That last part really highlights where they make a lot of their profits.
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News Walt Disney World Adds Water Park Perk for 2025 Resort Guests
- Thread starter DCBaker
- Start date
Tom P.
Well-Known Member
Food and beverage has always been a major source of profits for all theme parks and amusement parks. It's a core piece of the business.
I don't see the issue here, though. Disney is offering something that draws people to book their resorts and potentially drive some more food and beverage revenue, while the guests get a tangible benefit that they would have had to pay for otherwise and which guests, based on the response so far, seem to want. Seems like a legitimate win-win to me.
WorldExplorer
Well-Known Member
Not to sound like a broken record, but they really should fix their menus, especially with such huge crowds. I've never had so many problems anywhere else on property.
Imagine the place is packed beyond belief, you mobile ordered to skip the line, probably needing to wait somewhere else for a while until your time came up (since it's busy), then when you get your food you're told the item on their menu and mobile ordering service is actually not available and you need to go to a different location to get it (they can't communicate; you either need to accept a different food item or get a refund and head over there).
This other location has mobile order but you can't use it to get this item, even though it's just a premade salad they have in the fridge. So you need to wait in the line.
And why can't I order the macaroni and cheese hot dog from Avalunch on mobile order? The other hot dogs are there.
And I still do not understand the mythical Baked Alaska. Why is it there? When was this thing orderable?
Imagine the place is packed beyond belief, you mobile ordered to skip the line, probably needing to wait somewhere else for a while until your time came up (since it's busy), then when you get your food you're told the item on their menu and mobile ordering service is actually not available and you need to go to a different location to get it (they can't communicate; you either need to accept a different food item or get a refund and head over there).
This other location has mobile order but you can't use it to get this item, even though it's just a premade salad they have in the fridge. So you need to wait in the line.
And why can't I order the macaroni and cheese hot dog from Avalunch on mobile order? The other hot dogs are there.
And I still do not understand the mythical Baked Alaska. Why is it there? When was this thing orderable?
Tom P.
Well-Known Member
Wow. Did they really offer Baked Alaska at some point? Seems an awfully heavy dessert for a water park lunch.
WorldExplorer
Well-Known Member
It's on the Lottawotta Lodge menu on the app. They added it around last November, but if you ask about it they just say they don't serve it and I cannot find any indication online that anyone has ever managed to get it; the sole reference to it outside of the menu is one person who recorded it being added to the menu.
I've heard it might be that you can only order it if you booked a Polar Patio, but if that's the case Disney should really make that clearer. Nowhere I can find makes that connection, so how am I supposed to be enticed? And can people who don't have Polar Patios get some warning the item not marked on the menu as requiring a huge upcharge does so (again, presuming it's true)?
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DisneyFanatic12
Well-Known Member
I never understand this, I’ve ordered it through mobile order a couple times, but then it’s not available other times. They seem to be running low on Mac and Cheese quite a bit when I’m there, so maybe they make it unavailable to “soften demand”? I don’t know for sure, but it’s odd.
Side note related to that, did you get the Mac and Cheese hotdog while you were there recently? With so many resorts seeming to switch out their “usual” Mac and Cheese for a new type (Velveeta-esc taste, but not very good IMO), I’m worried that they’ll be switching Mac and Cheese at Avalunch soon too.
And then in relation to the rest of your post, they do have a lot of inconsistency. Even at other places around WDW it’s pretty bad sometimes.
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castlecake2.0
Well-Known Member
Items can be turned off instantly from mobile order, they will do this when they are getting low on something or if something in the operation is not at 100% and making an item take longer to produce.
WorldExplorer
Well-Known Member
Sorry, I can't help with that, I didn't get it. Hopefully not.
JD80
Well-Known Member
I half think this may become a new bubble perk. There any hints this may continue next year?
mattpeto
Well-Known Member
I'm about 50/50 of it happening. I hope it sticks around, especially if both water parks will be operational.
Feel like they are stalling a bit with the 2026 calendar. It seemed like June has been typically been the month that rolled the bookings forward, but least year it was February and that's when they announced the water park perk and the rest of the post Covid perks were remaining.
Here's hoping they are working hard with Mears and the bags company before they announce anything.
Disone
Well-Known Member
I agree. It's not because of Epic opening but a cheap way to "add value" to the Disney Resorts and drive revenue.....agree
Disone
Well-Known Member
Asd value to the Disney resort stay and drive revenue increase but not in any way a response to Epic opening.Exactly why do you think they added that perk?
Ayla
Well-Known Member
Sure.
Disone
Well-Known Member
Not sure why you discount that. They already announced that Blizzard Beach was going to close and then changed their course on that. I guess you could assume they changed due to epic opening, something we've known about for years.Sure.
OR they changed their mind because they realized they were leaving money on the table with how busy the water park was due to the new resort benefit being in play.
I just don't think there's a world where opening both water parks is the official strategy to combating the opening of Universal Epic Universe. But that's just me. You do you.
LSLS
Well-Known Member
Eh, I think Epic is a large part of it, even in a round about way. They always expected Epic was going to be a net positive for them in that more people would come down and spend at least some time at Disney. I think they've seen their summer numbers are way worse than even in their nightmare scenarios, and they are throwing anything they can to get people to spend at least some time at the park.
Disone
Well-Known Member
I don't. They're closing it in September. This is not part of their strategy against epic. It's just to get through the summer crowds for the water parks.
LSLS
Well-Known Member
So you think despite them needing to discount rooms under $100 a night over the summer, they are anticipating crowds so large they will need both parks open? Something they didn't feel needed for Spring Break crowds?
DisneyFanatic12
Well-Known Member
Here’s the way that I see it…
Free waterpark perk? Response to the low bookings from Epic Universe (and to get people to start going to the waterparks again)
Two waterparks being open? Response to Blizzard Beach closing frequently to capacity (and finally being able to find enough cast, although staffing will still be a challenge)
No, I don’t think Disney saw Epic Universe opening and said “You know what’ll get people over to WDW? Both waterparks being open!”. I think they’re opening both because the perk brought in too many people and made the experience at the waterparks worse. Is it indirectly a response to Epic Universe? Yes, but it’s not like it’s a direct response.
Free waterpark perk? Response to the low bookings from Epic Universe (and to get people to start going to the waterparks again)
Two waterparks being open? Response to Blizzard Beach closing frequently to capacity (and finally being able to find enough cast, although staffing will still be a challenge)
No, I don’t think Disney saw Epic Universe opening and said “You know what’ll get people over to WDW? Both waterparks being open!”. I think they’re opening both because the perk brought in too many people and made the experience at the waterparks worse. Is it indirectly a response to Epic Universe? Yes, but it’s not like it’s a direct response.
plutofan15
Well-Known Member
Staffing, qualified lifeguards especially, is a big issue in the spring and fall when colleges/schools are back in session.
Epcot82Guy
Well-Known Member
If I were to bet, I think they are representative of the same things. I don't think Epic is getting the numbers hoped - though the feedback is pretty positive, so that will likely spell a longer-term upward trend. Disney, like Universal, is not seeing the bookings they need - so this is a fairly aggressive perk in an underutilized asset. I do agree they probably saw a bigger response than they expected, and that is driving this. The question is whether it is driving additional room inventory use (the likely goal) or just cannibalizing what would otherwise be bodies at Disney Springs, hotel restaurants or - a good chunk - just hanging out at the hotel/hotel pool.
I think it's a good idea on Disney's part. I just wonder if it is driving additional numbers or just adding to potential guest satisfaction.
I think it's a good idea on Disney's part. I just wonder if it is driving additional numbers or just adding to potential guest satisfaction.