P & P Party Rant.

[timkin]

Well, I won't go into great detail but we visited MK on 1/26. We stayed at Pop for one night and added the ticket for MK to our room key. The Cm asked what park we would be visiting but never mentioned the P & P Party.(Not that she had to though) We didn't see any signs when entering the park about the party or a precise closing time. Every time we have visted MK we usually finish at the back of the park and make our way to the exit popping in and out of the stores trading a pin or two.(kids do the trading) Well knowing the park closes at 7:00 I told my kids that we might not make it on this ride(Buzz). It was 6:58 and the CM said you are fine. We finished the ride and started heading to the front of the park. Ds grabbed an ice cream and Dd grabbed a pastry. We sat outside the bakery until they finished and kept walking. My dw wanted to stop into a store to purchase a postcard and she was told unless you have a wrist band you were not allowed into the store. Hmm(we thought). OK that's fine. We headed toward the exit and wanted to pick up a bag of taffy and two personalized Mickey ears for the kids. Walked into the store without any fanfare but when I went to purchase the taffy the CM said let me see your wristband. Meanwhile my wife had already ordered the hats and was waiting in line. The kids and I waited outside the shop. We were approached by a woman asking to see our wristband and if we didn't have them we would have to leave immediatly. I kindly tole her that my wife was in line for a purchse and we would leave as soon as she was finished. She stood there basically scolding me and my kids that the park closed at 7:00 and now was only open to P & P guests. I told her I understand, I will be leaving as soon as my wife was finished. My wife exited the store at about 7:45 and we walked out of the park with this woman following us. You have got to be kidding me. I have spent $10000's at this place. I was not trying to get on any rides, get treasures or watch parades. I was simply exiting this park as I have done many times before. Ds 10 and Dd 12 are now a little disenchanted. Now I find out that P & P ticket holders were allowed in the park at 4pm. I wish I would have known this while trying not to argue with a Cm that needs a little culture education. Sorry for the rant but it sure seems like the place has changed over the years.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

Lots of complaints about starting admitting the partygoers before the parks are closed...from both the partygoers and now the park goers. Guess maybe Disney ought to take a hint from this, and go back to closing/clearing the parks before admitting the parties. I hear it was more magical that way.

 

[Tinks_gang]

Wow...I can't believe she actually stood there and followed you out of the park!

 

[timkin]

My complaint isn't really the early entry of p & p guests. It is how we were treated. I could see if we were trying to get on rides or participate in the events. We were just leaving the park. I was a little ticked off but kept it in check. My kids just couldn't understand why this person was so verbal, when we didn't do anything wrong.

 

[mom2of2]

I'm sorry that you didn't notice all the signs for the P&P party. They were everywhere including just before you entered the park there was a large set up with Beast's rose and such welcoming everyone to the party and had the party dates.

We saw many people within the first 1/2 hour of the park closing/opening for P& P guests being told that the park was closed if you didn't have a wristband. We were walking onto Peter Pan when a lady in front of me was giving the CM a hard time about not being let onto the ride when she had paid $$$$$ for her ticket. We held up our wrists and showed our bands and began to walk through and the woman went a little nuts on the CM demanding to know why we were being let in and she wasn't. The CM was trying to explain about the private ticket event but the woman didn't care and continued her rant.

The park closed at 7pm for all non P & P guests. Not 7:01 and not 7:45. Regardless of what you were still doing there it was closed. The CM was doing her job in making sure that you left the park. Sorry but that's the way it is.

 

[timkin]

Using your logic not one guest should have entered the park for P & P until 7pm not 6:59 or 4:00.

 

[CoPirate]

I really dont understand why you're upset. You knew the park closed at 7pm. If you knew you wanted to stop and get things on Main Street, why didnt you plan on getting out of there earlier?

You have to see it from Disney's POV. They get HUNDREDS of complaints each night of these parties, about seeing guests without wristbands in the park. Because they only sell so many, and its not fair to have non-paying guests at the party. She was firm with you because many people arent as honest. And the second the CM was out of site, may have tried to go back down Main Street and try and participate.

It doesnt matter how much money youve spent, or how many times youve gone. The park closed at 7. And you were STILL there at 7:45.

 

[mom2of2]

Using your logic not one guest should have entered the park for P & P until 7pm not 6:59 or 4:00.

IF that was WDW policy then that would be fine. I have no problem following the rules

 

[surfgirl]

I wasn't there and didn't see the situation... but as far as the 'rules' go, you actually did do something wrong -> the park closed at 7pm and your wife was only exiting the store at 7:45 and you probably weren't exiting the front gates until 8.

The only reason that they've gotten so 'tough' is that we (not you or me, but 'we' as in guests) have abused it - left the park late, never gotten a wristband and scammed the way in. Another situation where 10% of the people who are a problem create 90% of the rules.

As for culture education of the CM, maybe you should learn to spell 'told' before you are critical of others.

 

[stargrazer]

I'm sorry you were not happy with your treatment, but as a ticket holder for P&P, I have to say I'm glad they empty the park.

I, too, pay thousands of dollars to visit Disney. Premium AP's for our entire family, monthly and bi-monthly on-site stays in the hotels, food, shopping, etc. etc. adds up fast. I chose to purchase this hard ticket in order to see and experience the park in a way not open to day guests. It's not just about treasures and parades, it's also about ambiance, theme and, for us, about getting on rides, food service and in store lines without the usual mobs of people. Part of the appeal for us is going when the park isn't so full and being able to enjoy the scenery without looking thru a thousand people for a change - and gets some great pictures in the meantime.

You were not doing anything wrong, however you were aware of the closing time. If everyone were to allowed to stay in the park an hour past closing to finish up a little shopping, then what the heck did I spend all this money for? $100 for tix, $300 for a room and another $300 for dresses and costumes...while you may feel entitled to stay because you paid extra, I feel entitled for the park to be emptied of day guests because I paid extra. All respect to you, but it goes both ways.

Not trying to flame you or start trouble, this is all just my opinion, but as mom2of2 said, the time the party starts isn't approximate and they make it known when you enter.

Now, should they let in people before party time? I don't personally think so... ...but that's another thread!

 

[SleepyatDVC]

I think that the problem here was that when the park normally closes at a certain hour, the stores stayed open a while longer to accommodate people exiting the parks. This helped WDW put more $$ in their pockets as well as alleviated some of the traffic of everyone leaving the parks at the same time.

Since that was the "normal" closing, people might not realize they have to reorganize their park schedules to ADD their exiting shopping back into their time tables on days that the park closes for special events.

I think a notice stating that the stores will be closing promptly at 7pm for non-special event guest to be posted with the special events posters at the entrance will really help out the CMs enforcing the rules as well as the guests. Additional signs on the store entrances will prevent people entering the stores past the time allowed by mistake.

 

[Hannathy]

I think you were pushing it at 7:45. 7:15 you may have a small gripe but 45 minutes is too long.

 

[AStamm]

I think that the problem here was that when the park normally closes at a certain hour, the stores stayed open a while longer to accommodate people exiting the parks. This helped WDW put more $$ in their pockets as well as alleviated some of the traffic of everyone leaving the parks at the same time.

I was thinking the exact same thing--if WDW always allows guests to stay well past park closing to leisurely shop, then they should expect this problem. While I've never seen it, they even have that "Goodnight Kiss" thing 2+ hours after advertised park closing--they certainly aren't giving their employees a kiss goodnight. They want customers there spending more money and reward them with a little show to top off the night!

Aside from signage, how simple would it be to announce the early park closing over the PA throughout the day noting that all non P & P guests must exit no later than 7:00? If they can make other notifications of parade times, etc., they can certainly do this.

 

[Dreamseeker]

I don't see how the cast member needs to be educated, when you were the one leaving the park 45 minutes late, knowing full well when the park was going to close, even if you hadn't seen the signs for the party. There have been SO many complaints about guests staying at the special events/parties without a ticket, I am actually glad they're enforcing the rules more strictly now. As for your children feeling bad, I am sorry about that, but rather than blaming the CM, doing her job, I would like to ask you, why you didn't take the hint after you were denied access at the first store you were trying to enter
And, yes, like all the other guests at Disney, you have dropped a LOT of money there, but when the park is closed....it's closed. If I got a penny for every single time I heard the "I dropped so-and-so-much-money here and I really should be entitled to...(insert any possible complaint known to man here)" I'd be very rich.
Don't get me wrong, I do understand the high expectations that are attached to a WDW visit and you have every right to expect the best service possible, but I really think you were in the wrong here. I'm sorry you are upset, though, and hope your next visit will go much smoother.

 

[KirstenB]

OP I know how you feel. We were at WDW in November and had no idea that MVMCP started in mid-November. There was one sandwich board sign at the entrance to MK stating the park closed at 7. No notice of MVMCP on the sign.

I worked all through high school and college at Kings Dominion. The main street restaurants and shops always stayed open a minimum of 1 hour after the park closed. I was shocked when we weren't allowed to enter a gift shop at 7:01 that night. We were on the Main St at MK, just trying to purchase a gift for dd's friend. We were definitely trying to head out.

I think there's a better way to handle this. I understand that folks have purchased a hard ticket. They have every right to have the park to themselves. WDW just needs to do a much better job of conveying that to the rest of us. Heck if I knew this was a true "closing" at 7, I might have picked a different park for the day. I didn't know it was MVMCP until 7 pm that night.

 

[wdwfanatic80]

I am sorry to hear that you had a bad expeience, but I have to agree with what others here have said in that you knew what time the park closed. But as another poster said I know that many stores on main street stay open after normal park closing to allow for shopping to finish. So I guess I can see why you were finishing up your shopping even though you knew the park was closed.

I too wonder why they changed their policy about when to close/reopen the park on party nights. When we went in 2005 for the MNSSHP the park closed at 6pm for all those not going to the party and didn't reopen until 7pm for party guests. If you were in the park at 6pm though and had tickets for the event you could stay as we did the one night, but you were taken to a certain areas of the park after you had your wristband. When we went to the MVMCP this past December we noticed this was not the way things were done. I really liked the first way...it reall helped to empty the park of non party goers...oh well I guess Disney wants that hour for everyone...

 

[IndyPirate]

Because they usually do keep the shops open past official closing, I don't see what the big deal was. It's not like you were trying to ride rides or otherwise participate in the festivites. I'm surprised they wouldn't want to make a little extra money and please a guest. If they always kept to a strict closing schedule, I could see the complaint but they don't.

 

[tootsiemolly]

I would have assumed the samething you did, that you could stop and shop without a wristband. Since they let you stay and shop after park closing. However, I wouldn't have tried to continue shopping after being told no the first time. If I visited WDW as frequently as you indicated, I would have purchase my mouse ears next time.

I noticed even with EMH it was annoying in September when we were there and people lingered without wristbands. I thought is was extremely distasteful, and that wasn't a paid event. We are planning on attending PP in Feb. this will be the only day we come to the parks, and I am thankful we can enter in at 4pm and that they will be escourting people out. An extra $37 on top of my normal tickets is expensive! I want my $$ worth.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I understand to a point . but the $ 10,000 you have spent was not for that night or that party

But the Party goers paid good money to have the park to just them and if you are in the park then you are in the park.

I also understand that they allow you to slowly leave during regular closings .

But once you were told no purchases unless a wristband you decided to just keep on going from shop to shop. Yes it may seem small as your not watching the parade or riding the rides but thats not the only reason people buy the extra tickets.

Purchasing special event things at the store is also part of the party perk and if a non paying party goer is taking up time of the party goers then your in the wrong.

45 mins and a few warnings would be cause for a hovering CM to escort you out . I'm glad they are doing their job as we go to and pay for the parties .

As for the disenchanted kids just explain to them that you were not suppose to be there that late as you didn't have a ticket and the nice CM was just doing her job.

The flex closing /opening started this year with MNSSHP to allow both guest that bit of extra time in the parks . I think as long as the CM as in this case do their job and not allow non wrist banned guest to benefit from party participation then it will work

 

[beattyfamily]

Back in 2000, Disney used to close the park for 2 hours between park closing and MVMCP/MNSSHP party starting time and the only people in the park for those 2 hours were the folks eating in the restaurants; no rides or stores were open.

Then in 2001 they cut it down to one hour between park closing and party starting and didn't completely close down the park to party guests (left one land open).

Last year they started this new procedure of not closing the park at all (my least favorite way).

For P&P the park closed at 7:00p and the party started at 7:30p. So they had half an hour to herd the non-party guests out.

The hours are posted everywhere. On the brochure, at the resort, on the sandwich board on your way into the park that day, on the monorail, and of course, you can see the hours from home as well.

At MNSSHP and MVMCP last year they actually did use the PA system to let guests know the park was closing at 7:00p. We heard it many times throughout the night, till about 8:00p. Not sure if they did it for P&P as I didn't attend.

I understand the OP's frustration but I must side with those guests who paid to be at the special, after hours event. I know how it feels as I've attended 8 parties in total and have seen those guests who try and get something for nothing.

I realize it may not seem right that party goers can enter the park after 4:00p but that is Disney's policy, not something made up by party guests; not party guest trying to get away with something; there's no rule breaking going on there. They've been doing it that way since 2001. That is Disney's decision. It is also their policy that the park closes down to non-party guests right at 7:00p. That's just the way it is. Plan accordingly.