What Time Do Shops Close?

[muse1983]

On our last trip we bought several things throughout the day but I'm thinking for our trip in October we will probably save most of the shopping for when we are leaving the parks for the day. My question was what time do the shops usually close? Do they stay open until a little after closing time or do they start shutting down a little before? Thanks!:wave:

 

[Zummi Gummi]

The large shops, like the Emporium, Mousegear, etc. will stay open an hour later than the park.

The smaller stores close when the park does.

 

[muse1983]

The large shops, like the Emporium, Mousegear, etc. will stay open an hour later than the park.

The smaller stores close when the park does.

Thanks! I'm just now realizing that I posted this in the News and Rumors section...no clue why:lol:

 

[MissM]

Technically, as long as it's not a night where there is an event after the park close (like MNSSHP and such), so long as you're in the store, they're open as long as there are customers.

After a point - about an hour to 90 minutes, give or take - they may close the doors to new customers coming in but they will NEVER hurry you or urge you out of a shop.

Start with any little shop(s) first, then finish at the Emporium if you have a lot of shopping to do.

 

[stuey222]

I'll throw in that a lot of the smaller carts shut down after it gets dark. Most of their merchandise is available at other areas of the parks though.

 

[JustInTime]

It just depends on the store. I remember the tent gift shop in Toontown closing really, really early. And they had stuff in there that I could not find anywhere else.

 

[CaptainShortty]

Depending on the store and the time of year the shops will close anywhere from at or before park closing to 90minutes or 2 hours after the park closes. Emporium is usually the last place to close in Magic Kingdom so I'd end there.

 

[goofntink]

This may change very shortly. They have tested a couple times over the past few weeks of closing the Main Street stores at park close. And only allowing the guests in the stores at the time to finish making their selections and purchases.They have found that their has not been a loss of revenue doing so. They have noticed that a majority of the guests are not purchasing very much or are just browsing the stores and shelves. Basically the general consensous is that most guests are just extending (maximizing) their day in the park as much as possible. AKA How long can i stay after MK is closed.

But no offense folks,45 minute to 2 hours after park close in the shops is not right. Cast members would like to go home too. After you leave they still have to restock,cash out and lock up before they go home. You don't go to the grocery or dept store right before they close and expect them to stay open 2 hours afterwards to let you shop. They make announcements saying they are about to close and finish making your selections, and once they close,ask you to make your way to the nearest checkout. Disney doesn't do this to "preserve the magic" but you should know better.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

But no offense folks,45 minute to 2 hours after park close in the shops is not right. Cast members would like to go home too. After you leave they still have to restock,cash out and lock up before they go home. You don't go to the grocery or dept store right before they close and expect them to stay open 2 hours afterwards to let you shop. They make announcements saying they are about to close and finish making your selections, and once they close,ask you to make your way to the nearest checkout. Disney doesn't do this to "preserve the magic" but you should know better.

Yes, but the shift for CM's at places like the Emporium doesn't end anywhere near park closing. Those CM's are scheduled well beyond that time, so it's not like guests browsing around on their way out is preventing them from leaving.

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

We were there in March and we had our items sent back to the hotel so we wouldn't have to carry them and picked them up the next day. I think you can still have your packages sent to the front of the park. If it's something special and you wait until the end of the day you have a better chance of forgetting where you saw something, forgetting about it completely or it could be on the other side of the park at the end of a long day.

 

[CaptainShortty]

Yes, but the shift for CM's at places like the Emporium doesn't end anywhere near park closing. Those CM's are scheduled well beyond that time, so it's not like guests browsing around on their way out is preventing them from leaving.

Nick_A is right. They expect the shops to be open that long and therefore schedule CMs to stay that late. As much as I'm sure they would love to go home, they're probably not going home if you're there or not. They have other things they have to do like stock, clean, etc.

 

[Dwarful]

The big shops can be a mad house at the end of the night. I typically tell the kids if they see something they just absolutely fall in love with, grab it then and have it sent to the resort...or front of the park if its close to our departure. I have seen the ice cream shop and candy shop on Main St. lock up pretty close to park closing....except on evening emh's.

 

[gators11]

Nick_A is right. They expect the shops to be open that long and therefore schedule CMs to stay that late. As much as I'm sure they would love to go home, they're probably not going home if you're there or not. They have other things they have to do like stock, clean, etc.

But if goofntink is right and they are not loosing revenue I totally see them saving payroll by closing the shops at park close having the CM complete their closing duties and the company is saving 1.5 to 2 hrs wage per CM.