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View Full Version : Why No "Magic Nights"?



Toocherie
07-25-2009, 08:23 AM
Ok, so I'm planning my next trip to WDW and looking at what the extra hours are (morning and evening) for folks staying on-site and started thinking about the fact that Disneyland has Magic Mornings but why doesn't offer extended hours in the evening? Is it just a logistics problem? I know that at WDW you have to show your room key card to get on rides during those extra evening hours --now that the same type of cards are used at the DLR hotels why couldn't the same be done here?

I'm normally a morning person but have to admit that hitting a park at 7 a.m. is just a little too much for me--I would like to stay late (and sleep in the next morning).

Has there ever been any talk about doing Magic Evening hours at Disneyland? I know that during the YOMD they had some special hours but they no longer offer those.

JoeCool
07-25-2009, 01:31 PM
Ok, so I'm planning my next trip to WDW and looking at what the extra hours are (morning and evening) for folks staying on-site and started thinking about the fact that Disneyland has Magic Mornings but why doesn't offer extended hours in the evening? Is it just a logistics problem? I know that at WDW you have to show your room key card to get on rides during those extra evening hours --now that the same type of cards are used at the DLR hotels why couldn't the same be done here?

I'm normally a morning person but have to admit that hitting a park at 7 a.m. is just a little too much for me--I would like to stay late (and sleep in the next morning).

Has there ever been any talk about doing Magic Evening hours at Disneyland? I know that during the YOMD they had some special hours but they no longer offer those.


I think the main reason is that Disneyland Resort Hotel guests (DLH, GC and PPH) get to enjoy Magic Morning during every day that Magic Morning is offered during the guests' stay. Currently Magic Morning is offered on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. I suggest you take a nap during the middle of the day and go to Magic Morning when it is available to you.
Also WDW has 4 parks and Disneyland Resort has two and DCA always closes earlier than DL and the crowds at DCA are less than 50% of the crowds that DL gets so maybe from a business standpoint, Extra Evening Hours could not be justified or profitable at this time.

Burnt Toast
07-25-2009, 02:39 PM
Just for clarification, the extended hours benefit at WDW is called "Extra Magic Hour(s)", not "Magic Nights".

Toocherie
07-25-2009, 03:20 PM
Just for clarification, the extended hours benefit at WDW is called "Extra Magic Hour(s)", not "Magic Nights".

I made up the name to mimic "Magic Mornings"--that's why I put it in quotes

Bytebear
07-25-2009, 05:51 PM
I think the park is so light at midnight, that they really wouldn't make a lot by keeing open any longer. If you stay until Midnight, the lines are already so light, I don't see a big advantage staying later. Maybe on the days they close at 10, but even then, I think if they had the crowds they would just keep the park open to everyone. It's just not economically feasible.

olegc
07-25-2009, 06:21 PM
IMHO they have Extra Magic at WDW because the parks were designed initially to close early - and after Pleasure Island was openned it really focused people to go there in the eveninings - so no need for late park openings. AFter a while the brought in EMHs to allow folks who were not interested in Pleasure Island to do something in the evening (and the demand obviously was there).

Disneyland did toy with this a little during YOMD by giving people extra time (a special tag) to come back and stay in the park. However, this would only work in off - peak times when the park is closed at 8 or 10 pm. When the park is open until 12 am they need some time to restock and restore the park before the next morning.

remember - a long time ago DIsneyland was closed one day a week (I think it was monday or tuesday) in order to give them a full days maintenance. Alas - the bean counters wanted more revenue and pushed the upkeep to off hours. And now - you have scaffolding and tarps. SHow? what's that.

And remember the private parties? Hughes Aircraft, Grocery unions, etc. - all because the park closed early (used to be 6pm a long time ago). These days - it costs way too much to do that for a company so you don't see it as often - and the park is open more to the general public.

I think they could do this with DCA- but only after some of the new attractions come in. And - remember the total allocation of hotel rooms on Disney property in Florida is immense compared to Anaheim. I doubt they would give free admission to Good Neighbor hotel guests and there just are not enough guests in Disney hotels in Anaheim to justify an extended opening.

AnotherJenny
07-25-2009, 10:33 PM
Although I honestly believe the demand just isn't there for DL, there is probably also an issue with overtime pay.

In California non-exempt employees make overtime after 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. In many states it is just 40 hours per week.

MammaSilva
07-26-2009, 10:31 AM
Actually, not so very very long ago Disneyland used to stay open until 1am so if they wanted to offer a special after hours event all they have to do is schedule the CM's accordingly to avoid overtime.

Toocherie
07-26-2009, 11:47 AM
Although I honestly believe the demand just isn't there for DL, there is probably also an issue with overtime pay.

In California non-exempt employees make overtime after 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. In many states it is just 40 hours per week.


Actually, not so very very long ago Disneyland used to stay open until 1am so if they wanted to offer a special after hours event all they have to do is schedule the CM's accordingly to avoid overtime.

They have the same issues with opening an hour early; like MamaSilva said they could schedule workshifts to avoid this. My point was instead of four days of Magic Mornings, why not make one "Magic Night" and three Magic Mornings to accommodate those who are late stayer-uppers rather than early risers. The only reason I could think of was the logistical difference--that in the morning there is no one in the park--so it's easier to control who comes in--rather than in the evening when it might be harder to differentiate between those who are entitled to the Magic Night and those who are just hanging out.

Darkbeer
07-26-2009, 12:08 PM
Also, there is a BIG difference between Anaheim and Orlando.

Anaheim has a LOT less Disney owned Hotel rooms, and there are a lot of evening options, not just on property, but also right off property.

Disney's "Magic Morning" is actually an official event run and hosted by "The Walt Disney Travel Company", and is designed to sell multi-day ParkHoppers and packages that include many non-Disney owned "Good Neighbor" Hotels. The "budget" for Magic Mornings comes from WDTC, and not Disney Parks and Hotels.

Call any of the three Disney owned hotels (GCH, DLH, PCH) and ask if you get Magic Morning entry if you stay there, and they will say No. And the reason why is that the WDTC and the Hotels have reached an agreement, ONLY the WDTC can advertise and promote the Magic Morning Feature, and nowhere in the Disney Hotel flyers or anywhere else promoting a "direct" hotel booking can they mention the feature. But once you check into the hotel, then it can be mentioned. (Weird, but true...)

So basically the WDTC is being nice to the Disney Hotel division, but still protecting the promotion they pay for and use to promote booking through WDTC.

And the cheapest and easiest way to offer and control the Magic Morning promotion is in the morning, and not deal with wristbands or Hotel Room Keys, because there is no clear way to prove that you are not staying at a "Good Neighbor" hotel. Heck, if you see the ParkHopper Plus tickets that allow Early Entry, it is at the bottom of the ParkHopper in very fine print.

So just thank your lucky stars that you get Magic Morning Entry with a Disney Owned Hotel stay, as it is NOT their feature, but a way to help sell Multi-Day ParkHoppers and Vacation Packages sold by the Walt Disney Travel Company.

Malcon10t
07-26-2009, 12:28 PM
ONLY the WDTC can advertise and promote the Magic Morning Feature, and nowhere in the Disney Hotel flyers or anywhere else promoting a "direct" hotel booking can they mention the feature. But once you check into the hotel, then it can be mentioned. (Weird, but true...)Which is why they will remind you this offer is temporary and can be canceled at any time. It has been "temporary" since 2005 now.

Toocherie
07-27-2009, 04:23 PM
So just thank your lucky stars that you get Magic Morning Entry with a Disney Owned Hotel stay, as it is NOT their feature, but a way to help sell Multi-Day ParkHoppers and Vacation Packages sold by the Walt Disney Travel Company.

Understood--and curious. So are the Extra Magic Hours in Orlando a function of the parks group or a function of WDTC?