Should the parks keep longer hours?

[joviacdan]

This is something that I've never understood. I mean, I get the idea that with extra hours, there needs to be cast members to work, and on slower seasons, they don't feel the need, but is this really fair?

I mean, you go to any Six Flasgs and they're open later than Disney parks usually are. We're spending a,ot of money to visit Disney World. I'm sorry though - Closing the Magic Kingdom at 6:00 - That's not right.

The earliest any of the theme parks close (except Animal Kingdom) should be 9:00.

 

[KevinPage]

Let's not even compare what you get at Disney to a Six Flags. It's not even apples to oranges, it's ice cream to dog ________.

Anyways, I think it makes sense to tailor parks hours to how many guests are there. If it's low season and everything is a walk on, how many people do you think stay til the end of the night to ride Space Mountain for the 20th time?

Yes, those of us in here would, but the average park guest does not and that is the bulk of Disney's business.

I'm sure Disney knows how many people are currently in the park at a particluar time of season and knows how to manage crowds so lines are appropiate.

 

[joviacdan]

I understand what you're saying, but it's not completely true at all times.

When I was there in January (typically a slower season), lines got quite long at times. Crowds (especially in the Magic Kingdom) were enormous. I just don't see why Epcot, which doesn't draw nearly as many people as the Magic Kingdom, can stay open every night until 9:00, yet the Magic Kingdom can't.

It's like one cast member I was talking to said - Sure, there are times of the year (like right now for example) when crowds get out of control. However, there really isn't such a thing is a down time in the terms that we would be talking.

 

[cdevor]

As someone who will be there in 28 days, I say the longer the better!

 

[marni1971]

Originally posted by joviacdan
I just don't see why Epcot, which doesn't draw nearly as many people as the Magic Kingdom, can stay open every night until 9:00, yet the Magic Kingdom can't.

Maybe Epcot is easier to maintain (especially Futureworld) than the MK - and there is offpeak out of hours labour costs etc. - does WDW take on seasonal out of hours maintainence crews, or do they have the same ammount year round? (they do a superb job anytime of the year!)

 

[joviacdan]

Yeah - I thought of that as well.

If not all the parks can be open late, what they should do is have the reverse of Early Entry Mornings, and have Extra Late Nights, sort of like Magic Kingdom's E-Ride nights, except change the park that is open late every night, and don't charge resort guests an extra $10 to get in.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Magic Kingdom is open late most nights now due to Wishes. Epcot and MGM stay open late every night due to their fireworks, as well. Epcot stays open until 9 every night due to a couple reasons--
A. It always has, and is basically tradition
B. The park has a graduated hours system, so the entire park (with the exception of the big Future World attractions) is only open 10 hours each day
C. The money they may lose by keeping Epcot open till 9 pm during the off season, they gain back by having it close earlier than the other parks, which close at 10, 11, even 12 midnight during the busy seasons.

Most Six Flags parks keep their 10 am to 10 pm hours (I realize there are a FEW exceptions) for about two months each year, from late June through late August (or early June through early August in other areas). Disney parks are open late those months, too. The rest of the Six Flags season, they are only open weekends with good hours, as in the spring, have shortened hours on the weekends, or are open late after a 12 noon or 1 pm opening, as during Fright Fest.

 

[MKBurn15]

I remember way back when that some of the parks closed at exactly midnight, then two years ago, they closed like at 10:00. Whatever happened to closing at midnight?

 

[joviacdan]

Unfortunately what happened was someone at the front office decided they wanted a little more money every week.:fork:

 

[JeepGuy77]

keep in mind, then the park closes to guest, the park cast members dont leave. in my case, i work at the emporium. we dont leave till 3.5 hours after park close. so even if tha park closes at 7 in off season, we dont leave till 10:30. So when the parks are open late as in this week, (12am) the closing cast members in our store dont leave the store till 3:30am. If the park is going to be almost empty, its not econimical to keep paying cast member that late to work the parks. By limiting the hours, they can better predict the crowd distribution. The busier the parks, the later they are open. Thats just the way it is.

 

[joviacdan]

Originally posted by JeepGuy77
keep in mind, then the park closes to guest, the park cast members dont leave. in my case, i work at the emporium. we dont leave till 3.5 hours after park close. so even if tha park closes at 7 in off season, we dont leave till 10:30. So when the parks are open late as in this week, (12am) the closing cast members in our store dont leave the store till 3:30am. If the park is going to be almost empty, its not econimical to keep paying cast member that late to work the parks. By limiting the hours, they can better predict the crowd distribution. The busier the parks, the later they are open. Thats just the way it is.

That's an excellent point.

However, and not to sound rude or anything, but that really has nothing to do with the guests, people who are spending nearly $60 a day to be in the park.

Perhaps, maybe Disney should look into bringing on some 3rd shift workers to take that shift. I mean honestly, if one of my customers places an order, you can bet there's an overnight crew working until 6:00 in the morning to get that order out the next day for that customer.

Why should Disney be any different?

 

[General Grizz]

Here's what I think should be the minimum hours for each park:

EPCOT: 9am-9pm
Magic Kingdom: 9am-9:30 pm (MK is more crowded, and this helps w/traffic flow)
MGM-Studios: 8 (for traffic flow)
Animal Kingdom: 7 (because 5 or 6 is way too ridiculous for $54.75)

I don't see why the park hours are still reduced. Are we still in the 9-11 Disney crowd phase? I mean, these are record crowds. . . and I would assume, therefore, near-record off-seasons. If you keep admission up, keep the hours up, please!!

After all, with much fewer guest counts, the MK used to stay open even through 11, 12, or 1 on off-season.

 

[joviacdan]

Sounds about right.

There's no 2 ways around it. I've been to Disney 8 times. Every time I go back, it seems though the Magic Kingdom closes earlier and earlier.

12
11
10
9
8
7:30
7:00
6:00

Epcot has always kept the same hours, and I have no beef with that. MGM has always closed early. I don't agree with it, but it's always been that way. I can sort of understand the Animal Kingdom having to close because of sunset, but still - Work out a better system. For $60 a day, there's gotta be a better way.

 

[iluvstitch]

I don't think its unreasonable for WDW to close earlier in the off season- doesn't Busch Gardens, Sea World, Universal do the SAME thing? The Six Flags park near my house is closed for 5 months out of the year. That's just the way it is, its not economical for parks to be open late in the slower seasons.

On my trip this May, Universal will be closing at 7 and 8 pm, where the MK will be open until 9 and 10pm. I think WDW closed earlier than that for the same dates last year.

If you like staying at the parks until 11/12pm, then go to WDW in the summer/spring break/holidays and don't go in February. Simple as that. -Stephanie

 

[joviacdan]

Good points.

However, I still say, it's a little slower - Not our problem. Disney's idea of slow, is by no means, slow. They're about 10x as busy on a slow day as a busy Six Flags is on a busy day.

As far as Six Flags being closed 5 months of the year - That's just because of the weather. Noone would travel to a state where Six Flags was if it was closed during the winter. People travel to Disney all times of the year.

And if they are going to close the parks earlier at certain times of the year, due to it being "slow", then shouldn't tickets be a little less expensive?

 

[se8472]

Really waht slow is for you is nor really what the CM or Disney see's as slow

I have been there when its was packed at 3pm and empty at 6....there is a reason for they do this. No one wants to cycle empty trains till midnight so that 4 people can ride it again and again and again....I mean if you want to open a park and lose money because you want your guest to be able to be there all day that is fine....but in terms of disney closing on what are ture slow days then that is how we will do it. Plan and simple....

The Biggest reasont he parks stay open later is so that you can get more done....if the park is packed then you need more time to do everything....if its not packed then you don't. So the tickets get to be the same.

 

[Pixie Duster]

Originally posted by se8472
Really waht slow is for you is nor really what the CM or Disney see's as slow

I have been there when its was packed at 3pm and empty at 6....there is a reason for they do this. No one wants to cycle empty trains till midnight so that 4 people can ride it again and again and again....I mean if you want to open a park and lose money because you want your guest to be able to be there all day that is fine....but in terms of disney closing on what are ture slow days then that is how we will do it. Plan and simple....

The Biggest reasont he parks stay open later is so that you can get more done....if the park is packed then you need more time to do everything....if its not packed then you don't. So the tickets get to be the same.

EXACTLY!


Also haven't you guys heard of special events?

And if you looked on Disneyworld.com you'd see that for the next 3 months MK is open until 9 or 10 most nights, 11pm other nights, and a handful at 6 or 7 because of Grad Night and private events. We have been answering your concerns by putting our hours back to normal. Again check the website.

 

[Bill]

Originally posted by General Grizz
Here's what I think should be the minimum hours for each park:

EPCOT: 9am-9pm
Magic Kingdom: 9am-9:30 pm (MK is more crowded, and this helps w/traffic flow)
MGM-Studios: 8 (for traffic flow)
Animal Kingdom: 7 (because 5 or 6 is way too ridiculous for $54.75)

I don't see why the park hours are still reduced. Are we still in the 9-11 Disney crowd phase? I mean, these are record crowds. . . and I would assume, therefore, near-record off-seasons. If you keep admission up, keep the hours up, please!!

After all, with much fewer guest counts, the MK used to stay open even through 11, 12, or 1 on off-season.

I'd like to see Future World stay open until 9... enough of these 7pm closings.

And, I'd love to see Space and Test Track to stay open until 10 like before November of 01'

In case you don't remember, November of 01' is when the shortened hours went into effect becuase of 9-11.

 

[Bill]

Originally posted by Pixie Duster
EXACTLY!


Also haven't you guys heard of special events?

And if you looked on Disneyworld.com you'd see that for the next 3 months MK is open until 9 or 10 most nights, 11pm other nights, and a handful at 6 or 7 because of Grad Night and private events. We have been answering your concerns by putting our hours back to normal. Again check the website.

I'm sorry, that's not normal yet...

We should be having all midnight and 11pm closings, not 9 & 10.

AK should be open until 7

And Future World needs to be open till 9.

 

[General Grizz]

Originally posted by Bill
And Future World needs to be open till 9.

It's been closing at 7 pm for YEARS.