With so many closings,what am I paying for?

[Hikergirl]

That might be true. Or maybe they told their kids months ago about the trip and can't pull back now. Or maybe they have non refundable park tickets and plane tickets already?

I meant that there are 365 days a year to go, and Disney offers promos and discounts.
It is also not the OP's first trip so obviously there is something bringing them back. I'm willing to bet the OP doesn't pay full freight just to ride Dinosaur and BTMR every trip.

 

[cel_disney]

Every amusement park I have been too has days when rides are closed. I don't see why Disney Theme parks are not allowed to have a closed attraction or two per park.

I think that 'half of Hollywood studios is closed' line is garbage..how many people will really feel that it's closed because it doesn't have LMA and Backlot Tour? Who was really spending more than 5 minutes in Streets of America if it wasn't for Osborne Lights?

My family of Disney Vets added a second 3/4 length day at DHS for our trip last week because we couldn't get it all done on our first day! And we still never got to see Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, or Indiana Jones (in full!)

 

[sharonabe]

paying full freight, including for deluxe resort accommodations

Actually, you're not paying "full freight." The last two weeks of October are the low season for deluxe resorts, so you're paying less than someone going the week after you.

 

[CAS239]

Not directed at the OP, but closures no matter when they are, affect a lot of people at once. Doesn't matter what's closed or when it's closed or for how long, people will complain and disregard everything else that's available.

There would be people complaining if they closed the new fantasyland bathrooms by Peter Pan for a week.

 

[mom2rtk]

Not directed at the OP, but closures no matter when they are, affect a lot of people at once. Doesn't matter what's closed or when it's closed or for how long, people will complain and disregard everything else that's available.

There would be people complaining if they closed the new fantasyland bathrooms by Peter Pan for a week.

I think this timeframe has it a little worse than usual with 2 major coasters down at once.

 

[PeterP]

Visiting at the end of this month. As was the case many times before, paying full freight, including for deluxe resort accommodations. Today we receive notice that, on top of everything else, our Dinosaur fast passes are replaced. Thus, a given snapshot of our all-in Disney vacation most likely will reflect (1) half of Hollywood Studios closed; (2) Thunder Mountain closed; (3) Rock-n-Roller Coaster closed; and (4) Dinosaur closed. Not a single concessions by Disney, even though all of this is down. What, exactly, are we paying for? And do they think that biting the hand that feeds (big-time) is good business practice?
Click to expand...
So you continue to make the choice of paying "full freight"? There must be something you think is worth it if you continue to do it when you don't really have too.

________________

In response to the above, yes, of course, we've thought it worth it based on past experiences. We love WDW. But that is not the point. The point is that for THIS trip, many very nice attractions are closed. And, respectfully, replying to the comments that there are "many other" attractions open, there is a difference between quality and quantity. In this case, multiple headliner-type attractions are closed at one time. Lilo and Stitch is no substitute for Rock-n-Roller Coaster.

 

[Pocahottie]

You're hitting the parks at a really unfortunate time. My friend is heading there the same time. By the time they added MSEP and Stitch to the "closed" list she was just as frustrated as you. I'm sure she'll have fun once she gets there, but her anticipation has not been anything like it has been on previous trips.

What does it mean that Stitch will now be a "Seasonal" attraction??

 

[Hikergirl]

The refurbs were announced this summer. I know Dinosaur was back in June and it was scheduled to re-open 10/17. I think anyone planning a trip within a few weeks of a refurb end date is taking a chance that it will not be open. Its not like Disney is keeping it closed on purpose to annoy people. Disney isn't actually magic and pixie dust so they do have real world problems and that includes things not being ready by their estimated date.
I get being annoyed, but not sure what the Op's point is. They chose to pay whatever full freight is during a time when there are refurbs planned. Live and learn I guess.

RnRC has an opening day of Nov.7. I read that in an article dated August 30. Its not like there wasn't notice OP.

 

[Jennasis]

Unexpected closures blow. I get what you're saying. Hugs...try to keep your chin up and I'm sure your trip will still be a blast.

 

[CAS239]

What does it mean that Stitch will now be a "Seasonal" attraction??

It will only be running during certain times of the year. They need to just go ahead and close it already and finally turn it into the wreck it Ralph attraction

 

[Huff]

I'll say what's been said about 1000 times on this board: HS is not half closed.

Not sure about half but so much of what I enjoyed is gone. Back lot tour, Motors, Art of Animation and more. I know many love the launch pad and other Star Wars stuff with more to come. I love Star Wars too but not going overboard as a central theme. Frozen is a horrible show. A quickly tossed together filler thats disorganized and poorly written and I'm a Frozen fan! DS was my favorite park but too much of what I loved is gone and replaced with too much that only interests a specific sector.

Same goes at Disneyland. They've done away with Big Thunder Ranch. A great place to eat, petting zoo, old west entertainment, what Disney wanted for Frontierland. I love additions but not if you have to get rid of a good thing.

 

[SaintsManiac]

If you're an optimist you believe it's half open.

If you're a pessimist you believe it's have closed.

If you're a realist you say "who gives a rip, I'm going to MK instead!"

Nope. I am a person who went and spent an entire day there and didn't get to it all. Had an absolute blast. Wanted to hop back over there before we left, but DD5 was bone tired by the end of the trip.

 

[cel_disney]

I was just there - there were closures everywhere - BTMRR, Dinosaur, Treehouse, recently retired rides like Sum Of All Thrills...plus on Tuesday Space Mountain went down in the morning while we were in line and I am not sure if it came back up before we left for the airport at 4pm. Guess what! My trip was great! We hardly noticed that things were closed and there were still soooo many things we didn't get too!

 

[NYTIGRE]

I'm so peeved I could just spit. With stitch and MSEP and the nighttime show at AK and my resort pool added to this list. All this has been added/removed since I booked my trip. Nobody please tell me that is not a lot or a big deal.

 

[tlmadden73]

You can't do ALL attractions at most of the parks in any given day. Save money and cut park days since there are attractions closed.

PLus .. as many point out. HS is not "half closed" .. Yes half of its "land mass" is closed, but did anyone ever consider the Streets of America an actual "attraction"?

 

[Mickey's Best Girl]

Some of Disney's announcements come long after commitments have been made and money spent -- in some cases (like today, for instance) less than two weeks before the trip. Thus, statements such as "Go somewhere else" do not account for the reality of the situation. If all of the information were available when the plans were made, it would be different.

I'm right there with you.

If my flights were refundable this trip would most definitely be getting postponed.

And to add salt to the wound our dollar keeps getting worse which is making all of these additional closures even harder to swallow.

I wasn't thrilled with Big Thunder being down but refurbs happen.

Then RNRC was announced and I was less than pleased but ok, we'll survive without our favourite attraction.

Now add another major attraction (for us, we love dinosaur) to the list.

I am not amused. At all. And yes, I know refurbs happen but I can't recall a time when 3 major attractions were down at the same time like this.

 

[agavegirl1]

I'm so peeved I could just spit. With stitch and MSEP and the nighttime show at AK and my resort pool added to this list. All this has been added/removed since I booked my trip. Nobody please tell me that is not a lot or a big deal.

Your resort pool? Horse of a different color that one.

 

[cheshiregirl]

I totally feel your pain. This is our first trip back to WDW in over 6 years. DS was 2.5 the last trip and now he is 9 & a thrill junkie. We booked back in Feb. I was sad when they announced the BTMRR refurb, but rolled with the punches because as Disneyland APs, Big Thunder is something he has rode at least 100 times even if the theming is slightly different.

I was sad when they announced the end of MSEP, but justified that it's "coming home" so we will see it again soon.

I may have shed a few tears about the scheduled short RNR refurb over our trip, since the way I found out about it was not being able to book a FP. But, I convinced myself that it's really just California Screamin' set indoors and my DS doesn't know what he's missing.

The Dinosaur refurb getting extended is pushing me to the edge. DS loves to watch YouTube video ride thrus and he is OBSESSED with Dinosaur. I know it's just a differently dressed up version of our Indy ride, but he was really looking forward to riding this one.

I'm just glad we are splitting our trip and spending the second half at Universal and Sea World since Disney is taking most of the more thrilling rides down all at once. We will enjoy our time at Disney for sure, but I have a feeling my kiddo is going to be way more impressed with the rides at US/IOA and Sea World.

 

[PeterP]

The refurbs were announced this summer. I know Dinosaur was back in June and it was scheduled to re-open 10/17. I think anyone planning a trip within a few weeks of a refurb end date is taking a chance that it will not be open. Its not like Disney is keeping it closed on purpose to annoy people. Disney isn't actually magic and pixie dust so they do have real world problems and that includes things not being ready by their estimated date.
I get being annoyed, but not sure what the Op's point is. They chose to pay whatever full freight is during a time when there are refurbs planned. Live and learn I guess.

RnRC has an opening day of Nov.7. I read that in an article dated August 30. Its not like there wasn't notice OP.

_____


This trip was purchased long before the summer, and, hence, long before the June and August dates mentioned above. It required coordinating the schedules of multiple families who booked multiple reservations. Indeed, the reality is that a Disney vacation requires planning well in advance – usually well more than two months out (which was August in this case) or four months out (which was June in this case).

As to the point of the original post, it is not a difficult one: The point is that one begins to question whether the trip is worth it when announcements of the closures of one important attraction after another trickle in all the way up to almost the eve of your (expensive) vacation.

It is no answer to say that attractions close sometimes – multiple headliners do not have to be refurbished at the same time. And it is no answer to say people should be on notice that multiple closures may occur up to the eve of your vacation – especially when Disney essentially requires that you plan so far in advance. This is the first time in ten trips that this has happened to us; but if this is the new normal, then we will reconsider before committing again.

 

[kandb]

The refurbs were announced this summer. I know Dinosaur was back in June and it was scheduled to re-open 10/17. I think anyone planning a trip within a few weeks of a refurb end date is taking a chance that it will not be open. Its not like Disney is keeping it closed on purpose to annoy people. Disney isn't actually magic and pixie dust so they do have real world problems and that includes things not being ready by their estimated date.
I get being annoyed, but not sure what the Op's point is. They chose to pay whatever full freight is during a time when there are refurbs planned. Live and learn I guess.

RnRC has an opening day of Nov.7. I read that in an article dated August 30. Its not like there wasn't notice OP.

You're always sticking up for Disney. How about hiring more workers to get the refurb done faster? or not dragging their feet when they are adding new additions to their parks and it taking YEARS? Check out how quick Universal's construction takes. Yes, I know, we can go to Universal instead but that's not the point!!!!