News Round Up 2021

[tlmadden73]

DO we think ME just be replaced by a PAID version instead of a complimentary version? I am sure there would still be people willing to pay Disney directly for direct transport from the airport (considering you'll be paying for some form of transport anyway (like Uber, taxi, rent a car, bus, etc.)

Never used it .. (being a 9 hour drive away), but it was very helpful for when my parents flew down and met us . they didn't have to deal with the stress or hassle of getting their own transportation.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

This is a great resort perk -- WAY better (due to flexibility) than EMH. I never liked EMH .. because I could hardly ever use it .. it was so limited (to the point it was hard to align your park days to use it even just once during a week long stay).

This is amazing .. I mean opening the parks 30 minutes early isn't a big deal .. Disney did that a lot anyway if it was getting too crowded at the gates. This just makes it official. And if they keep the somewhat reduced hours, it won't even cost them extra money for labor (compared to the old EMH days).

Plus it spreads out the resort guests between all four parks rather than sending all resort guests (that want to go early) to a single park.

good point about impact on planning - I know when we would plan our trips I would have on my spreadsheet which parks had which EMHs on what days, and when staying on property tried to align our days for the parks with the perk and when staying off property would try to avoid those parks on their EMH days ... now that doesn't come in to play and gives much more flexibility

 

[TheMaxRebo]

DO we think ME just be replaced by a PAID version instead of a complimentary version? I am sure there would still be people willing to pay Disney directly for direct transport from the airport (considering you'll be paying for some form of transport anyway (like Uber, taxi, rent a car, bus, etc.)

Never used it .. (being a 9 hour drive away), but it was very helpful for when my parents flew down and met us . they didn't have to deal with the stress or hassle of getting their own transportation.

Maybe just they bring back Minnie Vans and you can pay that way?

I wonder when the train from MCO to Disney Springs comes they at least could have the luggage option that could get your bags from the station at Disney Springs to your hotel automatically at least

 

[FrankieWinthrop]

Disney Confirms ‘Resort Guest Early Entry’ Replacing Extra Magic Hours

"Disney also announced a new early theme park entry offering for hotel guests that will debut later this year. The new perk will allow Disney hotel guests to enter any of the four theme parks 30 minutes early each day.

The new early theme park entry benefit helps us better spread visitation across all four theme parks, while providing added flexibility by giving guests extra early park time on each day of their vacation and in the park of their choosing," Disney said in a statement.

Lots of news today!

I think this stinks. For off-property folks like us, that means rope drop is no more. With early riser little kids, we'd get there and knock out several things before others woke up. Now, what's the use? Just another reason why our current APs will be the last ones we have for a while.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I think this stinks. For off-property folks like us, that means rope drop is no more. With early riser little kids, we'd get there and knock out several things before others woke up. Now, what's the use? Just another reason why our current APs will be the last ones we have for a while.

yeah, we stay off property quite often too and this definitely stinks for folks that do - but at the same time, I get providing a perk to those paying to stay on site

If it turns out to only be for select attractions/lands then I could see "regular" rope drop still exisiting, but for other parts of the parks

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

There were only 2 reasons why my husband and I would have really chosen to stay on-site again on the next trip: EMH and FP+ @60 days.

30mins early may be nice at times but it was really the nighttime hours that allowed us a lot of park maximization in time. I know though for a lot of repeat visitors they just didn't use EMH the same that we did in fact actively avoiding it. For us it was one of the best things about our trip (along with 60 days) in 2017 and I specifically planned our park days to utilize it. It was how we would get 14+ hours in the parks.

Who knows what will happen with FP in the future.

While I was only able to take advantage of EMH and FP+ @ 60 days one time I'm sure glad we were able to in 2017 during Irma.

I suspect for a lot of people here on the Boards DME loss is a large blow for us we would have never used it. For me the EMH loss is a large blow even though it's partially being swapped out for less time in the mornings only.

Having said all that it's still possible we'd stay at the Disney Springs hotels because of what hotel brands are there but it depends on price. We'd still split time with USO.

 

[CastAStone]

DO we think ME just be replaced by a PAID version instead of a complimentary version? I am sure there would still be people willing to pay Disney directly for direct transport from the airport (considering you'll be paying for some form of transport anyway (like Uber, taxi, rent a car, bus, etc.)

That’s what I would expect.

 

[CastAStone]

Disney Confirms ‘Resort Guest Early Entry’ Replacing Extra Magic Hours

"Disney also announced a new early theme park entry offering for hotel guests that will debut later this year. The new perk will allow Disney hotel guests to enter any of the four theme parks 30 minutes early each day.

The new early theme park entry benefit helps us better spread visitation across all four theme parks, while providing added flexibility by giving guests extra early park time on each day of their vacation and in the park of their choosing," Disney said in a statement.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1348675968928509955

Lots of news today!

I wonder if this come from how well Extra Extra Magic Hours dispersed crowds after SWGE opened. I think this is smart for Disney and probably increases the utility of early entry on the whole.

Huge bummer to lose evening EMH though.

 

[tlmadden73]

Disney Confirms ‘Resort Guest Early Entry’ Replacing Extra Magic Hours

So .. I think this helps make my decision to cancel my upcoming trip in two weeks. Even though Ratatouille MAY open before end of January, I just don't feel there is still enough "Magic" in my happy place to warrant going right now (at least with the full family). (I also want this as an escape and don't want to be reminded/worried at every corner to social distance/wear a mask .. while I can handle it .. worrying if the KIDS are complying just adds more stress to a vacation).

But things like this announced for coming LATER this year .. definitely make we want to just continue to wait until maybe Spring, Summer or definitely Fall 2021 to go again and start an AP year with a new perk like this.

Plus my wife told me she has a conference tentatively scheduled for mid-July in Orlando and maybe we can combo a trip with that (especially if using APs). While more magical things (like ME) is going away (and I expect more as Disney continues to cut costs as much as they can in 2021, I don't want to rush into a trip now and potentially "waste" my current tickets when things I want to do (like M&Gs) are just not happening and won't happen for a while.

 

[MissGina5]

I wonder if this come from how well Extra Extra Magic Hours dispersed crowds after SWGE opened. I think this is smart for Disney and probably increases the utility of early entry on the whole.

Huge bummer to lose evening EMH though.

do we know for sure if this means evening EMH is going away?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I wonder if this come from how well Extra Extra Magic Hours dispersed crowds after SWGE opened. I think this is smart for Disney and probably increases the utility of early entry on the whole.

Huge bummer to lose evening EMH though.

yeah, evening EMHs were always nice

Wonder if they will (eventually) have more paid evening hard ticket events?

 

[myth2001]

"Additionally, complimentary transportation options – such as buses, monorails and Disney Skyliner – will continue to be available within Walt Disney World Resort for Disney Resort hotel guests, including to and from all four theme parks. "

Wonder if that means something different for offsite guests ...

 

[Gusey]

I think this stinks. For off-property folks like us, that means rope drop is no more. With early riser little kids, we'd get there and knock out several things before others woke up. Now, what's the use? Just another reason why our current APs will be the last ones we have for a while.

I wonder if it'll be like what they do at Disneyland Paris (resort guests get early access to select attractions, mainly Fantasyland and Discoveryland, then a rope drop for everybody at park opening for everyone. Still good for resort guests as you get a lot done w/out crowds but still not affecting other guests)

 

[TheMaxRebo]

do we know for sure if this means evening EMH is going away?

per this tweet, Disney has stated that EMH will not return

https://twitter.com/x/status/1348676592176918531

 

[Capang]

"Additionally, complimentary transportation options – such as buses, monorails and Disney Skyliner – will continue to be available within Walt Disney World Resort for Disney Resort hotel guests, including to and from all four theme parks. "

Wonder if that means something different for offsite guests ...

That's not a change. That transportation was always intended for resort guests. Others use it to get back and forth to ADRs and such, but it isn't a change in any way.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Wonder if they will (eventually) have more paid evening hard ticket events?

They could give onsite guests a discount on after hour events.

 

[Pens Fan]

That’s what I would expect.

If Disney doesn't offer a paid version, I'm thinking it's a pretty safe bet that Mears will.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

This is a great resort perk -- WAY better (due to flexibility) than EMH. I never liked EMH .. because I could hardly ever use it .. it was so limited (to the point it was hard to align your park days to use it even just once during a week long stay).

This is amazing .. I mean opening the parks 30 minutes early isn't a big deal .. Disney did that a lot anyway if it was getting too crowded at the gates. This just makes it official. And if they keep the somewhat reduced hours, it won't even cost them extra money for labor (compared to the old EMH days).

Plus it spreads out the resort guests between all four parks rather than sending all resort guests (that want to go early) to a single park.

I think this stinks. For off-property folks like us, that means rope drop is no more. With early riser little kids, we'd get there and knock out several things before others woke up. Now, what's the use? Just another reason why our current APs will be the last ones we have for a while.

I agree and I think it's financially driven. 30 minutes early entry is all about "bank for their buck" I think. Look at it this way... 30 mins early, every park, every day for resort guests. This costs Disney VERY little vs. the old EMHs system. BUT it gives resort guests HUGE priority to headliner attractions. IF you couldn't score a FP for 7DMT or FoP, the advice was go to that park super early on a non EMH day. Guess what... not an option under this system. This REALLY hurts off-site folks in that regard at a minimal cost to Disney.

EDIT: Saw my "bank for their buck" typo but I'm leaving it. I think it really hits the nail on the head...

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

If Disney doesn't offer a paid version, I thinking it's a pretty safe bet that Mears will.

BUT will it include the luggage component? That's always been the biggest draw of DME to me... If they can coordinate that, I'd be interested.

 

[Pens Fan]

BUT will it include the luggage component? That's always been the biggest draw of DME to me... If they can coordinate that, I'd be interested.

Good question. Time will tell, but considering Disney already stopped that (under the guise of Covid precautions), I wouldn't hold my breath.