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EPCOT Entertainment cuts
- Thread starter wannabeBelle
- Start date
PhotoDave219
Well-Known Member
We already have one in Canada. It's next to the beer cart.
bingie
Well-Known Member
PhotoDave219
Well-Known Member
How about Maple Popcorn? Popcorn coated in maple syrup?
SirLink
Well-Known Member
Nope did not state that was merely mentioning that those two issues are why some guests see CMs as easily replaceable.
Matt_Black
Well-Known Member
All this talk about whether or not to give the new acts a fair chance reminds me of Colin Quinn's speech after he took over on SNL's Weekend Update following Norm MacDonald's abrupt firing. "Ever go to the bar and find that your favorite bartender's been replaced by some guy named Steve? You really loved Jeff, and now some punk is in his spot taking his tips? But Steve is just trying to do his job, and he learned a lot from Jeff, and and he's trying to make it just a little less awkward so every one can still have a good time at the bar. Well, my name's Steve; what can I get you?"
These new acts are all collectively Steve.
These new acts are all collectively Steve.
squidward
Well-Known Member
Colin Quinn was the worst anchor ever.
First. I love the sounds of the groups as you slow down and enjoy epcot. Many times I stop and watch all the performances that the park has to offer. Off kilter has been there for 17 years and as a musician, that's a long run I am sure they did not even think they would be there more then a few years. Walt did not believe that the park should stay the same and should be in a state of change. Sometimes we loose things we love Mr toad horizons and others but change is good. This is not the end of the world
The change, while horrible to us Off Kilter fans, is only part of the issue here. two things are far more terrible 1) the way Disney would treat long time Cast Members just terminating them without really much notice at all or any offer of a transfer and 2) Why this is being done namely cost cutting measures ONLY. That is the bigger issues here. Marie
Matt_Black
Well-Known Member
Well, first, that's not taking into account Brad Hall. Second, Quinn was a great foil for Will Ferrell's Harry Caray impersonation. "Hey, Norm! Have you gained weight?!?"
Fractal514
Well-Known Member
These folks were given over a months notice, that's quite a heads up. How much notice do you think a company should give? To your second point, I agree that this seems to be a cost cutting measure, but that really shouldn't impact whether or not people are able to enjoy the new acts. IF they are good, they are good, and if they stink they stink. What does the average guest care for the financials behind them?
I'll greatly miss Off Kilter. Moreso than AIE, the AFI showcase, the fife and drum, the Ziti sisters, but not nearly as much as Cranium Command. And I wish Disney hadn't canceled any of them (except the Zitis -- they really annoyed me).
However, 35 days notice is actually pretty good, in general, for at will employment termination notice, when there's no union contract or WARN act considerations. Long time or not, a month's notice is more than the norm. I wish they'd given them more notice simply to allow me to actually see them again before they go, but that has nothing to do with whether it's fair or not.
As for budget cuts, it certainly seems clear to me, without even considering any insider information, that Disney is fiddling with the FY 2015 WDW budget. Closing AIE early, as well as the AFI showcase, cutting these acts at Epcot and bringing along their replacements gradually instead of right away (and likely at a lower cost), finding hard ticket events all over the place, etc. But even very profitable companies watch budgets, look for revenue, and trim spending when they can -- that's how they become and stay profitable. If your household budget is just fine and you are able to save a good amount of money, but a new gas station opens up that provides similar service at 10 cents less per gallon, you'll probably go to it, even though you can afford to keep going where you've been going for years. It's the smart thing to do, even if it isn't necessary. So the fact that budget-monitoring/trimming/slashing is going on isn't a bad thing or an unexpected thing -- the WHY is easy to see and easy to understand, but hard to accept.
mm52200
Well-Known Member
You constantly seem to be missing the point here and defending TDO to no end. Countless people have explained how Disney used to do things and treat their entertainment cast members when shows were closed. They could have told the cast members before it was announced on the Disney Parks Blog, given them a severance package, offer them roles in another show, etc. The list goes on and on and yet you keep questioning it/defending TDO.
That is an excellent analogy. And as somebody else noted, colin didn't turn out to be very good. Hopefully, Disney has found better Steves.
He's not missing your point. He's making a different one. You think his point is invalid, and he thinks yours is. I think you both have good points.
mm52200
Well-Known Member
They WHY isn't easy to understand and see when the company is constantly reporting record earnings, charging people almost a $100 a day to enter the park, and charging them insane prices for food, beverage, merchandise, upcharge events, etc. I'm pretty sure more money used to be spent on entertainment in the 80s or 90s than today. So it isn't easy to understand why they keep cutting and cutting.
They have a bear claw cart in Canada. They're really good. And no calories due to the pixie dust...or metric system...or something.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
That most people will not know or care is the argument behind killing off so much of what made Walt Disney World unique and special. The Disney theme park reputation was built on a strong attention towards such things.
So you don't understand then why banks don't pay more interest on savings, why McDonald's doesn't sell Big Macs for less, why Apple charges so much for iPhones, why Starbucks raises prices on coffee, why the Showboat Casino in AC closed yesterday? All of those businesses are/were making good money (even Showboat -- whose owners hope the biz will move their other casinos), yet they still seek to make more. So does Disney. Nothing more complicated than that. Easy to understand...hard to accept, because we don't like paying more for iPhones, Big Macs, or coffee, earning precious little on savings, having less places to gamble in Atlantic City, or losing things we like at Disney.
Fractal514
Well-Known Member
I'm not trying to defend TDO, I'm simply not as apoplectic as other folks on this board. I don't understand why asking questions and pointing out things is a bad thing. I get that folks are upset, I'm not trying to deny them their feelings, I just want to make sure our arguments and statements are logical and factual, some have been, some have not been. Folks also seem to be inferring a lot more than others are saying. For example, I do think that the cuts have been a problem and I do think they need to turn it around, I guess I'm just trying to figure out a more realistic way of processing that and analyzing what COULD be done, rather than just rage-quitting and moving down the street to Universal.