Labor cost cutting measures begin at Walt Disney World as the company enters Q1

[Sir_Cliff]

That's because DL has a ton of C/D ticket attractions that don't necessarily draw in new people, but are quality and absorb crowds. MK needs more of those, not more E-Tickets. And the other three parks need a lot more to make them full or 2-day parks.

I agree, E-Tickets are not the main problem.

DAK needs a few flat rides, boat, rides and omnimover to not just add capacity, but give people a reason to stay longer and keep the park open late.

This is very true for ALL the WDW parks. The only problem is that Disney now seems unable to build these kinds of rides below E-ticket budgets.

Perhaps a different issue than the one we're discussing here, but one they should be focussing on correcting. Part of the reason I don't think they are, though, is that building capacity is not a priority. They just want to hit a sweet spot of growing revenues with lower/static attendance. Then they can blow $300million on a new rollercoaster every few years to keep interest up.

 

[fgmnt]

They can refurbish the attraction without retheming it. Stuff like fixing animatronics and cleaning the sets would likely be cheaper than retheming the whole thing.

Sure, they can do that. They can also give me a bicycle. The money people wouldn't approve either expense though because basic maintenance can't be easily spun into a way that makes them more money.

 

[el_super]

DL did have free FP - you only had to pay for MaxPass (on the phone). But anyone could use a kiosk to get a FP. DL just has higher capacity per hour than MK.

DL certainly has more attractions, but a lot of those attractions are low capacity or low utilization. There were still days when the top five attractions at Disneyland were all 60+ minute waits. And since Disneyland was so much smaller physically, it was still a miserable experience with long lines for food and even the bathrooms, and no benches or tables available anywhere.

For those that don't know, prior to the opening of Galaxy's Edge, Disneyland started a mass infrastructure project, ripping up planters and trees to make pathways larger to increase foottraffic capacity. They added additional bathroom capacity and probably the most telling of how scared they were: they started to remove merchandise space in order to have additional seating.

Epcot used to be a 2-day park... Not anymore, but it used to be... I would think making it so each one could be enjoyed over more than one day would also encourage people to come back... Because you couldn't see everything. I don't think a 5th gate is in the cards or would really solve the problem, but certainly increasing each park so to see everything would be 1+ days would help divert crowds from MK.

Yeah exactly... I think their entire spending pattern over the last decade shows how desperately they've been trying to add capacity and alternatives to get people out of the Magic Kingdom. Galaxy's Edge, Toy Story Land, Pandora, New Epcot: all large scale capital projects NOT in Magic Kingdom.

 

[el_super]

The parks have served as Disney's ATM for years. There's no excuse for not having a schedule for adding capacity and no need to connect ticket prices to those additions.

Companies can't spend money without a plan to recoup those costs. Disney will spend money on additional capacity (and literally have) where they know they can make a return on their investment. I think it's harder to see and make the connection between capital spending and admissions, since Disney has been incrementally raising admissions prices year over year, but it's all connected.

 

[ToTBellHop]

This post aged well....

An unintended benefit of Lightning Lane is the acceleration of M&Gs. I’ll take the win.

Tons of entertainment hiring coming.

 

[el_super]

This is very true for ALL the WDW parks. The only problem is that Disney now seems unable to build these kinds of rides below E-ticket budgets.

THIS is a problem.

 

[fgmnt]

They will never run the property at profits on just DVC. It’s not possible. They also can’t really do it on just the Disney properties.

people on Disney forums are de-sensitized as to what’s east of I-4. There is a million person city designed to service funneling people onto wdw property.

they can’t wall up the property.

which is why the “it luxury now” nonsense of the last 5 years cannot succeed.

they need bodies for profits…period.

They can't run sustainability profitable on DVC, but enough of the right people can probably hit performance bonuses on their compensation agreements if they do flips like they are at GF.

That's part of the problem I was getting at with the Splash redo vs refurb. The Money People not only want to make money (which is the thing they are supposed to do, to be fair) they want to make as much for themselves as fast as possible and bail out before their house of cards tumbles.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Hey, if they can keep building RotRs and MMRRs at these crowd levels, I’ll pay these prices lol.

Imagine considering a G+ purchase with these crowds…just throw your money directly into the toilet to save time and deny Chappie the satisfaction.

 

[Michaelson]

If one reduces Mr. Chapeks pay by 90% then redistribute across the entire business entity known as Disney, how much of a bump would everyone get in $/hr raise assuming 2080 hrs/yr?

I never was any good at story problems.
Regards! Michaelson

 

[Jrb1979]

This is very true for ALL the WDW parks. The only problem is that Disney now seems unable to build these kinds of rides below E-ticket budgets.

Perhaps a different issue than the one we're discussing here, but one they should be focussing on correcting. Part of the reason I don't think they are, though, is that building capacity is not a priority. They just want to hit a sweet spot of growing revenues with lower/static attendance. Then they can blow $300million on a new rollercoaster every few years to keep interest up.

I get all that. What gets me is why they can't follow what the majority of parks do? Every year that usually add a small ride and then every few years they add a major attraction. Instead for some reason every ride has to be a major attraction.

 

[Lilofan]

If one reduces Mr. Chapeks pay by 90% then redistribute across the entire business entity known as Disney, how much of a bump would everyone get in $/hr raise assuming 2080 hrs/yr?

Memo to TWDC Board of Directors who set Iger and Chapek compensation. Good luck with that.

 

[el_super]

Also with the news coming out that more entertainment is coming back... and a lame attempt to bring this back to the topic:

They are playing a guessing game of offering enough entertainment to entice visitors, but also only offering enough to meet expectations. From a budget perspective, there's nothing worse than spending money for a big show to return, only for the seats to be 80% empty.

It's a classic Catch-22: Attendance has to return to justify the entertainment, and the entertainment has to return to increase the attendance. There is a 100% chance that they will get this wrong in some way or another., but they will eventually work through this.

 

[Lilofan]

I get all that. What gets me is why they can't follow what the majority of parks do? Every year that usually add a small ride and then every few years they add a major attraction. Instead for some reason every ride has to be a major attraction.

Theming and storytelling which is the lifeline of WDI comes to mind.

 

[fgmnt]

I get all that. What gets me is why they can't follow what the majority of parks do? Every year that usually add a small ride and then every few years they add a major attraction. Instead for some reason every ride has to be a major attraction.

The Money People can't be convinced that you can make capital expenditures that can't be marketed in a national campaign. The Magic Kingdom needs Pinnochio's Daring Journey more than it needs Tron, but you're never getting the former.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I disagree. I think there were enough people out there telling Disney through special purchases, that they were willing to pay more for a better experience. Everything from private parties/extra hours and VIP tours. Sure people who can't afford those things will complain that they don't have access, but open access invalidates the experience.

that is such a small percentage of the business they need that is often hyper emphasized in the echo Chambers of Disney fandom…such as this one.

there is not a huge number of high earning, core Disney fans that craves only Disney parks as is often misrepresented.

there’s a name for people who spend $2500 a day to have one of the jockeys take them on pirates and Peter Pan: the small minority. It’s a special kinda vanity that feeds that in the first place. Not bankable.

An unintended benefit of Lightning Lane is the acceleration of M&Gs. I’ll take the win.

Tons of entertainment hiring coming.

Where they getting them? Pent up supply in the mime labor pool?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

The Money People can't be convinced that you can make capital expenditures that can't be marketed in a national campaign. The Magic Kingdom needs Pinnochio's Daring Journey more than it needs Tron, but you're never getting the former.

Explain KiteTails and Racing Academy. Or Journey of Water. Or Rat.

 

[sullyinMT]

I agree, E-Tickets are not the main problem.

DAK needs a few flat rides, boat, rides and omnimover to not just add capacity, but give people a reason to stay longer and keep the park open late.

Updates would also be nice. Even within New Fantasyland, 7DMT could be alleviated if Under the Sea, just around the corner, were a little better. It's a timeless Disney story getting a refresh/retelling, with on of MK's best queues and a few nice AAs. It should have the rider counts of HM, iasw, or Pan - all obviously much older. Instead, guests are willing to snake around Mine Train and wait for what is a thoroughly satisfying coaster but not one that should be that packed for a decade.

 

[ToTBellHop]

that is such a small percentage of the business they need that is often hyper emphasized in the echo Chambers of Disney fandom…such as this one.

there is not a huge number of high earning, core Disney fans that craves only Disney parks as is often misrepresented.

there’s a name for people who spend $2500 a day to have one of the jockeys take them on pirates and Peter Pan: the small minority. It’s a special kinda vanity that feeds that in the first place. Not bankable.



Where they getting them? Pent up supply in the mime labor pool?

Chapek has offered to don the Tink costume in a forthcoming production. Class-act.

 

[Lilofan]

The Money People can't be convinced that you can make capital expenditures that can't be marketed in a national campaign. The Magic Kingdom needs Pinnochio's Daring Journey more than it needs Tron, but you're never getting the former.

Good thing MK is allowing alcohol to be served at dining after many years of being a dry park, to dull our senses .

 

[ToTBellHop]

Explain KiteTails and Racing Academy. Or Journey of Water. Or Rat.

It’s complete nonsense. They are well aware that WDW is about the “complete package,” not just things they can market; they just have some questionable thoughts on what that package must include. Expensive waterfalls? Yes. New bed linens? Not right now.