Amazed and Disappointed

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I don't doubt that you experienced that.

But last year PP had a posted wait of 40 mins right before close. We hopped in line, waited 42 minutes to get on....

So I wouldn't take the over inflated theory as absolute gospel to rebuke late night posted waits.

Our most recent experience is the opposite. We went to Peter Pan last summer at about 11 pm. The posted wait was 40 minutes but there were only about 10 people in line and the actual wait was less than 1 minute. This was on a crowd level 8 summer evening.

Line Stacking works best on rides where you can't see the queue. Toy Story will close off all of the indoor area and let the line go straight to where you pick up the 3D glasses. Even a very short line will spill out the door and into the courtyard which give the appearance of a very long line. Combine that with a 50-60 minute posted wait and most guests will simply turn around and leave.

Space Mountain is another good example. They can post any wait time that they want and you have no idea if it's correct or not. We've seen a 50 minute posted wait and have had time to ride 4 times in 35 minutes.

I have many more examples just like these from all 4 parks.

 

[Grmnshplvr]

I'm sure you're right. Guess those of us going this summer, at the very least, are just out of luck!

but those of us going this summer aren't really out of luck are we? we're going to disney...

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

but those of us going this summer aren't really out of luck are we? we're going to disney...

Of course. Relatively speaking to last year at this very same time. I said something similar earlier in this thread... I just don't repeat it with every post...

 

[Praying Colonel]

I get that everyone has a different experience with waits at close, but somehow I've never been that "lucky"

We always stay until the kiss goodnight. We always keep riding as long as they let us in line. In 10 years, I've never witnessed a 120 min posted wait that was actually 5-10 mins.

We normally see 35-45 min posted that turns out being very accurate.

We haven't gone this year, and I'm not saying anyone who has experienced exaggerated wait times is making it up, but for everyone who experiences it, there's people like me on the other side.

Yep, I get that, and I've been part of that, too. We jumped into a 7DMT standby line about 40 minutes before closing that had a 35 minute posted wait, and it ended up being pretty close to that. You can't count on them all being massively inflated, but when the posted time doesn't pass the "eye test," I usually think we've got some inflation going on.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Yep, I get that, and I've been part of that, too. We jumped into a 7DMT standby line about 40 minutes before closing that had a 35 minute posted wait, and it ended up being pretty close to that. You can't count on them all being massively inflated, but when the posted time doesn't pass the "eye test," I usually think we've got some inflation going on.

We've jumped into the 7D line 30 minutes before close with a 90 minute posted wait and were able to ride twice in that half hour. Knowing that this process is in place and how it works has given my bunch a lot of multiple headliner re-rides with little to no waiting over the past several years. I am concerned how the reduction in park hours will affect this for future trips though.

 

[Grmnshplvr]

Of course. Relatively speaking to last year at this very same time. I said something similar earlier in this thread... I just don't repeat it with every post...

we go the last week in August every year too. I am disappointed with the 10pm close as well. A few weeks ago it was 9pm...so I'm hoping we get some 11:00 days and a second fantasmic on our HS day

 

[JayHowell]

All of this talk of wait times at the end of the day is nice. But the point at hand on the tread is that Disney isn't allowing you to GET end of night wait times! If the park is closing at 10PM every night of the summer season, then the 11PM wait times are a moot point! Except for the one day of EMH a week, July was always a 10PM close. And August looks VERY similar.

 

[mom2rtk]

All of this talk of wait times at the end of the day is nice. But the point at hand on the tread is that Disney isn't allowing you to GET end of night wait times! If the park is closing at 10PM every night of the summer season, then the 11PM wait times are a moot point! Except for the one day of EMH a week, July was always a 10PM close. And August looks VERY similar.

Exactly. And maybe the reason they aren't inflating ride times at closing now is because they don't have to camouflage short wait times since they are longer at 10 than they would have been at 11 or 12.

And to those who say you can get in line at 9:59 and be in the park a bit after closing, well, you used to be able to do that at 10:59 or 11:59 and still be in the park a little longer.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

All of this talk of wait times at the end of the day is nice. But the point at hand on the tread is that Disney isn't allowing you to GET end of night wait times! If the park is closing at 10PM every night of the summer season, then the 11PM wait times are a moot point! Except for the one day of EMH a week, July was always a 10PM close. And August looks VERY similar.

This practice isn't limited to just Magic Kingdom. There is plenty of evidence of inflated wait times and short lines in both Epcot and DHS where closing times are earlier. For these parks, the actual wait times decrease dramatically when crowds start moving toward the night time entertainment venues for Illuminations & Fantasmic.

 

[robl45]

While that's great to get that one last ride in before closing, it still doesn't change the fact that rides were basically walk on for the last 2 hours of the night when the park didn't close at 10pm. Still a big difference and the line inflation doesn't really make a difference. I don't even think its line inflation so much as people just stop sending the little cards through. I've had thunder mountain posted as 20 minutes 30 minutes before close and we still waited probably 15 minutes. This was when the park closed later than now.

 

[JayHowell]

we go the last week in August every year too. I am disappointed with the 10pm close as well. A few weeks ago it was 9pm...so I'm hoping we get some 11:00 days and a second fantasmic on our HS day

Maybe in late August. But I somehow don't think it will happen. There wasn't one night with a 2nd showing of Fantasmic when I was there in mid-July. I think that, with HS being so aggressively and rampantly under construction, Disney isn't really thinking about extending hours there.

 

[nicko]

When I was there the last week of July, people were lining up for the one and only showing of Fantasmic a full 90 minutes before show time. At 45 minutes before, the show was being announced as full, yet they didn't add a second showing. Your chances of a second showing in late August are poor at best.

 

[Mousefan mom]

We just checked out today, spent 7 nights in the world. The good news, crowds were lower than we normally have seen during this time (we go each year). You notice it most at Epcot (we did a 7:30 dinner in World show case, got in line for FEA and ride in about 30 minutes), easy to walk through the park, etc.

Fair warning, it rained ALOT more this trip...kept temps manageable and crowds lower, but TT was often closed, etc.

Magic Kingdom is just nuts with the 10 pm close. It felt as crowded as New Year's Day week did for us this year. hEA is a crowded mess, and although a neat show, IMO you lose the magic with the crowded view areas. Leaving the park is a madness and expect it to take very long to get a bus or monorail out from the time HEA ends until 10:30. We attempted to park hopti AK after HEA (watching it from the train station and leaving right away), Disney even brought in charter buses to help, but it took over an hour before we got to AK.

If you do MK on the evening EMH night do not even attempt to go in before 7:30 and do not plan to watch fireworks, just head back and do attractions like people mover (and yes expect wall to walk people and a 15 minute wait for people mover), but once the fireworks start, you can ride a lot--we ride tons, most with little wait! We closed the park that night, and it was the only time MK was not a madhouse (note we did not attempt rope drop this trip).

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

If you do MK on the evening EMH night do not even attempt to go in before 7:30 and do not plan to watch fireworks, just head back and do attractions like people mover (and yes expect wall to walk people and a 15 minute wait for people mover), but once the fireworks start, you can ride a lot--we ride tons, most with little wait! We closed the park that night, and it was the only time MK was not a madhouse (note we did not attempt rope drop this trip).

Good to hear -- this is our plan for 2 MK nights -- we're not planning to be at MK at close on 10pm close nights.

Many thanks to you and ALL who have shared your Jul-Aug experiences. It is definitely helping us to have a sense of what expect for our trip Aug 7-17.

 

[Mousefan mom]

Good to hear -- this is our plan for 2 MK nights -- we're not planning to be at MK at close on 10pm close nights.

Many thanks to you and ALL who have shared your Jul-Aug experiences. It is definitely helping us to have a sense of what expect for our trip Aug 7-17.

Thanks and hope it helps! AK at night was neat, we rode FOP with a fast pass during the day, and did it stand by during EMH..got in line at 10:15 and got off the ride at 12:05. They had 150 minutes wait time posted, so it wasn't that hateful.

 

[wdwlver]

Currently waiting for check at ohana and checking mde for MK wait times. 185 for SDMT. 125 for splash and space. Seems reasonable to close Park at 10. <insert sarcasm smiley).

 

[Westcoastwild]

You are assuming thousand of first timers had a "meh" experience. We don't know if that is true or not. Meh to you may be great to someone else.

Disney isn't stupid. If they find out the earlier summer closing time is costing them money they will change.

Yeah. I think repeat visitors would notice the decrease in hours a lot more than first timers. I get why people don't like the shorter hours, I do. But every other theme park has very similar hours, so it would seem normal for first timers, and they're more than likely exhausted by 10 anyway. I just don't think any of them are going to have a "meh" experience based on the park's hours. Even a lot of repeat people might not. I've never had a "meh" experience either DL or MK. Cranky, maddening, annoying- sure, but again, that's a typical theme park thing.

If they need to attract more people, due to economic or other reasons, we would see an increase in perks, and that might mean an increase in hours again. But people always say how there really isn't a dead time of year anymore so I don't think Disney is all that worried.

Something I've noticed a lot are mentions of walking on rides after 9/11, but those were extraordinary circumstances. Disney probably started offering a lot of the perks people are complaining about losing because they were desperately trying to attract customers who did not want to fly. The economy is strong, there are no serious terrorist concerns, and Disney parks are having no trouble attracting vacationers.

 

[Mousefan mom]

I don't doubt that a few dozen or even hundreds of email complaints from DIS readers won't move the needle on closing times. However, the tens of thousands of first time guests who just had a "meh" experience this summer are much less likely to return next year. Sure you save a buck this year by closing early, but it will cost you two bucks in fewer return guests next year. Last year I was at some Disney show (that i can't remember for the life of me) where the audience was asked how many folks were repeat visitors. It was the majority of the room. Imagine if you stopped converting first timers to repeat visitors. That sort of drop in business will be noticed. I realize that Disney courts the first time visitor. They spend more. But the repeat business is likely at least as large. Oh and I think it's the repeat customers that drive new first timers via positive word of mouth.

Attendance is certainly down. You feel it every where except MK--and that is only due to the shorter hours.

 

[Mousefan mom]

Currently waiting for check at ohana and checking mde for MK wait times. 185 for SDMT. 125 for splash and space. Seems reasonable to close Park at 10. <insert sarcasm smiley).

We did find the near close wait times exaggerated--it is very clear they are trying to discourage and get folks out. The early close times were nuts for MK, and you will feel it on the transport out if parks at night. We have never waited so long for Disney transport, and we swore this trip we will not stay on monorail resorts anymore (we did the Poly) as the monorail was so hot and often standing room only. At least not in summer.

 

[wdwlver]

We did find the near close wait times exaggerated--it is very clear they are trying to discourage and get folks out. The early close times were nuts for MK, and you will feel it on the transport out if parks at night. We have never waited so long for Disney transport, and we swore this trip we will not stay on monorail resorts anymore (we did the Poly) as the monorail was so hot and often standing room only. At least not in summer.

Yep. Leaving MK at night disaster. Called the Minnie van 2x. Spent 40 bucks but it was well worth it