News Disney CEO Bob Chapek reiterates his belief that park reservations are now an essential part of Disney's theme parks business

[el_super]

Lazyboy laid it out a while back way better than i can. But, essentially getting rid of a lot of what was there has given less things to do, resulting in longer lines, along with virtual ques keeping people out of lines that would normally eat people. Attendance is down, yet it looks busier with longer lines than ever. If I have someone speculating with observations vs speculating based on what a company says with whom it is in their financial best interest to continue a program, I'm going to rely more heavily on observations.

Yeah but a lot of these "observations" are useless in coming to the conclusion that they've reduced services.

How many people did they have working registers in 2019 versus today? How many people did they have in the kitchens? How many orders are going out per hour?

What was the overall ride utilization in 2019 versus today? Things like Rise and Slinky and MMRR will seem busy and the lines could well be longer than they were before, but if fewer people are visiting MuppetVision or Frozen, the overall park utilization could actually be down, even while individual waittimes are up.

People will complain about capacity being lost when things like Carousel of Progress or Stitch get closed, but if they are playing to mostly empty seats, that's not really representative of capacity being lost.

Disney has said that they've been successful in moving demand from some days to others, so again it could be possible that you see bigger crowds on TUE-WED-THUR and smaller crowds on FRI-SAT-SUN-MON. Over the last few years we've seen people making more trips in what used to be the offseason, so someone comparing OCT to OCT might see more crowding, when someone in JULY OR DEC wouldn't. Doesn't mean they reduced offerings on the weekdays as much as it means they've increased demand on those days.

 

[flynnibus]

Yeah but a lot of these "observations" are useless in coming to the conclusion that they've reduced services.

How many people did they have working registers in 2019 versus today? How many people did they have in the kitchens? How many orders are going out per hour?

This strategy of requiring data points you know no one will provide is just a tactic and it's plainly obvious. You need to do better than that in your dodging of the information that is available. You know... by people like touringplans that track not just wait times, but actual utilization and capacity too?

People will complain about capacity being lost when things like Carousel of Progress or Stitch get closed, but if they are playing to mostly empty seats, that's not really representative of capacity being lost.

An attraction running at 30% is still dumping those same people back into the mix if you take it away. These points don't support your postulation.

Disney has said that they've been successful in moving demand from some days to others, so again it could be possible that you see bigger crowds on TUE-WED-THUR and smaller crowds on FRI-SAT-SUN-MON. Over the last few years we've seen people making more trips in what used to be the offseason, so someone comparing OCT to OCT might see more crowding, when someone in JULY OR DEC wouldn't. Doesn't mean they reduced offerings on the weekdays as much as it means they've increased demand on those days.

Shaping demand - to drive utilization efficency... not shaping demand to defer excess. Once again you take the slivers of details that appear to support your position while hiding from the others that counter it. The same 'question' you proposal has already been answered by the people there... instead of seeing 'hot and cold' they see 'hot everywhere'... and it's because they are not just shaping demand, but shaping operational capacity and staffing along with it.

They are matching their capacity to demand and simultaneously shaping demand to drive the correct efficencies for operations. They take away excess in one spot, but crowding doesn't diminish in that spot because they also optimize available operational capacity to match the new crowd level.

 

[el_super]

You know... by people like touringplans that track not just wait times, but actual utilization and capacity too?

If it's readily available... then where is it?What was the utilization for the attractions at Magic Kingdom today? Was it crowded today?

An attraction running at 30% is still dumping those same people back into the mix if you take it away. These points don't support your postulation.

Of course it does. It shows that "crowding" is a rather subjective and sometimes very localized phenomenon.

They are matching their capacity to demand and simultaneously shaping demand to drive the correct efficencies for operations. They take away excess in one spot, but crowding doesn't diminish in that spot because they also optimize available operational capacity to match the new crowd level.

They've always done this. Always.

And to some people the parks have always been crowded.
But until we get actual numbers we won't really know.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Yeah but a lot of these "observations" are useless in coming to the conclusion that they've reduced services.

How many people did they have working registers in 2019 versus today? How many people did they have in the kitchens? How many orders are going out per hour?

What was the overall ride utilization in 2019 versus today? Things like Rise and Slinky and MMRR will seem busy and the lines could well be longer than they were before, but if fewer people are visiting MuppetVision or Frozen, the overall park utilization could actually be down, even while individual waittimes are up.

People will complain about capacity being lost when things like Carousel of Progress or Stitch get closed, but if they are playing to mostly empty seats, that's not really representative of capacity being lost.

Disney has said that they've been successful in moving demand from some days to others, so again it could be possible that you see bigger crowds on TUE-WED-THUR and smaller crowds on FRI-SAT-SUN-MON. Over the last few years we've seen people making more trips in what used to be the offseason, so someone comparing OCT to OCT might see more crowding, when someone in JULY OR DEC wouldn't. Doesn't mean they reduced offerings on the weekdays as much as it means they've increased demand on those days.

Knowing that a store or restaurant was open and is currently closed is really easy to figure out. Are you that uninformed?

 

[el_super]

Knowing that a store or restaurant was open and is currently closed is really easy to figure out. Are you that uninformed?

No just trying to get stuff done. If the staffing has been cut, or locations have been closed, go ahead and post them.

Although to be honest this thread has been somewhat hilarious to see the normal doom-and-gloomers now bending over backwards to prove that the parks are JUST AS BUSY as always. That is a nice twist.

Anyway ... have a great weekend.... see you all on Monday.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

If these are not having a noticeable impact curtailing demand, more needs to be done.

Why should there be less demand for a product? That’s not how business works.

 

[flynnibus]

Anyway ... have a great weekend.... see you all on Monday.

because paid trolls don't work weekends?

 

[flynnibus]

If it's readily available... then where is it?What was the utilization for the attractions at Magic Kingdom today? Was it crowded today?

LMGTFY.com

Sorry you've somehow missed the numerous times the data folks have shared their actual tracking of ride throughput and published their comparisons. But so happy you're here to keep reminding us no one knows anything except Disney... because it's a convenient way to keep fueling the FUD campaign against the naysayers.

They've always done this. Always.

And to some people the parks have always been crowded.
But until we get actual numbers we won't really know.

WE HAVE THE NUMBERS... you just refuse to look at them because it would end your argument.

 

[el_super]

WE HAVE THE NUMBERS... you just refuse to look at them because it would end your argument.

You don't have them and we all know you don't have them. And that's fine. You can go on believing what you want.

It's not going to change the actual reality of what's going on in the parks or in Burbank, which you seem more and more divorced from.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

It's not going to change the actual reality of what's going on in the parks

You mean the actual reality that for the first time ever Universals Orlando parks have better attendance than everything but the Magic Kingdom?

 

[el_super]

You mean the actual reality that for the first time ever Universals Orlando parks have better attendance than everything but the Magic Kingdom?

So which is it? The crowd control methods are not working and the place is packed, or the place is empty and Universal is winning the attendance war?

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

You mean the actual reality that for the first time ever Universals Orlando parks have better attendance than everything but the Magic Kingdom?

We’re on the same side of this thread but this argument is getting old already. 2021 data is irrelevant to anything other than how each parks Covid restrictions affected their attendance.

By the logic of 2021 attendance equals demand the adventuredome at Circus circus is better than Shanghai Disneyland because it was open and had better attendance.

2022 is nothing like 2021 and I’ll eat my hat if the attendance order isn’t back to normal.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

So which is it? The crowd control methods are not working and the place is packed, or the place is empty and Universal is winning the attendance war?

Attendance is down compared to universal. The parks may or may not feel crowded because of lower staffing.

We’re on the same side of this thread but this argument is getting old already. 2021 data is irrelevant to anything other than how each parks Covid restrictions affected their attendance.

By the logic of 2021 attendance equals demand the adventuredome at Circus circus is better than Shanghai Disneyland because it was open and had better attendance.

2022 is nothing like 2021 and I’ll eat my hat if the attendance order isn’t back to normal.

Noooo comparing Disney Florida parks to Universal Orlando is completely relevant. They both had the exact same restrictions.

And to be fair… even with totally different restrictions I don’t see Silver Dollar City or Dollywood beating out Disneyland in California.

 

[LSLS]

Attendance is down compared to universal. The parks may or may not feel crowded because of lower staffing.

Noooo comparing Disney Florida parks to Universal Orlando is completely relevant. They both had the exact same restrictions.

And to be fair… even with totally different restrictions I don’t see Silver Dollar City or Dollywood beating out Disneyland in California.

No, they didn't, because disney instituted their own caps and restrictions. Now, I'm not convinced they did not still have a lower rebound than other parks have had, but we really need the 2022 data before we can start making any real statements.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Attendance is down compared to universal. The parks may or may not feel crowded because of lower staffing.

Noooo comparing Disney Florida parks to Universal Orlando is completely relevant. They both had the exact same restrictions.

And to be fair… even with totally different restrictions I don’t see Silver Dollar City or Dollywood beating out Disneyland in California.

They had the same gov restrictions but very different internal policies. Universal, for example, dropped masks months before Disney.

All 2021 tells us is how people reacted to those policies, it’s apples vs oranges. They were both running 90% normally in 2022 so it will be the first apples to apples comparison.

Can’t compare a park designed for a couple million guests like Silver dollar city to a park designed for 20 million. That was why I used the example I did, it’s a preposterous comparison because they are so different.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

No, they didn't, because disney instituted their own caps and restrictions.

Exactly. That’s the topic of this thread, Disney STILL has attendance caps vs. universal.

Can’t compare a park designed for a couple million guests like Silver dollar city to a park designed for 20 million. That was why I used the example I did, it’s a preposterous comparison because they are so different.

exactly. But I was saying even with the California restrictions vs. the wide open “covid? Never heard of her!” Mentality of Branson the smaller parks like SDC still didn’t get a blip on the radar.

 

[MrPromey]

So which is it? The crowd control methods are not working and the place is packed, or the place is empty and Universal is winning the attendance war?

 

[mkt]

 

[Mem11]

The ads by Pepsi comparing their taste and/or value to Coke since around 1900 are legion. Show me one example where Coke has ever even mentioned Pepsi.

... Of course, more than a hundred years in and Pepsi is still #2 so maybe there is something to be said for that tactic having limited effectiveness.

Me thinks someone missed out on the "New Coke" fiasco of 1985...


Do I think Disney would ever mention Uni in their advertising... Well no, but if Disney chooses to allow imbeciles to run the company, they may have to

 

[MrPromey]

Me thinks someone missed out on the "New Coke" fiasco of 1985...


Do I think Disney would ever mention Uni in there advertising... Well no, but if Disney chooses to allow imbeciles to run the company, they may have to

tou·ché

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