Is attendance really down at WDW this or…

[el_super]

YES I think they prefer to use reservation data to make staffing decisions ahead of times instead of making them on the fly

Ok so hypothetical for everyone. Reservations are currently available for Sept 15th? When are the staffing decisions for that day going to be made? When do you think park capacity decisions are going to be made it have they been already?

But the reservation data is incomplete as only certain groups need to make park reservations and only sometimes.

Most people have transitioned to date based tickets now right?

We are also living at a time when AP and CM availability is also strictly controlled.

 

[wannabeBelle]

Most people have transitioned to date based tickets now right?

We are also living at a time when AP and CM availability is also strictly controlled.

Exactly my point, most people dont need to make reservations, so you know that people will be attending one of the four theme parks for the number of days on their tickets, but no idea as to which park on which day. CM Availability is controlled via black out dates so again reservations are superfluous. AP holders only need to make reservations sometimes allowing for the Good to Go dates but I dont think that is the majority of the attendees on any given day. Granted California has a far larger AP presence on any given day, so it may be needed there, but not in Orlando. Marie

 

[el_super]

CM Availability is controlled via black out dates so again reservations are superfluous.

the reservations are needed still to control AP and CM admissions. Before it was just a binary choice: you either were good to go or not. Now they can use the reservations to cap the number allowed for a particular ticket group. Like if they only wanted 10k APs in the park or maybe only 5k free CM admissions.

What they wanted to avoid all along was the scenario where the APs were not blocked out and so many showed up they were overwhelming the regular ticket guests. Admittedly this was always more a problem in CA than in FL, but the same still applies.

In the before times, the day the APs were unblocked after summer was so busy they had to park the Cast Members at Angel stadium. Reservations give them the ability to control that.

 

[wannabeBelle]

And welcome back to the point of the thread. I can tell you if I had an IncrediPass AP (No blackout dates)and wanted to plan a trip a number of months out, but didnt know what park I wanted to be in on what day yet so I wasnt going to make reservations, I would be less than happy to know that I may not get to go to the park I want to if I just want to decide that on the day of my trip. So at that point, why would I invest in an AP if I wasnt sure I could get into the park I wanted to? So perhaps I just buy a day type of ticket and go less times in the year, leading to a drop in attendance. Marie

 

[Disstevefan1]

Ok so hypothetical for everyone. Reservations are currently available for Sept 15th? When are the staffing decisions for that day going to be made? When do you think park capacity decisions are going to be made it have they been already?

My hypothesis is, the max number of reservations they will give out for a given day is a finite number that they know ahead of time, and they staff based on that.

I wish we had someone on the inside to tell us the truth about park pass reservations and how they use them.

 

[wannabeBelle]

I wish we had someone on the inside to tell us the truth about park pass reservations and how they use them.

@lentesta Any insight on this? Marie

 

[SourcererMark79]

I am guessing before reservations, they had to "best guess" at staffing and the last thing they want is to pay for more staff then they need.

That best guess, when there were more CMs that they probably needed, made a huge impact on guest satisfaction.

 

[Disstevefan1]

That best guess, when there were more CMs that they probably needed, made a huge impact on guest satisfaction.

Totally agree. Lets all be clear, park pass reservations (which I hate) is all about Disney reducing costs and saving MONEY and had nothing to do with guest satisfaction!!!! PPR's REDUCE guest satisfaction in my opinion.

 

[Jenny72]

When I went last summer, I did notice at quick service restaurants in particular that often only a few lines were open when it seemed like more would be useful.

I can remember when I went as a kid when there were sometimes CMs standing around and not doing much, and I understand that every business, not just Disney, has been trying to avoid those situations (which has led to some pretty lousy situations for workers and unpredictable hours). Still, I miss the days when CMs without much to do would chat or just do silly stuff because they weren't very busy. Sigh. I know: nostalgia.

 

[Disstevefan1]

When I went last summer, I did notice at quick service restaurants in particular that often only a few lines were open when it seemed like more would be useful.

I can remember when I went as a kid when there were sometimes CMs standing around and not doing much, and I understand that every business, not just Disney, has been trying to avoid those situations (which has led to some pretty lousy situations for workers and unpredictable hours). Still, I miss the days when CMs without much to do would chat or just do silly stuff because they weren't very busy. Sigh. I know: nostalgia.

I remember dancing with cast members at the Osborne lights...
NOW you DID it!!! I miss the Osborne lights

 

[lentesta]

@lentesta Any insight on this? Marie

I know that for a long time after the parks were re-opened, the number of reservations available was absolutely not linked to capacity.

Instead, Disney would shut off park reservations at (say) MK and DHS to encourage guests to go to AK and EP.

So if they guaranteed X number of CMs shifts at DAK and it looked like they didn’t need that many based on demand, to avoid paying OT at the Magic Kingdom for extra CMs there, they’d just shut off reservations at MK and drive guests to visit AK.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

There are some very easy low hanging fruit that Disney grab to really improve the guest experience and perception of value.

1. Eliminate the reservation system.
2. Streamline and simplify the App and processes needed to "use" Disney World
3. Extend EMH for guests morning and evening and bring the evening EMH to other parks.
4. Bring back as much entertainment, parades, streetmosphere, etc as possible
5. Throw resort guests and AP holders a bone and give them a complimentary ILL or G+ redemption. The $0.02 AP magnet that is guarded tighter than Fort Knox doesn't work anymore.

…nothing crazy there

 

[Splash4eva]

Oh it is still running, but it is a pay for service operated by Mears. Baggage handling is not included, which was the case before Disney's Magical Express, as Mears was around then too. Round trip transfers currently run about $33.00 per adult as of the last time I booked this. Marie

Thats my point. I get its a “cost” but say an average room holds 3 people thats $100 for DIsney. I woukd guess most people stay at least 5 nights in average. So $20 a night needs to he allocated to keep the guests at bay…

 

[Disstevefan1]

I know that for a long time after the parks were re-opened, the number of reservations available was absolutely not linked to capacity.

Instead, Disney would shut off park reservations at (say) MK and DHS to encourage guests to go to AK and EP.

So if they guaranteed X number of CMs shifts at DAK and it looked like they didn’t need that many based on demand, to avoid paying OT at the Magic Kingdom for extra CMs there, they’d just shut off reservations at MK and drive guests to visit AK.

I believe this, shut off PPRs in one park to FORCE "guests" to another park.

I never considered they turn on and off PPRs like a valve to control guest flow but not surprised, after all its NOT about guest experience, its about MONEY.

 

[Lilofan]

I remember dancing with cast members at the Osborne lights...
NOW you DID it!!! I miss the Osborne lights

When Jennings and his family showed up on occasion at SODL at MGM that was a big surprise to all. He was a jolly soul with a big heart. Gone too soon, RIP Mr. Osborne.

 

[Jrb1979]

I

I know that for a long time after the parks were re-opened, the number of reservations available was absolutely not linked to capacity.

Instead, Disney would shut off park reservations at (say) MK and DHS to encourage guests to go to AK and EP.

So if they guaranteed X number of CMs shifts at DAK and it looked like they didn’t need that many based on demand, to avoid paying OT at the Magic Kingdom for extra CMs there, they’d just shut off reservations at MK and drive guests to visit AK

I have to wonder if that plays into Genie+ selling out now. Instead of reservations pushing guests to different parks. Having MK and all park Genie+ sellout leaving only the other parks pushes Guests to go to those parks.

 

[monothingie]

I believe this, shut off PPRs in one park to FORCE "guests" to another park.

I never considered they turn on and off PPRs like a valve to control guest flow but not surprised, after all its NOT about guest experience, its about MONEY.

It’s why park hopping STILL is a convoluted mess 4 years later. Because park hopping breaks the system.

 

[monothingie]

I have to wonder if that plays into Genie+ selling out now. Instead of reservations pushing guests to different parks. Having MK and all park Genie+ sellout leaving only the other parks pushes Guests to go to those parks.

G+ looses its luster when more guests purchase it. It also creates gridlock in the parks by slowing standby to a virtual stop. I would think the G+ pool is related to the ticket system and some algorithm determines availability.

 

[Disstevefan1]

It’s why park hopping STILL is a convoluted mess 4 years later. Because park hopping breaks the system.

Park hopping sure does blow a hole in the idea that PPRs are being used to force guests into less crowded parks.

I think maybe they gave back the park hopping perk back knowing a fraction of guests use it?

 

[Jrb1979]

G+ looses its luster when more guests purchase it. It also creates gridlock in the parks by slowing standby to a virtual stop. I would think the G+ pool is related to the ticket system and some algorithm determines availability.

It might but at the same time if they really did understand that it loses its luster as more people buy it than why is the limit set so high?