MK Themed parties...ripping off regular customers?

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Are guests who go to the MK on non spectro nights getting ripped off since Disney does not run spectro everynight?

IMHO yes because the DVD advertising dosent portray that, Im a planner but Ive encountered many disappointed Brits who having booked the usual package have been poorly advised by their travel agent and havent got a clue about many things. However thanks to sites like this and the major revamp of Disneys own UK site information is easier to find but the UK site is still not always up to date.

However to return to the point no one seems to be complaining about anything other than the frequency of P&PP. They are good events, typically over priced but good but a right pain if your August holiday falls in a batch of dates.

 

[LoriMistress]

 

[Hakunamatata]

Starts piping in "Its a Small World After All" attraction music to help with the atmosphere in this thread....:lookaroun

 

[KingStefan]

Please don't take offense at the selective parsing of your post... but I wanted to get at the crux of this issue. You seem to think there's some percentage of people that are upset. You keep making statements about FACTS, but yet I've not seen anything to back up those statements.

I have no doubt that some percentage of people are caught unaware and some percentage of those people react negatively. My question for you is simple... what are those percentages? Do you think they even break the single digits? It appears you think they are high enough to be problematic. I have no way of knowing the numbers, but my GUESS would be the percentages are inconsequential.

I've had to leave the parks because of special events (once was a corporate event that was only publicized by a notice outside the gate -- not a hard ticket event) and have NEVER felt "ripped off" in the least. They were simply closing an hour or so earlier than normal. I simply went to another park.

You know, I thought about exactly this when I initially posted. I do not, in fact, know what the level of customer satisfaction is. And that is indeed a flaw in my argument.

I base my opinion on posts here, and personal experience at the parks. I have been there both entering a special event and having to leave early, and I have witnessed many disgruntled people talking to CMs. Also on these forums, people have posted that they are unhappy about it. One even posted that she was taken by surprise, and seemed a fairly WDW-knowledgable person.

I wonder what the actual level of dissatisfacton is.

Whatever it is, WDW has traditionally been a company that prides themselves on 100% satisfaction. If there is a misunderstanding, there is "recovery" if possible. If there are ANY guests that do not get the message and are dissatisfied, that is a problem in my opinion from a customer satisfaction standpoint that must be addressed, whether you think it is the guests fault or not.

 

[Dragonrider1227]

arn't these parties done during off peak times though so most people who wouldn't come for the parties and just for the park itself wouldn't be there in the first place? Infact, I was under the impression that's why Disney HAS these parties. To bring people in during a time of year they normally wouldn't

 

[KingStefan]

arn't these parties done during off peak times though so most people who wouldn't come for the parties and just for the park itself wouldn't be there in the first place? Infact, I was under the impression that's why Disney HAS these parties. To bring people in during a time of year they normally wouldn't

Yes, it's great, but it shaves 1-2 hours off regualar park hours, so that is what the debate is about.

 

[Dragonrider1227]

Yes, it does. But don't most people who go just for the parks in general come during peak seasons like Summer? With most of these parties being during off-peak seasons like October, November, ect. That would mean most of the people who would just want to go to the parks wouldn't be going at those times.

 

[KingStefan]

Yes, it does. But don't most people who go just for the parks in general come during peak seasons like Summer? With most of these parties being during off-peak seasons like October, November, ect. That would mean most of the people who would just want to go to the parks wouldn't be going at those times.

Apparently that is not true. There have been many complaints. And more and more hard-ticket events are being scheduled and taking some people by surprise, because they are not big planners.

 

[Dragonrider1227]

Really? I bet Disney's just as suprised as I am. I guess no one told them Disney World isn't the kind of place you can do spontaniously :shrug:

 

[KingStefan]

I don't mean to be rude, but something gives me the impression that you're funnin' me. Is that true?

 

[MousDad]

One point in this discussion that keeps confusing me - people say they don't mind paying the extra money to escape the large crowds of the regular park day (avoid gate closures, level 4 whatevers, blah, blah); but at the same time, I hear "Oh, they only do these parties in slow times of the year." This contradiction puzzles me. I may be wrong, but I think there are parties in both slow and heavy times.

But that's neither here nor there. This has been an interesting discussion, and I see valid points on both sides. Do I think the parties are unethical? No. Do I think they are a rip-off? No. Should people have the sense to plan around them? Sure, why not. Is it bad to attend one? No.

But I have come to the conclusion that this is one aspect of the park system that the "Disney's benefit vs. the customer's benefit" ratio is in tilted in Disney's favor in a more than usual degree. (Gosh, that was wordy and incomprehesible.) What I'm trying to say is, I think Disney has taken a small step over that line towards taking unnecessary advantage of the customer, in this case. (There, that's better.)

 

[gettingsmaller]

I just had the thought (and sorry if someone else has pointed this out) that many people would be disappointed to find out that THEY HAVE TO LEAVE even though the park is staying open later for a hard-ticket--EVEN IF THE PARK CLOSED AT "REGULAR" TIME.

It seems ridiculous to me to assume a closing time. It's posted various places before you get into the park, isn't it? The only people who should really be "allowed" to assume a closing time are AP holders who can just pop over at any time and are familiar with park hours (but--"oops, I didn't realize it was a party night"). HOWEVER, THOSE people are the ones least likely to complain. I mean, if you have an AP and can hop over at any time, big deal if it closes early.
On the other hand, if your visits are more rare, you don't have an AP, etc., WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOT CHECKING THE CLOSE TIME? Even if I thought I knew it, I would still be checking.

If you check the close time (or see it posted as you enter, etc.), and still decide to go in, then you have accepted the time limit, party or no party. That's what leads me to my opening. I think many people would be just as unhappy at 9PM as they would be at 7PM if they found at that THEY have to leave, but other people get to stay because they paid for a party.

 

[PhotoDave219]

... Once again, I'm going to go back to the Sept 2004 night where McDonalds rented out the MK for a private event. Guests were legitimately ed off because this was something that was not previously announced and took a lot of cast by surprise. Those are people who had a legit beef about the park closing early.

Now if you go to Disney and book like 6 months in advance and they don't announce hard ticket events until 3 months in advance, you've also got a legit beef about Disney not giving you enough notice. I agree with Sak, most of the Brits are getting screwed here.

However, if you just aren't a planner and feel that you're entitled to MK to be open as late as you want it to be simply because you bought a ticket, well you're just wrong. Gotta do your research and your homework. They have three parties: P&P, MNSSHP & MVMCP. I don't see where people are getting screwed out of anything; rather seems like a lot of sour grapes.

Keep in mind that it wasn't until 2005 that Disney didn't do a hard close for the parties, where they closed the park at 6 and then reopened at 7 for the party. Now day guests are allowed to stay until 7 before being asked to leave.

 

[PhilharMagician]

Here we go again, some people and facts. :shrug:

You are right. I did not check all the hours. I only used the hours and time during my visits when the parties were on.

 

[Timmay]

The hard ticket events for Halloween and Christmas are fine by me…but the frequency and times of the year for the other ones are getting a little silly. It is merely a chance for Disney to suck more money out of guests wallets without really enhancing the overall experience.

 

[KingStefan]

... Keep in mind that it wasn't until 2005 that Disney didn't do a hard close for the parties, where they closed the park at 6 and then reopened at 7 for the party. Now day guests are allowed to stay until 7 before being asked to leave.

Plus, my understanding now is that day guests can stay for quite a long time and shop on Main Street after 7. I don't know what the time limit is before you are asked to stop spending money and leave the park.:lol:

 

[PhilharMagician]

Plus, my understanding now is that day guests can stay for quite a long time and shop on Main Street after 7. I don't know what the time limit is before you are asked to stop spending money and leave the park.:lol:

My understanding was that you can stay all night if you care, but all rides are off limit. At 7:00 you mast have a wrist band.

I have seen quite a few people without wristbands staying and watching the special fireworks, parades and shows. Look around at the next party you go to.

 

[MousDad]

My understanding was that you can stay all night if you care, but all rides are off limit. At 7:00 you mast have a wrist band.

I have seen quite a few people without wristbands staying and watching the special fireworks, parades and shows. Look around at the next party you go to.

That's got to go over really well with the hard-ticket payers.

 

[WildLodgeFan]

My understanding was that you can stay all night if you care, but all rides are off limit. At 7:00 you mast have a wrist band.

I have seen quite a few people without wristbands staying and watching the special fireworks, parades and shows. Look around at the next party you go to.

Now that is going to open up a whole new can of worms! I mean really, if I'm paying for the hard ticketed event which is supposed to include great goodies not available to those that don't pay beyond the rides, then I don't want to see anybody without a wristband in the crowd. Not to be mean, but hey, fair is fair. Otherwise, unless it's a busy season when lines are longer, would you pay the price?

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I wouldnt be shopping in park time I had to pay extra for, so cant see the issue with lingerers in Main St.