News Early Theme Park Entry and Extended Evening Hours coming for resort guests

[CaptainAmerica]

Eh, I actually changed my mind. I still don't think there's any issue with calling boarding groups for people not allowed into the park yet -- that really doesn't matter in the slightest when it's such a small period of time -- but considering the window of time is so small, they wouldn't call more than a few boarding groups (if they were even able to open the ride).

They'd be calling less than a thousand people, and it's entirely possible that only a small percentage of them were actually staying on-site on any given day. It would be a waste of staffing to open the ride and have only a few dozen people ride it.

Couldn't the app just know not to assign off-site guests into a BG before 10 or whatever number they expect will be up when the park opens?

 

[UNCgolf]

Couldn't the app just know not to assign off-site guests into a BG before 10 or whatever number they expect will be up when the park opens?

I can't think of any reason that wouldn't be possible -- people would have their hotel reservation in MDE, so Disney should already have access to that information. I'm assuming Disney doesn't think it's worth it to rewrite the code for that and deal with the potential headaches if (when?) it breaks.

Probably for the best considering how many IT issues Disney has.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

That would definitely be possible. I'm assuming Disney doesn't think it's worth it to rewrite the code for that and deal with the potential headaches if (when?) it breaks.

Probably for the best considering how many IT issues Disney has.

Isn't it like two lines of code?

If resort_guest()
Min_bg = 1
Else
Min_bg = 10

 

[DisneyDodo]

Karen staying offsite will give the poor CMs holding the rope blocking her from entering SO MUCH SCHNITZEL if her group is called and she can’t enter the park. It is simply not worth the headaches at the park entrance when the company already feels it is staffing enough rides for those 30 min. Not everything opens for early entry and that was always the case. The only option that would ever work (because it is most similar to EMH) is to just open the queue for early entry and then close it off to new people at park open and switch to VQ. Universal does this. This also prevents any issue if the ride simply isn’t ready to open. They never promised anything.

Why couldn't they just reserve the first X BGs (~30 mins worth) for resort guests attending early entry? If the ride isn't ready when resort guests are let in, the first BGs would simply be called whenever it is. In the worst case, some later BGs aren't called that would have been, and are replaced by some early ones featuring resort guests. In the best case, more people ride.

I understand that some rides aren't available during the extra "hours." My concern is that these two rides in particular aren't included - the ones that already can't meet demand (or at least TBD with Rat).

 

[UNCgolf]

Isn't it like two lines of code?

If resort_guest()
Min_bg = 1
Else
Min_bg = 10

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Who knows. There has to be some reason Disney isn't doing it. Maybe they just don't want the issue of having the ride not ready to go first thing in the morning? Although that really shouldn't matter; those people would still be the first on it'd just be a little later.

It'll be interesting to see how they handle Ratatouille when it opens, considering it shouldn't have any reliability issues. Especially if the boarding group process doesn't last very long (as has been suggested here).

 

[doctornick]

It's a stretch but I guess you can make that point.

I assumed you were talking about non bus transport where it’s four to MK (Monorail resorts and Wilderness Lodge). It’s the same to DHS (Yacht, Beach, Boardwalk by boat and Riveria via Skyliner). If you’re talking about ability to walk to the park than it’s 3 for each park ostensibly.

that said, if the Swan Dolphin are part of the late hours then that actually tilts things more in favor of DHS

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don’t really understand why they aren’t doing some days for DHS. That would be viewed as a more substantial perk I would think compared to Epcot, even if Rise is not available

It’s a miracle they are doing it at all

 

[pdude81]

I assumed you were talking about non bus transport where it’s four to MK (Monorail resorts and Wilderness Lodge). It’s the same to DHS (Yacht, Beach, Boardwalk by boat and Riveria via Skyliner). If you’re talking about ability to walk to the park than it’s 3 for each park ostensibly.

that said, if the Swan Dolphin are part of the late hours then that actually tilts things more in favor of DHS

I count walking too but to DHS from the boardwalk area hotels is the stretch. It's like saying you can walk to MK from the Polynesian, which technically you can. The friendship boats are tricky too. I have to concede that they count as Disney seems to, but there are like 4 boats running at a time to 5 different stops, and they take forever. I'd rather a bus at park open/close. And how do you count Swolphin, as 1, 2, or 3 deluxe hotels with direct transportation? You have to cross the street from Swan Reserve to even get to the boat dock that you share with the rest of whatever number used.

However you count the numbers though, Epcot is at least even on deluxes and is quite closer in transport time for those attached. That's the real competition on location #2. If paid after hours were the only way to spend more time there, the peasants would revolt.

 

[JAB]

I assumed you were talking about non bus transport where it’s four to MK (Monorail resorts and Wilderness Lodge). It’s the same to DHS (Yacht, Beach, Boardwalk by boat and Riveria via Skyliner). If you’re talking about ability to walk to the park than it’s 3 for each park ostensibly.

that said, if the Swan Dolphin are part of the late hours then that actually tilts things more in favor of DHS

Swan & Dolphin are indeed part of the extended evening hours.

 

[Karakasa]

On the one hand, given family is part of DVC, it's nice that Deluxe/DVC resorts/villas get EMH exclusively.

On the other I do feel bad about the value and mid-range resorts getting shafted... That sucks. As nice as having such a cut-down in crowds at night (which is when I love to go to the parks most) is, I'm not sure it's worth people getting less time themselves. If only Disney would solve crowd problems by putting in more offerings, hmm..........

 

[mikejs78]

It’s consistent with what has been open for morning EMH for years

Yup, I remember going with my wife (before kids) between 2004 and 2010, and our MK EMH day involved rope dropping SM and hitting as much in Tomorrowland/Fantasyland as we could, then line up at the entrance to Frontierland right before official park opening. They'd only open that section at park open - we'd rush to grab a FP for Splash and then head to BTM. Got a lot done in the first 90 minutes.

 

[DCBaker]

2 more additions in November (8th and 10th) -

 

[JakeAZ]

2 more additions in November (8th and 10th) -

View attachment 582965

I’m assuming these hours, like all hours they release in advance, are subject to change.

 

[pdude81]

2 more additions in November (8th and 10th) -

View attachment 582965

I believe this has Epcot open late on an MK party night. IIRC 11/8 is the first of the Very Merriest DAH. Are they doing the same for Boo Bash sometimes now?

 

[DCBaker]

I believe this has Epcot open late on an MK party night. IIRC 11/8 is the first of the Very Merriest DAH. Are they doing the same for Boo Bash sometimes now?

None of the Epcot dates fall on a Boo Bash night.

 

[DCBaker]

November 15th and 17th added to the schedule -

 

[FeelsSoGoodToBeBad]

This may have been asked before, but I didn't see it if it was: What are the chances they switch up the nights for MK vs. EPCOT for future days not announced, or add a night for either one outside of Mon/Wed? Anyone have an opinion? I'm guessing slim/none, but would love to not feel locked in to ONE day for visiting each of these parks, since we aren't planning to get PH this round. (That said, we didn't plan it last round either and ended up adding it on arrival.)

 

[JakeAZ]

This may have been asked before, but I didn't see it if it was: What are the chances they switch up the nights for MK vs. EPCOT or add a night for either one outside of Mon/Wed? Anyone have an opinion? I'm guessing slim/none, but would love to not feel locked in to ONE day for visiting each of these parks, since we aren't planning to get PH this round. (That said, we didn't plan it last round either and ended up adding it on arrival.)

Less than zero percent chance they change up days that have already been announced. Changing up the dates going forward is always possible.

 

[FeelsSoGoodToBeBad]

Less than zero percent chance they change up days that have already been announced. Changing up the dates going forward is always possible.

I should have clarified I was asking about future dates not announced. I can't imagine they would ever change dates already published. I'll edit my original post, thanks!

 

[arich35]

I am still curious on how early entry will work. It is only 30 minutes before, I assume people will who aren't staying on site will still get to the parks early and be lined up. So how will they get people in who are staying on site in a timely manner so we can actually take advantage of the 30 min? Seems like it will end up just being a show