Drastic July/Holiday Operating Cutbacks

[scpergj]

And a banned member.

Yeah...I have the same feeling. I also have a theory as to which one it is...

 

[Cap10_Mickey]

Conundrum, negative, nooooooo....

And yes, his style and attitude sound awfully familiar.

 

[WDW1974]

Currently the MK is set to show the July 4 pyro on the 3rd as normal. The Studios also have their show lined up for the 4th as normal.

The above two changes havn't yet made it to the calendars, but I'm assured that as this point they are both online to go as normal.

Interesting since Disney's own press releases haven't been updated to reflect those ... not doubting your info ... it just seems dumb on their part.

As to the Studios, I heard the pyro issue there was problematic because they'd have to close down TSMM (and naturally don't want to do so) ...

No matter, it's just not good guest service for us to be past Memorial Day and they don't have their REAL July 4th plans out for the public to see and plan by.

 

[WDW1974]

We travel during the same week each August, and the closing hours for the MK this year are 2-3 hours earlier each evening than they were for the same period last year.

This is very reminiscent of the 2002-03 era. Closings at 7 ... 9 ... 10 etc ... basically no night hours (you have daylight until well after 8 in July) so no cooler hours for guests to enjoy the parks. ... The difference is attendance was way down in 2002. There hasn't been nearly that type of drop this year (depression or no depression). ... The only justification for this is to save money and make the bottom line look better.

I realize profits are down, but given that attendance is not proportionally down (due to the promotions or for whatever reason), it doesn't make sense to cut the park hours to such a degree to compensate for those lost profits. What's the result? A crowded park with dissatisfied customers who couldn't experience as much as normal/expected. That must be great for repeat business. But then again, this is from the management team whose foresight is shallow, to say the least.

Hmm ... what an intelligent accurate portrayal of the situation.

I'm so glad you said it and not that 74MICKEYHATER guy!

 

[WDW1974]

The only location 'hard hit' here seems to be studios.... I think your post is a little over-the-top... with park capacity lower, why SHOULD they waste money staying open later?

I ran out to MK on Memorial day expecting hellish crowds, and it was basically empty... The rides were all walk ons... everything....

Gee ... 7 p.m. closes in July at TPFKaTD-MGMS isn't an 'over the top' cutback? Not having NIGHTLY Fantasmic showings in SUMMER (when they used to have two and even three showings on some occasions) isn't 'over the top?' ... Having most days in July at MK closing at 10 instead of midnight or 1 a.m. isn't an 'over the top' cutback? ... Hell, even taking two hours off DAK's operating schedule isn't 'over the top?'

Not mocking your post, but seriously I don't see cutback on top of cutback as anything but troubling.

I certainly don't see giving guests what they should be getting as 'wasting money' ... and I'd bet lines at MK will be much longer this summer with Space Mountain, TTA and (for June) HoP all out of commission. Just like I am sure lines will be longer at Studios if they are closing earlier and if they don't have the huge people-eating Fantasmic showing nightly.

 

[WDW1974]

I don't think you can compare park hours from when there were two theme parks to an era when there are 4 theme parks and two water parks. It's a totally different place with the guest population distributed in a radically different way. And resorts that have more diversions than ever.

I think you absolutely can compare park hours from past years (and even other Disney parks outside of FLA) to what they are now.

As to your 'diversions' ... I'd love to know what they are. PI? RC? DI? How about the FW Petting Zoo? Tennis at the Contemporary? What am I missing?

Are you suggesting people will trade Disney park hours for a new shop and fast food outlet at the Contemporary? Or perhaps a new tequila bar restaurant at DD? Oh I know, everyone will head to Tren-D for some hip women's clothes (especially the showtune loving fanboi demo!)

Move along, nothing to see here.:shrug:

If there was nothing here why would you waste your valuable trolling time posting?

 

[WDW1974]

I've been meaning to do this for a while, but your condensing of "The Park Formerly Known as The Disney-MGM Studios" finally pushed me over the edge. Check out my new signature!

I can't get it to work!
It's SUPPOSED to be...
"Proud Member of the AAAAA-
American Association Against Acronym Abuse"

I am soooo proud of TPFKaTD-MGMS.

I love creating.

It's almost like being 'Part of the Magic of The Walt Disney Company'!

 

[Captain Chaos]

I am soooo proud of TPFKaTD-MGMS.

I love creating.

It's almost like being 'Part of the Magic of The Walt Disney Company'!

You can only be part of the "magic makers" if you authorized half-arsed refurbs, dance parties, celebrations that celebrate celebrating a celebration, or anything that involves Stitch...

 

[The Conundrum]

You can only be part of the "magic makers" if you authorized half-arsed refurbs, dance parties, celebrations that celebrate celebrating a celebration, or anything that involves Stitch...

Hey life is good when you have foamers defending every decision you make. Makes Philly holmes job a heck of alot easier.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

And a banned member.

Brass or rock?

 

[MousDad]

Brass or rock?

Boy.

 

[wdwmagic]

Interesting since Disney's own press releases haven't been updated to reflect those ... not doubting your info ... it just seems dumb on their part.

The MK show on the 3rd is on the official WDW calendar
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wd...ex?id=MKCalendarDailyViewPage&date=07/03/2009

Should be enough for people to plan.

 

[wilsonhanks]

You can only be part of the "magic makers" if you authorized half-arsed refurbs, dance parties, celebrations that celebrate celebrating a celebration, or anything that involves Stitch...

yay Stitch!!! :wave::wave::wave::wave:

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Boy.

Given Disney CMs that would be the most likely :drevil:

 

[jakeman]

...And resorts that have more diversions than ever.

There is nothing to do after 11pm at most resorts jt. You can't even sit at the bar. With the closure of PI and the exception of Jellyrolls, Atlantic Dance, and a very small handful of dispersed other lounges, WDW starts to shut down about 9 pm.

I agree that the resort do offer quite a bit, but a majority of what they offer will eat away at park time.

Interesting since Disney's own press releases haven't been updated to reflect those ... not doubting your info ... it just seems dumb on their part.

As to the Studios, I heard the pyro issue there was problematic because they'd have to close down TSMM (and naturally don't want to do so) ...

No matter, it's just not good guest service for us to be past Memorial Day and they don't have their REAL July 4th plans out for the public to see and plan by.

I agree here, but are we talking about Disney in general or their IT department? I have known several times that park hours have only been posted only a few weeks ahead of time. It's a shame that the most reliable park operation information has to come from unoffical channels.

This is very reminiscent of the 2002-03 era. Closings at 7 ... 9 ... 10 etc ... basically no night hours (you have daylight until well after 8 in July) so no cooler hours for guests to enjoy the parks. ... The difference is attendance was way down in 2002. There hasn't been nearly that type of drop this year (depression or no depression). ... The only justification for this is to save money and make the bottom line look better.

Justification for the cuts aside, the situation is different enough to be commented on. A basic fear of travel preciptated the drop in attendance in 2002-2003, now it is largely financial in nature which is more maliable for a company to work around.

Perhaps projections for July are down?

 

[luvlifeinfl]

I know our family has went to Disney during the week of the 4th in the past yrs. We always went to the park that had the EM hrs and I know one yr the general close time in the MK was 1am so the park closed like at 3am to the resort guest. This is disappointing because I know that during the June - Aug time is when the touring groups from Brazil vac. 2 Disney. I hope that the post park hrs right now are just general and subject to change.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

There is nothing to do after 11pm at most resorts jt. You can't even sit at the bar. With the closure of PI and the exception of Jellyrolls, Atlantic Dance, and a very small handful of dispersed other lounges, WDW starts to shut down about 9 pm.

I agree that the resort do offer quite a bit, but a majority of what they offer will eat away at park time.

I agree here, but are we talking about Disney in general or their IT department? I have known several times that park hours have only been posted only a few weeks ahead of time. It's a shame that the most reliable park operation information has to come from unoffical channels.

Justification for the cuts aside, the situation is different enough to be commented on. A basic fear of travel preciptated the drop in attendance in 2002-2003, now it is largely financial in nature which is more maliable for a company to work around.

Perhaps projections for July are down?

That's what I think.:shrug: They are hesitant to overstep themselves. By the time July/Aug comes I think we will see *some* extension of hours.

Or at least, I hope so, for my sake.:lookaroun

 

[jakeman]

That's what I think.:shrug: They are hesitant to overstep themselves. By the time July/Aug comes I think we will see *some* extension of hours.

Or at least, I hope so, for my sake.:lookaroun

That would be the most logical explination to me. I'm not really aware of any promotions during that time, perhaps we are seeing the effect of the economy on the true demand?

Without the heavy discounts, perhaps Disney has priced themselves out of the current market.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

That would be the most logical explination to me. I'm not really aware of any promotions during that time, perhaps we are seeing the effect of the economy on the true demand?

Without the heavy discounts, perhaps Disney has priced themselves out of the current market.

Right. And until they can scope out how much attendance they will be getting, we have to wait.

Hope they add a Spectro...

 

[kbmum]

well I still havent figured out if I am a traditionalist or not but I do really like the stuff to do at the end of SSE. I email the interactive picture every time we go. My fridge currently has me and my gf in a scuba underwater, theme. Also, it kinda fun to see where the greatest concentration of people are from on the big interactive screen. The other stuff is okay also, almost makes up for the decent.

How do you e-mail the interactive pictures? This is my kids' favorite part of the ride and they would really love to have some of those pictures.