New Main Street U.S.A bypass to be built to address entry and exit congestion at the Magic Kingdom

[marni1971]

Epcot is prime for staying open late. Didn't it used to 'back in the day'?

It did. Busier times of the year meant it was regularly open until 10 or 11.

And open meant everything was open. Must have cost the bean counters too much.

Laserphonic or IllumiNations was regularly at 10pm with time afterwards for another ride on Horizons or Journey into Imagination before closing.

 

[matt9112]

If the option isn't given then that is different. And if you don't like the stupid parades and all things Disney, go to Universal. Disney is about the experience of taking all of it in and not just rushing to the nearest attraction.

I really like taking it all in when I'm in hogsmead. ...nuf said

 

[matt9112]

Ummm drinking around the world? Barhopping? We always go back to Epcot to eat, then what? They close it down. It's the best place to eat dinner but you can only hang around until 9. They don't have to keep all of the attractions open. Just keep Test Track, Soarin, Spaceship Earth and World Showcase. I think you'd see people finish out their night there rather than zip back over to MK and thus lighten the load.

This....advertising this would go very far....come wind down...not some hard ticket crap...legit were open till 11 but pump it up...so many guests still think the magic kingdom is disney world...

 

[matt9112]

There was never a chance to get the DLP arcades.

In France they act as an overflow, a parade bypass, weather cover, pavement cafes, exhibitions and free flow store access. And were designed from the ground up to be that as part of the overall land.

In WDW it is purely a much needed crowd handling project. Although it just moves the problem to Seven Seas, admittedly where there is more space to try to deal with it.

Some people talk about the longest yard....waiting in that mass of people for a bus with a child on your head....that's the longest yard. Might never stay at AA after seeing that line.....5 or 6 buses deep....and we left before the show was over....it's honestly insane....the reason I would pony up for a deluxe has nothing to do with the resort and everything to do with no being stuck in a mob with you.

 

[ford91exploder]

Some people talk about the longest yard....waiting in that mass of people for a bus with a child on your head....that's the longest yard. Might never stay at AA after seeing that line.....5 or 6 buses deep....and we left before the show was over....it's honestly insane....the reason I would pony up for a deluxe has nothing to do with the resort and everything to do with no being stuck in a mob with you.

The fix for this is called a car, Which of course is WDW's greatest nightmare because it gives you freedom to go 'off property'

 

[ford91exploder]

SHOULD they have built the arcades? Sure. I'd LOVE them. But this time I agree with simple theming and it serving a purpose of pushing the crowd through. Doesn't mean I don't want quality but it comes off as outrage over what COULD be or what we all want when in reality we all know they weren't doing the arcades. It's just the majority of people HOPED they would and when it wasn't, the upset started.

It's different to me than being upset over say getting a super abridged version of the Mine Train when we could have possibly have had it be longer and include more, or getting a meh and plastic Little Mermaid ride. I just think too much time is spent obsessing over what we want them to do and being upset they're "screwing us" when from what I could tell at the very beginning of this thread is that it was meant to push crowds through. The arcades would help Main Street congestion on a regular basis but I just don't buy they ever wanted to do more than what we're getting. This is not "rah rah Disney is the best let me snort the Pixie Dust" but it was never meant to be the arcades and then they decided to do a simple sparsely themed alley way. If that really were the case, I'd be upset too.

Let me reiterate the point that if you are in the WRONG place after Wishes you will be FORCED out of the park down this so called bypass with no opportunity to browse or grab a snack. Just herded like cattle down a cattle chute when WDW is done with YOU for the night.

This is the source of MY OUTRAGE, Never expected to get the DLP Arcades - they WOULD have been a great addition along with relieving congestion at closing.

 

[ford91exploder]

It did. Busier times of the year meant it was regularly open until 10 or 11.

And open meant everything was open. Must have cost the bean counters too much.

Laserphonic or IllumiNations was regularly at 10pm with time afterwards for another ride on Horizons or Journey into Imagination before closing.

It's only been the past year or so that EPCOT and DHS have been closing at 8/9PM. Bean counters are desperate to 'make their numbers'

 

[Kman101]

Epcot's been closing at 9 for years and years for the most part. DHS I agree with. I remember them easily open until at least 10pm. No not that much longer than 9pm but now it's even getting to be 8pm.

 

[ford91exploder]

Epcot's been closing at 9 for years and years for the most part. DHS I agree with. I remember them easily open until at least 10pm. No not that much longer than 9pm but now it's even getting to be 8pm.

EPCOT up to 2012 or so was usually open till 11 in peak seasons (Summer/Easter/Holidays), Rest of year it was 9 or so, I've seen DHS close as early as 7 recently.

 

[PhotoDave219]

It's only been the past year or so that EPCOT and DHS have been closing at 8/9PM. Bean counters are desperate to 'make their numbers'

No, Epcot's been 9-9 for since at least the post-9/11 times.

DHS? Thats always seemed to vary from 7-10 depending on park attendance.

And lets all try to remember 2004 when MK would close at 7 in the off-season every now and then. No parties, no hard tickets for those nights.... just no guests.

 

[note2001]

Let me reiterate the point that if you are in the WRONG place after Wishes you will be FORCED out of the park down this so called bypass with no opportunity to browse or grab a snack. Just herded like cattle down a cattle chute when WDW is done with YOU for the night.

This is the source of MY OUTRAGE, Never expected to get the DLP Arcades - they WOULD have been a great addition along with relieving congestion at closing.

Never have I been herded out of the MK, or EPCOT. In AK I expect it. I've never stayed late enough at DHS to warrant them kicking us out.

The MK is the one park that allows us to meander our way out and even sit to the side while the masses pass us by (I hate standing for an hour in bus, boat and monorail lines and would rather wait it out while taking pics of main street.) If this changes with the construction of the new bypass I will be very upset. My suspicion is that at the end of the bypass the Hat and Candy shop store doorways will get a lot of use by folk who just want to poke around.

 

[ford91exploder]

Never have I been herded out of the MK, or EPCOT. In AK I expect it. I've never stayed late enough at DHS to warrant them kicking us out.

The MK is the one park that allows us to meander our way out and even sit to the side while the masses pass us by (I hate standing for an hour in bus, boat and monorail lines and would rather wait it out while taking pics of main street.) If this changes with the construction of the new bypass I will be very upset. My suspicion is that at the end of the bypass the Hat and Candy shop store doorways will get a lot of use by folk who just want to poke around.

If you want to KEEP it that way at the MK, Do not stand on the Tomorrowland side of the hub after Wishes, If you are there the path back to Main St is roped off and you will indeed be herded down the cattle chute.

 

[Texas84]

No, Epcot's been 9-9 for since at least the post-9/11 times.

DHS? Thats always seemed to vary from 7-10 depending on park attendance.

And lets all try to remember 2004 when MK would close at 7 in the off-season every now and then. No parties, no hard tickets for those nights.... just no guests.

Last month Epcot was sometimes open until 10. Was that just for F&W maybe?

 

[Kman101]

They've made it 9:30 over at least the last few weeks. I don't recall ever seeing it be 10 but I could be wrong.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Last month Epcot was sometimes open until 10. Was that just for F&W maybe?

Yes… Epcot will stay open later for some food and wine weekends and until 930 for holidays around the world because of candlelight.

I don't work call Epcot staying open until 10 or 11 within the past five years other than a special event here in there… I'm not saying it didn't happen… I'm saying the park hours have consistently been nine until nine with seldom exception.

However I think Epcot should stay open past illuminations. Let people continue to enjoy the park and I have a few more libations before going wherever…

 

[PhotoDave219]

They've made it 9:30 over at least the last few weeks. I don't recall ever seeing it be 10 but I could be wrong.

If I recall it was Friday and Saturday for food and wine. Somebody has all these parking hours archived somewhere… We should look this up.

 

[Donald96]

If I recall it was Friday and Saturday for food and wine. Somebody has all these parking hours archived somewhere… We should look this up.

Fridays and Saturdays during Food and Wine the park was open until 10pm. During the Holidays Around the World it's 9:30pm nightly.

 

[matt9112]

The fix for this is called a car, Which of course is WDW's greatest nightmare because it gives you freedom to go 'off property'

Plus adds cost..

 

[ford91exploder]

Plus adds cost..

Cars are quite reasonable most times at WDW, Plus special deals if you are Elite with airline/hotel/car rental, Plus they give you access to offsite dining which is both cheaper and far more diverse than on property.

Tournament of Kings is well worth a trip offsite

 

[Kman101]

Doing a quick Google search and all the way back in 2002 the EPCOT hours were 9am to 9pm.