Disney changed our FP+....Interesting.

[carseatguru]

We had a FP for Dinosaur on 11/3 for 6:35-7:35 and they changed it to 6:35-7:30.

 

[Clojel]

This is stressing me out! We'll be at AK on 11/3 and I have FPs for Navi River, Kilamanjaro Safaris, and EE...hoping they don't mess around with any of my times b/c we only have the ONE day and I really need things to stay exactly as they are! lol!

 

[Boulie]

I got an email early this am too. Dinosaur fastpass on 11/10 changed from 10:15 am to 12:15 pm. No explanation. I was able to juggle around another fastpass and reschedule dinosaurs for 11:15. So doesn’t seem it will be closed but this tiny tweaking of the times does certainly seem odd.

 

[lambdabeta]

This is stressing me out! We'll be at AK on 11/3 and I have FPs for Navi River, Kilamanjaro Safaris, and EE...hoping they don't mess around with any of my times b/c we only have the ONE day and I really need things to stay exactly as they are! lol!

If you haven't received an email yet I doubt they will be changing your FP's. Navi and EE aren't being changed and if you have Kilimanjaro before the closing time it probably wasn't changed at all. The people reporting Kilimanjaro changing times were actually in Oct not Nov. So I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Tksolomom]

Here is what I think is happening. Sorry but this will be a long post. I now notice people posting about Dinosaur also being changed. So it seems people have had FP's changed for three rides at AK; Kali, Kilimanjaro, and Dinosaur. The park hours are still posted for 9am-8pm except on days they have EMH at 8am-9am. All of these FP's have been changed between Oct and the beginning of Dec. When you look at MDE under each of these attractions you will see that the times have changed. None of these rides are open for the full park hours. Dinosaur starting Oct 14 is cut to 9:30am-7:30pm except during EMH when it opens at 9am. Kali starting Oct 14 is cut to 9:30am-7:30pm through the end of Dec. Kilimanjaro has a more complicated schedule. Starting Oct 14 it runs 9am-7:45pm then starting 10/28 it changes to 9am-7-30pm, then 11/4 9am-6:30pm, then 11/25 9am - 6:15pm, then 12/31 on to Jan 9am to 6:30pm.

Now for my thoughts. This was suspiciously rolled out just before and after they announced that Raifiki's planet watch isn't closing permanently but reopening next year. Is it a coincidence? I don't think so. If this is due to the season or daylight hours it would have been done before we all made our FP's. For some of the rides it was changed before that time. We tried to make a late day FP for Kilimanjaro but the latest time available was 5pm. That would work for a 6:15 closing. So they knew before we did our FP's at the end of Sept that Kilimanjaro was closing early which tracks with the time line because it seems to be people in Oct who have had those FP's moved. The other rides hours were changed more recently which is why we all got emails in the last several days changing our times. There are also no FP's for any of these rides on our date of 11/26. I did not check other dates but I would bet you will find similar situations because they just had to move everyone that had FP's for these three rides to the limited hours that are left.

I think this is just another cost saving measure. Plain and simple. If you cut the ride hours you cut CM's hours and wear and tear on the ride. For those wondering why these rides this is what I think. Everest, FOP and Navi are too popular to cut hours on and Primeval Whirl and Triceratops Spin don't take as many CM's to run them or have long waits. You can take this for what it is worth but I think it makes sense. Disney knows way in advance what it is doing. Usually when you have a FP changed it is because a ride is down which happens when you are in the park. So far I have not seen anyone post in this thread that this kind of thing has happened before or that it is happening in any park other than AK.

Just my speculation FWIW.

Thanks for this schedule. We were planning on hitting Dinosaur around 9:15 so I adjusted my Touring Plans. I am sure my kids will be devastated to go on EE twice in a row at park opening instead.

 

[lambdabeta]

Thanks for this schedule. We were planning on hitting Dinosaur around 9:15 so I adjusted my Touring Plans. I am sure my kids will be devastated to go on EE twice in a row at park opening instead.

Yes we had to adjust our touring plan for AK for the same reason. Planned on hitting Dinosaur at 9 am park opening but now that won't work. Maybe we'll do EE instead.

 

[mom2rtk]

Here is what I think is happening. Sorry but this will be a long post. I now notice people posting about Dinosaur also being changed. So it seems people have had FP's changed for three rides at AK; Kali, Kilimanjaro, and Dinosaur. The park hours are still posted for 9am-8pm except on days they have EMH at 8am-9am. All of these FP's have been changed between Oct and the beginning of Dec. When you look at MDE under each of these attractions you will see that the times have changed. None of these rides are open for the full park hours. Dinosaur starting Oct 14 is cut to 9:30am-7:30pm except during EMH when it opens at 9am. Kali starting Oct 14 is cut to 9:30am-7:30pm through the end of Dec. Kilimanjaro has a more complicated schedule. Starting Oct 14 it runs 9am-7:45pm then starting 10/28 it changes to 9am-7-30pm, then 11/4 9am-6:30pm, then 11/25 9am - 6:15pm, then 12/31 on to Jan 9am to 6:30pm.

Now for my thoughts. This was suspiciously rolled out just before and after they announced that Raifiki's planet watch isn't closing permanently but reopening next year. Is it a coincidence? I don't think so. If this is due to the season or daylight hours it would have been done before we all made our FP's. For some of the rides it was changed before that time. We tried to make a late day FP for Kilimanjaro but the latest time available was 5pm. That would work for a 6:15 closing. So they knew before we did our FP's at the end of Sept that Kilimanjaro was closing early which tracks with the time line because it seems to be people in Oct who have had those FP's moved. The other rides hours were changed more recently which is why we all got emails in the last several days changing our times. There are also no FP's for any of these rides on our date of 11/26. I did not check other dates but I would bet you will find similar situations because they just had to move everyone that had FP's for these three rides to the limited hours that are left.

I think this is just another cost saving measure. Plain and simple. If you cut the ride hours you cut CM's hours and wear and tear on the ride. For those wondering why these rides this is what I think. Everest, FOP and Navi are too popular to cut hours on and Primeval Whirl and Triceratops Spin don't take as many CM's to run them or have long waits. You can take this for what it is worth but I think it makes sense. Disney knows way in advance what it is doing. Usually when you have a FP changed it is because a ride is down which happens when you are in the park. So far I have not seen anyone post in this thread that this kind of thing has happened before or that it is happening in any park other than AK.

Just my speculation FWIW.

I don't believe all those attractions would suddenly needed emergency maintenance all at once, so your scenario seems believable. The revised ride operating hours seems to support your theory.

If true, then Disney has hit a new low. Not only asking guests to schedule their attractions in advance, but then deciding to close those attractions guests have already scheduled their days around for the arbitrary purpose of merely shaving a few dollars off the bottom of line, rendering their previously purchased tickets less valuable. Really low. Really really low.

Yes we had to adjust our touring plan for AK for the same reason. Planned on hitting Dinosaur at 9 am park opening but now that won't work. Maybe we'll do EE instead.

Apparently you and everybody else. Enjoy the longer line at EE now.

 

[lilfaeriebrat]

The first FP adjustment I got was for 7DMT about a month ago, it was pushed back 5 minutes later when they changed the park hours to be opened later. Then Sunday I got the Safari bumped to 30 minutes earlier. At neither time did we get an extra FP for another ride.

 

[anomamatt]

It does seem likely this is due to them trimming off ride hours. Or possibly eliminating some total FP slots and squeezing the remaining together.

Either way... to do this after people have planned is totally weak.

Disney created this system of forcing people to plan 180 and then 60 days out — if it isn’t due to a breakdown or unforeseen issue, they should stick to what they offer at the time of booking.

It would be annoying to have reduced hours at the time of booking, but it’s a whole other scenario to do it a month or less out.

 

[mom2rtk]

to do this after people have planned is totally weak.

I'll go further. I think it's totally crappy.

 

[BayouQueen]

People's schedules being rearranged? Wow. Just wow. I had no idea.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Here is what I think is happening. Sorry but this will be a long post. I now notice people posting about Dinosaur also being changed. So it seems people have had FP's changed for three rides at AK; Kali, Kilimanjaro, and Dinosaur. The park hours are still posted for 9am-8pm except on days they have EMH at 8am-9am. All of these FP's have been changed between Oct and the beginning of Dec. When you look at MDE under each of these attractions you will see that the times have changed. None of these rides are open for the full park hours. Dinosaur starting Oct 14 is cut to 9:30am-7:30pm except during EMH when it opens at 9am. Kali starting Oct 14 is cut to 9:30am-7:30pm through the end of Dec. Kilimanjaro has a more complicated schedule. Starting Oct 14 it runs 9am-7:45pm then starting 10/28 it changes to 9am-7-30pm, then 11/4 9am-6:30pm, then 11/25 9am - 6:15pm, then 12/31 on to Jan 9am to 6:30pm.

Now for my thoughts. This was suspiciously rolled out just before and after they announced that Raifiki's planet watch isn't closing permanently but reopening next year. Is it a coincidence? I don't think so. If this is due to the season or daylight hours it would have been done before we all made our FP's. For some of the rides it was changed before that time. We tried to make a late day FP for Kilimanjaro but the latest time available was 5pm. That would work for a 6:15 closing. So they knew before we did our FP's at the end of Sept that Kilimanjaro was closing early which tracks with the time line because it seems to be people in Oct who have had those FP's moved. The other rides hours were changed more recently which is why we all got emails in the last several days changing our times. There are also no FP's for any of these rides on our date of 11/26. I did not check other dates but I would bet you will find similar situations because they just had to move everyone that had FP's for these three rides to the limited hours that are left.

I think this is just another cost saving measure. Plain and simple. If you cut the ride hours you cut CM's hours and wear and tear on the ride. For those wondering why these rides this is what I think. Everest, FOP and Navi are too popular to cut hours on and Primeval Whirl and Triceratops Spin don't take as many CM's to run them or have long waits. You can take this for what it is worth but I think it makes sense. Disney knows way in advance what it is doing. Usually when you have a FP changed it is because a ride is down which happens when you are in the park. So far I have not seen anyone post in this thread that this kind of thing has happened before or that it is happening in any park other than AK.

Just my speculation FWIW.

I had similar types of situations, not being able to get a Dinosaur for 9:30 (first available was 10), and a Safari for 6 (last available was 5). I think it makes sense with Disney cost cutting. What worries me too is how crowds will be redistributed when you get these rides closed early/open late.

For a company that is supposed to care about reputation and PR, they’re doing a pretty horrible job lately. Though I guess that could just be the Disney people who pay attention, not the casual visitor.

 

[BayouQueen]

I had similar types of situations, not being able to get a Dinosaur for 9:30 (first available was 10), and a Safari for 6 (last available was 5). I think it makes sense with Disney cost cutting. What worries me too is how crowds will be redistributed when you get these rides closed early/open late.

For a company that is supposed to care about reputation and PR, they’re doing a pretty horrible job lately. Though I guess that could just be the Disney people who pay attention, not the casual visitor.

Seems like casual visitors would notice this stuff, too, just by seeing longer lines as people are squished into tighter time frames for attractions. And they would be kind of "confused" by their plans being changed around.

Anyhow, we fans who follow this stuff probably end up knowing more about it, but the guest experience is diminished for everybody. I think it's a bummer.

 

[stinkpickle]

"Hey, wait a dang minute!" -people with existing FP+ reservations in the rescheduled slots.

 

[boilermakeric]

I'll go further. I think it's totally crappy.

So I’ll add an even deeper level of “crappy” to this situation…. Based on my experience seems you are not even guaranteed of being notified that they changed FP+ for you….


We travel next week and I found out from a linked family member they got an email this weekend of a FP+ being moved. The FP+ party included them (an adult), plus 2 of my children which are managed under my MDE account. I never got an email for the same change, apparently because I (and my email address) are not personally on that FP reservation.


That has me concerned what would have (or rather what would not have) happened if I had just made a FP for a party that was exclusively children managed by me. If there is no “MDE prime” person in the party, does the system not know an email address to notify them of changes? Seems like in this case I should have still received an email since people I manage were affected.


To make changes like this 1.5 weeks out, and then possibly not even notify you is completely unacceptable IMO.

 

[chelseabun76]

Strange, all this talk had me go and check my fp's for our AK day in November, and my Safari is moved but I didn't get an email. I know I didn't just write it down wrong because it's in my spreadsheet, and my touring plans exactly as it originally was when I booked them (I took screen shots of them when I did them). Luckily for me it only altered the window by 20 minutes so we're still good with my original plan.

 

[Doug M]

I can't wait for new park hours, 11am to 6pm daily year around! No more fussing with expensive fireworks for the masses.

But wait, for $300 a person on select mornings and evenings, you can enjoy more magic time! Also on select weekends you can buy a firework ticket for $500 a person to see a special event.

 

[Searc]

I got an email from Disney at 1:31am last night. They had to change my Dinosaur selection on 11/23/18.

I had a 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm

I now have a 7:00 pm to 7:30 pm

Seems odd to me. Anyone have an idea on why this has happened? It's not going to cause a problem. It just doesn't make sense.

In your instance, probably a park closing change, where they are switching hours to an 8pm close.

 

[lambdabeta]

In your instance, probably a park closing change, where they are switching hours to an 8pm close.

No that is not the issue. The rides usually stay open until park close. The park hours have not changed. They are 9am-8pm. What has changed is the ride hours. Dinosaur is now 9am-7:30pm the day summerskye had their FP changed to 7:00-7:30pm. It was probably easier to make it half an hour than to try to fit it into the new hours.

 

[anomamatt]

No that is not the issue. The rides usually stay open until park close. The park hours have not changed. They are 9am-8pm. What has changed is the ride hours. Dinosaur is now 9am-7:30pm the day summerskye had their FP changed to 7:00-7:30pm. It was probably easier to make it half an hour than to try to fit it into the new hours.

Yep, it's a sneaky way to decrease effective park hours (while keeping the posted park hours the same). Park closing was always a bit "soft" with the rule being you can get in line until park closing... now some of the rides "close" 30 minutes before closing. So by the time the park does close, everyone will have cleared from the queue. Effectively shrinking park hours.

I'm almost impressive in how devious it is...