Park Hours (WDW vs DLR)

[LKing]

Disneyland is my home park and 95% of the year, it is open from 8 am (7:30 for EE) to midnight. DCA is open from 8 am (7:30 for EE) to 10 pm. If one were to visit from rope drop to park closing, that's a 16 hour day at DL and a 14 hour day at DCA.

Why do WDW parks open later and close earlier? Over spring break (which should be a busy season), AK is open for 10 hours and the other three parks are only open for 12 hours. Is it that there is just that much less to do in each park compared to DLR? Are they trying to funnel people to the resorts in the evening? With four hours less park time each day, I feel like the sit down meals are going to really limit what we can see and do in the parks.

 

[mom2rtk]

Too much overhead with 4 parks.

 

[LKing]

Too much overhead with 4 parks.

Do you think that is what it is? Don't the majority of guests stay in the resorts? If so, then they are just substituting theme park overhead for resort overhead. I mean, it isn't like everyone is going to go to bed at 9 pm. They are going to want to do something. It seems like it would be cheaper to keep everyone corralled in the theme parks.

 

[mom2rtk]

Do you think that is what it is? Don't the majority of guests stay in the resorts? If so, then they are just substituting theme park overhead for resort overhead. I mean, it isn't like everyone is going to go to bed at 9 pm. They are going to want to do something. It seems like it would be cheaper to keep everyone corralled in the theme parks.

What resort overhead does it cause that doesn't exist already?

 

[We’reAllMadHere]

Disneyland is my home park and 95% of the year, it is open from 8 am (7:30 for EE) to midnight. DCA is open from 8 am (7:30 for EE) to 10 pm. If one were to visit from rope drop to park closing, that's a 16 hour day at DL and a 14 hour day at DCA.

Why do WDW parks open later and close earlier? Over spring break (which should be a busy season), AK is open for 10 hours and the other three parks are only open for 12 hours. Is it that there is just that much less to do in each park compared to DLR? Are they trying to funnel people to the resorts in the evening? With four hours less park time each day, I feel like the sit down meals are going to really limit what we can see and do in the parks.

AK doesn’t stay open later because there is just not that much to do there and the animals are put away for the evening. Also having animals means no fireworks and other types of nighttime shows have not been successful yet. As is, most people consider it a half-day park.

For other parks, I imagine that it’s beneficial to Disney to be able to offer extra evening hours as a perk to deluxe resort guests as well as early morning time to everyone staying on property, both of which extend the operating hours. They also have holiday parties and after hour events to drive more income. Also shops in the parks are generally open an hour after “closing time” and in some cases the nighttime show is at or even after closing time, so the 9 pm close is a bit deceiving. (It’s also often 11 pm at MK depending on the time of year.)

DLR is a locals park and guest satisfaction factors are different there than WDW. DLR also has the advantage of not needing to provide transportation at the level WDW does.

 

[Skywalker3]

Each park also have 30 mins early entry. Not sure what week you'll be there, but our usual spring break week also has extended evening hours for deluxe resort guests on Monday for Epcot (2 more hours,) and Wed for MK (2 more hours.) also at least one of the AK days, it's open 8-7, so 11 hours, plus the 30 min extra, so 11.5 hours.
Every so often, during busy times, I've experienced them adding an hour, especially in the morning, and often at MK. Like if orig opening time was 9.00, it'll change to 8:00, (plus the 30 mins, so 7:30) . Just make sure to double check hours closer to the trip. When we used to rope drop every day, we definitely had to adjust plans when that happened, but the earlier the better for beating the crowds for sure! I've also seen them adjust hours in the evening, so be on the lookout for that too just in case.
Also, a lot of people head over to Disney Springs after park closing. Gets crazy there. Also , heading back to ALL the various WDWs at the end of evenings is also crazy, just with the amount of busses needed.
ETA fireworks, shows, etc add some time to closing, since they start typically at closing, Stores are often open, plus one can get in line a few mins before closing, and sometimes not exit ride until about an hour after, depending, so late.
Keep eye out for possible change in hours since it's spring break! Hope you have a great trip!

 

[LKing]

Okay, that make sense. I wasn't thinking about extended evening hours. Are those year round?

 

[We’reAllMadHere]

Okay, that make sense. I wasn't thinking about extended evening hours. Are those year round?

Yes. Right now it’s MK on Wednesday and Epcot on Monday. After Hours tickets for MK and HS are available some weeks, although I believe those are also Monday and Wednesday.

In the fall and winter when there are Halloween and Christmas parties, the EEH days/parks change.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I think people get more tired at WDW and demand for very late, very early just isn’t there. DLR has practically all the rides of WDW in a tiny footprint, while at WDW you get a lot more steps in going between rides and definitely between parks. And then the standing and waiting to get your transport to/from the parks. You could walk back to your hotel on Harbor before your bus even arrives to take you back to your WDW Resort if you get unlucky (can be 20 mins between buses). My crew definitely exhausts quicker at WDW than DLR. Do not underestimate how much more physically demanding the FL parks can be (even more so if you are used to the dry climate of CA and no FL level humidity).

 

[LKing]

I think people get more tired at WDW and demand for very late, very early just isn’t there. DLR has practically all the rides of WDW in a tiny footprint, while at WDW you get a lot more steps in going between rides and definitely between parks. And then the standing and waiting to get your transport to/from the parks.

That is what I was wondering. I see people posting on the DLR side about how much more there is to do in one park and how LLMP is actually useful at DLR. In planning my WDW vacation, those types of comments have been on my mind. WDW vets often come over and say that they are a "rope drop to park closing" family. I think, going forward, I will make sure to point out that it is a much longer day at DLR than it is at WDW.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I think it has a lot to do with being able to sell after hours tickets and the extended evening hours perk for deluxe guests. Anyone else remember when the fireworks show was twice a night? I miss when MK would close at midnight or even 1 am for all guests, not just for those paying extra.

 

[OlliePop27]

I'm going during March spring break season and MK is 9:00-9:00 every day. I'm a bit surprised. I suspect they'll extend at least some of the days until 10:00 or 11:00 pm on non after hours or extended hours days. I do love the 8:00 am opens because you can get so much done.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I'm going during March spring break season and MK is 9:00-9:00 every day. I'm a bit surprised. I suspect they'll extend at least some of the days until 10:00 or 11:00 pm on non after hours or extended hours days. I do love the 8:00 am opens because you can get so much done.

Hours for busy times have consistently not been extended until closer in. I wouldn’t expect those hours to stick.

 

[CarolynFH]

Don't the majority of guests stay in the resorts?

Actually, the majority of park attendance comes from offsite, especially now that on-site perks arguably seem not to justify the extra $$ required.

 

[LKing]

I'm going during March spring break season and MK is 9:00-9:00 every day. I'm a bit surprised. I suspect they'll extend at least some of the days until 10:00 or 11:00 pm on non after hours or extended hours days. I do love the 8:00 am opens because you can get so much done.

That is what I was thinking. 9 am is a pretty late start. Unless it takes so much time to transport guests from the resorts to the parks that they need to open later so that no one is at a disadvantage.

@CarolynFH do you know what the stats are? On this website I feel like a pariah because I am staying off site.

 

[CarolynFH]

That is what I was thinking. 9 am is a pretty late start. Unless it takes so much time to transport guests from the resorts to the parks that they need to open later so that no one is at a disadvantage.

@CarolynFH do you know what the stats are? On this website I feel like a pariah because I am staying off site.

No, I don’t think Disney publishes stats. It’s just that the capacity of the onsite resorts is far less than the daily attendance at the parks. So you’re not a pariah, you just haven’t succumbed to Disney’s attempts to lure you to stay onsite!

 

[OlliePop27]

Hours for busy times have consistently not been extended until closer in. I wouldn’t expect those hours to stick.

Thanks. That's my suspicion. I've read that they update hours for the full week on the Friday 16 days in advance. I know they also do some last minute extensions too during busy times.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Disney typically updates their park hours 2-3 weeks in andvance and right up until the day of.

Guests at WDW are often there for an extended period of time and it’s not unusual for guests to visit the parks for 5-10 days. Early on we can do park open to close but after a few days we start to decrease our time at one end or the others.

WDW also needs to transport tens of thousands of guests to and from resorts and parking areas. Phased park openings and closings allow transportation to function more efficiently. There are also water parks and Disney Springs to add into the mix and with the vast majority of onsite guests requiring transportation, it adds a huge other dynamic into their planning of park hours.

 

[LKing]

Guests at WDW are often there for an extended period of time and it’s not unusual for guests to visit the parks for 5-10 days. Early on we can do park open to close but after a few days we start to decrease our time at one end or the others.

WDW also needs to transport tens of thousands of guests to and from resorts and parking areas. Phased park openings and closings allow transportation to function more efficiently. There are also water parks and Disney Springs to add into the mix and with the vast majority of onsite guests requiring transportation, it adds a huge other dynamic into their planning of park hours.

Are you saying that your mode of visiting is the norm, that WDW does not expect guests to stay all day, and that is why they close early?? Are the extended evenings and after hours events an attempt to bring in more revenue or are they to keep people like you, who are on a long vacation and might be looking for other things to do, in the parks?

As I mentioned in post #15 above, I figured transportation might be an issue in the morning. They built the parks to attract guests. They built the resorts to make money off of accommodations and dining from the guests they are attracting. And transportation is so difficult that they need to cut the hours of what is bring people to their resorts??

 

[scrappinginontario]

Are you saying that your mode of visiting is the norm, that WDW does not expect guests to stay all day, and that is why they close early?? Are the extended evenings and after hours events an attempt to bring in more revenue or are they to keep people like you, who are on a long vacation and might be looking for other things to do, in the parks?

As I mentioned in post #15 above, I figured transportation might be an issue in the morning. They built the parks to attract guests. They built the resorts to make money off of accommodations and dining from the guests they are attracting. And transportation is so difficult that they need to cut the hours of what is bring people to their resorts??

Have you visited WDW or, at this time only DL?

I’m asking because I wonder if after your trip (that hopefully will be/was more than just a couple of days an many Disney guests visit for more than just a couple of days) did you find once you were there that there were not enough open hours? Were you there from open to close and felt like you wanted to stay longer?