Cheaper tickets COMING SOON

[Dranth]

Food quality is subjective but I've found better quick service options more recently vs 10 years ago.

Table service, which is most of our meals, costs more with less choices and tastes like they are using cheaper ingredients. It isn't terrible or anything, but it certainly isn't as good as it was in the past.

I will give them credit for making some strides in quick service but that came after a pretty long stretch of decline.

On merch, not a fan making every gift shop the same, but there is variety it's just ever shop is filled with it. I think they are changed that trend though.

Every shop having the same selection is not what I would consider variety. Let me put it this way. There was a time when we would stop at every retail location in the Magic Kingdom. Now we only look at a few as there is no need to look any further.

Credit where it is due, I have seen some improvement and on the resort side in particular there has been some movement but just like quick service, they let it get much worse before they reacted.

Bottom line, I blame both Bobs for these problems. Bob one for letting Bob two cheapen the food and homogenize the merch and Bob two for pushing those philosophies to drive margins at the expense of the guest to the point where they can't fix these issues quickly.

Right now, we have to hope the slow march to recovery in the areas that are improving continues and isn't derailed by the first economic hiccup to hit the system. Meanwhile things like maintenance and table service just seem to remain where they are at best.

 

[Jrb1979]

We do and continue to go. Just not falling for the doom and gloom.

Again they aren't going out of business but low crowds and empty rooms is not a good thing. Especially when you consider that travel is still booming.

 

[JD80]

Table service, which is most of our meals, costs more with less choices and tastes like they are using cheaper ingredients. It isn't terrible or anything, but it certainly isn't as good as it was in the past.

I will give them credit for making some strides in quick service but that came after a pretty long stretch of decline.


Every shop having the same selection is not what I would consider variety. Let me put it this way. There was a time when we would stop at every retail location in the Magic Kingdom. Now we only look at a few as there is no need to look any further.

Credit where it is due, I have seen some improvement and on the resort side in particular there has been some movement but just like quick service, they let it get much worse before they reacted.

Bottom line, I blame both Bobs for these problems. Bob one for letting Bob two cheapen the food and homogenize the merch and Bob two for pushing those philosophies to drive margins at the expense of the guest to the point where they can't fix these issues quickly.

Right now, we have to hope the slow march to recovery in the areas that are improving continues and isn't derailed by the first economic hiccup to hit the system. Meanwhile things like maintenance and table service just seem to remain where they are at best.

Fair comments. I blame these prefixe menus being a huge problem. I avoid the restaurants with those for the most part.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Fair comments. I blame these prefixe menus being a huge problem. I avoid the restaurants with those for the most part.

you can thank the dining plan for some of the menus

 

[Lilofan]

Fair comments. I blame these prefixe menus being a huge problem. I avoid the restaurants with those for the most part.

Prefix can help a dining location predict planning , budgeting and revenue.

 

[JD80]

you can thank the dining plan for some of the menus

Under Chapek, I think it would have ended up this way regardless. We'll see how it trends over the next few years as restaurants get emptier.

 

[JD80]

Prefix can help a dining location predict planning , budgeting and revenue.

Oh sure. I get why they do it. I just don't particularly care for the type of dining.

 

[Lilofan]

Oh sure. I get why they do it. I just don't particularly care for the type of dining.

Iger in a recorded interview with Wall Street envisioned TWDC to be a leaner more efficient company. Cue the execs = make it happen.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Iger in a recorded interview with Wall Street envisioned TWDC to be a leaner more efficient company. Cue the execs = make it happen.

leaner as in less maintenance to keep rides running throughout the day?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yeah Bingo. Wall Street doesn't care about the parks or understand them. Neither do some of you here either for that matter

Wall Street cares about the parks if they can tout a number from them every 3 months

If that turns south…there will be blood
They will demand slash and burn

 

[el_super]

Again they aren't going out of business but low crowds and empty rooms is not a good thing. Especially when you consider that travel is still booming.

Disney has said that they wanted fewer people in their parks, and that fewer people generate more revenue. Crowds are bad. It's a basic fact of theme park operation you have to understand in order to know how theme parks work.

There is a market for a premium experience with fewer people. You've probably been sleeping on this fact since the first private parties started selling out at over $100 a pop. They found a way to make a private party capped at 5,000 people profitable, so why not extend that to the parks in general? They know what they are doing.

 

[Jrb1979]

Disney has said that they wanted fewer people in their parks, and that fewer people generate more revenue. Crowds are bad. It's a basic fact of theme park operation you have to understand in order to know how theme parks work.

There is a market for a premium experience with fewer people. You've probably been sleeping on this fact since the first private parties started selling out at over $100 a pop. They found a way to make a private party capped at 5,000 people profitable, so why not extend that to the parks in general? They know what they are doing.

Theme parks are not a premium luxury vacation.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Disney has said that they wanted fewer people in their parks, and that fewer people generate more revenue. Crowds are bad. It's a basic fact of theme park operation you have to understand in order to know how theme parks work.

There is a market for a premium experience with fewer people. You've probably been sleeping on this fact since the first private parties started selling out at over $100 a pop. They found a way to make a private party capped at 5,000 people profitable, so why not extend that to the parks in general? They know what they are doing.

where's the premium experience? They've taken more away over the last several years than added to make it premium

cupcakes?

 

[Lilofan]

They aren't the majority of your guests. The majority of Disney guests are the same ones that go to parks you hate.

Your false feedback ( again) , we continue to go and enjoy ourselves at WDW.

 

[Jrb1979]

Your false feedback again, we continue to go and enjoy ourselves at WDW.

My post has nothing to do with that. My point is the average Disney guest is the same guest who visits a Cedar Point or Kings Island. With the prices they are pushing those people out. The problem is those guests who stay at the luxury hotels aren't enough to make up for those who are pushed out.

 

[JD80]

It's a common issue a lot of people have. They assume their lived experience is what shared by everyone.

 

[el_super]

Theme parks are not a premium luxury vacation.

True, it's not an all inclusive resort in the Maldives. No one is saying it is.

Premium in this case just means BETTER. People pay more for the private parties because there is more entertainment, more food options, and low (way lower) crowds. It's a premium experience.

There is absolutely a market for that.

 

[GhostHost1000]

True, it's not an all inclusive resort in the Maldives. No one is saying it is.

Premium in this case just means BETTER. People pay more for the private parties because there is more entertainment, more food options, and low (way lower) crowds. It's a premium experience.

There is absolutely a market for that.

people might also pay for that "premium" experience during the day every day if they wouldn't cut entertainment, park hours, and would expand the parks so the crowds are spread out and feel the same as lower crowds in the existing capacity


that messes things up though, because if they can keep it just bad enough, they can close the parks early and double sell them

same thing with expanding too much with new attractions... if people don't need LL as much because of more options and less people in lines, they won't pay for it.

 

[Tha Realest]

What if they're going to the beach instead? Or going on a cruise? Being near the coast is way different than being in Central Florida.

But they’re setting travel records in/out of MCO…

 

[Lilofan]

But they’re setting travel records in/out of MCO…

Travel is heavy in and out of MCO. Rentals for vehicles is in high demand also. We make 4-5 online reservations for a car rental prior to flying. When we get to the rental counters at 1st floor look for the shortest line of guests and that's the car we will rent. The cars are a 30 sec walk in the adjacent parking garage.