-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Magic Kingdom - why are they closing so early
- Thread starter jimbo mack
- Start date
Cowboy Steve
Well-Known Member
There are several factors that may have gone into the decision to allow party attendees admission 3 hours early...
- Attendance during the day is probably down on party days
- Gives the party attendees an additional 3 hours to spend $$$. For instance, we are going to eat at around 5:30
- If you are going to charge what amounts to basically a full day's park admission, 5 hours doesn't really cut it. 8 hours is easier to swallow.
ppete1975
Well-Known Member
It is worth doing it at least once... the rides have no lines, the crowds are smaller, more parades more fun.
I still think they should give a ticket either to epcot or a park hopper to the people they kick out, on the way out.. They did spend a lot of money and if they didn't do their research the park closing at 6 would be horrible. BTW if you don't go to the party make sure you have a park hopper.
I still think they should give a ticket either to epcot or a park hopper to the people they kick out, on the way out.. They did spend a lot of money and if they didn't do their research the park closing at 6 would be horrible. BTW if you don't go to the party make sure you have a park hopper.
DABIGCHEEZ
Well-Known Member
Or perhaps all the hordes of people didn't know and were informed by answers to their questions on WDW discussion forums here or elsewhere over the years. I know of at least one person not smart enough to think of that scenario.
po1998
Well-Known Member
It's just puzzling that the past two summers(maybe even more when looking at historical park hour calendars on this site) have had plenty of extended hours, and then this summer..."shut it down early!!!!".
joanna71985
Well-Known Member
But what they paid for is a 7pm (or 6pm, in the case of MVMCP) close. The hours are pretty well known (online, at the Disney resorts if they are staying onsite, and at the entrance of MK the day of. It's also on the Times Guide)
No, they paid the same as a normal MK day. They didn't get a discount for the reduced time they'll have compared to normal. The party nights are out of hand this year. To have more weeks where more than half the week you need to pay even more money to stay in the park after dark is a blatant cash grab.
If it was for the good of the guest it would be included in general admission. Or ticketed for a nominal fee / crowd control.
Last edited:
IMFearless
Well-Known Member
I have to agree with Martin here. The parties seem to have crossed the line this year with regards to the frequency per week, number of weeks they're on for, but particularly the reduced hours on other days.
Having MNSSHP scheduled four or five nights a week would be easier to swallow if MK was open 8am - 1am on the other days.
Having MNSSHP scheduled four or five nights a week would be easier to swallow if MK was open 8am - 1am on the other days.
crxbrett
Well-Known Member
Heck, I would take 9am-midnight (the MK's old normal operating hours) and be happy! This 9p and 10p nonsense is not popular with guests obviously.
With the cutback in regular operating hours, even when they add the 2 hour EMH, the park is now only open that one night a week as late as it used to be without EMH at all.
ppete1975
Well-Known Member
It would be very easy for Disney to give everyone a park hopper or a ticket to any other park for that day. You pay for a full day, and it is super expensive. It wouldn't cost Disney a penny, in fact they would make money off food, souvenirs, snacks, and drinks. It might also make people who only do magic kingdom experience another park they would want to go back to again. Currently they just make people mad and kids cry.
Chef Mickey
Well-Known Member
I'm a big Disney apologist, but I think these "special event" nights have gotten a little crazy. Perhaps having 1-2 Christmas parties during the week (not weekend) and charging more like $59/person might be reasonable.
However, MK closing at 6pm and having up to FOUR days of early closings per week and charging as much as an additional $109 (Like buying another 1 day ticket)? LOL!
Oh Disney, come on now. I know you talked about margin expansion on the earnings call, but collecting ticket revenue for the day PLUS another $95-$109/person on the SAME DAY??? Seems a little rich.
However, MK closing at 6pm and having up to FOUR days of early closings per week and charging as much as an additional $109 (Like buying another 1 day ticket)? LOL!
Oh Disney, come on now. I know you talked about margin expansion on the earnings call, but collecting ticket revenue for the day PLUS another $95-$109/person on the SAME DAY??? Seems a little rich.
Last edited:
Chef Mickey
Well-Known Member
As a reminder: Disney CFO Christine McCarthy on their earnings most recent earnings call:
"Our management team at the parks is committed to increasing margin."
She was NOT kidding...WOW.
"Our management team at the parks is committed to increasing margin."
She was NOT kidding...WOW.
Last edited:
Cowboy Steve
Well-Known Member
I agree with you on several points here... a couple nights a week is more reasonable. And the first year we attended MVMCP (2011) it was right around $60/person. That seemed a pretty good value. We enjoy it a lot, but if it goes much more over $100/person, I will have to reconsider if we really need to do it or not. It worked out we could attend on our arrival day this year, so the scheduling was favorable for us. And to your point, it is the equivalent of buying a 1 day ticket, so we are treating it that way. They can only charge what people are willing to pay... and apparently enough people are paying so as to justify more days during the week. Four days is excessive - specially if you are on a short trip and have a limited number of days to visit. I know I'm kinda playing both sides here... but I see everyone's point. Party nights played heavily into our park visit schedule.
Epcotfan21
Well-Known Member
I've never seen a more fitting comment match a poster's username before. Bravo.
I assume "increasing" would be in reference to the last earnings call where they reported 24% margins in the parks?
Raineman
Well-Known Member
So, if you are planning on going to WDW this year between the end of August and Christmas, you better plan accordingly if you want to have a full day at MK. We definitely lucked out, and not on purpose-we'll be there between Oct. 29 and Nov. 6. Our first park day will be at MK on Oct. 30-no Halloween party. We will be at the party on Oct. 31, and plan on another full MK day on Nov. 5 - 4 days before the Christmas parties start, and 3 days after the last Halloween party. We managed to unknowingly slide into the week between MNSSHP & MVMCP. We'll still have to deal with the end of F&W when we go to Epcot that week, but.....
pax_65
Well-Known Member
We used to visit WDW in October and November every year. No longer. Magic Kingdom is our favorite park, and I am NOT ok with losing multiple nights of the Magic Kingdom over a 10-day trip. I paid to visit MK every night if I want to. As was pointed out, I wasn't given a refund because my favorite park wasn't available those nights (or because the park was subsequently PACKED on the few nights during our trip that it was open late).
I get the concept of "Special Events" but they should be exceptions, not the rule. If you're closing the park FOUR nights in a week that is just insane. I'll take my Fall vacation elsewhere.
I get the concept of "Special Events" but they should be exceptions, not the rule. If you're closing the park FOUR nights in a week that is just insane. I'll take my Fall vacation elsewhere.