Disney After Hours BOO BASH

[Wendy Pleakley]

I agree with many of your points…but it’s beneath you to keep saying this.

they don’t extend the normal operating hours anymore based on the crowd levels…which they always did…and SELL this instead.

we can’t change it…but please stop on what is happening and why…

If it were up to me the park hours would be longer and these events wouldn't exist. I'm not defending them or denying that people are paying for extended hours that used to be included for all.

I will push back on incorrect statements about the AH events having the same impact as the parties. They do not.

The park hours may be inadequate and we can complain about that all we want, but it doesn't change the fact that Disney has set the park hours to be what they are and these events do take place after they end.

 

[flynnibus]

But when they have looked, not found the same thing and then opted for the alternative they shouldn’t be surprised it’s not what they were looking for.

No one is saying people are reporting they are 'suprised', duped, or even making that argument. People are talking about expectations for an event based on what they've always gotten from Disney from the event this one replaces.

You can't just wave your hands and say "this isn't a halloween party" and wipe everyone's brains of what Halloween at Disney means. Disney has to face the very monster it created.

 

[Chi84]

No one is saying people are reporting they are 'suprised', duped, or even making that argument. People are talking about expectations for an event based on what they've always gotten from Disney from the event this one replaces.

You can't just wave your hands and say "this isn't a halloween party" and wipe everyone's brains of what Halloween at Disney means. Disney has to face the very monster it created.

So when WDW decided on an after hours event back whenever, what should they have done? Offered the regular Halloween party that people had been going to in years past, with a full schedule of fireworks, parades, entertainment, etc.? Not offered any event because nothing could ever wipe the memory of past Halloween parties from people's memories?

I'm not sure what monster you're talking about. Disney is offering a product at a stated price and is telling people what they are getting for their money. If that isn't good enough, and you agree that WDW can and should acknowledge the Halloween season in some way, what should they be doing or saying about the Boo Bash?

I don't understand how you can say people aren't surprised or duped and yet are not having their expectations met. What would be sufficient to manage people's expectations under current conditions?

 

[peter11435]

…of course. The “cast” knows all

so there is zero chance we see “boy…it sure SEEMS crowded?!” Popping up here when it’s actually around Halloween?

My information does not come from the “cast”

I’m not going to say that there’s no chance that the cap will be increased between now and Halloween. My point was that the limit was not set based on how many they could sell but rather how many they felt was appropriate for the event and price point. Even if they increase the cap between now and Halloween it will still be a fraction of a standard party.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

My information does not come from the “cast”

I’m not going to say that there’s no chance that the cap will be increased between now and Halloween. My point was that the limit was not set based on how many they could sell but rather how many they felt was appropriate for the event and price point. Even if they increase the cap between now and Halloween it will still be a fraction of a standard party.

so no chance (0.00000%) we see any “large crowds” reports closer to Halloween? Got it…thank you and you’re non-cast “insider” so I don’t have to pin this for reference later

I was more thinking they had an idea of what would sell for each night and set individual caps based on those projections…

there would be way more demand on 10/28 than there would be on 8/11 regardless…no sense in a strict cap in that context

 

[flynnibus]

Some people have unrealistic expectations. There are valid reasons why the parties aren't happening this year. Ignoring those reasons doesn't make them go away. There was literally no solution that would please everyone this year

Sure there was - the uncertainty is only about the lead time Disney needed to run the event. The assumption is Disney had to make a call long before they knew the actual conditions we would be facing in Aug-Oct and possibly couldn't facilitate all the kind of entertainment they normally would have due to staffing or supply issues.

: Hold the parties as usual and people would complain that they were kicked out of MK before the fireworks for the 50th.

Lots of solutions for that...
- Alternating days for entertainment
- Running the parties on different hours

This concern has never stopped Disney from running the parties when Disney launched a new fireworks show. This concern doesn't stop Disney from closing the park for other dates.

Hold no party or DAH at all and people would complain that there was nothing for a 2nd year in a row and note that Universal managed to hold HHN.

Or Disney could have addressed the specific issues that were preventing them from doing the party as they normally do. Running a reduced DAH doesn't address limits on the party - it's simply a side step to offer something different without acknowledging or addressing specific constraints. The normal theme park already operates with more staff and more crowds then the party - so those aren't the reasons why the party couldn't happen. They could have reduced the size of the party without issue if capacity was a concern. That really only leaves pricing, and entertainment options as reasons why the party wasn't a fit.

Hold this DAH event and people complain that it's not MNSSHP.

or...

Run a DAH event with MNSSHP features? CRAZY THOUGHT? I mean... wouldn't that cost more? Oh wait... they already did raise the price.

TLDR - What you got is not the 'only thing' that could have happened. It's simply what Disney chose to do.

Trust me, I hate the fact the parties have eaten into the calendar from Aug to basically New Years and have hated on them forever. But you can't ignore the gap the event substitution has caused nor ignore the comparison between the events.

Disney finally killed the headless horseman.. who would have thought it would be another ticketed event that would do it?

 

[Tony the Tigger]

What you put in front of someone doesn't redefine their expectations. Expectations for established things don't get overwritten just because you put something else in its place.

People are talking about expectations for an event based on what they've always gotten from Disney from the event this one replaces.

Then people have set themselves up with unreasonable expectations, bordering on entitlement.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Then people have set themselves up with unreasonable expectations, bordering on entitlement.

Really, Tony?

you can’t make the jump that there is maybe deliberate “bending” of reality by the conglomerate here?
That doesn’t excuse the “I didn’t know?!?” Fool defense…but it is in play, no?

 

[flynnibus]

So when WDW decided on an after hours event back whenever, what should they have done? Offered the regular Halloween party that people had been going to in years past, with a full schedule of fireworks, parades, entertainment, etc.? Not offered any event because nothing could ever wipe the memory of past Halloween parties from people's memories?

I'm not sure what monster you're talking about. Disney is offering a product at a stated price and is telling people what they are getting for their money. If that isn't good enough, and you agree that WDW can and should acknowledge the Halloween season in some way, what should they be doing or saying about the Boo Bash?

Lots of possibilities
- Maybe they could have ran the party as done previously... we have nothing concrete saying it wasn't possible. The biggest holdback is Disney still not doing parades, which we know is a cornerstone of the party event.
- Run the seasonal fireworks outside of the party
- Expand the DAH event to include the seasonal entertainment people normally got from the party
- Run the seasonal entertainment outside the party period

All we know is Disney didn't run the party as they normally do, and instead ran a lighter weight event in it's place. An event, that is even lighterweight then it's xmas event that follow it. In place of an event that has ran for over a decade and is so popular Disney sells it for dozens of nights a year. This isn't about dropping something people don't notice...

I don't understand how you can say people aren't surprised or duped and yet are not having their expectations met. What would be sufficient to manage people's expectations under current conditions?

Meet the expectations by delivering on their legacy?
Create separation between the events by not running it essentially directly in it's place?
Create separation by not overlapping the offer so much?

Let's be honest - besides a lower capacity, what argument can someone make that this is anything but 'party-lite' following the DAH product model.

 

[flynnibus]

Then people have set themselves up with unreasonable expectations, bordering on entitlement.

I'll bookmark that for the next time you mention something going away....

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Really, Tony?

you can’t make the jump that there is maybe deliberate “bending” of reality by the conglomerate here?
That doesn’t excuse the “I didn’t know?!?” Fool defense…but it is in play, no?

Step away from the bubble.

They owe you nothing - no party, no after hours, nothing.

I'm sure they've lost a ton of money over the last 18 months, and they're trying to pull off a 50th anniversary celebration without killing too many people or losing too much more money - while running filmmaking, Disney+ etc.

These are not normal times. This is not a normal cash grab.

Rather than do nothing, while reacting to conditions on the ground on the fly, and realizing they can't just flip a switch from full capacity to covid closures and back - they decided to try to do something for Halloween (and to make money.) Again, most of the other "bonus" offerings are kaput for now - profitable tours, dining events, etc.

Logically, it needed to be simple and easy to pull off, and nimble in case conditions on the ground change further.

I'm guessing at some point they thought hey, if people will pay X, we could really use that X. The people running the parties two years ago are making more money now. Can't ignore that. They have very new, untrained staff more than usual. Can't ignore that.

Give them a freaking break already. Go or don't go. Those are the two options. "Don't go and whine" is just annoying and adds nothing to the world.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Step away from the bubble.

They owe you nothing - no party, no after hours, nothing.

I'm sure they've lost a ton of money over the last 18 months, and they're trying to pull off a 50th anniversary celebration without killing too many people or losing too much more money - while running filmmaking, Disney+ etc.

These are not normal times. This is not a normal cash grab.

Rather than do nothing, while reacting to conditions on the ground on the fly, and realizing they can't just flip a switch from full capacity to covid closures and back - they decided to try to do something for Halloween (and to make money.) Again, most of the other "bonus" offerings are kaput for now - profitable tours, dining events, etc.

Logically, it needed to be simple and easy to pull off, and nimble in case conditions on the ground change further.

I'm guessing at some point they thought hey, if people will pay X, we could really use that X. The people running the parties two years ago are making more money now. Can't ignore that. They have very new, untrained staff more than usual. Can't ignore that.

Give them a freaking break already. Go or don't go. Those are the two options. "Don't go and whine" is just annoying and adds nothing to the world.

So “no” then?

…ok got it. Sorry about the keystrokes

 

[Chi84]

All we know is Disney didn't run the party as they normally do, and instead ran a lighter weight event in it's place. An event, that is even lighterweight then it's xmas event that follow it. In place of an event that has ran for over a decade and is so popular Disney sells it for dozens of nights a year. besides a lower capacity, what argument can someone make that this is anything but 'party-lite' following the DAH product model.

I don’t know. I wonder what could have happened this year that would make them change such a popular event - one that has been around for decades.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Here’s the next one - seems to have slightly more to it; I wonder if the price will be higher.
View attachment 579218View attachment 579219

How DARE anyone think that Disney Very Merriest After Hours has ANYTHING to do with Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. After Disney has gone to such great lengths to separate the two!!!

Also, the idea that the After Hours offers significantly shorter lines then the parties just seems to be accepted. But when I was going to the Parties, most of the point was the short lines. What's more, the longer hours providing more ride time and copious entertainment drawing people away from the rides provided even more opportunity for lots of quick rides. Is there any real evidence AH makes the lines significantly shorter, or is this more WDW PR spin nonsense.

 

[peter11435]

so no chance (0.00000%) we see any “large crowds” reports closer to Halloween? Got it…thank you and you’re non-cast “insider” so I don’t have to pin this for reference later

I was more thinking they had an idea of what would sell for each night and set individual caps based on those projections…

there would be way more demand on 10/28 than there would be on 8/11 regardless…no sense in a strict cap in that context

Do you read? I acknowledged that they may increase the cap between now and Halloween. So yes there is a chance that crowd levels will increase from what we saw Tuesday night. However it will still be a fraction of what was allowed in for a Halloween party and will still not be able to be defined as a “large crowd.”

And again the attendance cap was set based on what they felt was comfortable for the event not based on how many they thought they could sell.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Do you read? I acknowledged that they may increase the cap between now and Halloween. So yes there is a chance that crowd levels will increase from what we saw Tuesday night. However it will still be a fraction of what was allowed in for a Halloween party and will still not be able to be defined as a “large crowd.”

And again the attendance cap was set based on what they felt was comfortable for the event not based on how many they thought they could sell.

Got it. No chance. Comfortable magical crowds on all Hallow’s Eve…

too bad I can’t buy a ticket right now

 

[flynnibus]

Also, the idea that the After Hours offers significantly shorter lines then the parties just seems to be accepted. But when I was going to the Parties, most of the point was the short lines. What's more, the longer hours providing more ride time and copious entertainment drawing people away from the rides provided even more opportunity for lots of quick rides. Is there any real evidence AH makes the lines significantly shorter, or is this more WDW PR spin nonsense.

There is a pretty well established book of work here... minus a few notable exceptions, lines in DAH events are pretty much as short as they can be.

 

[bcoachable]

I can be honest. Seeing the awful wait times happening lately, I'm pleased we have these tickets to be able to get on the rides. This will allow our actual MK days to be filled with more leisure and less pressure. More just wandering and taking it in since I know we will get on a LOT of the rides during Boo Bash.

We'll see. Maybe I'll love it, maybe I won't. (I do wish it was Animal Kingdom instead...)

Wouldn’t you have rather the company built the parks out with more experiences - so there was room for everyone , instead of NOT building in new experiences such that they now have to charge you once to get in, then once more for the opportunity to ride?

 

[Casper Gutman]

Have they been significantly increasing admissions to the Parties over the last several years?

 

[ImperfectPixie]

Have they been significantly increasing admissions to the Parties over the last several years?

From what I've seen people say, yes. (No one with any real info...just people who have been attending the parties for years. The general observation is that the parties have felt more and more crowded.)