Disappointed in Easter Week hours

[soniam]

I guess I'm in the minority. We're there Easter week. I'm happy they did change MK opening to 8 am (unlike the week before Easter), but also happy they did not add EMH every morning. We are on site, and would have felt compelled to be at the park by the 7 am opening on our two MK days. I was NOT looking forward to getting DGS13 moving and out the door by 6 am! 7am will be much more palatable, to be at the park by 8.

You are not in the minority. I feel the same way you do. I will be there March 24-April 1. It's my first visit during Easter week and was not happy to hear there may be EMH at 7am. I'm somewhat releaved they haven't change the EMH. I don't want to get up and out the door at the crack of dawn.

They had 7AM EMH at MK during the 2nd/3rd week of March last year. We intended to do it, but darn iPhone Anyway, we didn't get to the park until 7:30am. It was still pretty empty. It was awesome. I was really hoping for more this year; we will be there next week. However, no dice, just regular operating hours We are not morning person at all, but it was just so not busy and we got so much done that we wouldn't be able to pass it up again. Plus, people said you could see the sun rise over Cinderella's Castle. I saw some pics, and they were fabulous!

 

[freediverdude]

The room rates are similar to the Christmas- New Year week, but there's a LOT less going on in terms of events and entertainment, and the hours are less too. I'm having a hard time seeing the value in this particular week.

 

[gzmtlock]

I did ask why the hours were shortened this year. We go every Easter and take advantage of MK EMH's at 7:00 AM. He told me this is being discussed at meetings they are having daily. I also expressed my displeasure at these apparent changes. The young man used to work in guest services at MK. He said the early EMH made it easier on the park as it did disperse the crowds a bit. Hopefully, hours will be added as in previous years.

If it happens, it happens, and we'll certainly deal with it. I haven't been at Easter before, but have at Christmas, and it is worth it to make a 7 am RD! Just means a longer break/nap in the afternoon!

The room rates are similar to the Christmas- New Year week, but there's a LOT less going on in terms of events and entertainment, and the hours are less too. I'm having a hard time seeing the value in this particular week.

It's the only week we can take the DGKs - so it's the best week for us!

We are SO looking forward to it, and will have a fantastic time regardless!

 

[GPC0321]

It's the only week we can take the DGKs - so it's the best week for us!

We are SO looking forward to it, and will have a fantastic time regardless!

It's the only time I can go (teacher here) too. It's my first visit to WDW in 17 years. Crowds schmowds. I'm going to Disney World!!!

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Right so cutbacks in other areas definitely make this a money issue? I'm no English PH.D., but the word you are looking for may be "likely" or "probably" or another anonym.

But unless you work for Disney management and made this decision yourself, I think definitely is the wrong word.

You have no idea what disney's proprietary crowd predictors look like. Easter is a weird holiday because it jumps around. Last years record crowds don't necessarily mean this years crowds will be as bad.

No doubt it will be crowded, but all we can do is speculate.

Other threads have CM's being told by management that the cutbacks ARE a money issue and news reports have included Disney insiders saying that Shanghai Disney is over budget and the other parks are being asked to lower their operating costs. We're not talking about Area 51 here but if you think this is "just speculation" you are incorrect.

 

[xray2001]

It's not hard to predict that the crowds will be enormous right behind Christmas crowds. Easter is the second busiest time and combine that with Spring break and it gets crazy. If you look at past years you will see anytime Easter coincides with Spring break the crowds are enormous. Also, did I just see that Disney is adding 2 new cruise ships? It is a fact that they are behind budget on Shanghai ,so I can't believe they are adding more cruise ships while cutting all the good entertainment and raising ticket and dining prices!

Other threads have CM's being told by management that the cutbacks ARE a money issue and news reports have included Disney insiders saying that Shanghai Disney is over budget and the other parks are being asked to lower their operating costs. We're not talking about Area 51 here but if you think this is "just speculation" you are incorrect.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Also, did I just see that Disney is adding 2 new cruise ships? It is a fact that they are behind budget on Shanghai ,so I can't believe they are adding more cruise ships while cutting all the good entertainment and raising ticket and dining prices!

Ships are being commissioned to launch in 2021 and 2023. That is a long term investment for Disney that they believe will add to their bottom line in the future. What (monetarily speaking) will Disney lose by cutting back entertainment and hours while raising prices right now, today? Nothing. Trips are already booked, plans have already been made. Maybe people have a bad experience and choose not to come back next year but that's a year away at this point.

 

[Tomh]

This is just a guess, but IF the reason for the cut backs is simply because of cost overruns on Shanghai, then one would expect that once Shanghai is open and making money, at least some of these cuts may be reversed.

 

[mom2rtk]

This is just a guess, but IF the reason for the cut backs is simply because of cost overruns on Shanghai, then one would expect that once Shanghai is open and making money, at least some of these cuts may be reversed.

I expect that only if the parks are hemorrhaging guests at that point.

Did they ever staff back up again after all those cuts in 2009 in response to the housing crisis?

 

[Espndeuce]

Perhaps Easter Week isn't expected to be as crowded this year as usual? (ie maybe it'll be level 8s and 9s instead of 9s and 10s). Someone in another post asked about crowds in late April because of Passover and the schools in the Northeast having off then. I just looked and NY, Boston and Chicago all have spring break in April. It appears Atlanta does as well. Philadelphia schools (and I believe PA suburbs) have the week before Easter. Although many schools are still off the week after Easter, this a very large part of the US population that won't have off the week after Easter.

 

[mom2rtk]

Perhaps Easter Week isn't expected to be as crowded this year as usual? (ie maybe it'll be level 8s and 9s instead of 9s and 10s). Someone in another post asked about crowds in late April because of Passover and the schools in the Northeast having off then. I just looked and NY, Boston and Chicago all have spring break in April. It appears Atlanta does as well. Philadelphia schools (and I believe PA suburbs) have the week before Easter. Although many schools are still off the week after Easter, this a very large part of the US population that won't have off the week after Easter.

Except that Easter moves around every year, and Easter week always seems to have peak crowds.

 

[larryz]

The crowd levels are forecasted to be 10 so I can't imagine that it wouldn't be necessary. They've done it for years.

Yeah, but those are based on historical crowd levels. Ever since FP+, it seems like the levels have been out of whack with the predictions...

 

[Espndeuce]

Except that Easter moves around every year, and Easter week always seems to have peak crowds.

Yes, but Passover often coincides with Easter and this year it doesn't. Last year it looks like New York schools and Chicago schools had the week after Easter off. I'm not suggesting that Easter week won't be very crowded. But, it is possible that it won't be as crowded as last year and therefore reasonable to not have 7am EMH every day.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Disney has reported record crowds the last few years. Easter is ALWAYS peak season every year whenever is lands. Touringplans has never been wrong predicting peak crowds when we've been there during Easter's in past years. 10 out of 10 for most of the week except 2 days they are 9 out of 10. It is extremely unlikely that suddenly people won't show up as predicted.

 

[AnthonyB]

Disney has reported record crowds the last few years. Easter is ALWAYS peak season every year whenever is lands. Touringplans has never been wrong predicting peak crowds when we've been there during Easter's in past years. 10 out of 10 for most of the week except 2 days they are 9 out of 10. It is extremely unlikely that suddenly people won't show up as predicted.

As I posted a couple days ago, Disney called me to alert me of expected capacity crowds. I was warned that due to expected crowd levels, we may not be able to enter the MK from 3/28-3/31 depending upon the time of day we arrive to use our FP+. Disney is expecting to be turning people away from the MK the week after Easter. I have to believe they also called many others with FP+ booked at MK on those days.

 

[mom2rtk]

As I posted a couple days ago, Disney called me to alert me of expected capacity crowds. I was warned that due to expected crowd levels, we may not be able to enter the MK from 3/28-3/31 depending upon the time of day we arrive to use our FP+. Disney is expecting to be turning people away from the MK the week after Easter. I have to believe they also called many others with FP+ booked at MK on those days.

That's pretty amazing that they would do that.

And something absolutely does not compute if they are calling people about their FPs on expected capacity days while cutting back on hours and entertainment. HUGE disconnect.

 

[dsdeleon]

My theory is that they are testing out the DME crowd control options, urging earlier arrivals, texting changes and now using outbound call centers. They are going to keep hours low, get the same amount of guests and attempt to move the crowds around MK that week to see if this crowd algorithm is going to work for summer and save them a lot of $$ (as was always planned)

 

[Momtomouselover]

As I posted a couple days ago, Disney called me to alert me of expected capacity crowds. I was warned that due to expected crowd levels, we may not be able to enter the MK from 3/28-3/31 depending upon the time of day we arrive to use our FP+. Disney is expecting to be turning people away from the MK the week after Easter. I have to believe they also called many others with FP+ booked at MK on those days.

Wow! I missed your original post so am I understanding you that a Disney rep called you and said you may not be able to enter? Like a robo call or something? I suspect the effect of those calls would be that lots of people show up really early if you were planning MK for one of those days. Odd and disappointing that they wouldn't extend hours. ETA: I just found your original post. Crazy! I like the idea of the calls but only if they extend hrs knowing that crowds are expected.

 

[larryz]

Looks like we could reasonably expect the earliest Phase closure of all time!!!

 

[Minnie222]

We are doing March 15-21. Hope it will still be ok-ish.

We have done March Break before and it was ok. But we haven't done "that" close to Easter.

Looking back at my worksheets from 2 years ago, March Break they have AK hours of 8-8. This year is 9-7. And a lot of closure, and no new openings of things.
Really disappointed, and sort of regret booking this year.

Frankly, if they pissed the March Break crowd, it is a bad move, as we are people who are returnees.