"Get in line at closing time" strategy

[Ellwood970]

If the ride goes down and closes for the night they will give you a anytime fast pass for another day. They are very nice about that.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

When we tried to ride FOP late at night back a few weeks after it opened, they did indeed close the line about an hour before the scheduled park close. I don't know if they still do that, but the potential is probably there.

They only did this for the first few weeks of operation. They didn't want the long lines to spill over into the nightly EMH until they knew how to better manage the crowds.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

We have done the closing time lines for Space Mountain, Soarin and Toy Story Mania. This was a great strategy for us. We are night people and usually sleep in at least a few mornings of the trip.

Space Mountain
Posted Wait Time: 70 minutes
Actual Wait Time: 25 minutes

Soarin:
Posted Wait Time: 60 minutes
Actual Wait Time: 15 minutes

Toy Story Mania:
Posted Wait Time: 90 minutes
Actual Wait Time: 30 minutes

Each time we got in line approx 10 minutes before closing time.

 

[dlavender]

Ok, so we tried it again last night. Got in line at 9:35. Posted wait was 115 minutes. Got on the ride at 11. So wait was 85 minutes. Not as successful as the other night. But better than going through that rope drop mess.

Dw with dd3 did the boat ride at the same time. Posted wait of 95, actual was 20.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

We have done the closing time lines for Space Mountain, Soarin and Toy Story Mania. This was a great strategy for us. We are night people and usually sleep in at least a few mornings of the trip.

Space Mountain
Posted Wait Time: 70 minutes
Actual Wait Time: 25 minutes

Soarin:
Posted Wait Time: 60 minutes
Actual Wait Time: 15 minutes

Toy Story Mania:
Posted Wait Time: 90 minutes
Actual Wait Time: 30 minutes

Each time we got in line approx 10 minutes before closing time.

Good info. The posted time can often be 4 times the actual wait as closing time approaches.

 

[twodogs]

If the ride goes down and closes for the night they will give you a anytime fast pass for another day. They are very nice about that.

We had this experience, but it was our last night in the parks, so it didn’t help us. Also if you are not returning to THAT park later in your trip or don’t have park hoppers, it doesn’t help you. It’s a risk some might take, but others might want to think twice about.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

We did space mountain at 5 till close and when we got off they let us on one more time. Same thing with 7DMT. We got in line at 15 till, rode it and when we got back to the line it was past closing but the CM let us on again.

 

[southjerseymom]

Here now. Rode Expedition Everest 5x with no wait. I wanted to see Pandora at night so we took leisurely stroll over before Park close. As we entered I yelled to my son they were still letting people on FOP! We ran but just missed it. Castmember told me up to park close they will let you in line. We just missed it - but we used FP earlier for the ride. All I can say is I am totally blown away and...I can fly!!

 

[MadamLeota]

I know this thread is about rides, but I wanted to throw out some info as a former merch cast member, since the stores I worked were at the exit of rides.

The reason I prefer to do rope drop rather than use this strategy is because I feel guilty to get in a line right at closing knowing that means I'm going to keep park staff from going home. I realize this is a little silly on my part...one more person on the ride isn't going to make a noticeable difference. And once or twice I have gotten in line for 7DMT fifteen minutes before close. But I just can't help feeling like the person who shows up at a place of business (like a bank or post office) right before they close and keep the staff from getting off work on time. When I worked in customer service, I always hated when that would happen to me...so I hate doing it to other people.

I thought that too but the people there said Disney knows people do this so the cm’s are scheduled to work that shift. In other words, you arnt keeping them late because Disney planned on them working 2 hours after close.

As a former cast member, as well as a former ride operator at a non-Disney amusement park, yep, this. The non-Disney park I worked at had us close lines ahead of time because they only had us scheduled for something like a half hour past park closing -- if Disney didn't schedule their CMs to accommodate post-closing queues, they wouldn't let you get in line. It's been factored into their work schedules, same as they factor in the need for merchandise CMs to stick around for a while after the official closing time to sell you stuff on the way out.

Having worked merch, yes we were often there 2+ hrs after closing, but there were plenty of times where rides still had people and we couldn't do inventory/stock or close registers until the store was empty. There was one time we had a woman and her child wandering the Space Mountain giftshop nearly an hour after Main Street was closed! We only had one door unlocked and one register still open & had to wait. We weren't allowed to tell her to leave or get security to either. Though, one time, our manager had us close everything up and start stocking and he was directing people to the door to leave. Universal, on the other hand, not only were we allowed to ask people to head out and start closing duties, but we often had a security guard wander through the store behind people to usher them out.

So, if you do decide to jump on a ride at the tail end of the night, please be aware that the shops may be trying to close or already be past when they were scheduled to and cannot begin any significant closing activities until empty. While the attractions teams could sweep a ride and make sure everyone was gone and then could go home, anyone hanging around after park close would cause us to be pushed back at least 30 minutes. Having worked shifts well into 3am was consistent even if we were scheduled to eave at 2am. (and then closing shifts on extra magic hour nights would be scheduled til 4 or 5 am)

 

[fbarker]

I know this thread is about rides, but I wanted to throw out some info as a former merch cast member, since the stores I worked were at the exit of rides.




Having worked merch, yes we were often there 2+ hrs after closing, but there were plenty of times where rides still had people and we couldn't do inventory/stock or close registers until the store was empty. There was one time we had a woman and her child wandering the Space Mountain giftshop nearly an hour after Main Street was closed! We only had one door unlocked and one register still open & had to wait. We weren't allowed to tell her to leave or get security to either. Though, one time, our manager had us close everything up and start stocking and he was directing people to the door to leave. Universal, on the other hand, not only were we allowed to ask people to head out and start closing duties, but we often had a security guard wander through the store behind people to usher them out.

So, if you do decide to jump on a ride at the tail end of the night, please be aware that the shops may be trying to close or already be past when they were scheduled to and cannot begin any significant closing activities until empty. While the attractions teams could sweep a ride and make sure everyone was gone and then could go home, anyone hanging around after park close would cause us to be pushed back at least 30 minutes. Having worked shifts well into 3am was consistent even if we were scheduled to eave at 2am. (and then closing shifts on extra magic hour nights would be scheduled til 4 or 5 am)

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This is a great point and one so many people dont understand or have any sensitivity about the people and staff that have to stay around as few inconsiderate people wander around. I know they are on vacation, they have spend a lot of money and they want to squeeze every moment out of their vacation but there is a line that is crossed when people lose compassion and understanding. Thanks for your post and I hope everyone takes note of it and thinks of this when they are one of the "last
" people in the parks.