Evening Extra Magic Hours Reduced in 2013
Evening Extra Magic Hours at Walt Disney World are being reduced from 3 hours at night to 2 hours at night, beginning in January 2013. For those unfamiliar with Extra Magic Hours, they are operating hours exclusively for Walt Disney World resort-hotel guests. Every morning and/or night, a select park opens early or stays open late, just for Disney hotel guests.
Walt Disney World’s website confirms this with the following: “Each day, one of the 4 Walt Disney World theme parks opens one hour early or remains open up to 2 hours after regular closing time. Additionally, Disney Water Parks offer Extra Magic Hours during select times of year.”
Our Reaction:
There’s no possible way to spin this as a positive. During the course of the past few years, Walt Disney World has made gradual, small cuts to its offerings (from fewer fireworks per show to the Lights of Winter to tips in the Disney Dining Plan among many, many other things) all while raising prices. This 1-hour cut by itself isn’t huge news or the end of the world, but all of these cuts in aggregate really hurt the guest experience. Walt Disney World watchdog Kevin Yee has aptly described these happenings as “Declining by Degrees,” and we couldn’t agree more.
Disney, there’s only so much fat you can cut before you start hitting muscle. You’re clear through the muscle and starting to cut bone.
With expanded operating hours, constant plussing throughout the resort, new lands in Disney California Adventure, etc., Disneyland Resort looks better and better as a vacation destination. At least there the ticket price increases are somewhat justifiable.
We encourage you to contact Walt Disney World Guest Services to let them know how you feel about this change: wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com
Share your thoughts on this latest Walt Disney World cut in the comments!
32 Responses to “Evening Extra Magic Hours Reduced in 2013”
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While I tend to avoid all EMH’s, I’m really disappointed in the actions of the apparent money-hungry Disney corp. Higher ticket prices, higher dining plan prices, fewer hours, poor maintenance of rides…. No bueno! For the first time, staying offsite (and visiting that other park) are up for consideration.
Wow, that really is a shame. Living in the west, we often visit Disneyland (and we love it), and now it looks like it may become our park of choice…not just the park we visit when we can’t swing a trip to Florida.
Sad, very sad…I just wrote them, thenks for the info Tom
That really stinks, evening EMH is the highlight of my WDW trips. Especially Magic Kingdom at 2am with a cinnamon bun, I am pretty easy going bit this one, really bugs me.
I’ve got mixed feelings on this. While it seems like another “Decline by Degrees”, I have to think it may be a good decision on their part that will save money and might ultimately bring about some improvements with the park(s) not being open as long (it’s possible). I’ve been to several EEMHs and by the third hour, the park(s) and attractions start to become empty, almost desolate. It’s nice, but it’s also a little eery. The exceptions to this are Soarin’ and Toy Story Mania. I guess in the end, I’m okay with this. Also, I believe that if guest demands increase, they could bring this back on occasion or during peak seasons.
You’re right about EEMH having light crowds in the last hour. If the savings from one less hour of EEMH is reallocated towards improving the guest experience in some other way, I have less of an issue.
What do you think the chances are that will happen, though?
Thanks for the heads up. I did e-mail them since a decrease in benefits added on top of the increase in the price of the dining plan has us looking at staying off-site from now on. Very sad.
I bet this is because of the “nextgen” project. Extra Magic Hours were always there to entice guests to stay at a Disney owned resort,
I think that Disney feels the new perks offered with the nextgen rollout will be equal to or more valuable than that extra hour at the end of the day. They can also save an hour on payroll.
This is terrible. Like you said, by itself this isn’t huge news, but combined with everything else…
I guess when Disney “crunched” the numbers, they figured it wouldn’t hurt their revenue much.
I started staying off site due to the constant price hike. I stayed at The Maingate Lakeside Resort…2 min from the door…clean and friendly…$40.00 a night! You cant beat that! Also started buying tickets from online brokers such as The Undercover Tourist..best ticket prices and they always throw in a free day. I love Disney…I will always love Disney…but they need to start loving us back.
Thank you for this news Tom. I appreciate it.
Wow… I am not happy about this. Like others have stated, we’re already paying for increases for 2013 such as Dining, Park Tickets and WDW Lodging. The bonus for our family of 15 that go every year is being able to stay in the Parks when it is less crowded!!! I think for the very first time we will definitely look into an outside stay and/or perhaps going to the “other park” now!
I have written to the link you provided however, I’m not expecting anything so as not to be disappointed.
Thanks again and love your blog!
Louise
I’m definitely in the minority here. This doesn’t affect me at all. Especially for EEMH we almost always avoid that park as it is usually overcrowded. If anything I would love for them to give us an extra hour for MEMH. That would be great. And you may look at this as benefit cutting, but honestly if the park is only at 10% capacity for the last hour, I say good call.
So you have no issue with Disney cutting (yet another) perk/benefit/offering all the while continuing to raise prices on everything from the Dining Plan to hotels to tickets? The cut hour wouldn’t be a big deal to me at all if it were replaced by something. But it seems Disney is mostly intent upon increasing revenue and making cuts that will go “unnoticed” these days.
I don’t approve of any cuts that don’t aren’t met with corresponding improvements/additions, regardless of whether the cuts impact me personally.
Pay more, get less is not something I’m okay with.
Hey Tom,
I’m with you on this one. While cutting one hour of EEMH might prove to be economically beneficial to the parks, they shouldn’t keep cutting guest experiences while continuing to increase prices – all prices, on dining, hotels and park tickets.
If it’s not smart for the bottom line to keep all three hours of EEMH, fine, but then either give guests something else for their money, or reduce hotel rates since you’re reducing hotel benefits.
I have no issue yet. January 2013 needs to arrive before anyone here can be that this is just a perk that is going away without a replacment.
I’d rather have them cut back on hours than raising my ticket price, taking off a snack credit on the dining plan or raising my hotel cost. I’d rather they cut back on service than raising prices.
They’ve about priced me out vacations with them with all the latest price increases.
Couldn’t agree more! It’s so hot in FL in the summer we often go back to the park hotel and nap and then get up and go back to the park when it’s not so hot and stay til magic hours are over. This really sucks! And I agree they do keep cutting and it’s really starting to show! Makes it feel like some of the magic is fading too. I didn’t even mind that the prices went up slightly. But I do feel US citizens should get some break, not just Fl residents.
I’ve been wondering recently (because I’m hoping to either move to Orlando soon or do a Disney World on the cheap trip which I’ve done once before with great success but which necessitates staying off-property) if you can stay for EMH if you aren’t a resort guest if all you are doing is wandering around taking pictures etc. I know you have to show your wristband or card or whatever to ride any open rides. Has anyone ever tried this?
Just a quick note- I e-mailed. I don’t use them. But I find it leaves a very bad taste in my mouth to pay more for a product, that I already believe is way over-inflated, but get less service. I have a trip booked, but it may be the last for awhile until I feel like my $$$ is going further.
I agree that Disney may be doing this because the amount of guests staying that last hour is just more money than its worth. Of course, you can’t please everyone. Most guests probably an hour or two after the park closes because they need to get to bed in order to either catch a flight home or go to the parks the next day. I think two hours is plenty. I understand why people are upset, but I’m gonna have to side with Disney on this one. I think that they are paying way too much for too little guests that last hour. Why put money to something that adds experiences to a small group when you could put that money towards something that will make a lot more guests happy.
I agree with you…if Disney reallocates the money towards something that adds to the experience for a broader group of guests. I fear that will not occur.
You have no idea (or do you?) how much Dis expends vs. what the benefit is for guests. So to say it’s “way too much” seems… subjective. The value to guests who are paying a premium to stay on site is immeasurable — not b/c it’s a lot or a little, but really, because how do you measure that in dollars? And, though I suspect someone at Dis has tried, they probably don’t really have a figure for it either. They only know how many guests are still in the park in that 3rd hour and extrapolate the cost/value.
I suppose they could measure it by offering to charge guests for EMHs. But then you could also start de-coupling all the “benefits” of being on property and charging for that too. Pretty soon we’d be paying for each little thing a la carte (e.g. want a towel at the pool? $3. want a bus ride to the park? $5.) and how much fun would that be??? Not much. Whatever the measure, it’s hard to undervalue the package of benefits of staying on site. But that value is diminished when the package starts to include less and less.
I think we’re definitely going to lose the BEST part of EMH – the third hour. I can see that Disney probably spends a lot more money than they make keeping all of those employees for the extra hour, but many people love it. I personally would totally accept this change if they added on some e-ride nights to compensate. For those who don’t remember, it was like EMH but only at MK and you had to pay about $13 for it. It was well worth the money as you felt like you had the whole park to yourself. For me, those hours when the park feels like it’s “ours” are my favorite times.
This just makes me sick to my stomach. Once again, I see prices rise at Disney and more cuts being made. The experience is not what it used to be and we are seriously considering selling our DVC contract. What makes me even sicker are the Disney apologists on some other Disney forums who feel this is no big deal. Some seem to think Disney can do no wrong and are willing to pay any amount of money just for the honor of being allowed into a Disney park. Monorail service cutbacks, over selling ticketed events such as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party(along with a yearly price increase in those tickets)now the Extra Magic Hours cut. I was upset about the Evening Extra Magic hours cut at Animal Kingdom and I for one was skeptical that it had anything to do with the well being of the animals. Now with the cutback on the evening EMH in all parks, I believe that was a load of b.s.
Yeah, this is not about improving anything else, it is about $$$. Ticket prices have increased almost every year, while other benefits, perks, etc have been slowly cut, an obvious plan. In fact the Orlando Sentinal linked this to “falling profits”. So like it, don’t like it (my family doesn’t and we will look at staying elsewhere); bottom line is, it IS about money/profit, I guarantee there will be no give to this take, so those of you who are kidding yourselves that this will be a good thing; yeah for Disney, We the People will get nothing but higher prices and fewer benefits…
This is a dagger in the heart! The morning EMH (1) is really not that enticing for us during our trips to WDW. You may get to stand in line earlier and get some FPs, but really doesn’t seem like a big perk. The evening EMHs have been a huge plus! Getting to spend 2 or 3 hours in a park with only other resort guests is great. We’ve been able to see 8 or 9 attractions in the MK sometimes, no lines means more fun! Plus, there’s something really cool about being in the park at 2:00 AM… sort of feels like your own personal space. I can’t imagine this boosts the margin that much — not being naive, just saying that scaled down hourly operating costs (at 12:00 AM vs. 12:00 PM) at a single park wouldn’t seem like a huge savings. Certainly not something that isn’t made up for by the ticket price increase.
I am holding out hope that the timing of this coincides with the X-Pass rollout and X-Pass includes some sort of resort only (maybe Deluxe only) benefits to offset the reduction in EMH myself so I am waiting before I assume that this is a cutback with no replacement….thus no complaints to wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com coming from me until this plays out.
They release hours 6 months in advance so if my hopes are correct, they were forced to play this hand before the other.
Horrible.! Extra magic hours not so “Magic” anymore.! very sad. I already spend thousands on trips there now they take away….Instead of giving back. sad.
Figures that these cuts and price increases are happening right before my honeymoon to WDW in Jan 2013!
My family loved staying at disney resorts. We used the extra hours every visit. not anymore. thank you disney for taking a big piece of the magic out our vacation. we will go back but not at a disney resort. too expensive and now not enough services
I do not like this one bit. I feel as many others..Disney continues to raise ticket prices..over sells ticketed events..AS the “Not So Scary Halloween Party” (This year..they even ran out of Halloween Merchandise..I am a passholder planned a vacation..bought the tickets to the event..and couldn’t even purchase a Halloween 2012 T-shirt..SERIOUSLY??? Not to mention,,this exclusive so called ticket only event..yeah..ok..they don’t clear out the park..you just cannot trick or treat or ride rides..so why even bother purchasing a ticket???) Bottom line..MONEY!! The more they sell, the more they make. The more they cut..the more profit they make. Dining plan, increase in price, decrease in what is included, Resort Stays, increase in prices..and now the price per night is based on what actual resort in which category (Not just straight lined as it once was..all Value resorts were one rate..all Moderate resorts were one rate..now they are acording to their popularity(if you will)..it is sad that Disney is stooping to this marketing way..less in this case is not more for the consumer..just for the company). I am seriously reconsidering renewing our passes to the park as I am not so happy with how the Company is being run. I LOVE DISNEY..just not so happy with how the parks and such are being handles..not as clean, rides continually going down, ammenities not as they once were..and now running out of merchandise. Not acceptable Disney Standards as once set forth by the Owner/Creator/Founder Walt Disney..I am sure if he were still here with us..he would be sure his Company would be run much differnetly where families could enjoy a vacation at a reasonable cost., Bad move Disney company..Bad bad move. I will definately write to guest realtions!
This is very upsetting. We booked Our trip for Feb. already, not knowing this was going on. I wondered when I started planning our days, what the heck happened to the magic hours! This is so unfair. Thats why we stay at the resorts to wander at night, and enjoy the parks as well as to utilize the priviledge of getting on rides very quick! SHAME ON YOU DISNEY….All that money spent, and prices go up, and Magic hours cut!!!! Not a wise move. I’m sure there will be lots staying off site, and going elsewhere for their family vacations! I know we will for 20014. This was our 3rd trip in 4 years to Disney!! How sad:(