Earlier this week, Walt Disney World introduced how the parks and resorts could be celebrating Independence Day. This included longer hours on July 3-4, in addition to a fireworks exhibits/tags at EPCOT and Magic Kingdom. The corporate has gone again and quietly edited that announcement to unextend hours and take away the bonus fireworks tag. Right here’s a fast rundown of what’s modified.
Let’s begin with the earlier than for Magic Kingdom: “At Magic Kingdom, you’ll be able to dance the night time away with DJs mixing tunes at a dance get together in entrance of Cinderella Citadel and all through the park throughout prolonged park hours: July 3, 8 a.m.-midnight; July 4, 8 a.m.-1 a.m.”
And after: “At Magic Kingdom, you’ll be able to dance the night time away with DJs mixing tunes at a dance get together in entrance of Cinderella Citadel and all through the park.”
In accordance with the official calendar on DisneyWorld.com, Magic Kingdom is scheduled to be open from 9 a.m. till 11 p.m. on July 3, with Prolonged Night Hours for eligible company from 11 p.m. till 1 a.m. The park will probably be open from 8 a.m. till 11 p.m. on July 4, 2024. Early Entry begins half-hour previous to the official opening occasions on each dates.
In fact, as we’ve seen from the above stealth edit (and simply the overall nature of park calendar updates), that is topic to alter. Normally, which means extensions of park hours–not reductions. On this case, I wouldn’t count on additional modifications. These hours are pretty lengthy in gentle of present crowd ranges–Independence Day will not be that busy of a vacation, traditionally.
Listed here are the modifications for EPCOT–earlier than: “Sensational patriotic fireworks show, “The Heartbeat of Freedom,” will comply with the brand new nighttime EPCOT fireworks present Luminous “The Symphony of Us.” Performances will happen July 3 and 4 at 9 p.m.”
And after: “Sensational patriotic fireworks show, “The Heartbeat of Freedom,” will comply with the brand new nighttime EPCOT fireworks present Luminous “The Symphony of Us.” Performances will happen July 4 at 9 p.m.” (Notice that the edit nonetheless retained the plural of performances. It’s really only a efficiency now, singular.)
No park hours modifications at EPCOT, which was all the time scheduled to be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. It’s been some time since we’ve seen any park hours extensions in anyway at EPCOT, so don’t count on any modifications there. That’s nonetheless kinda wild to me, as EPCOT is a well-liked spot for locals on holidays like this, and also you’d assume that the additional meals & beverage gross sales would greater than pay for one more hour of operations at night time. However there’s no pageant and this has been Walt Disney World’s strategy to EPCOT hours for some time now, so I suppose not.
The large disappointment right here is the lack of “The Heartbeat of Freedom” on July 3, 2024. This was fairly unprecedented (I believed possibly EPCOT did this throughout “Restricted Time Magic” again in 2013, however it seems not. We did get an excellent week of Independence Day fireworks at Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, although!)
In speaking to associates and fellow photographers, we couldn’t give you a time when EPCOT ever did this. If it had ever occurred up to now, it was earlier than our time. (Facet be aware: I actually hope Walt Disney World brings again one thing like “Restricted Time Magic” or “Yr of a Million Goals” or “Summer season Nightastic” for Summer season 2025. With nothing new on the horizon, these could be pretty stopgap occasions!)
Regardless, these bonus fireworks and park hours did appear a bit too good to be true. However then once more, Walt Disney World has began doing little issues to entice locals and Annual Passholders to go to the parks as pent-up demand exhausts itself, so I believed possibly this was one other occasion of that. I suppose not.
So what did occur that led to the elimination of those bulletins? A few of you is perhaps inclined to consider that the corporate learn our publish that was printed a number of hours later, Summer season (Nonetheless) Is NOT Excessive Crowds Season at Walt Disney World, and instantly realized that the parks aren’t really busy and these added hours or fireworks weren’t obligatory. I’m kidding, after all, however the timing is barely amusing.
Not solely that, however we now have seen feedback as a part of the web discourse that Walt Disney World made these “cuts” because of a softer summer season. That kind of factor is definitely doable and never unprecedented…however this isn’t how that will work. They wouldn’t make an announcement on Tuesday that applies ~2 weeks sooner or later, after which stroll it again 2 days later.
To no matter extent summer season is mushy, Walt Disney World already is aware of it–and knew it earlier this week. Their forecasting is barely extra subtle than that. They know what occupancy and attendance projections appear like months out. Disney isn’t infallible with these things–generally their forecast misses the mark–however it’s not the type of factor that modifications within the span of two days for two weeks sooner or later.
If present forecasts present a slowdown (they usually most likely do, as mentioned in our latest crowds report), we’ll quickly see new resort reductions for October by way of December, fewer park hours extensions in August and September, one other ticket deal for Fall 2024, and maybe one other wave of Free Eating and even one other spherical of V.I.PASSHOLDER Days. That’s the usual response to a slowdown…not this.
As for why Walt Disney World hit the “undo” button to unextend hours and delete the fireworks tag additional displaying…it’s most likely a traditional Disney goof-up. No nefarious clarification, ulterior motives, or enjoyable clarification. Most likely only one hand not realizing what the opposite was doing, or easy inside confusion.
At first I believed possibly the park hours factor was somebody mixing up common hours and Prolonged Night Hours, however that doesn’t actually make sense. Nor does a transcription error. So I’ve no clue how that occurred. With the “Heartbeat of Freedom” tag, my finest guess is that somebody noticed two exhibits for Magic Kingdom and assumed the identical for EPCOT. How errors like this get by way of given the entire eyes on these things is past me, however they do appear to occur.
In the end, simply needed to carry this all to your consideration as a result of I’m guessing I simply up to date our Information to July 4, 2024 at Walt Disney World, a lot of you’d’ve missed the modifications. In any case, when you learn it as soon as…why learn it once more? And since Disney itself introduced the additions however not the removals, you’re probably to not look again at their announcement once more, both.
So quite than having you present as much as EPCOT anticipating earthshaking fireworks on July 3, not seeing them, and cursing me out for “screwing up the schedule” consequently, I’m providing you with this heads up. I didn’t get something fallacious–Disney quietly modified it. Lastly, this could cement your technique/schedule–go to Magic Kingdom on July 3, 2024 and EPCOT on Independence Day. Identical as all the time.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Disenchanted that Disney eliminated the shock prolonged hours and unprecedented “Heartbeat of Freedom” tag? Or did you all the time suspect it was a goof-up? Have you ever ever visited Walt Disney World for the Fourth of July? Would you ever do it? Have any extra ideas for making probably the most out of the expertise, or concerning which fireworks exhibits to see? Do you agree or disagree with our recommendation? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
