Attendance: Cast vs Tourists

[PhotoDave219]

Main gates are usually blocked out on the important family holidays and most of the traditional summer vacation.

Not when I worked there. Now, yes. Then? Rarely.

I still don't think CMs should be blacked out, especially with people saying its less than 10% of a daily crowd. Which at MK, 5000 at best.

 

[MrNonacho]

I can only think of four days that Cast IDs were blacked out. 24 Hour Day Last year. 24 Hour Day this year. The Sat & Sun of Mark Hamill.

Also May 23rd-25th.

 

[wogwog]

Also May 23rd-25th.

Next MK main gate block-out period is June 16 thru August 8. CM have no guarantee that the block-out will not be extended Past August 8 as well. They can enter but can't bring friends or family during the block-out. My neighbor said this is current as of today.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Also May 23rd-25th.

Was that Maingate or Cast ID?

 

[MrNonacho]

Next MK main gate block-out period is June 16 thru August 8. CM have no guarantee that the block-out will not be extended Past August 8 as well. They can enter but can't bring friends or family during the block-out. My neighbor said this is current as of today.

That is correct.

 

[MrNonacho]

Was that Maingate or Cast ID?

Both. Total blockout at DHS.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Both. Total blockout at DHS.

Which brings us full circle.

So if Cast are less than 10% of daily attendance, whats the damn point to blacking them out?

 

[wogwog]

Which brings us full circle.

So if Cast are less than 10% of daily attendance, whats the damn point to blacking them out?

You would have to ask Iger.

 

[tirian]

I can only think of four days that Cast IDs were blacked out. 24 Hour Day Last year. 24 Hour Day this year. The Sat & Sun of Mark Hamill.

Last year was when all the blackouts started ramping up.

Also, over the last 12–15 months it has become almost impossible for CMs to book discounted hotels over most weekends. The majority of discounts are suspended over Saturday and Sunday for no reason whatsoever. The rooms sit empty.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Please forgive my ignorance...hope my asking doesn't ruffle a bunch of feathers....I've never been a CM and the people I know/knew who were or their parents were I didn't know well enough to feel comfortable asking in great detail about their company perks. Never wanted to come off like I was "fishing" for a freebie. For clarification of the context of this discussion, could someone explain the difference between "maingate", "IDs", and "comps"? I get what the silver passes are.

Thanks muchly. Very interesting topic of discussion, Dave.

 

[asianway]

Which brings us full circle.

So if Cast are less than 10% of daily attendance, whats the damn point to blacking them out?

Juking the per capita spending stat?

 

[natatomic]

About three years ago, I think 2011 Food and Wine the same Id blackout happened one day at Epcot. Some cast tell me they think it was a test to see how much squawking the CMs came up with. The two 24 hour events at MK were the next two, now Hollywood. Iger slowly chipping away at the so called benefits.

So true. They've been hacking away at the number of restaurants at which CMs are able to use their holiday coupons (or even their year-round 20% discount). Every year, CMs seem to have more and more taken away.

 

[dreamfinder]

For clarification of the context of this discussion, could someone explain the difference between "maingate", "IDs", and "comps"?

I do believe that maingate is the CM ability to sign in guests. Supposed to remain with the guest the entire time they are on property. IDs are the CMs ID badges, lets them get themselves into the park. Comps are free tickets that they get they can give to people. Much like WDW will give comp tickets to assorted charities for auctions/raffles and the like.

 

[TRONorail12]

Actual CM Maingate passes have never been blocked out entirely until the second 24hr day at MK. CM's used to be able to enter the park

Please forgive my ignorance...hope my asking doesn't ruffle a bunch of feathers....I've never been a CM and the people I know/knew who were or their parents were I didn't know well enough to feel comfortable asking in great detail about their company perks. Never wanted to come off like I was "fishing" for a freebie. For clarification of the context of this discussion, could someone explain the difference between "maingate", "IDs", and "comps"? I get what the silver passes are.

Thanks muchly. Very interesting topic of discussion, Dave.

ID's = CM company issued identification card used in some areas for clocking in to work, backstage/onstage identification and for discounts on and off property.

Maingate = CM company issued park entry pass. Entitles CM to entry into any Disney theme park except Tokyo Disney. Maingates are issued with 3 guest cards that entitle the CM to enter into a park with guests a certain number of times per year based on their company status (seasonal, CP, part-time, full-time). Maingates are subject to blockout dates issued by the company.

Comp Tix = Also referred to as e-tickets, are company issued tickets to CMs over the internet several times a year (usually winter and summer). CMs can print these tix out and give them to anyone they want to use for entry to a park. CMs do not have to be present for guest to use e-ticket. E-tickets also generally do not have a blockout date and are often used in place of maingates during peak blockout times.

*Part-time and Full-time CMs can admit up to 3 guests - 16 days a year with a Maingate pass. However, they may only receive as little as 4 comp (e-tickets) the entire year and each e-ticket is only good for 1 person at a time.

 

[rael ramone]

Which brings us full circle.

So if Cast are less than 10% of daily attendance, whats the damn point to blacking them out?

Well, the thinking of Lord Business (Iger) and his minions likely see CM's as guests who don't pay admission and who don't buy plush and who paperbag their meals (and not as overworked, undercompensated cast who are doing the only recreation their pay can afford). To the eyes of management desparate to make the NGE numbers look good to the Street, 8% of the guests not spending money may very well make them pull their hair out...

 

[COProgressFan]

Last year was when all the blackouts started ramping up.

Also, over the last 12–15 months it has become almost impossible for CMs to book discounted hotels over most weekends. The majority of discounts are suspended over Saturday and Sunday for no reason whatsoever. The rooms sit empty.

And the answer to that ...

Juking the per capita spending stat?

I guess they'd rather turn down the money CMs and families would spend on food & merch if it affects their per-guest spend figures. But George K. has been given the task of making the numbers look good, not actually bringing in the most revenue.

 

[Finallyinflorida]

Actual CM Maingate passes have never been blocked out entirely until the second 24hr day at MK. CM's used to be able to enter the park



ID's = CM company issued identification card used in some areas for clocking in to work, backstage/onstage identification and for discounts on and off property.

Maingate = CM company issued park entry pass. Entitles CM to entry into any Disney theme park except Tokyo Disney. Maingates are issued with 3 guest cards that entitle the CM to enter into a park with guests a certain number of times per year based on their company status (seasonal, CP, part-time, full-time). Maingates are subject to blockout dates issued by the company.

Comp Tix = Also referred to as e-tickets, are company issued tickets to CMs over the internet several times a year (usually winter and summer). CMs can print these tix out and give them to anyone they want to use for entry to a park. CMs do not have to be present for guest to use e-ticket. E-tickets also generally do not have a blockout date and are often used in place of maingates during peak blockout times.

*Part-time and Full-time CMs can admit up to 3 guests - 16 days a year with a Maingate pass. However, they may only receive as little as 4 comp (e-tickets) the entire year and each e-ticket is only good for 1 person at a time.

Thank you very much. Very helpful when reading all these posts to have this info!

 

[OKSTATE99]

Okay.... We're opening up a can of worms here, but this weekend's blackout of Cast at Studios for Star Wars Weekends has me thinking: how much of the attendance of the parks is made up of cast/main gates against regular guests.

I ask for a few reasons....

First, SWW were expecting capacity crowds for Mark Hamill, so they blocked out cast. They got a decent, average and very comfortable crowd for an average day instead. I really enjoyed it.

Contrast that with the Friday the 13th Villains party train wreck that was inundated with off duty cast members & CPs.

Contrast that with the first 24 hour day when you had a park full of cast at 3am.

With the recent TEA reports, how much of the audience and admissions are made up by cast & main gates?

So you know we Cast were blocked on the 24 hour party via the Main Gate only through our Complimentary tickets were we allowed to get in.

And so you now as of now MK is blocked all summer for our Main Gates besides this weekend. Don't want to ruin your guest experience.

 

[PhotoDave219]

So you know we Cast were blocked on the 24 hour party via the Main Gate only through our Complimentary tickets were we allowed to get in.

And so you now as of now MK is blocked all summer for our Main Gates besides this weekend. Don't want to ruin your guest experience.

Thank you for contributing absolutely nothing to the conversation. We are well aware of what complementary tickets are and that they work when cast are blacked out.

 

[OKSTATE99]

Thank you for contributing absolutely nothing to the conversation. We are well aware of what complementary tickets are and that they work when cast are blacked out.

For some reason it showed I was replying to the last post in the thread, now my post is redundant.

I would like to add one thing, When I was hired one of the listed benefits was free admission to Disney Theme Parks 365 days a year. Now that has changed.