On layoffs, very bad attendance, and Iger's legacy being one of disgrace

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
I'd put money down on Nintendo coming to USF by 2023.
So essentially Epic Universe's parts being scrapped for smaller additions to existing parks?
That was the plan for a long time. I’m sure Comcast wishes they had the land behind MIB/Fear Factor back that GE sold before HP opened.

Indeed, months ago our insiders were talking about a Plan B to put the UEU attractions in UO if UEU was delayed or cancelled.
 

Piebald

Well-Known Member
We'll have to agree to disagree about the quality of food at WDW.

Also, you're horribly wrong. ;)
Srsly? The food at Disney is not bad. Is it overpriced? Yes. Is it the absolute best? No. But unless you're just eating cheeseburgers or Turkey legs I'm not sure what you consider to be so bad there that it falls to Seaworld/Universal levels.

My only issue is the food isnt consistent. MKs food choices are meh, but Animal Kingdom is significantly better.
 

Brer Oswald

Well-Known Member
I’d imagine there’s a date on the current version of SNW. It’s based on a very specific style of Mario that was modern when the land was planned, but is no longer the current direction of the series. Not to mention that the Mario Kart Ride is entirely composed of tracks from 8, and there’s allegedly a new game that was supposed to come out this year, but got delayed a year or two.

Not that casuals particularly care. The overall theme is generic enough. But there’s just enough details to date it to 2013-2015. The sooner it opens the better for them.
 

pheneix

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Some elaboration on Universal rumors:

Sounds like *something* is going down in UC over Epic Universe this afternoon. Given that all indications are that the project is toast and most ppl were laid off anyway..... I hesitate to speculate but I assume the worst.

On the same topic, I am also heating that *deep* layoffs are going to occur at Universal Orlando in the near future. This is in addition to actions already taken a couple weeks ago (was it longer? 2020 is brutal for comprehending passage of time). There are some attraction closures coming in the near future but those seem to be unrelated to layoff action (can't find hourly staff to run them).
 

pheneix

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
It’s not a lack of staff. I was just talking to two of them.

Ahhh interesting. Word going around is so many staff is going home due to COVID scares that attractions is having a time of it.

Having said that, I do note that basically every attraction listed uses live entertainment. And they're all seemingly closing at once.

The same live entertainment department that just had HHN cancelled on them. And the prospect of a bare bones Christmas season. And huge question marks over spring events. And all the park buyouts and convention business are goners.

What I'm basically saying is that its gonna be a very heartbreaking week in Orlando for live performers.
 

MrPromey

Well-Known Member
The people that say the food is bad at Disney all have the same thing in common - they ate at Cosmic Ray's and other equivalent generic quick service options and never tried anything better.

Ok, yes, some of the full service restaurants are also bad, but most are fine, and many are excellent.

I've had plenty over property but you're kind of right - my main gripes are with the fast service and the fast service offered at Magic Kingdom (in particular), Hollywood Studios and most of Epcot.

The MK though, being the busiest theme park in the world feels like a place that, for the type of people they want to have there, and for what they charge for the food, should be providing something better than they are - both in food and overall experience - especially when reservations are so hard to come by for table service.
 
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TheDisneyDaysOfOurLives

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
It’s not a lack of staff. I was just talking to two of them.

Exactly. It's taking into account the low guest attendance counts and the amount of staffing required for the attractions. Kang & Kodos and Storm Force surprise me, but that's a good chunk of savings each month to not operate, maintain, etc on an ongoing basis that don't really move the meter in terms of satisfaction numbers or ridership numbers. Really feeling for those at UO (workers), of which I know quite a few and my heart goes out to them. Having been at UO before at HP as a worker, I'm sure it's feeling like those days all over again.

Nothing is more exciting than spinning up a Kidzone is closing after New Years rumour for the 7th (10th?) year in a row.

Has anything survived as long as Kidzone considering the rides over there and the number of rumors?
 

TheDisneyDaysOfOurLives

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
Ahhh interesting. Word going around is so many staff is going home due to COVID scares that attractions is having a time of it.

Having said that, I do note that basically every attraction listed uses live entertainment. And they're all seemingly closing at once.

The same live entertainment department that just had HHN cancelled on them. And the prospect of a bare bones Christmas season. And huge question marks over spring events. And all the park buyouts and convention business are goners.

What I'm basically saying is that its gonna be a very heartbreaking week in Orlando for live performers.

Storm Force and Kang & Kodos have no live entertainment, but the rest do. That entertainment department is going to be a skeleton crew for a long time, sadly.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Ahhh interesting. Word going around is so many staff is going home due to COVID scares that attractions is having a time of it.

Having said that, I do note that basically every attraction listed uses live entertainment. And they're all seemingly closing at once.

The same live entertainment department that just had HHN cancelled on them. And the prospect of a bare bones Christmas season. And huge question marks over spring events. And all the park buyouts and convention business are goners.

What I'm basically saying is that its gonna be a very heartbreaking week in Orlando for live performers.
It seems to be more cost of upkeep vs cost of running vs popularity vs ease of operating safely. The latter is trumping the others in several cases.

Not to say there isn’t heartbreak happening and to happen.
 

Piebald

Well-Known Member
Ahhh interesting. Word going around is so many staff is going home due to COVID scares that attractions is having a time of it.

Having said that, I do note that basically every attraction listed uses live entertainment. And they're all seemingly closing at once.

The same live entertainment department that just had HHN cancelled on them. And the prospect of a bare bones Christmas season. And huge question marks over spring events. And all the park buyouts and convention business are goners.

What I'm basically saying is that its gonna be a very heartbreaking week in Orlando for live performers.
Just drove by a food drive specifically for theme park employees and entertainers here in Orlando so...not good
 

MrPromey

Well-Known Member
1) I actually like Cosmic Ray’s
2) Yes, it’s dumb to eat fast food and Starbucks, in general, at WDW. You can get that on the street for 1/2.

Dumb? What are the alternatives you suggest for a semi-local with an AP going with kids? Lose a few hours of the day leaving property and coming back? Packing uncrustables? Start booking ADRs half a year in advance randomly to deal with that mess?

I'd be happy to spend more time at the better restaurants but they've made that hard to the point of nearly impossible over the last decade or so for anyone not making lunch/dinner plans half a year ahead of time.
 

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
Exactly. It's taking into account the low guest attendance counts and the amount of staffing required for the attractions. Kang & Kodos and Storm Force surprise me, but that's a good chunk of savings each month to not operate, maintain, etc on an ongoing basis that don't really move the meter in terms of satisfaction numbers or ridership numbers. Really feeling for those at UO (workers), of which I know quite a few and my heart goes out to them. Having been at UO before at HP as a worker, I'm sure it's feeling like those days all over again.



Has anything survived as long as Kidzone considering the rides over there and the number of rumors?

I would have guessed that the reason for Kang and Storm closing down is because they're not getting a lot of children in the park.

But then Kidzone lives on...
 

Piebald

Well-Known Member
I've had plenty over property but you're kind of right - my main gripes are with the fast service and the fast service offered at Magic Kingdom (in particular), Hollywood Studios and most of Epcot.

The MK in particular though, being the busiest theme park in the world feels like a place that, for the type of people they want to have there, and for what they charge for the food, should be providing something better than they are - both in food and overal experience - especially when reservations are so hard to come by for table service.
Yeah Cosmic Ray's is not great. But Satuli Canteen is decent as are most of the options at AK, Epcot and HS. Some of the resort restaurants I'd rank on a top list of restaurants in town, let alone just the resort. Jiko, Yachtsmans Steakhouse, California Grill...all good stuff. UO has nothing even comparable. The best food at Citywalk IMO is Red Oven Pizza. It's actually decently priced and not bad.

Some places shine and some dont but overall the food at Disney is way way better. If we have friends in town we dont mind eating on Disney property but if we go to UO we just starve until leaving early and find dinner outside the park. Surprisingly, however, Volcano Bay has pretty good food especially for a water park.
 

brb1006

Well-Known Member
I'm only here to beat Iger's *** for ****ing up my company!
450

"Your company? That should had been my company!"
 

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