Disney Giveth, and Disney Taketh Away

[asianway]

That's because it's all their fault.

Most of this is the MBAs, they rate slightly under lawyer in my book

 

[bubbles1812]

If my memory is correct and it may not be prior to magic your way tickets if you stayed 7 nights on property and bought a 7 day park ticket it automatically included park hooping, water parks, pleasure island and as an added bonus If you were a resort guest the parks would open at 8am every day (I can't remember if all 3 parks were open early or if it was staggered). People offsite couldn't get in until 9am. This started some time in th 90s and ended after Jan 2000. I think EMHs was introduced to replace this and something called e ride night or something like that where you paid extra to stay late at MK to ride the top rides (not sure if it was just MK but that is what i seem to remember). It was limited to the number of people so no waits. My memory fails me on how many hours you got, but I am pretty sure you didn't need to be staying on property to participate but it had an extra charge.

If we are listing things Disney has taken away since 2000 my point is that we actually have 2 extra hours of free EMHs more than what you got in 2000. I know it's a lame point, but still technically true. I have no way of defending the overall price increases. I blame it on the lawyers. I blame everything on them.

The part I bolded is sad in and of itself. Park Hopper is now separate, water parks are separate, ect. I guess I'll give Disney props for finding ways to squeeze ever more dollars out of their guests...

 

[bethymouse]

Entertainment cuts:
World Showcase "sidekicks" cut 08ish
Flynn rider cut last year
Two rounds of cuts at Ak last twelve months
MK EMH character cuts last summer
DHS cuts of Einsteins/Jojo/Up groupings down to one per location
DHS citizens of Hollywood cuts
"holiday pricing" for character meals
LTT characters

Cuts, cuts, cuts! BLAH!

 

[bethymouse]

WDW has its reasons for giving and taking away resort guests amenities and such. I just wish they'd be more honest and less hush hush about the reasons for their "cuts". I still can't see WDW "losing" money with so many people visiting and spending money each year. I know there may be a decline, but I still don't get it.

 

[GoofGoof]

The part I bolded is sad in and of itself. Park Hopper is now separate, water parks are separate, ect. I guess I'll give Disney props for finding ways to squeeze ever more dollars out of their guests...

Yeah. We should probably add that to the list. I believe the tickets never expired either. There was even a black market for tickets with unused days before those finger print scanners.

 

[bubbles1812]

Yeah. We should probably add that to the list. I believe the tickets never expired either. There was even a black market for tickets with unused days before those finger print scanners.

I had forgotten about that. I believe that was included like you said. I remember reading some news stories about that black market... a bunch of people sadly got scammed while trying to find them but I understand why one developed.

 

[GoofGoof]

I had forgotten about that. I believe that was included like you said. I remember reading some news stories about that black market... a bunch of people sadly got scammed while trying to find them but I understand why one developed.

That may have been one of those Disney urban legends, but In theory if they never expired and you didnt scan your finger how could they stop it. I picture a guy standing at a traffic light on International Drive in a trench coat yelling who needs tickets.

 

[GoofGoof]

If memory serves me right - in the old structure of EMH in the 90's, you were able to choose which park you wanted to go early to (which I believe was just 3 parks at the time). So no...it roughly would be the same. You wouldn't have as much TIME in the park, but the number of guests was also distributed, which would have brought wait times down. Just my recollection however...

That is how I remember it too. Same total hours but none at night. Much better than EMH in my opinion. I would prefer all 4 parks open 1 hour early over the 1 opening 1 hour early or 1 staying open 3 or now 2 hours late. They may go back to something similar to the old system where you pay for the extra evening hours. If they do that I hope they go back to all 4 opening at 8am. This way those that want to stay until 3am still can but the cost to keep the parks open is covered and probably even smaller crowds.

 

[unkadug]

Yeah. We should probably add that to the list. I believe the tickets never expired either. There was even a black market for tickets with unused days before those finger print scanners.

I've still got some unexpired tickets from the 90's. They were built in hopper tickets, before they charged extra for that privilege. I wonder if they would still qualify as hoppers today?

 

[GoofGoof]

I've still got some unexpired tickets from the 90's. They were built in hopper tickets, before they charged extra for that privilege. I wonder if they would still qualify as hoppers today?

I was thinking about that too. I think I have some passes in a photo album. I wonder if there are any days left. I think they would have to honor them since they were sold with no expiry date. Worth a shot at $89 a day.

 

[asianway]

I've still got some unexpired tickets from the 90's. They were built in hopper tickets, before they charged extra for that privilege. I wonder if they would still qualify as hoppers today?

Yes they would - TDO can do many things, but they can not undo the contract terms of a ticket you bought 20 years ago.

 

[unkadug]

I was thinking about that too. I think I have some passes in a photo album. I wonder if there are any days left. I think they would have to honor them since they were sold with no expiry date. Worth a shot at $89 a day.

The reason I haven't used them is that any ticket over 3 days long is cheaper to add another day than the cost of the extra day left on the tickets.

Perhaps I will use them as a hopper one day.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

How does reducing the Monorail operation by an hour or two on certain nights (that it really doesn't need to be running any longer than it does) equate to rides and entire parks being shut down for half the day? The monorail is open all day long, not really sure where you're making this connection. I'm just not sure why you need hours to leave a closed park that was probably mostly empty to start with?

Besides THAT...

The person I quoted stated that the monorail hours were reduced due to maintenance issues. My points thereafter were to show how silly that mode of thinking is. If its broken, fix it. Don't just avoid using it. THAT is the point.

If park attendance isn't enough at any point during the day or EMH offerings perhaps additional offerings to interest people could help vs. throwing your hands in the air & closing up shop earlier.

Would I discourage an average casual visit from visiting WDW? No. I recently helped guide a great friend with info to visit. Would I encourage a Disney-knowledgeable fan to go to WDW? No. I won't go there right now because I feel there's better quality Disney experiences to be had.

For those that say "you gripe but you still go". Um, no, that's not true. I've had plenty of recent opportunity to go to WDW yet every time the decision is in front of me I've opted to stay home or go elsewhere. Some of us *are* speaking with our dollars. If TDO never cares that's fine because the satisfaction in not going begins & ends right here with me.

 

[GoofGoof]

For those that say "you gripe but you still go". Um, no, that's not true. I've had plenty of recent opportunity to go to WDW yet every time the decision is in front of me I've opted to stay home or go elsewhere. Some of us *are* speaking with our dollars. If TDO never cares that's fine because the satisfaction in not going begins & ends right here with me.

You have every right to do this and I am sure if enough people people did the missing revenue would be felt, but most people are not going to stop going. Not trying to pick a fight so please don't get upset, but the tag at the bottom of your post shows Pop+DCL in May 2012 and and WL+DCL+YC in 2011 so is this a recent decision based on things that happened this summer (price increases, EMH cutbacks) or issues with your recent trips there.

 

[jlsHouston]

The person I quoted stated that the monorail hours were reduced due to maintenance issues. My points thereafter were to show how silly that mode of thinking is. If its broken, fix it. Don't just avoid using it. THAT is the point.

If park attendance isn't enough at any point during the day or EMH offerings perhaps additional offerings to interest people could help vs. throwing your hands in the air & closing up shop earlier.

Would I discourage an average casual visit from visiting WDW? No. I recently helped guide a great friend with info to visit. Would I encourage a Disney-knowledgeable fan to go to WDW? No. I won't go there right now because I feel there's better quality Disney experiences to be had.

For those that say "you gripe but you still go". Um, no, that's not true. I've had plenty of recent opportunity to go to WDW yet every time the decision is in front of me I've opted to stay home or go elsewhere. Some of us *are* speaking with our dollars. If TDO never cares that's fine because the satisfaction in not going begins & ends right here with me.

I haven't gone enough yet to find the lacks... in fact since the first visit a year ago my perception is I have had gains from disney in the form of free wifi in the rooms and now you get the refillable mugs with the DDP (which I gather they had that feature before and the refills could even be had at the parks, not just resorts!), so each visit I felt like I "gained" ..but I agree with your last few lines, at some point if my experiences at the world tend to leave me dissatisfied I would do what you do, spend my dollars elsewhere...I am just hoping this 4th trip I don't encounter the tour groups in a manner I can't abide... because I am sure I will bring a distasteful encounter to disney's attention and if they don't take satisfactory action I will be less inclined to make the next visit or as frequent visits and I will be good with my decision.

 

[ParentsOf4]

no offense to anyone but you all drive me crazy...the napkins being blank(the world will now end)is because the manufacturer messed up they were printed when I was there yesterday...and yes there are problems but some things just cant be perfect all the time...I still love Disney and going to the parks and nothing will ever change my mind [emphasis added]

I hope you don't really mean that. What if Disney closed PotC, HM, the 3 mountains, eliminated the parade and fireworks? (All expensive to operate.) Would you still love Disney just as much?

My point is that everyone has a breaking point.

 

[jlsHouston]

Ya, but I been following her threads because she is from Texas, I think she actually avoids the parks and does the waterparks now and the cruise, that is what she means by better quality disney experiences. And you are probably correct about what "most" people do as far as taking action with their pocketbook, but the point I buy into is "owning" your choice. It may not change a thing out there in the great big scheme of events, except to know who you see in the mirror is exactly who you want to see looking back.

 

[flynnibus]

I've still got some unexpired tickets from the 90's. They were built in hopper tickets, before they charged extra for that privilege. I wonder if they would still qualify as hoppers today?

Yup - since the ticket equivalent was a multi-park ticket, they give you the same # of days in a current park hopper. You can trade your old ticket media at any ticket window. The only negative is you can't 'stack' tickets. So if you have three old tickets, they will give you three new tickets.

I still have plenty of comp tickets from the 80s.. and even old unused days from the 80s I trade in from time to time.

 

[flynnibus]

The reason I haven't used them is that any ticket over 3 days long is cheaper to add another day than the cost of the extra day left on the tickets.

Perhaps I will use them as a hopper one day.

I use them when I'm in town on business and buying a short duration ticket would be expensive. They are good 'forever' so no need to rush.

 

[flynnibus]

I had forgotten about that. I believe that was included like you said. I remember reading some news stories about that black market... a bunch of people sadly got scammed while trying to find them but I understand why one developed.

People still try to sell unused days - even after the biometrics. That's why Disney now makes people sign their tickets - to try to prevent resale of unused days.