Originally Posted By frdeb1999 I know we saw some pretty upset people walking out when it first reopened. And I can't say that I blame them. While I thought the party was a lot of fun...your very right about having to pay for something extra during peak season.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 ^^^^^^^^^^ not trying to defend Disney but isn't most of the year peak season any more ? There is very little downtime where crowds are sparse compared to a few decades ago also - if my memory serves me correctly - which is why we also see rides like HM and SSE come down in summer.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo But Dave - closing the park early on a Saturday in Summer???!!!!! A Tuesday in February or November,fine, but this is nuts!
Originally Posted By vbdad55 But there are many other weeks around spring break and other times of the year even more crowded. I understand what you are saying but there are 3 other parks also. For those you said who stay 2 weeks but complained they could not see the fireworks -- what about all the other days - could they only see them that specific day ? I think not. I can only tell you that for people like me with kids in schools - we never get to attend hard ticket events because a quick trip for just one event is not affordable or practical - and many times I feel that this is only geared towards locals and overseas travelers -- I have NEVER been to a MNSSHP or Christmas party for all the trips I have taken to WDW and being an AP. Never been to the Food and Wine festival..... these are things that people like me would like to experience also....I appreciated getting that opportunity for once. It is 5 hours out of an average weeks trip ( 7- 12 ) for one park out of 4 ! Yes, I wish this was included for free for everyone - but it is not. The chance to be in the park with a smaller crowd is nice for freakin once.....
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Well I see your point, but on balance the way I feel about this one is akin to your feeling about the Pooh Playground - some kids really love that place. Me - I'll avoid WDW now for at least another 5 years unless they open something really compelling.
Originally Posted By frdeb1999 I can see both sides honestly. I do have to admit that it was wonderful not having to wait for everything....even with having to pay a bit more to get that perk.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<But Dave - closing the park early on a Saturday in Summer???!!!!! A Tuesday in February or November,fine, but this is nuts!>> Yep. ... there is no good excuse for this. Just pure abject greed. And -- as was pointed out -- WDW has now effectively six months straight of hard-ticket events.
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 How much of an advance warning to you get that a park will close early on a particular night? If you have to plan your dinners 180 days in advance, you have to know if you can get into that park on that particular night. I don't want to book the Castle for 9PM and then find out the park is "closed" so I have to spend $xx to pay for an extra admission charge.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>The biggest difference I noticed between the christmas party and this one is that they flooded the streets with cast member checking wristbands and directing day guests to the exit. There were a few day guests whining but most seemed to understand. Not to be cruel but unless you have a park hopper only an idiot would have gone to that park today.<< You are not being cruel but Disney is. Closing the park early in the middle of summer is ludicrous. Am I the only one who remembers the MK closing at midnight daily thru Labor day weekend?? BTW... look for G-Fan and myself at P&P Party tonight the 24th.
Originally Posted By Disneybrad Yeah and School for the most part didn't start till Labor Day as well. But now much of the country start school in Early August, it is rare exspecialy in the south for school not to start by the 2nd or 3rd week of August. If where you live School doesnt start till after labor day, that is teh exception.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 yeah I remember it well-- but I also remember you could go in february - or november and it was virtually uncrowded - no longer the case. Even Spring break was not the nightmare it is today -- so I guess although as I said I see both sides of the argument - I am appreciative to be able to attend something with my kids I normally would not -- selfish - yeah maybe - but being honest. I also remember 29 cent a gallon gasoline but BP not bringing that back for me either. I guess in my list of WDW concerns - quality events / quality maintenance of hotels and attractions etc rank at the top of the list for me - once those are accomplished ( if ) - then I would focus on the old hours --
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Am I the only one who remembers the MK closing at midnight daily thru Labor day weekend??>> Hell no. You know I remember 1 and 2 a.m. closings on non-holidays in summer. But if you're a recent guest, one who experienced regular 9 and 10 p.m. summer closings through much of this decade, you have no clue. <<BTW... look for G-Fan and myself at P&P Party tonight the 24th. >> Who's going as the Princess and who's gonna be the Pirate?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<But now much of the country start school in Early August, it is rare exspecialy in the south for school not to start by the 2nd or 3rd week of August. If where you live School doesnt start till after labor day, that is teh exception.>> I'm a Floridian, we ALWAYS started school in mid-August (and some have gone back even earlier, I remember Seminole County starting July 30th last year). But much of the country goes back in Sept. And, forget that, WDW is a huge national and international destination ... and we're supposed to buy it sets its hours based on when Southern states send their kids back to school?
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 Early August in the South?? Are the schools air-conditioned? I lived in Ft. Lauderdale in the mid '50s and we got out early May.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 ^^Of course! I went to school in the Fort Lauderdale/Boca Raton area in the late 70s and 80s. School always started in mid-late August and wrapped right after Memorial Day.
Originally Posted By bayrr326 What is hilarious to me is that on Sat. Labor Day weekend MK closes at 10, MGM at 8, DAK at 5 and as always Epcot at 9. Isn't this a holiday weekend. I know it is not as busy on Labor Day weekend but the studios close at 8! And hell the can't have Fantasmic until 8:30 cause it isn't dark enough yet. Yes, Spirit I remember MK closing every night at midnight or 1 am all summer long and Epcot closed at 11 pm and the studios used to always be open until 10 pm. Of course I remember when DAK used to open at 7am so you could see the animals at there most active. Of course the best thing about it was you would be finished with the park by noon and could go back to the hotel for a nap and then have plenty of time at the other parks.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << What is hilarious to me is that on Sat. Labor Day weekend MK closes at 10, MGM at 8, DAK at 5 and as always Epcot at 9. Isn't this a holiday weekend. I know it is not as busy on Labor Day weekend ... >> It mostly has a lot to do with staffing. Most universities start back in mid to late August. Guess where all of the college program staff goes when school starts? Disney's labor pool shrinks considerably in the off season, and in the tight labor market, the staff that is left feels empowered to tell the employer that they don't prefer working late nights and weekends. Also, the trend over the past 20 years or so has been to start primary and secondary schools before Labor Day -- which didn't used to happen as often. There aren't as many vacationers left for extended Labor Day trips to Orlando when the kids have to be in school.
