A Spirited Perfect Ten

[PhotoDave219]

"And yet... and yet I wonder..."*

Would that make much difference? I understand the argument intellectually. Bring the other parks up to snuff and make it four equal(ish) experiences, rather than "Magic Kingdom plus those other three." But princesses are princesses and want to go where the princesses are, and that's the Magic Kingdom. Reading through some of the "trip advice" threads on this forum reveals people who go to the MK for four days and then skip DHS and/or DAK entirely. That goes beyond the issue of balance and become an issue of interest. Those seem like people who just prefer what the MK has to offer, regardless of quantity. Neither Avatar nor Marvel Land would seem to have much impact at drawing guests away from the MK, because the MK-heavy guest doesn't care about those types of attractions. Interestingly, one of the efforts likely to be successful at drawing some of the princess crowds out of Fantasyland and into Epcot is also one of the most decried efforts since the BAH (Frozestrom).

*"Like" to the first person who gets the quote.

I really think you're doing Kevin Spacey/House of Cards there.

 

[Katie G]

What's the solution to overcrowding at the Magic Kingdom? More attractions that add capacity will draw additional guests to eat up that capacity and then some. It's a catch-22.

A good first step would actually be a crackdown on Main Entrance Pass privileges for CPs, Seasonals, and part-timers. Let those people admit themselves but no guests unless they have a resort reservation. They don't spend any money on merchandise or F&B anyways, so what's there to lose?

CM are already blocked out from signing guests into MK almost half the year. And each year, the number of blockout dates increases for all the parks. Additionally, Part time, Seasonal and CPs can only sign guests in a limited number of times in a year. Every time I go to the parks and sign friends in, we spend plenty of money on F&B and Merchandise, we just don't pay admission. CMs in the parks as guests are not your crowding problem, as they are a very small % of daily attendance on busy days.

 

[ford91exploder]

I disagree. The drinks are really the attraction here. There are no shows, like the AdvClub (the most commonly cited comparison) or River Roost. If you aren't drinking--and into drinking--I don't know how much appeal more than 20 minutes here will have. Throw in the fact it's perceived as hard to get to, the high-even-for-WDW prices, and the no kids policy, and we're in new territory. No doubt this place will be packed out on Gay Day and Marathon Sunday, but on a random Tuesday? I'm not so sure.

Also I think you are confusing lifestylers with CPs/CMs, not that there isn't a fair amount of overlap. Probably fewer true lifestyles, but they have grown-up money, unlike CPs. But that's another discussion.

Your typical Lifestyler living in their parents basement does not HAVE the $52 bucks for a Nautilus bowl, The blogging for free Disney swag and meals will be there for the social media events. Beyond that how are you gonna sort the 'Paying Customers' from the Lifestylers, Hence the cover charge - perhaps credit it towards drinks over $24.95

 

[Funmeister]

I disagree. The drinks are really the attraction here. There are no shows, like the AdvClub (the most commonly cited comparison) or River Roost. If you aren't drinking--and into drinking--I don't know how much appeal more than 20 minutes here will have. Throw in the fact it's perceived as hard to get to, the high-even-for-WDW prices, and the no kids policy, and we're in new territory. No doubt this place will be packed out on Gay Day and Marathon Sunday, but on a random Tuesday? I'm not so sure.

Also I think you are confusing lifestylers with CPs/CMs, not that there isn't a fair amount of overlap. Probably fewer true lifestyles, but they have grown-up money, unlike CPs. But that's another discussion.

I would host people from out of town and literally could not get to the bar at the AC because of lifestylers sitting on the stools. There was no show going on in the big room. They were waiting and hanging out. Were they ordering drinks while sitting on the stools? No. They were bothering the bartender to press the button to make the stool go down all the while there was a line of people waiting to buy real drinks with real money. Son of a b*tch it still makes me so mad!

 

[ford91exploder]

I would host people from out of town and literally could not get to the bar at the AC because of lifestylers sitting on the stools. There was no show going on in the big room. They were waiting and hanging out. Were they ordering drinks while sitting on the stools? No. They were bothering the bartender to press the button to make the stool go down all the while there was a line of people waiting to buy real drinks with real money. Son of a b*tch it still makes me so mad!

Yep never actually got to sit at the Bar at the AC for that very reason, Saw the show but would have liked to sit at the bar at least once, Lifestylers would not be so annoying if they actually SPENT money at WDW as do the DL locals do. Not planning to visit Trader Sams for that very reason next trip.

 

[roj2323]

CM are already blocked out from signing guests into MK almost half the year. And each year, the number of blockout dates increases for all the parks. Additionally, Part time, Seasonal and CPs can only sign guests in a limited number of times in a year. Every time I go to the parks and sign friends in, we spend plenty of money on F&B and Merchandise, we just don't pay admission. CMs in the parks as guests are not your crowding problem, as they are a very small % of daily attendance on busy days.

see for yourself https://blockoutdates.disney.com/

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I really think you're doing Kevin Spacey/House of Cards there.

Nope. 101 Dalmatians. The stillborn pup.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Nope. 101 Dalmatians. The stillborn pup.

Same quote, different source material.

 

[asianway]

I would host people from out of town and literally could not get to the bar at the AC because of lifestylers sitting on the stools. There was no show going on in the big room. They were waiting and hanging out. Were they ordering drinks while sitting on the stools? No. They were bothering the bartender to press the button to make the stool go down all the while there was a line of people waiting to buy real drinks with real money. Son of a b*tch it still makes me so mad!

Oh God. Can you imagine how overrun AC would be with lifestylers in the year 2015?

 

[roj2323]

Had CM friend check and it looks like 142 blockout dates at the Magic Kingdom for 2014. I think equating 39% to "almost half" is a bit of a stretch.


"Increased" from what? Epcot had something like 10 blockout dates last year, and half of that was Christmas.


A couple of problems there. First, that limited number needs to be adjusted for the amount of time you're an active employee. I know seasonal CMs who live nowhere near WDW and travel there a few times of years to "do their hours" for the sole purpose of keeping their admission privileges active. That's not to mention the outright abuse of the system that happens on a regular basis. Hopefully some of that will be reduced now that the guest passes are reusable and not disposable, but we'll see.


I think you and your friends are in the small minority of cast-as-guests. See every post in this and other threads about "lifestylers." Off-duty Cast Members are among the worst perpetrators when it comes to taking up space, acting entitled, and not spending any money. I'm not saying this is true for all or even the majority of CMs, but it's something that needs to be addressed nonetheless. Cast members shouldn't be Disneybounding down Main Street, talking loudly about the fact that they're off-duty cast members to look cool or joking about how "Cinderella got hammered in the dorms last night and f****d an Epcot PhotoPass guy"*. It's obnoxious and bad show to boot. Maybe you and your friends are respectful when you enter the Parks, but that's not the case with all off-duty CMs. The worst of the bunch are the CPs who do the program not for any experiential benefit but for an excuse to party in Florida and take a semester off.

*Actually overheard in a park.

Ok lets get something straight. CP's are some of the hardest working cast members on property. They are given the worst hours sometimes with 14 days between days off and up until recently Minimum wage. They have no benefits and are expected to put up with Tourists asking the same dumb questions and acting generally like idiots on a regular basis. TO top this all off their commute can take an hour or more each way to and from the housing complexes because Disney likes to have trans star run giant loops to every housing complex and there's only like 6-8 bus schedules. SO in short get off their cases. If they want to play on their rare day off in the parks, they have certainly earned it and they don't need to spend their HARD earned money in the parks if they don't want to.

ROJ2323 <-- Former CP and trainer and proud of it.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Never mind.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Oh God. Can you imagine how overrun AC would be with lifestylers in the year 2015?

Yes… it very well might drive paying customers away.

Unfortunately… management has yet to find a way to capitalize or monetizes that particular market when it comes to thank time entertainment. Simply building of another restaurant in downtown Disney, that's not gonna work. Locals want nothing to do with downtown Disney because of the damn traffic.

The other thing is that most of these people would be there to enjoy the show and spend no money otherwise. And there in lies the problem.

As Jason said, give it two weeks.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Ok lets get something straight. CP's are some of the hardest working cast members on property. They are given the worst hours sometimes with 14 days between days off and up until recently Minimum wage. They have no benefits and are expected to put up with Tourists asking the same dumb questions and acting generally like idiots on a regular basis. TO top this all off their commute can take an hour or more each way to and from the housing complexes because Disney likes to have trans star run giant loops to every housing complex and there's only like 6-8 bus schedules. SO in short get off their cases. If they want to play on their rare day off in the parks, they have certainly earned it and they don't need to spend their HARD earned money in the parks if they don't want to.

ROJ2323 <-- Former CP and trainer and proud of it.

There are also some of the most obnoxious people I've ever met on the planet. And you've done a good job at reinforcing that.

And frankly if you were a better trainer, these children wouldn't be wearing their IDs out while they were on stage and not working.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Ok lets get something straight. CP's are some of the hardest working cast members on property. They are given the worst hours sometimes with 14 days between days off and up until recently Minimum wage. They have no benefits and are expected to put up with Tourists asking the same dumb questions and acting generally like idiots on a regular basis. TO top this all off their commute can take an hour or more each way to and from the housing complexes because Disney likes to have trans star run giant loops to every housing complex and there's only like 6-8 bus schedules. SO in short get off their cases. If they want to play on their rare day off in the parks, they have certainly earned it and they don't need to spend their HARD earned money in the parks if they don't want to.

ROJ2323 <-- Former CP and trainer and proud of it.

"Ok lets get something straight." CPs work crap shifts because they have zero seniority.

They make minimum wage because they're ride operators and food service employees. There's nothing wrong with being in that line of work, but that's what that line of work pays. I worked just as hard when I was a crew member at McDonald's as you did when you were slinging burritos at Tortuga, and I didn't claim I somehow deserved the equivalent of thousands of dollars worth of park admission.

Blowing bubbles at children outside of the Speedway doesn't make you "one of the hardest working cast members on property."

If you don't like "tourists asking dumb questions and acting generally like idiots," maybe you were in the wrong line of work. Way to break show in this very post by the way. Some of the readers here might like to maintain the illusion that CMs are genuine when they offer helpful advice in a friendly way, but it's nice of you to rid them of their delusions.

You just proved my point about entitlement, so thanks for that.

 

[roj2323]

There are also some of the most obnoxious people I've ever met on the planet. And you've done a good job at reinforcing that.

And frankly if you were a better trainer, these children wouldn't be wearing their IDs out while they were on stage and not working.

I had nothing to do with them wearing their Id's out and even as a non cast member I still tell CM's to put away their ID's. It was one of the first things every new trainee is told. For that matter the trainees are told before their area trainers even get them when they go through park introduction training. It's not my fault they are incompetent.

 

[roj2323]

"Ok lets get something straight." CPs work crap shifts because they have zero seniority.

They make minimum wage because they're ride operators and food service employees. There's nothing wrong with being in that line of work, but that's what that line of work pays.

Blowing bubbles at children outside of the Speedway doesn't make you "one of the hardest working cast members on property."

If you don't like "tourists asking dumb questions and acting generally like idiots," maybe you were in the wrong line of work. Way to break show in this very post by the way. Some of the readers here might like to maintain the illusion that CMs are genuine when they offer helpful advice in a friendly way, but it's nice of you to rid them of their delusions.

You just proved my point about entitlement, so thanks for that.

You Obviously have no idea. CP CM's work both low level and higher level positions. Most of the regular cast members under 35 were once CP's as well btw. For that matter CP's are regularly made trainers, coordinators and other positions of authority. Now sure there are some idiots amongst the thousands of CP's but for the most part everyone works their butts off.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I had nothing to do with them wearing their Id's out and even as a non cast member I still tell CM's to put away their ID's. It was one of the first things every new trainee is told. For that matter the trainees are told before their area trainers even get them when they go through park introduction training. It's not my fault they are incompetent.

Okay so on one hand you're saying they are the most hardest working people… And that we shouldn't give them crap and expounding on being a proud trainer and the whatnot…

And on the other hand you're calling them incompetent and saying it's not your fault they weren't trained properly as to Disney look and how cast members should behave when they are in the parts…

So that sounds like a failure in training or effective leadership. I think you just killed your own argument.

 

[roj2323]

Okay so on one hand you're saying they are the most hardest working people… And that we shouldn't give them crap and expounding on being a proud trainer and the whatnot…

And on the other hand you're calling them incompetent and saying it's not your fault they weren't trained properly as to Disney look and how cast members should behave when they are in the parts…

So that sounds like a failure in training or effective leadership. I think you just killed your own argument.

Most trainers are not CP's. (maybe one in 20 are) Most of the trainers I encountered are full timers who train simply because they want the extra $1 per hour. They don't care about the job anymore and they have a habit of teaching bad habits even if they don't realize it. As for CM's not being in disney look, that falls directly on the leaders shoulders as no one under them has the authority to call someone out on it.

 

[PhotoDave219]

You Obviously have no idea. CP CM's work both low level and higher level positions. Most of the regular cast members under 35 were once CP's as well btw. For that matter CP's are regularly made trainers, coordinators and other positions of authority. Now sure there are some idiots amongst the thousands of CP's but for the most part everyone works their butts off.

With that very post and attitude you completely reinforce everything we are saying about the entitled behavior by college program kids. It also reinforces the insular business culture Created by Disney and rejection of any outside world or knowledge in the business workplace.

 

[TalkingHead]

"Cinderella got hammered in the dorms last night and f****d an Epcot PhotoPass guy"*. It's obnoxious and bad show to boot.

A lot of people would say that's good show.