually did) then enjoy your stay at Disney Lameworld.

I meant KP and the new banking game and TSMM and WM game and SSE jib jab feature (which people love for some reason) for example.

And what else is being removed from the MK? I haven't heard.:shrug:

 

[WDW Monorail]

and because 20k and "that eyesore" were removed lines for the remaining attractions at Magic Kingdom have doubled and will continue to increase as more capacity is removed from the park.

If you call interactive playing with a flightstick and pushing buttons in M:S that don't affect the ride (whereas the "Interactivity" in Horizons actually did) then enjoy your stay at Disney Lameworld.

Thanks I will because I liked my last trip much better than my trip when WoM and 20K were around.

 

[The Conundrum]

I meant KP and the new banking game and TSMM and WM game and SSE jib jab feature (which people love for some reason) for example.

And what else is being removed from the MK? I haven't heard.:shrug:

There is no actual way to know if people love the touch screen garbage on SSE. I remember seeing an argument here a few years ago where one poster said Stich encounter was "IMMENSLY popular with guests" and Tirian came in and said that was simply not true and that it was actually getting complaints. Im not gonna put words in there mouth but im pretty sure younger guests like Epcot Explorer would probably take any of the previous 3 versions of SSE to the new "interactive" version.

I don't know what kp or wm is but you can't count that bank thing becaus thats just a temporary exhibit its not an attraction.

Toy Story would be getting the same amount of lines if it was a real Toy Story dark ride. It has nothing to do with interactivity.

 

[jt04]

There is no actual way to know if people love the touch screen garbage on SSE. I remember seeing an argument here a few years ago where one poster said Stich encounter was "IMMENSLY popular with guests" and Tirian came in and said that was simply not true and that it was actually getting complaints. Im not gonna put words in there mouth but im pretty sure younger guests like Epcot Explorer would probably take any of the previous 3 versions of SSE to the new "interactive" version.

I don't know what kp or wm is but you can't count that bank thing becaus thats just a temporary exhibit its not an attraction.

Toy Story would be getting the same amount of lines if it was a real Toy Story dark ride. It has nothing to do with interactivity.

Pathetic rebuttal. Simply pathetic.

All Innoventions exhibite are "temporary".

KP Kim Possible
WM Waste Management

Stand at the exit to SSE for a few minutes and you will see what I mean. The traditionalists leave crying, the casual guests leave laughing. We are out numbered. :lol:

 

[njDizFan]

well I still havent figured out if I am a traditionalist or not but I do really like the stuff to do at the end of SSE. I email the interactive picture every time we go. My fridge currently has me and my gf in a scuba underwater, theme. Also, it kinda fun to see where the greatest concentration of people are from on the big interactive screen. The other stuff is okay also, almost makes up for the decent.

 

[jt04]

well I still havent figured out if I am a traditionalist or not but I do really like the stuff to do at the end of SSE. I email the interactive picture every time we go. My fridge currently has me and my gf in a scuba underwater, theme. Also, it kinda fun to see where the greatest concentration of people are from on the big interactive screen. The other stuff is okay also, almost makes up for the decent.

You are not alone. And I'm glad if people like it, just not my type of magic.

 

[jakeman]

Disney Lameworld.

Why are you here?

 

[jt04]

Why are you here?

To antagonize as many Disney fans as he can. My theory is he is a former employee. And bitter.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Which is the target audience obviously.

As is WDW in general, if the marketing blurb is to be believed. And they seem to be doing a good job of convincing some families here to take their folding stuff to the other parks.

 

[WDW Monorail]

To antagonize as many Disney fans as he can. My theory is he is a former employee. And bitter.

And a banned member.