JDL30
Well-Known Member
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort just posts a net loss of $19.1 million - not looking good for the Chinese/Asian economy. http://variety.com/2016/biz/asia/hong-kong-disneyland-in-loss-1201706466/
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Cuts coming to every area of parks and resorts - thanks to Shanghai and Paris
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
Two points.
1. I'm from England, and not an ignorant US-based Disney fan.
2. What I have reported isn't from a random WDW CM.
You don't have to believe anything. I'm just passing on what I know - take it or leave it.
Unclear at this point.
Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
My post was not directed at you personally. I was speaking about the broader fan community who routinely blame DLP for parks and resorts problems, regardless of how much or how little an impact there may be.
I don't doubt what you were told. I can however, question it's validity or significance. I'm not the only one to have do so in this thread.
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
This all sounds like the typical "grow the company" strategy that almost ALWAYS bites ALL companies in the butt eventually. Geez...
KDM31091
Well-Known Member
It's a little ridiculous for a company with the most visited parks in the world to be cutting staffing. Look, I get that every bean counter wants to see the most profit possible, but with the sheer cost of going to Disney, you expect something special. Even in our visit during a "non peak" week in October, there were a few days that the Magic Kingdom was completely unbearable. Wall to wall people. Couldn't even walk around and sightsee. It was just a total mess. Lines for even a snack were ridiculous.
Now of course, I'm not saying Disney can help that the parks are crowded per se, but they can do things to make it run more smoothly. Less staffing is only going to increase the feeling of crowding, especially when waiting in line for shops, food, etc.
Now of course, I'm not saying Disney can help that the parks are crowded per se, but they can do things to make it run more smoothly. Less staffing is only going to increase the feeling of crowding, especially when waiting in line for shops, food, etc.
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
It's a heck of a note for Iger to go out on, eh?
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
I wish they could move that gorgeous hotel to stateside. I'd book a stay in it in a red hot minute.
Disone
Well-Known Member
Wow. Lots of hostility on this. Ok, perspective. Paris is a factor, but not as large a factor as Shanghai. Hopefully once they get that open, the financial pressure will be relieved a bit. But there is a third pressure point that so far has not been mentioned on here. The Parks and Resort are one piece of a much larger puzzle, and right now ESPN has caused enough concern that stock has been going down for months now. Shame really, while ESPN is the larger revenue generator, Wall Street has failed to look at what the entirety of the company can produce even when it's largest piece is producing less of the profit.
That said, the cuts so far have not be "Deal Killers" in my mind. Closing most of Future World at 7pm? Have you been there at 7:30pm? Folks it's a ghost town. I prefer it NOT to happen, I get that, but this cut is ok. I am less okay with the reduced water park hours for this coming up summer. But again thats because I have always enjoy that last hour or two when you feel like you have then entire water park to yourself. Again, while not has ghost town like as Future World can be, definitely understandable that they are choose to cost save there.
I have yet to hear of specific cuts to operations of the attractions while they are operating. I have also been eyeing MK's scheduled operating hours and so far.... no cuts, at least for the few months you can see in advance.
There is a lot of doom and gloom here, but I am just not sure it's time to panic. All this time of cost cutting has happened before, and it will all happen again. I have not seen a cut yet that I feel was an example of Disney Cutting off its nose in spite of its face.
That said, the cuts so far have not be "Deal Killers" in my mind. Closing most of Future World at 7pm? Have you been there at 7:30pm? Folks it's a ghost town. I prefer it NOT to happen, I get that, but this cut is ok. I am less okay with the reduced water park hours for this coming up summer. But again thats because I have always enjoy that last hour or two when you feel like you have then entire water park to yourself. Again, while not has ghost town like as Future World can be, definitely understandable that they are choose to cost save there.
I have yet to hear of specific cuts to operations of the attractions while they are operating. I have also been eyeing MK's scheduled operating hours and so far.... no cuts, at least for the few months you can see in advance.
There is a lot of doom and gloom here, but I am just not sure it's time to panic. All this time of cost cutting has happened before, and it will all happen again. I have not seen a cut yet that I feel was an example of Disney Cutting off its nose in spite of its face.
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
Completely agree...but remember when the Sentinel talked about Disco Yeti? Has anything changed because of that embarrassing article?
Pixie VaVoom
Well-Known Member
They could always eliminate the slow cash bleed of DLP..by closing it down, and re-locate everything to the Florida Campus...Instant 5th Gate!! Don't FLAME me...I am just building "Castles in the air".
RandySavage
Well-Known Member
Not that this will be the case, but if an organization is being run profligately, smart cuts can sometimes be a good thing. On last visit I remember seeing a fair number of cast socializing in groups of two/three or playing on their phones, rather than attending to their roles. It was like interrupting a conversation to get their attention. I'd rather see fewer, but higher-compensated, better-motivated and better-performing cast (career-minded), than a surfeit of disengaged kids - although that's wishful thinking.
Pixie VaVoom
Well-Known Member
Randy - I love your idea of 'engaged' kids - but you would have to do 'time travel' to find anyone under 25 that isn't attached to their phone by an umbilical cord !! Seriously, I have encountered some young folk that are of the attitude..."if you can't do it on a phone...it doesn't exist" !! They have no tolerance for any discourse that last longet than a 'tweet'.
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
I just got back from spending around 6 hours at Disneyland (and at THOSE prices). But man was it worth it. The place just sparkles. That's my Disney destination from now on until the WDW mess is sorted out...and even then, since I'm no huge fan of Star Wars or Avatar, I think I might just stick with Walt's park when I need a Disney fix. Too bad, because I do like World Showcase...well, when it had Maelstrom; god knows what it's going to be like when the Frozen ride opens. Strollers everywhere no doubt. Gah!
rob0519
Well-Known Member
If the cuts are as described, chances of them not being noticeable are slim and none. I downgraded my basic expectations years ago and WDW has continued to make me lower them year after year. I'm no longer hopeful.
doctornick
Well-Known Member
See, that's the thing: if HKDL (and Paris) is financially hurting, then wouldn't it make sense to direct cuts more towards those resorts? If for no other reason than because the guest attendance levels better justify cutting back than WDW or DL where business is booming.
I think that's an important point. I wouldn't be surprised if these cuts are in anticipation of pouring a lot of money towards Shanghai in the next 3-6 months to get everything up and running properly for the opening and first few months; reducing expenses elsewhere can help to make the books seem acceptable during that timeframe. And then hopefully once SDL is up and running, it won't be as much of a monetary siphon and the cuts can be reversed elsewhere.
While cuts likes reduced hours and staffing suck for the guests visiting during that time (and I don't excuse them), I think that is "better" than cuts to long term projects (i.e. expansions and renovations). You can easily reverse changes in hours and staffing; but if you cut building a new attraction then it can have long term affects for years -- and WDW in particular is already suffering from a lack of major investment under Iger.
WDW1974
Well-Known Member
Just some Spirited thoughts ... but DLP is being overstated here (there are folks in the company with axes to grind on that front, not saying that is where @wdwmagic is getting this from just stating a fact).
I was busy of late, but planned on dropping something on my thread about this. The gist of it would have been "There are two reasons why WDW is seeing, and will see even more, of the going out of business mentality that largely has been endemic under the leadership of Robert A. Iger: 1.)They need to cover Shanghai Disney issues, which are so much larger than 99.9% of fans or media realize or care about., and 2.) Chappie is very much looking to drop the ax on a few VPs in O-Town (pretty unprecedented) to show there's a new sheriff in town.
It is all very disheartening, but fans will excuse anything. Not true fans. But many of the garden variety that troll the 'net and sites like this and would eat a pile of cow manure if it was in the shape of a Hidden Mickey and Bob Iger asked them to.
WDW has one park that is overstuffed almost year round and three others with varying degree of major issues. The type that even Dr. Blondie and her Blogging Brigade of BRAND Advocates/Whores can't mask. But good to know people will pay even more for an even crappier experience in the swamps.
I have never stepped inside Mousegear before 10 a.m., but the idea that they need to lop off an on paper savings of a few thousand dollars a day is insane. ... At the same time, I have been around long enough to recall when EPCOT Center was open from 8 a.m. to 12 midnight or 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, the entire park. Everything.
As a Disney Legend told me, "WDW fans get what they deserve" ... so sad, yet so true.
My advice? Email and phone execs. Do NOT write to Guest Relations. Do NOT complain to theme park front liners. Write to George Kalogridis and everyone at the VP level in O-Town. Don't be nasty or obscene, be strong and matter of fact. And don't be satisfied with a call from one of the people who live behind the Launch Bay and whose job it is to simply listen to you whine and do nothing about it.
EVERY exec at Disney with the exception of Bob Iger is very easy to contact directly. ... Of course, you might be afraid. They could decide to ban you for life (what did one of my fave fanbois call it ... oh yeah, "firing you as a customer") because you had the audacity to call Melissa at EPCOT or email Danny at the MK.
But understand this: this isn't needed. This is a company that despite China problems, despite the ridiculous cord-cutting ESPN non-story has never been more profitable. Yet, WDW continues to be run like it's going out of business tomorrow. And the rubes keep showing up.
Hey, MAGICal Steve, any new upcharge cupcake parties to announce?
I was busy of late, but planned on dropping something on my thread about this. The gist of it would have been "There are two reasons why WDW is seeing, and will see even more, of the going out of business mentality that largely has been endemic under the leadership of Robert A. Iger: 1.)They need to cover Shanghai Disney issues, which are so much larger than 99.9% of fans or media realize or care about., and 2.) Chappie is very much looking to drop the ax on a few VPs in O-Town (pretty unprecedented) to show there's a new sheriff in town.
It is all very disheartening, but fans will excuse anything. Not true fans. But many of the garden variety that troll the 'net and sites like this and would eat a pile of cow manure if it was in the shape of a Hidden Mickey and Bob Iger asked them to.
WDW has one park that is overstuffed almost year round and three others with varying degree of major issues. The type that even Dr. Blondie and her Blogging Brigade of BRAND Advocates/Whores can't mask. But good to know people will pay even more for an even crappier experience in the swamps.
I have never stepped inside Mousegear before 10 a.m., but the idea that they need to lop off an on paper savings of a few thousand dollars a day is insane. ... At the same time, I have been around long enough to recall when EPCOT Center was open from 8 a.m. to 12 midnight or 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, the entire park. Everything.
As a Disney Legend told me, "WDW fans get what they deserve" ... so sad, yet so true.
My advice? Email and phone execs. Do NOT write to Guest Relations. Do NOT complain to theme park front liners. Write to George Kalogridis and everyone at the VP level in O-Town. Don't be nasty or obscene, be strong and matter of fact. And don't be satisfied with a call from one of the people who live behind the Launch Bay and whose job it is to simply listen to you whine and do nothing about it.
EVERY exec at Disney with the exception of Bob Iger is very easy to contact directly. ... Of course, you might be afraid. They could decide to ban you for life (what did one of my fave fanbois call it ... oh yeah, "firing you as a customer") because you had the audacity to call Melissa at EPCOT or email Danny at the MK.
But understand this: this isn't needed. This is a company that despite China problems, despite the ridiculous cord-cutting ESPN non-story has never been more profitable. Yet, WDW continues to be run like it's going out of business tomorrow. And the rubes keep showing up.
Hey, MAGICal Steve, any new upcharge cupcake parties to announce?
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