Magic Kingdom losing evening EMHs?

[Justin Walker]

I see your point. I just view it as, EMH are for Disney resort guests. He was not a guest. And he was taking the campsite away from someone who potentially really wanted it. To me, it’s the same as parking at Disney Springs for free and using Disney transportation to go to a theme park. Gaming the system.

Except it wasn't free, he paid. Thus why its perfectly within his right to use the site he paid for, or not. If I pay for two seats on a plane and only sit in one of them have I broken the rules? No, I have just paid a premium to ensure no one is sitting beside me.

 

[Touchdown]

Looks like the second Wed is also AM EMH. Looks like Evening EMH is done for. Very disappointed, I imagine that once GotG opens Epcot’s evening EMH will get the axe for paid upgrades as well.

 

[Brad Bishop]

Why not, they're basically down to only two nights a week (1 MK & 1 Epcot) anyway.

I think that the reality is:

EMH for on-site guests will be going away, whether in October or in the not too distant future, to make way for selling the park again, at regular intervals, at night.

My guess is that you'll end up with two flavors of "after hours":

1. Normal "after hours" events which is just you buying a ticket to be in the park in the evening
2. "Special Holiday/Event Parties" which already exist but will be an even greater up charge than the normal after hours nights.

At this point it seems like the writing is on the wall for this. From WDW's point of view they get to sell the park again when they otherwise would have just kept it open so all of those daily ticket sales effectively get doubled.

I'd also expect to see the "early morning entry" deals just become an everyday occurrence. Want to enjoy the park in the morning for a few hours? It's another ticket. This one won't multiply their ticket sales by 2x but I bet they get 50% or so more out of it just by offering it.

To be fair: the whole EMH deal was to entice people to stay on property. If the rooms are filling up as-is there's no reason to offer it any longer AND they've already successfully experimented with selling the park multiple times a day.

 

[Brad Bishop]

So basically taking away a free perk for a lot of guests so they can make more money off a smaller group of guests.

A more realistic way of looking at this is: We can increase our bottom line for the parks by essentially doing nothing but offering the park for sale again in the morning/evening. People will still line up at the gate to pay.

I don't think they're thinking about guest experience, just the numbers on the spreadsheet. This is the modern Disney management.

Long term, I still believe that this will hurt them. Short term, people are lining up at the gates no matter what so they really can do whatever they like and people will still come. They could add a 10% charge onto every ticket and call it a "ticket handling charge" and people would both pay it and defend it. Same with another 10% charge on every ticket as a "maintenance charge" claiming that it's necessary to pay the staff who maintains the park. Again, people would both pay it and defend it.

That's a pretty special place to be as a business when, no matter what you do, people will not only pay it, but also defend it.

 

[jt04]

A more realistic way of looking at this is: We can increase our bottom line for the parks by essentially doing nothing but offering the park for sale again in the morning/evening. People will still line up at the gate to pay.

I don't think they're thinking about guest experience, just the numbers on the spreadsheet. This is the modern Disney management.

Long term, I still believe that this will hurt them. Short term, people are lining up at the gates no matter what so they really can do whatever they like and people will still come. They could add a 10% charge onto every ticket and call it a "ticket handling charge" and people would both pay it and defend it. Same with another 10% charge on every ticket as a "maintenance charge" claiming that it's necessary to pay the staff who maintains the park. Again, people would both pay it and defend it.

That's a pretty special place to be as a business when, no matter what you do, people will not only pay it, but also defend it.

There are so many ways to look at this subject that it really is fascinating.

For instance, these extra events are a great way to deal with crowding besides just raising standard ticket prices.

I can see a lot of people choosing these events over APs or traditional multi-day options as these are becoming a viable alternative. Especially for long term guests who no longer run from attraction to attraction but rather enjoy the parks at a more leisurely pace.

This has to help with crowding.

 

[Justin Walker]

So yet another "perk" of staying onsite taken away. Will the onsite hotels really continue to fill up? Parking is no longer free, less (or eventually no) EMH, why in world would anyone continue to pay Disney's ridiculous on-site hotel prices?? How soon till they start offering 60 day fast passes for an extra fee, and 90 day fast passes for an even higher fee? Maybe they can just start holding ebay auctions for the popular fast pass and dining times to see how much they can really get for them??

 

[HauntedPirate]

A more realistic way of looking at this is: We can increase our bottom line for the parks by essentially doing nothing but offering the park for sale again in the morning/evening. People will still line up at the gate to pay.

I don't think they're thinking about guest experience, just the numbers on the spreadsheet. This is the modern Disney management.

Long term, I still believe that this will hurt them. Short term, people are lining up at the gates no matter what so they really can do whatever they like and people will still come. They could add a 10% charge onto every ticket and call it a "ticket handling charge" and people would both pay it and defend it. Same with another 10% charge on every ticket as a "maintenance charge" claiming that it's necessary to pay the staff who maintains the park. Again, people would both pay it and defend it.

That's a pretty special place to be as a business when, no matter what you do, people will not only pay it, but also defend it.

And there were a few posters here who suggested, at least a year ago if not more, that this was their ultimate goal - to see the parks twice a day. The writing was on the wall, and it's still there.

"Don't like the crowding in the parks during the day? Just pay $129.99 (plus tax) and enjoy a less-crowded park in the evening! Plus you'll enjoy exclusive nighttime benefits, like Happily Ever After, and the latest nighttime parade/dance party! MAGIC!!!"

Defending this with the justification of, "Well, that should help with crowds during the day" is idiotic. How long until the crowds even out and the evening hours are just as bad as the daytime hours?

 

[larryz]

And there were a few posters here who suggested, at least a year ago if not more, that this was their ultimate goal - to see the parks twice a day. The writing was on the wall, and it's still there.

"Don't like the crowding in the parks during the day? Just pay $129.99 (plus tax) and enjoy a less-crowded park in the evening! Plus you'll enjoy exclusive nighttime benefits, like Happily Ever After, and the latest nighttime parade/dance party! MAGIC!!!"

Defending this with the justification of, "Well, that should help with crowds during the day" is idiotic. How long until the crowds even out and the evening hours are just as bad as the daytime hours?

And the survey question: "Would you pay more for access to the parks with restricted admission?"

 

[HauntedPirate]

So yet another "perk" of staying onsite taken away. Will the onsite hotels really continue to fill up? Parking is no longer free, less (or eventually no) EMH, why in world would anyone continue to pay Disney's ridiculous on-site hotel prices?? How soon till they start offering 60 day fast passes for an extra fee, and 90 day fast passes for an even higher fee? Maybe they can just start holding ebay auctions for the popular fast pass and dining times to see how much they can really get for them??

Because... MAGIC!!! Where else can you see a legion of Stormtroopers walk out of an elevator? Or encounter a mermaid in your resort pool?

 

[Justin Walker]

Because... MAGIC!!! Where else can you see a legion of Stormtroopers walk out of an elevator? Or encounter a mermaid in your resort pool?

I could hire my own mermaid with the money I save by staying off site.

 

[Kingoglow]

If only the sold a Hopper-like option so customers could attend all three phases of the park hours: early morning, normal operating and late night. Call it the All-Day-Trip Slip

 

[HauntedPirate]

If only the sold a Hopper-like option so customers could attend all three phases of the park hours: early morning, normal operating and late night. Call it the All-Day-Trip Slip

IF they go with the "sell-the-parks-twice-a-day" model, I'm curious as to whether or not APs will include all-day access or only partial. Talk about a time bomb if it doesn't. I'm sure they'd have multiple AP options, more than they do now, but without either an all-day option or a evening-only AP option, a lot of locals are going to be ed. But the price-point may be too high, so they may end up that way anyway...

 

[bunnyman]

I think that the reality is:

EMH for on-site guests will be going away, whether in October or in the not too distant future, to make way for selling the park again, at regular intervals, at night.

My guess is that you'll end up with two flavors of "after hours":

1. Normal "after hours" events which is just you buying a ticket to be in the park in the evening
2. "Special Holiday/Event Parties" which already exist but will be an even greater up charge than the normal after hours nights.

At this point it seems like the writing is on the wall for this. From WDW's point of view they get to sell the park again when they otherwise would have just kept it open so all of those daily ticket sales effectively get doubled.

I'd also expect to see the "early morning entry" deals just become an everyday occurrence. Want to enjoy the park in the morning for a few hours? It's another ticket. This one won't multiply their ticket sales by 2x but I bet they get 50% or so more out of it just by offering it.

To be fair: the whole EMH deal was to entice people to stay on property. If the rooms are filling up as-is there's no reason to offer it any longer AND they've already successfully experimented with selling the park multiple times a day.

Agree completely with your comments. As a long time guest who hasn't stayed off property since the 1980's, for our next trip I will seriously look at staying offsite. With the gradual erosion of resort guest benefits coupled with room rates outpacing inflation, I just don't see the value any longer.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

So yet another "perk" of staying onsite taken away. Will the onsite hotels really continue to fill up? Parking is no longer free, less (or eventually no) EMH, why in world would anyone continue to pay Disney's ridiculous on-site hotel prices?? How soon till they start offering 60 day fast passes for an extra fee, and 90 day fast passes for an even higher fee? Maybe they can just start holding ebay auctions for the popular fast pass and dining times to see how much they can really get for them??

For us right now, it’s the included transportation to and from the parks. Once our kids are older and can ride in a car without car seats, I think off site will be a better option for us. My husband and I also drive a lot during our normal work week so to not have to deal with driving, traffic, parking etc is a nice bonus.

 

[Touchdown]

If a paid Fastpass option is added, that may be the end of me staying onsite. I’m a Hhonors diamond, and the main reason I’ve always stayed onsite has been due to EMH (of which I greatly prefer evenings) and early FP options. It will be far cheaper for me to use points at Bonnet Creek and pay for FP upgrade (if it’s not included with an AP) and a maybe a paid DAH event. I’m not sure Disney is factoring this in, at some point everyone not trapped by DVC is going to go elsewhere and they will lose out on a lot of money. Sure the minimal benifits will keep the moderate and values full but you’re going to lose the deluxe crowd. I can’t believe that 20 years after learning painfully what happens when you yank EMH they are trying to do it again.

 

[Tanna Eros]

If a paid Fastpass option is added, that may be the end of me staying onsite. I’m a Hhonors diamond, and the main reason I’ve always stayed onsite has been due to EMH (of which I greatly prefer evenings) and early FP options. It will be far cheaper for me to use points at Bonnet Creek and pay for FP upgrade (if it’s not included with an AP) and a maybe a paid DAH event. I’m not sure Disney is factoring this in, at some point everyone not trapped by DVC is going to go elsewhere and they will lose out on a lot of money. Sure the minimal benifits will keep the moderate and values full but you’re going to lose the deluxe crowd. I can’t believe that 20 years after learning painfully what happens when you yank EMH they are trying to do it again.

This is a misery for the people that bought the package that included the items they are changing. Those items were part of the package. That's like me selling you a shirt, and once you pay, I remove a sleeve.

 

[larryz]

If only the sold a Hopper-like option so customers could attend all three phases of the park hours: early morning, normal operating and late night. Call it the All-Day-Trip Slip

You can join Club 34... it includes all the hard ticket parties...

 

[jt04]

And there were a few posters here who suggested, at least a year ago if not more, that this was their ultimate goal - to see the parks twice a day. The writing was on the wall, and it's still there.

"Don't like the crowding in the parks during the day? Just pay $129.99 (plus tax) and enjoy a less-crowded park in the evening! Plus you'll enjoy exclusive nighttime benefits, like Happily Ever After, and the latest nighttime parade/dance party! MAGIC!!!"

Defending this with the justification of, "Well, that should help with crowds during the day" is idiotic. How long until the crowds even out and the evening hours are just as bad as the daytime hours?

That can only happen if there is customer demand. Can't blame Disney for meeting that demand.

And though regular tickets don't cost quite 129.99, it is close to that. But the more expensive ticket comes with perks.

 

[jt04]

This is a misery for the people that bought the package that included the items they are changing. Those items were part of the package. That's like me selling you a shirt, and once you pay, I remove a sleeve.

It doesn't seem like they are taking away the benefit. Just shifting time schedules to mornings.

Evening emh has become a bit out of control. Between overcrowding and people lingering it is a mess.

 

[ryguy]

I think hard ticket events make sense for some. If you happen to be short on time on your trip its a great way to see a park you might not otherwise get a chance to see. Also for those who have been a bunch of times (I guess anybody who doesn't want to wait an insane amount of time) and have no patience to wait 75 minutes for a ride they have done 100 times I can see the thought process of buying the event ticket. Lastly if you happen to be a Disney Visa card holder and use your points I think this would make sense too. Unfortunately a Disney vacation has become more of a headache than a nice getaway from reality. You have to make dining reservations and fastpasses months ahead of your trip, you get down here and everything is crowded (the whole year, no more slow season), wait times are a mess, food quality meh, pay for parking at your hotel, etc....