Schedule Changes For January 19th (Obama visit)

[DizneyFreak2002]

Haven't seen this posted here yet, figured I'd let you all know...

On Thursday, January 19th, Disney changed some of the times around for the parks and some of the entertainment...

According to reports on Twitter and other areas on the internet, the 3:00 parade at MK has been changed to 3:30 and DHS has scheduled "Rock The Night Fireworks Spectacular" at 7:00 on Thursday...

EDIT: Extra Magic Hours have been changed too.. Epcot and DHS will now host evening EMH and not Magic Kingdom...

Also, Disney has cancelled a major convention that was due to be held in the Resort on Thursday, and some of the Disney top management will be on hand.. a swarm of media trucks is expected as well...

People have been thinking this is due to President Obama being in Orlando that day, but he is scheduled to be in NYC for two fund raisers and will not be in WDW at the time of these event changes...

So, if you are due to be in WDW on Thursday, just be aware of the media circus potential and schedule changes...

[MizMissy]

Fireworks at DHS??

EPCOT and DHS both having EMH on the same evening?

These things seem very out of the ordinary. Are they closing MK that evening?

[IamaDisneyFan]

Last Updated: Tuesday, January 17, 2012 11:26 AM
2

LAKE BUENA VISTA --
News 13 has confirmed President Obama will visit Disney World on his planned Orlando trip on Thursday.

A White House official said:


On Thursday, the President will travel to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, where he’ll unveil a strategy that will significantly help boost tourism and travel, an important sector in the U.S. economy. The action will be taken as part of the President’s “We Can’t Wait” agenda of executive actions that will aid job growth and don’t require congressional approval.

The president's last visit to Orlando was in October for a fundraiser. He also stopped by a downtown Orlando bar for a pint of Guinness.

[DizneyFreak2002]

President Obama will be giving a speech inside the MK on Thursday... Seems as if Main Street U.S.A. will be closed most of the day...

[DizneyRox]

Might want to travel without any bags to the parks that day. Sounds like the bag checks will be a little more thorough that day.

[brad192]

Not that it would ever happen, but can't you just picture the ride photo of the President & a log full of dark suited, sunglass wearing Secret Service agents on Splash?

[Melanie]

Really debating whether to go see the rare DHS fireworks display on Thursday. What to do, what to do?

Are the fireworks just a tactic to pull folks into parks other than MK that day? These fireworks will be hours (and hours) after the President's speech.

[HackLaSalle]

Not that it would ever happen, but can't you just picture the ride photo of the President & a log full of dark suited, sunglass wearing Secret Service agents on Splash?

Awesome! maybe he can name stitch an enemy combatant and shut down his "great escape"

[DizneyFreak2002]

Really debating whether to go see the rare DHS fireworks display on Thursday. What to do, what to do?

Are the fireworks just a tactic to pull folks into parks other than MK that day? These fireworks will be hours (and hours) after the President's speech.

I'm sure it is a tactic... But also an entertainment offering.. Isn't Fantasmic closed for refurb or is that in February??? if they are encouraging people to stay away from MK that morning into afternoon, then the least they could do is offer additional entertainment LOL....

[seanyred]

DHS and EPCOT will both have Evening EMH Thursday night. DHS will be open till 10pm and EPCOT will be open till 12am. Plus AK has added morning EMH for the same day. I think the message is clear...stay away, stay away!

[MizMissy]

DHS and EPCOT will both have Evening EMH Thursday night. DHS will be open till 10pm and EPCOT will be open till 12am. Plus AK has added morning EMH for the same day. I think the message is clear...stay away, stay away!

And the message I would hear would be ... GO, GO, GO ... it shouldn't be crowded with everyone else going to the other parks!

To Melanie - you should definitely go see the fireworks at DHS! It may be crowded, but unlike Fantasmic, at least you don't have to fight for a seat. Although, since it is rare, I guess they would have to give some hint to folks for the best viewing spots??

[JohnnyNovo]

Great. Tomorrow will be our first day there. The kids always like to go to MK first. Now Im torn!!!!

[waymickey]

Not that it would ever happen, but can't you just picture the ride photo of the President & a log full of dark suited, sunglass wearing Secret Service agents on Splash?

[Patricia]

JohnnyNovo:
Personally, I'd avoid MK in the morning. It'll be a security nightmare. Can you imagine??

Obama isn't supposed to be there all day, only till around 2ish. Note, he isn't bringing his family, this is an official visit. I would move over there later in the day if your kids still want to go. Main Street will be opened for the 3:30 Parade.

edit: If you're driving in the area expect road closures and traffic delays as well. You will enter the park through backstage as Main Street will be closed. All ADR's at Tony's are being cancelled.

On the upside there are a couple of Dance Parties being added..
Two entertainment additions have been made to the Magic Kingdom schedule for Thursday January 19. Club 626 Dance Party in Tomorrowland from 9am to 5pm and the Toy Story Diamond Horseshoe Dance Party from 10am to 6pm.

[Magic Fanatic]

President Obama is coming to Orlando. He is going to give a speech on tourism from Main Street, USA in the heard of Walt Disney World. In order to give this speech on tourism, Main Street, USA is going to be closed to tourists. Have I missed anything?

The President has no problem inconvienincing thousands of visitors to Disney World in the process. Families save thousands to afford these trips only to have the heart of Disney World shut down for someone's ego. I have no idea what time this "speech" is scheduled for, but you can bet that with pre-security screenings that this will be a colossal mess.

Now before anyone one starts slamming me as being anti-Obama, don't bother. I don't care who the president is or what party he is affiliated with. This is just a poor decision that will inconvenience many people that have planned trips to Disney World.

http://www.wesh.com/r/30235520/detail.html

[kcrc]

JohnnyNovo:
All ADR's at Tony's are being cancelled.

Hopefully Disney has helped out the folks that have suddenly lost their reservations. Since this was such a last minute notice, wonder how they were notified?

[brivers222]

Hopefully Disney has helped out the folks that have suddenly lost their reservations. Since this was such a last minute notice, wonder how they were notified?

my guess is you figure it out when you are turned away before being allowed into the park.

[Magic Fanatic]

At least four previous presidents have visited Disney World in the past and never has their presense created such an inconvenience on paying customers. If Main Street is going to be deemed closed, then exactly who is he going to be speaking to (besides television cameras)?

[JohnnyNovo]

Hmm, well our plane dosent land at MCO until 10:30. So we wouldnt be in the parks before noon anyway. We might just go and give it a try. We'll see what the wife says.

[MizMissy]

Hopefully Disney has helped out the folks that have suddenly lost their reservations. Since this was such a last minute notice, wonder how they were notified?

We had reservations for Japan for a trip several years ago and, at the time I made our reservations, the restuarant was closed for renovations but was scheduled to be open when we arrived. A couple weeks before our trip, Disney called me to say that our restuarant would not be available and worked with me on rescheduling. We ended up with a Le Cellier dinner reservation (an impossible find at the time because it was still 1 TS) and they gave us vouchers for VIP Illuminations viewing access.