REAL Holiday News ...

[WDW1974]

Disney has finally updated the Hub portal to reflect accurate hours and entertainment for the July 4th holiday weekend.

MK will indeed show 'Disney's Celebrate America --a Fourth of July Concert in the Sky!' on BOTH July 3-4 at 9 p.m.

MK will be open from 9-11 (with EMH until 2 a.m.) on the 3rd.
MK will now be open from 8-1 on the 4th.

One Spectro on the 3rd at 10:30. Two showings on the 4th at 10:30 and 12:30 a.m. Also two showings of whatever they are calling the 2001 snowglobe parade on the 4th at noon and 3 p.m.

They have also added a pyro show at TPKaTD-MGMS on July 4th at 10 p.m. and just calling it 'Disney's Hollywood Studios Special July 4th Fireworks' ... park hours remain 9-10 (EMH until 1) with another Fantasmic added (showings at 9 and 10:45 p.m.)

July 3rd the park is still -- inexplicably -- only open from 9-7. (with a morning EMH).

Now ... how will this affect my plans?

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Ah, good news. I guess the rumblings were correct.

 

[GothMickey]

Disney has finally updated the Hub portal to reflect accurate hours and entertainment for the July 4th holiday weekend.

MK will indeed show 'Disney's Celebrate America --a Fourth of July Concert in the Sky!' on BOTH July 3-4 at 9 p.m.

MK will be open from 9-11 (with EMH until 2 a.m.) on the 3rd.
MK will now be open from 8-1 on the 4th.

One Spectro on the 3rd at 10:30. Two showings on the 4th at 10:30 and 12:30 a.m. Also two showings of whatever they are calling the 2001 snowglobe parade on the 4th at noon and 3 p.m.

They have also added a pyro show at TPKaTD-MGMS on July 4th at 10 p.m. and just calling it 'Disney's Hollywood Studios Special July 4th Fireworks' ... park hours remain 9-10 (EMH until 1) with another Fantasmic added (showings at 9 and 10:45 p.m.)

July 3rd the park is still -- inexplicably -- only open from 9-7. (with a morning EMH).

Now ... how will this affect my plans?

Didn't Steve note this a few weeks ago when you called him out saying they WEREN'T?

 

[GothMickey]

Ah, good news. I guess the rumblings were correct.

Steve 1
WDW1974 0

LoL...

 

[krankenstein]

Sounds good. I wish I was going to be in the Vacation Kingdom for the 4th again.

 

[RnRJoe6114]

My family is going on the weekend of the 4th...Friday night through Sunday night. We've gone a ridiculous amount of times but we essentially never go during the summer, especially on holidays, even though we know the heat well we don't so much the crowds. We kinda wanted to see the MK fireworks but we think we might avoid MK all together.
Good news on the DHS fireworks cause we plan on probably being there that night for EMH, after doing EMH morning at Animal Kingdom...anyone think this is a good game plan?

 

[WDW1974]

Didn't Steve note this a few weeks ago when you called him out saying they WEREN'T?

No. But thanks for playing.

Steve said they would have have the pyro shows. I said they weren't reflected on both internal and external schedules ... and that Disney PR had put out holiday/summer releases without mentioning them (which to me strongly suggests they weren't sure what they were doing.)

All of that was/is/remains true.

 

[WDW1974]

My family is going on the weekend of the 4th...Friday night through Sunday night. We've gone a ridiculous amount of times but we essentially never go during the summer, especially on holidays, even though we know the heat well we don't so much the crowds. We kinda wanted to see the MK fireworks but we think we might avoid MK all together.
Good news on the DHS fireworks cause we plan on probably being there that night for EMH, after doing EMH morning at Animal Kingdom...anyone think this is a good game plan?

You could view the MK fireworks from the beach at the Poly or GF and not deal with crowds at all.

I wouldn't count on much with Studios pyro, although I could be wrong. I do know that people have seen their shows on NYE largely feel they pale in comparison to both MK and EPCOT.

I would think that Studios would have been very empty on the 4th, but now with pyro added plus EMH, I would think it will be pretty packed as well.

I might do any park on the 3rd, MK pyro that night (either from MK or one of the resorts) and do EPCOT on the 4th and you can skip over to Studios for EMH after EPCOT closes.

That's what I would do ... and likely will ... although SW is also doing their 4th show on the 3rd and I have never seen it, but I can't imagine it being better than Disney.

 

[71jason]

That's what I would do ... and likely will ... although SW is also doing their 4th show on the 3rd and I have never seen it, but I can't imagine it being better than Disney.

Saw SW's on the 5th last year (after braving MK for the first and last time ever on the 4th). Impressive by the small town standards I grew up with, but no, nowhere near Disney. If you do go, best viewing is at the tables behind/around the corner from the Skytower.

 

[Captain Chaos]

So they release this two weeks before July 4th??? How far in advance was the schedule released in past years???

 

[WDW1974]

In past years, the average was 3-4 months in advance. Years ago it was as far out as six months.

Sorry to the TDO apologists here, but two weeks prior just isn't kewl since so many guests are once in a lifers (insert your own sarcastic smiley!)

 

[Captain Chaos]

In past years, the average was 3-4 months in advance. Years ago it was as far out as six months.

Sorry to the TDO apologists here, but two weeks prior just isn't kewl since so many guests are once in a lifers (insert your own sarcastic smiley!)

I'm with you on this one here... I mean, they want you to book dining 90 days in advance, but won't release any kind of schedule to help you plan better?? that is EPIC FAILURE on TDO's part...

 

[Studios Fan]

Good to hear there is an expanded fireworks schedule.

 

[wdwmagic]

No. But thanks for playing.

Steve said they would have have the pyro shows. I said they weren't reflected on both internal and external schedules ... and that Disney PR had put out holiday/summer releases without mentioning them (which to me strongly suggests they weren't sure what they were doing.)

All of that was/is/remains true.

They now have an updated release on the July 4 schedule. Here it is:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Guests celebrating the Fourth of July at Walt Disney World Resort will have a choice of fireworks shows as Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios present special pyrotechnics and Epcot adds a patriotic “tag” to its famous “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” spectacular. Here’s what’s in store:

Magic Kingdom – “Celebrate America Fireworks” will fill the sky at 9 p.m. July 4 (guests who’d like to begin the celebratory weekend a day early can enjoy the special fireworks on July 3 at 9 p.m.). After the fireworks, guests can enjoy a performance of Disney’s “SpectroMagic” parade of lights, music and magic at 10:30 p.m. on July 3-4. Park hours are 9 a.m.-11 p.m. July 3-4.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Special fireworks will be presented at 10 p.m. on July 4, providing guests with a bonus nighttime entertainment extravaganza to complement “Fantasmic!” (which will be at 9 p.m. and 10:45 p.m.). Park hours July 4 are 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

Epcot – “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth,” which features dazzling special effects, colorful lasers, brilliant fireworks, and fiery torches all choreographed to a musical score, becomes even more dynamic on July 4 as the normal show is supplemented with a patriotic finale. The performance begins at 10 p.m. Park hours July 4 are 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

 

[TURKEY]

This gives people so much time to plan Steve.

This should have been announced at least a month ago if they had decided, which I'm guessing they still hadn't.

Two weeks notice for 4th of July plans is unheard of.

 

[goodolgm]

There is plenty of YouTube video of both Epcot and MK's July 4 shows...I would highly recommend checking out MK's show on the 3rd and EPCOT's on the 4th. The MK show, new last year, is incredible, and utilizes the rare 360-degree finale only used for this holiday show and the New Years Show. They also fire the same regular show simultaneously on the one island out on the Seven Seas Lagoon...and the 3rd is less crowded than the 4th.

Epcot's July 4th tag uses more fireworks than I have personally ever seen go off at once (then again, I've never been to the Olympics or the NYC July 4 show), and the ground shakes during the finale. They bring out the firepower in this, World War 3 barges and all....Well worth waiting over an hour in a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd if you like fireworks.

Hope I could help -- if you can see both, by all means do it!

 

[wdwmagic]

This gives people so much time to plan Steve.

This should have been announced at least a month ago if they had decided, which I'm guessing they still hadn't.

Two weeks notice for 4th of July plans is unheard of.

I did tell people at the time what the actual plans were. I know obviously that isnt as good as coming directly from the horses mouth.

 

[MousDad]

I do not think that TWDC should continue this ridiculous "wait and see" last minute scheduling.

But I do think that Steve should keep posting what he knows a month before TWDC actually releases it. :wave:

 

[GothMickey]

I did tell people at the time what the actual plans were. I know obviously that isnt as good as coming directly from the horses mouth.

Yes you did Steve. And you were continually knocked down by WDW1974. Even though you kept saying these were the plans, he kept insisting you were wrong. He cannot sugar coat and spin it now. Thank you Stsve for giving us ACCURATE information.

 

[GothMickey]

I do not think that TWDC should continue this ridiculous "wait and see" last minute scheduling.

But I do think that Steve should keep posting what he knows a month before TWDC actually releases it. :wave:

This wait and see nonsense will hurt more than help.