So in 1998, MK was Blacked out a total of 30 days: Jan 1/2, April 5-18, July 1-7, Dec 24-31.
In 2000, they blacked out MK 8 days: July 4th & Dec 24-31.
Looks like a decrease. Even those 30 days in 1998 seem reasonable compared to today.
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Fun With Numbers: MK Maingate Blackout Edition
- Thread starter PhotoDave219
- Start date
So in 1998, MK was Blacked out a total of 30 days: Jan 1/2, April 5-18, July 1-7, Dec 24-31.
In 2000, they blacked out MK 8 days: July 4th & Dec 24-31.
Looks like a decrease. Even those 30 days in 1998 seem reasonable compared to today.
Some more fun numbers.....
2000: Attendance was 15.4M. 2014: 19.33M
2000 Blackout Days: 8. 2014: 153.
Thats an attendance rise of 25% vs a blackout date rise of 1812%. (I checked the numbers three times. WHOA. Seriously.)
This brings us to 2014 and the mystery 101 days of "average" days that were blacked out. Yes, the 38 peak days, no one can argue those (25%), tho there were the 14 days (9%) that had no business being blacked out. I'm really leaning towards saying No, they simply should not have. Its bordering on egregious behavior. I mean there's no way attendance rose that much to warrant this, especially with Capacity at 90k+ with the 2012 expansion.
The only thing that would tell us definitively is how much of the MK audience is maingated in. Basically the percentage of Daily Attendance that is a maingate. Simple average would do.
2000: Attendance was 15.4M. 2014: 19.33M
2000 Blackout Days: 8. 2014: 153.
Thats an attendance rise of 25% vs a blackout date rise of 1812%. (I checked the numbers three times. WHOA. Seriously.)
This brings us to 2014 and the mystery 101 days of "average" days that were blacked out. Yes, the 38 peak days, no one can argue those (25%), tho there were the 14 days (9%) that had no business being blacked out. I'm really leaning towards saying No, they simply should not have. Its bordering on egregious behavior. I mean there's no way attendance rose that much to warrant this, especially with Capacity at 90k+ with the 2012 expansion.
The only thing that would tell us definitively is how much of the MK audience is maingated in. Basically the percentage of Daily Attendance that is a maingate. Simple average would do.
I would love to know that as well.
Because I believe cast and main gates to be a statistically insignificant to overall attendance.
And if that's true, then management is just screwing the employees.
BernardandBianca
Well-Known Member
Uh, you do live and work in the United States, do you not?
Does that make it right?
SoccerMickey
Active Member
Yea...I agree. And has it been confirmed that cast admission is blocked out on July 3-4 this year?
When they started blacking out cast ID's on the 24-hour days, and then continued at DHS on certain SWW I knew this was a slippery slope that they were continue to go down and I can see them eventually blacking out Christmas Day and New Year's Eve.
I personally think blacking out a holiday for cast admission, like 4th of July, is a big slap in the face to cast members. It's saying we expect you to work these holidays and on your off time if you wish to celebrate it in our parks, then too bad! Buy a ticket. These people work too hard for so little money, only to be treated like second class citizens when they step on property on their own time.
WDF
Well-Known Member
I worked at movie theaters during high school and college. One of the perks was being able to see movies for free and bring your family. HOWEVER, there were restrictions on when you could do this. We would never have been allowed to bring family members to a free movie on the most crowded days OR see one by ourselves for free. Why is it shocking that the 4th of July is blocked out? Some Disney CMs need to work other places and become acquainted with other real world workplace perks/rules before they complain all the time.
hopemax
Well-Known Member
My theory...CMs are statistically insignificant to overall attendance, but are statistically significantly for areas that have "capacity deficiencies." Take Frozen and the 900 per hour. 10,800 seats in a 12 hour day. 3500 maingaters (I just picked a number, no idea how many actually exist) would represent about 11% of Epcot's daily average attendance, but 32.5% of the daily capacity for the ride.
In the case of the MK, I suspect that FP+ has upset the apple cart. Day trippers are choosing MK more frequently, and less park hopping (due to late FP availability in the lesser parks) so the "in park, at this exact moment" attendance is climbing , and with thousands more people ejected from queues (when HM, Pirates, and the other rides were added to FP), the park just wasn't designed to have that many people in walkways, etc. They were meant to be in queues. CMs are the only ones that they have the power to restrict access. If Epcot were to get 3500 maingated, maybe MK gets 5000, and that can have an impact for curb space for parades, tables in a restaurant, the line at Mine Train or Peter Pan, etc.
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
Dave covered this, but to elaborate...
"Blue" pass (most employees) - Unlimited entry for CM, 16 entries with up to 3 guests (more if the CM has a ton of kids)
"Silver" pass (salaried employees, employees with 15 years) - Unlimited entry for CM and guests (generally 3 at a time)
With both passes, blockout dates apply to "letting guests in" but generally do not apply to the CM him/herself. Some days (Christmas, July 4th, etc.) might have all CMs blocked out. Cast members also get a few blockout-free tickets per year.
FWIW, Disneyland blockouts apply both to guests and cast members.
Technically incorrect. The CMs don't get in with their ID anymore (post-MM+). They have their own Main Entrance pass that, like you said, is not subject to blockouts. But it's not the ID anymore because the ID doesn't work with the RFID touch points.
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SoccerMickey
Active Member
Wow! That's actually kind of a brilliant theory! My hat off to you, sir!
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
It's a brilliant theory and also incorrect.
WDF
Well-Known Member
I am comparing a venue with a stated capacity with another venue with a stated capacity.
wdw71fan
Well-Known Member
Impacts of capacity are exponential.. a Movie theater vs a theme park is apples and oranges. it's much easier to accomodate 250 when you have space for 200.. in lieu 95000 over 90000.
WDF
Well-Known Member
How many employees with pass privileges does TWDC have?