Summer 2016 Disney World Strategy
Next up is Animal Kingdom. We already knew all about ‘Nightly Magic’ at Animal Kingdom, but there are two new details. Park hours have been extended at Animal Kingdom until 11 p.m. every night through September 5, 2016. I’ll admit that I’m slightly surprised this move is happening already.
In our July 2016 at Walt Disney World post, I speculated that they’d wait to do this until after the first couple weeks of 11 p.m. closings to see if hours that late are really necessary. Given how Disney has been doing things of late, it’s nice to see them not taking that approach, and instead doubling-down on the anticipated popular of the park late at night.
These 11 p.m. nightly closings through September make sense given the show times for The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic, which were revealed to be 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. nightly when the show went live on My Disney Experience. With Rivers of Light showtimes originally set for 8:30, 9:45, and (potentially) 10:45/11 p.m., I assumed the same would be true for the Jungle Book show. We wrote about why this made sense in our What the Heck is Going on With Animal Kingdom Summer Hours?! post. Assuming the show/theater could be turned over in that amount of time, the original schedule made more sense, as it allowed for 3 nightly showings if demand was there for it.
The new schedule with 2 nightly showings does not allow for adding a third “flex” showing as demand might dictate. Perhaps Disney isn’t expecting the interim show to be as popular as Rivers of Light? I don’t think that’s a safe bet at all. Again, guests love “new stuff” and that will especially be true given the tie to the new Jungle Book, which has been insanely popular. With a low capacity of 5,000-6,500 guests per show, only around 25-30% of park guests are going to be able to see it on a given day.
Granted, a lot of people won’t want to stay that late even with the new nighttime entertainment, but <30%? That seems low no matter how you slice it. That’s why the original 8:30/9:45/??? schedule made sense. Disney has no way of knowing yet what the guest response will be to Animal Kingdom’s expanded operating hours, and that ??? at the end there would’ve allowed another show to be added at the end of the night as necessary.
The takeaway from all of this is that you should absolutely use FastPass+ on The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic. Normally, we advise against using FastPass+ on nighttime spectaculars because it precludes you from scoring more day-of FastPass+. In the case of Animal Kingdom, there aren’t that many things for which you need FastPass+, and short of buying a dining package, FastPass+ is pretty much a necessity for The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic. (We predict short waits for Everest, Kali River Rapids, and Dinosaur after 9 p.m. nightly, if that’s any consolation).
Our ideal summer strategy here would be FastPass+ for The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic (first showing, if possible), Dinosaur, and Kilimanjaro Safaris (at night). This allows for a potential late-day arrival at Animal Kingdom, but if you’re doing it at rope drop, we’d recommend doing Kilimanjaro Safaris via standby first thing, as it’ll be dramatically different at night.
I think that about covers everything!
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Your Thoughts
Have any theoretical strategies of your own to add? Predictions for peak Frozen Ever After wait times? (I’ll go with 240 minute peak, with waits regularly hitting 140 minutes). Do you agree or disagree with our advice? Share any questions, tips, or additional thoughts you have in the comments!
Hi, Tom…I really enjoy your posts. We are heading to Epcot during EMH at 8:00 in a couple of weeks in order to try to get in line for Frozen. However, we’re staying at the Poly, so I’m not sure there’s really an easy way to pull that off. Think we’re better off just going in the main gate?
I failed to mention we were thinking of going in through the International Gateway.
I have seen that the standby wait times for Frozen Ever After are usually over 2 hours long, but do you have any idea what the range is for fastpass+? I have a fastpass for it, but I’m guessing that there will still be a wait time, just not as long as the standby. Any idea how long?
Hey Tom. Quick question (since you’re my WDW guru and I can’t seem to find an answer elsewhere): is Rivers Of Light postponed… indefinitely? We’re heading for our first visit at the end of August and I’m hoping it’ll be up and running by then. Regardless, I’m glad that there’s an evening option there now with Jungle Book.
We’re going then, too. Have a great time! & great weather 😉 Maybe 25% possible RoL will open by then? Can’t wait to secure Kilimanjaro Night FPs 😀 Will HS continue new SW fireworks, possibly on limited nights?
Planning complications are epic this summer. Epcot’s flow is a big “?” with these 2 new rides, lumping the only 3 necessary FPs into Tier 1. Rope-drop one, get FP for another, and wait in 120min+ line for the other.
Also trying to plan my in-laws trip for July. WDW already knows that YES, July will be crowded & needs extended hours. Why wait so long to update Park Hours & Shows? No HS fireworks listed for July yet, at just 5 weeks away.
I’m confused. Is the Frozen attraction going to open at rope drop for Epcot, or rope drop for the World Showcase?
The Frozen ride and the Meet & Greet will be opening at 9am.
That will be some site to see… Rope Droppers falling all over themselves across the bridges during the over half mile elbow-jousting sprint to World Showcase.
Since the International Gateway opens the same time as the main turnstiles, I could see this easily cutting down some time in order to get to Norway first thing. I don’t think this is likely to change because France also opens at 9am with Future World for breakfast.
I think the best advice is staying away from WDW in summer, period. I will never get how people enjoy the place in Florida summer weather, which has already begun, btw.
The scary thing about these EPCOT ‘additions’ (really replacements as well all know) is that Soarin is one of WDW’s most popular attractions and Frozen Fever is still as toxic as ever, so EPCOT, which has really been struggling because it basically is the largest and priciest outdoor bar and lifestyle center in O-Town, will be the most popular park to see this summer. And attendance will go up and Disney execs and Lifestylers will proclaim EPCOT as being fixed, when it is still a total mess.
As to DAK, I wouldn’t be shocked to see those 11 p.m. hours cut as we move into August if Rivers of Light is still delayed and crowds don’t pan out. Even when RoL debuts, I wouldn’t expect regular 11 p.m. closings. So long as they can do one night showing, they’ll close as early as it makes sense. I’ve already been told there’s been talk of 8 and 9 p.m. closings after it starts getting dark earlier. Of course, that is still better than this week’s 6 p.m. closings. I suppose that gives people time to get over to The Corpse of The Disney-MGM Studios for Star Wars pyro cupcake parties … because cupcakes make everything better.
Bet they don’t have those in Anaheim … or Paris … or Tokyo … or Hong Kong … or soon … Shanghai.
I fear the long wait times at Frozen Ever After will be “evidence” for some of its appropriateness for World Showcase, which is why I pre-emptively addressed that here. Otherwise, I don’t think anyone except for the most ardent of Disney fans is under the impression that Epcot is fixed. If anything, I’d say it’s the park in need of the most work right now.
I was surprised that DAK extended the hours until 11 p.m. for the entire summer, but also that they didn’t try to run Jungle Book/RoL earlier than they are. I think there’s going to be a lot of demand for those shows, but also that most people still won’t want to stick around until 11 p.m. I think that’s a recipe for the first show causing massive congestion.
From what I understand, those cupcake parties aren’t doing so well, either, so I don’t think anyone is running over to DHS for that…
All things considered, what you’re getting in Florida this summer seems–to me at least–significantly better than what we are getting at Disneyland. The late nights at DAK and the entertainment coming with them looks really solid. I wonder how much of that is Rohde’s pull there; they could have easily phoned it in with out-of-place dance parties with DJs and contemporary music (what I expected), but the actual slate is thematically appropriate, and sounds pretty well done. Too bad the other parks don’t have advocates with as much influence as him (assuming he’s the responsible party).
Thanks for the great info as always!! Any word on MK extending hours? I expected to see that happen with the “official” change this morning. Please don’t tell me they’re really closing at 10:00 over the summer?! Could that be because the $$ is going to extending AK?
They might not be running Everest after the 9 pm show starts so unfortunately there may not be the opportunity for repeated walk ons at the end of the night there. I had read a post that the noise might interfere with the show. I’ve looked 60 days out and there are no fast passes for Everest later than 7:30 pm even with the 11 pm close giving some support to the above speculation.
Geez Tom, this is scary stuff. The prep work and thought process one must deal with to get into Frozen Ever After without having to endure a four hour wait kinda boggles the mind. What do you think of this idea? Make two ADRs for Akershus. Use one so the kids can have breakfast and meet the princesses, and the other as a gateway into Frozen Ever After. Of course, that will only work if your theory pans out.
I’ve been planning Disney trips for more than forty years, and never thought it would come down to needing a Ph.D just to organize a family vacation. Thankfully, my children and grandchildren are grown and can plan their own trips. At this stage of life, I don’t feel the need to jump through hoops to see an attraction, or dine in a restaurant. I feel for these families. I’m not sure they know what they’re getting into. Especially in the heat of summer. And that is precisely why we need you, Tom. You’re smart and, being an attorney, very detail oriented. Plus, you love Disney. What I’m saying is this, thanks and keep up the good work.
I’ve never gone to Akershus, but I know that you have to budget a fair amount of time for most character meals. I don’t doubt that your advice is solid for people that want to get a jump on the crowds and also don’t mind leaving the restaurant before meeting all of the princesses, but that could be a tricky needle to thread for a lot of families.
You definitely can’t take your time and linger with this strategy, but it has been effective in our experience at Crystal Palace, and I know many other people do it with Cinderella’s Royal Table (for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train).
With this, you’re helped a bit by the long distance between the front gate and Norway–that walk effectively buys you another 10 minutes before the crowds get back there. I think the big question is whether Epcot will have unannounced early openings (opening the turnstiles at, say, 8:45 a.m.) to get more people through the attraction. That’s what could really throw a wrench in this plan.
Thank you for the updates. As much as I hate to be going in July—it is when the National Down syndrome Congress Convention will be in Orlando—Hence—our time to visit the parks. Your strategies will help us quit a bit as we trudge through the crowds in the parks.
Any plans on going to Shanghai Disney? By the online postings it may just beat out Tokyo.
Any idea what rides and attractions will be open at Animal Kingdom past 6pm? I can’t imagine they will be able to extend everything really late into the evening. Thanks!
Thanks for the great post! We are going in October and already have reservations at Tusker house on the dining plan but would love to convert those to the dinner package. When do you think dates in October will be available for booking? I didn’t see anything past the beginning of September on the site.
It all depends upon Rivers of Light and when they are able to set a firm opening date for it. Once that occurs, they can start releasing FastPass+ and package dates for that. My guess would be late July for October dates, but that’s a guess.
Tom, do you think the late hours for animal kingdom are going to continue after September? Or is it just for the summer?
They will almost certainly continue after September. I suspect September is the internal date they expect Rivers of Light to be ready, and they probably want to wait until closer to that date until solidifying the schedule. It also provides some time to evaluate the 11 p.m. closings to see whether 11 is necessary, or if 10 p.m. will suffice.
I’ve just booked a trip Sept. 21st and AK hours will be going back to closing at 5:00pm as I was told by a cast member at my hotel. No night time in the park.
That Cast Member is incorrect. The hours for September have not yet been updated, and that Cast Member is drawing their own conclusions as a result. The park hours will be updated, and it’s only a question of whether the closing time is 11 p.m., or an earlier nighttime hour.
Mapmyrun has it as 0.55 miles from the turnstiles to the back of Norway. That plus wider walkways should hopefully spread the crowd out more than the TSMM rush?
(And in case you have ever been curious, the path in front of the Odyssey restaurant is ~0.04 miles longer.)
I think one of two things will happen: there will be “pace car” Cast Members that keep everyone bunched together, causing physical contact, or…
Since it’s such a long distance, you’ll literally have people running to get there.
It won’t be exactly like the TSM rush, but it should be an amusing spectacle, either way.