The Park After Dark to replace E-Ride Nights and Extra Magic Hour?

[ToTBellHop]

From Screamscape, so utilize the usual grain of salt:

We’ve heard that a new test program for resort guests called The Park After Dark would attempt to replace the Extra Magic Hour program for resort guests. In this case, instead of one of the parks opening an extra hour early for resort guests, one park may stay open up to three hours later for resort guests.

Don't know the likelihood of this, but I definitely like the idea much more than Extra Magic Hour. Sounds like a free E-Ride Night, which is definitely the kinda Resort perk that could keep the Resorts full all the time.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

That would be AWESOME. How I wish this rumor would come true!

 

[Hank Scorpio]

Sounds great, although how you going to get guests out of the parks that aren't resort guests?

I guess you could be asked to show your resort card whenever you board a ride?

 

[Disney2002]

Do it like an e-ride night.

Didn't they just empty the parks and readmit e-ride guests. You could easily do that.

 

[Bimmy56]

No, I don't think so. When we did an e-night we stayed in the park, but had to wear a special wristband to identify us. So everyone could stay in the park if they chose, just not ride rides. That way, the others would shop and eat, thereby spending more money.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Now thats the way to progress.

 

[KevinPage]

This seems like a logistical nightmare to pull off.

Either you have to wristband EVERY resort guest OR just tell them and only them the park is open 1 hour later. Seems like an aweful lot of trouble. The morning was able to be controlled a heck of alot easer.

If they can pull it off that woulsd be great. And if an AP'er like me can finagel my way in, even better :lookaroun

 

[yodathefrog]

Easy solution...every resort guest that enters the park would be directed to a station somewhere near the entrance to Main Street to receive a wristband as they enter the park. If they have enough people attending that station it would work smooth just as E-ride has for years. Showing your room card as proof would be great, or maybe the resorts could hand out tickets for guests who inquire to redeem you wristband. I don't think they will not have a process which you have to go through to stay in the parks, otherwise it would be madness. And, as for the guests in the resorts, if they want to go then they will take the extra time to wait in maybe an extra line or two. At least, that's just my idea...

 

[BeachClubVillas]

Wow, how fabulous would that be if it really was true?????????


I hope it's for real :sohappy:

 

[Snapper Bean]

Well, I'll be the contrarian here and say that I would NOT like to see this created at the expense of the Extra Magic Hour. As a resort guest, I like to take advantage of the fact that the rest of you slackers can't seem to get out of bed while on vacation. The 8-9 am hour is like paradise. I think the park after dark would be way more crowded than the Extra Magic Hour in the AM.

Snapper Bean

 

[Disneyfalcon]

It's true that extra magic hour does have the advantage of people not wanting to get up that early. BUT keeping the parks open late will get rid of a lot of guest with small children. For instance Mickey's not so scary halloween party clears out after the fireworks even though the park is open for a couple more hours. Many people, especially small children, are exhausted by then and just won't stay out that late!

 

[Snapper Bean]

First, I have small children so that really doesn't seem like "an advantage" to me. Second, I believe that the financial demographics tend to show that families with small children spend more per capita than the other age classifications (I may be wrong on this). Third, it doesn't feel like Disney policy would be designed to "get rid of" (your words) families with small children, that's their target audience.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Extra Magic Hour is not the most successful program ever, because most people are far to tired to wake up at 7 am to go to the parks, which is one of the reasons Early Entry was discontinued post 9/11. The system for this would be simple. Have separate gates for admission. Resort guests would get maybe 1/3 of the gates for admission, and there would be a sign asking for them to show both their park ticket and Resort room key and they would receive a handstamp as a Resort guest. It would prevent a massive waste of paper and actually give those handstamps some use for once. The other option is to have all Resort guests hand in any tickets they may have purchased before the trip and have the ticket information scanned onto their room key like they do with the Ultimate Park Hoppers. Then, whenever hotel guests entered any park at any gate, the CM could be notified by a signal, and would give the guest a handstamp. It would add minimal extra wait time to guests waiting to enter the parks. I would prefer this program to Extra Magic Hour because I absolutely love the parks at night and wish they would stay open later. With the exception of peak periods, I have never seen lines all that bad after the fireworks, so I think this would be very popular with guests. It would certainly be no more crowded if they did this than it is the first hour of E-Ride Nights, and The Park After Dark would be free to Resort guests and I think far more popular than Extra Magic Hour. I truly long for the days when I will be able to see Fantasmic! and ride the Tower of Terror after dark on the same evening to come back (it is only even possible maybe 4 weeks a year now...)

 

[BeachClubVillas]

Originally posted by ISTCNavigator57
Extra Magic Hour is not the most successful program ever, because most people are far to tired to wake up at 7 am to go to the parks, which is one of the reasons Early Entry was discontinued post 9/11. The system for this would be simple. Have separate gates for admission. Resort guests would get maybe 1/3 of the gates for admission, and there would be a sign asking for them to show both their park ticket and Resort room key and they would receive a handstamp as a Resort guest. It would prevent a massive waste of paper and actually give those handstamps some use for once. The other option is to have all Resort guests hand in any tickets they may have purchased before the trip and have the ticket information scanned onto their room key like they do with the Ultimate Park Hoppers. Then, whenever hotel guests entered any park at any gate, the CM could be notified by a signal, and would give the guest a handstamp. It would add minimal extra wait time to guests waiting to enter the parks. I would prefer this program to Extra Magic Hour because I absolutely love the parks at night and wish they would stay open later. With the exception of peak periods, I have never seen lines all that bad after the fireworks, so I think this would be very popular with guests. It would certainly be no more crowded if they did this than it is the first hour of E-Ride Nights, and The Park After Dark would be free to Resort guests and I think far more popular than Extra Magic Hour. I truly long for the days when I will be able to see Fantasmic! and ride the Tower of Terror after dark on the same evening to come back (it is only even possible maybe 4 weeks a year now...)

Well said! I'm with you on everything. I would love to be in MGM late at night...if they can't do e-ride there, this is the next best thing!

 

[bhg469]

I am totally all for Late nights, its cooler out less kids to trip on, shorter lines. This all in all seems like a perfect idea.

 

[Zack Attack]

Easy solution...every resort guest that enters the park would be directed to a station somewhere near the entrance to Main Street to receive a wristband as they enter the park. If they have enough people attending that station it would work smooth just as E-ride has for years. Showing your room card as proof would be great, or maybe the resorts could hand out tickets for guests who inquire to redeem you wristband. I don't think they will not have a process which you have to go through to stay in the parks, otherwise it would be madness. And, as for the guests in the resorts, if they want to go then they will take the extra time to wait in maybe an extra line or two. At least, that's just my idea...

I think you have the right idea. But resort guests would need to be given some kind of tickets that they could redeam for a wristband. If you just show your resort ID people could be letting people without a resort ID use their ID cards to get in.

 

[Al]

It would be great if they implemented this, I hope they do

 

[TURKEY]

There's a big difference between a few thousand for E-rides and Halloween and Christmas parties than the number of people that will probally use this if were to happen.

 

[CommunicoreBabe]

I am going to be totally selfish here and say that I loved E-ride night b/c the place is so empty. The rides are walk-ons and photo opportunities open up when you aren' t fightinhg a large crowd for a shot. But I have paid for e-ride night and stayed on property, I think it was like $10 a piece. I've never made it for the extra early hours no matter how hard we tried. So this might actually save people $$$.

 

[Snapper Bean]

Originally posted by turkey leg boy
There's a big difference between a few thousand for E-rides and Halloween and Christmas parties than the number of people that will probally use this if were to happen.

This is a good point. I don't know what percentage of people who attend a park each day are resort guest but given the ever growing number of on property hotels, I'd say its north of half and growing. If you take advantage of The Park After Dark, I don't think its going to feel less crowded to you. I think this move is probably better for Disney but I think its probably worse for on property Disney guests (well maybe just those who have the self-discipline to be able to get out of bed).

Snapper Bean