May 2003 Park Hours Posted @ Disney.com

[Daannzzz]

My first trip to WDW was in may of 1996. The MK closed at 7:00 on week nights and midnight on Saturday. There was a Spectro Magic Parade on Saturday night only at 8:00 and 10) with the Fireworks at 9:00. It was absolutely insane and I learned my lesson on where NOT to go and be.
The following year was the 25th and the park had Fireworks and parade every night.
Susbsequent years the park has been closed between 7-9 on weekdays and open until 11:00 on Saturday with fireworks and parade at the very least once on that night.
While I would miss the parade I could live without it. it is the fact that the MK is closing at 9:00 on a Saturday that I find very disappointing.

 

[netenyahoo]

I'm sure things will change as May gets closer. I have seen changes happen before a trip. I would think at least on Memorial Day Weekend they will add Spectro.

 

[ritchie56]

Sansaarai said:
So the absence of one parade is a telltale sign that the parks are going down hill? Talk about Disneyselfishness.

No, one parade with all the other cutbacks recently. The Diamond Horseshoe Jubilee and Aunt Polly's spring to mind immediately. Minor attractions, but ones that our family enjoyed a lot and will miss. (we like to sit and eat!) In better times, they may reopen. (I'm not even going to mention Timekeeper and COP--I figure they are pretty much gone. )

"Disneyselfishness"? I'm not sure what that means.

Let me ask you this. If you won't go and spend your money, how is Disney going to get back on its feet if people cancel their vacation because one 10 minute parade is NOT going to be performed? People seem to not understand this. The more money we spend at the parks the more rides are built, the more parades are performed and the better our experience is. The company is not going to just snap its fingers and make everything better. Disney is a bussiness and bussinesses thrive and grow when we spend money at its facilities.

While what you say is true, it isn't really my problem. I don't work for Disney or own stock. I'm a customer. Disney absolutely has the right to make business decisions to maximize their profits. And I as a customer have the right to react to those decisions. Disney understands that. It's simple supply and demand. They will spend the minimium possible to get the most number of people in the gates. They choose what they will spend (which is basically the number of attractions offered times the hours open.) Then, as the "demand" side of the equation, I get to choose if I am willing to take them up on the offer. As the number of attractions goes down, so will the number of people wiling to to go to the park. Disney must be betting that those people turned off by the lack of Spectro (and the other cuts) will be offset by the reduced cost to have the park open. That's fine. They may well be right.

As for me,I'm just sad and upset. I'll probably get over it. I would feel differently if we went to Disney more regularly and we had seen the parade before. But our last trip was in '96 and I doubt we will go again for similiar length of time. If I've saved for two years for the vacation, wouldn't I be smarter to wait a few weeks till the "busy" season and hope for more attractions to be open? (Like MS and Spectro and the Great Movie Ride) I'm not sure--the trade off is the crowds. For now I think I will sit tight on the May dates and hope that some of the hopeful people here are correct and Spectro will go on.

 

[ToTBellHop]

There is no question that you get more bang for your buck during the busy season, but it has always been that way. Those of you complaining about the closure of four attractions at the Magic Kingdom and the cancellation of Tapestry of Dreams should not really be surprised--their popularity was dropping quickly, so they will be replaced. And, since the Magic Kingdom is currently building PhilharMagic and creating the new firework spectacular, I would never expect a replacement for these attractions soon. Finally, allow me to remind you that the hours are better this year than last year--we have Extra Magic Hour, Epcot is open 9am to 9 pm, not 10 am to 9 pm, and the Magic Kingdom is always open from at least 9am to 7 pm, whereas last year, it was open 9am to 6 pm many nights in May. Finally, allow me to reiterate, you will see SpectroMagic in May. Disney is being conservative for their hours, because guests get REALLY ed if they cut hours, but excited if they add hours. They are not going to go an entire month without showing SpectroMagic...remember that you are going during a slow season. But, not showing SpectroMagic at least once a week in May would be like...not showing SpectroMagic nightly in early August, when I go

 

[rosie.ca]

they probably haven't posted anything for spectromagic because the haven't decided on the for sure dates it will be on... when i went in august i think i remember something like that happeneing .... but they still had all the shows on when i went

 

[inorski]

I think the park hours are workable for May, especially if the crowds are as low as they are projecting, but I'm really surprised that from Apr 25 thru May 9 there is not one showing of Fantasy in the Sky Fireworks!!! I know I can see Illuminations and Fantasmic!, but I really like the fireworks over the castle and am very disappointed I won't have one opportunity to see them during my 8 day trip to WDW.

 

[FLcastmember]

If they want to run spectro and FitS fireworks in the same night, then due to the late sunset, THEY WILL HAVE TO BE OPEN TILL 10PM, and as of now, 9pm is the latest, in order for them to add spectro's, they will HAVE TO extend hours first, AND I REALLY THINK THEY WILL AS MAY GETS CLOSER THEY WILL.

look at the pattern of late, Early closings for march, posted online, then hours extended throughout the month. Then now Easter Weeks have been GREATLY EXTENDED, up to 3 and half more hours. I think May hours that were posted yesterday, are the pre-war expectations, and if Easter goes well, look for 8 pm closings on mondays, and 10 pm closings on Sat, and Spectro's added as well. I wouldn't worry about it to much.

 

[inorski]

I'm sure you are right. Whether they do or they don't extend hours and add FitS, I'm still going to have a great time!

 

[Luke1984]

What's going on with Fanstamic? I couldn't find any hours for it either. I'm going in late May and I'll be very very disappointed if both Fanstamic and SpectroMagic aren't going on.

We don't have a free Saturday though anyways so I probally wouldn't get to see Spectro Magic even if it was on the schedule. Unless Disney was really really nice and had the parade on Friday or Sunday.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Originally posted by Luke1984
What's going on with Fanstamic? I couldn't find any hours for it either. I'm going in late May and I'll be very very disappointed if both Fanstamic and SpectroMagic aren't going on.

We don't have a free Saturday though anyways so I probally wouldn't get to see Spectro Magic even if it was on the schedule. Unless Disney was really really nice and had the parade on Friday or Sunday.

Huh? Fantasmic! is listed at MGM every night in May...

 

[pheneix]

I don't know if anyone has caught this, but the water parks have gone to staggered closings for the month of May. It basically goes like this:

Sunday-Tuesday: Typhoon Lagoon is closed

Wednesday & Thursday: Both water parks open

Friday & Saturday: Blizzard Beach closed

For the last week of May both water parks are open

Don't even ask me why both parks are not open on the weekend rather than Wednesday and Thursday (it may have been an error on the part of the website), but Burbank must be lighting a fire under Orlando's @$$ for this to happen.

 

[Luke1984]

Oops. I knew it had to be scheduled. I wasn't using my noggin. :hammer: