A word about Disney...

[CedarPointer]

There are many things that Disney does better than KI. In fact, I'd bet that Disney makes far more money than KI. But, somehow, KI manages to keep almost all the rides open until park closing. This cannot be said about Disney, where we left over an hour before Epcot's park closing, and in Future World, our only choices of attractions was Spaceship Earth, The Living Seas, and Soarin'. Amazing. (There might have been one other thing, but I can't recall it...)

[Guest TombraiderTy]

When Epcot opens in the morning, for the first two or so hours, only half the park is available to guests- Future World. The other half, World Showcase, remains closed till noon. Towards the end of the night, with about two more hours of park operations, Future World closes while World Showcase remains open. Both halves of the park are open for equal times. This procedure has been done for years and allows guests more time in the park (compared to cutting the hours by two and keeping both halves open all day). Anyone who plans before-hand would know that this system simply allows for more rides and attractions through-out the day.

[CoastersRZ]

Exactly. Disney posts the hours for the two halves of the park. So it should have been no surprise when most of the Future World attractions were not open in the evening.

[XGatorHead 8904]

While I'm aware of Epcot's practice of having different operating hours for the different sections, to be fair to CedarPointer, if one were to look at Epcot's schedule online, it's not broken down by Future World and World Showcase. See here http://disneyworld.d...om/parks/epcot/ and click on "Calendar" on the left hand side of the screen.

[CedarPointer]

This wasn't at 9:30 PM like the times guide says it closes, it was at about 7:30. (sorry, I actually hadn't looked at the schedule, but it turns out it was even earlier before closing than I thought...)

[XGatorHead 8904]

^Go back and read TombRaiderTy's post. Future World closes earlier than World Showcase. The opening time listed for the park, which for December is 9:00 am, is the opening time for Future World (while World Showcase opens a few hours later) and the closing time listed, which for December is 9:30 pm, is the closing time for World Showcase (while most attractions in Future World close a few hours earlier). The two sections have different operating hours. If I remember correctly, the two different sets of operating hours are posted at the gate as well as in the park guides they give out. Why they don't make the distinction online, I don't know.

[CedarPointer]

I know that. I'm saying that, for what Disney charges for tickets, they should be keeping all the rides open until the park is actually closed, or just be honest and say Future World pretty much closes at 7.

(also, I can think of a few CM's I've seen who were more rude than anyone I've dealt with at a CF park, ever, but I really don't feel like writing a whiny post to which I'm sure all the replies will be BUT THEY HAZ TEH THEMING!!!1)

[Guest TombraiderTy]

Disney is pretty much simply doing guests a favor by giving them more time to enjoy the park. Instead of opening everything and closing simultaneously, they space it out and extend the park's hours. The only person who would complain because of this is the one who didn't plan and refuses to blame themselves.

[Dalefan]

Disney also charges over 75.00 per ticket too.

[Delirium_Guy]

I know that. I'm saying that, for what Disney charges for tickets, they should be keeping all the rides open until the park is actually closed, or just be honest and say Future World pretty much closes at 7.

(also, I can think of a few CM's I've seen who were more rude than anyone I've dealt with at a CF park, ever, but I really don't feel like writing a whiny post to which I'm sure all the replies will be BUT THEY HAZ TEH THEMING!!!1)

Perhaps Test Track and Mission: Space were experiencing technical delays. The Future World attractions that do not remain open until park close are Innoventions, Captain EO, Universe of Energy and Journey Into Imagination....all others remain open. Even during crowded periods, 3 of those are almost always available with little to no wait....it is pointless to staff them with no ridership that late.

As for the hours breakdown not being on the website, it is very clearly printed on the Show Guide available to guests at the entrance.

- Todd

[HTCO]

When I was at Epcot on Thanksgiving day future world was open until close. Right before and during Illuminations, we were riding Mission: Space and Test Track over and over. The waits were literally five minutes. So maybe it was because of the holiday or what but it was open!

Posted from my iPod Touch 4

[Browntggrr]

Like most businesses that are always open, Disney will reduce staffing & close rides based upon attendance at the park. I didn't like that answer either when I asked about the same thing.

Since KI is only open for about 1/3 of the year, it is more critical that the guest experience ends when the park closes.

[LongliveKingsCobra]

As others have said, I am sure that those rides are closed due to staffing and maintenance. The park is open pretty much 360. Ours is open up...160? If that?

[The Interpreter]

As others have said, I am sure that those rides are closed due to staffing and maintenance. The park is open pretty much 360. Ours is open up...160? If that?

360? I believe you mean 365!

[HTCO]

Is Disney World open on Christmas day?

[The Interpreter]

Absolutely, and it can actually be quite busy. Same for Disneyland...

[DaveStroem]

Yep, they are open 365.25 days per year. They did close on 9/11/2001 and they will occasionally close for a hurricane.

[The Interpreter]

And next year, they will most probably be open 366!

[Diamondback96]

Why next year?

[bkroz]

To my knowledge, you could count the days that the stateside Disney Parks have been closed on two hands... Or thereabouts. For 50+ years of operation, that's not bad at all!

Plus, when it comes to operation, Disney is a completely different creature. If an "important" light bulb goes out, it's fixed. Simple as that. When a ride like Indiana Jones Adventure fails mid-cycle, it's quickly evacuated, fixed, and re-opened. At Kings Island, the fact of the matter is (and this isn't necessarily wrong for a seasonal amusement park) if Backlot Stunt Coaster goes down at six, I highly doubt that maintenance is scurrying to fix it before 9:00 closing. And at Disney, they've developed time-tested methods of operation (like the Epcot one in question) that they've found to be effective for staffing, maintenance, visitors, transportation, and entertainment. Good for them, I say.

[Browntggrr]

At Kings Island, the fact of the matter is (and this isn't necessarily wrong for a seasonal amusement park) if Backlot Stunt Coaster goes down at six, I highly doubt that maintenance is scurrying to fix it before 9:00 closing.

Although not nearly on the same scale, but with a great ending....

Back in 2000, MF was hit by lightning on a Friday night in the middle of summer. The head of CP maintenance took the red-eye to Switzerland to get a replacement part for the computer, came back to CP Saturday night to start operation at 9:45pm.

CP kept operating MF till 2:00am to satisfy as many guests as possible.

Also, 2012 will be a leap year, not 2011.

[The Interpreter]

Indeed...someone's rushing 2012 (and the park's 40th anniversary)!

Then again, they still won't be open 365.25 days next year, either!

Terp, where'd that big blue B & M at Cedar Point go anyway?

[Colonel_SoB_fan]

Don't feel like making a new thread, but found this article interesting on how Disney keeps people entertained while in line.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/28/business/media/28disney.html?_r=1