More park hour cuts

[disnyfan89]

^I think that's they point disneyfan was trying to make, the parks were designed for families and when they tried to create a place like PI meant just for adults it didn't go over as well because people had the mindset that anything at Disney could be enjoyed by everyone. At least that's how I understood the statement.

Yes, my point was Disney is at it's best when the entire family is kept in mind.

 

[CBOMB]

But times change, Disney isn't in the same place economically that they were when they were able to offer you that extra hour last year. I would love if they could give me some of the amazing parades and shows that I experianced in past years but things change, Disney isn't going to be able to promise you the same offerings or hours every year. With our economy the way it is I'd rather see an hour cut from Epcot's operating hours than massive cutbacks in CM's or upkeep.

That's where we disagree. You keep refering to it as an extra hour, it's not. Epcot has closed at 9pm for at least the last 12 years. If they would have closed at 10pm 1 year that would have been an extra hour. What it boils down to is in 2009 I will pay more to go to Epcot than I did in 2008. For this increase in price I will receive 1 hour less at Epcot. WDW cut back on CM's, and upkeep prior to the downturn in the economy. Ask anybody that worked there if they had adequate staff to run the Parks with the amount of guest they had. Anybody who hasn't notice the cut back in upkeep has been blinded by pixie dust. It's just not the same quality it was in the past, and it shows. I am just not willing to accept less while paying more, why should I.
Are you willing to set a precedent of paying more while receiving less for WDW to base it's future economic strategies on? I think a lot of people will keep a closer eye on their finances in the future. There are a lot of venues out there wanting my entertainment dollar. If this is the best WDW can do, charge more give me less, than I'm afraid I will have to decline the offer.

 

[disnyfan89]

That's where we disagree. You keep refering to it as an extra hour, it's not. Epcot has closed at 9pm for at least the last 12 years. If they would have closed at 10pm 1 year that would have been an extra hour. What it boils down to is in 2009 I will pay more to go to Epcot than I did in 2008. For this increase in price I will receive 1 hour less at Epcot. WDW cut back on CM's, and upkeep prior to the downturn in the economy. Ask anybody that worked there if they had adequate staff to run the Parks with the amount of guest they had. Anybody who hasn't notice the cut back in upkeep has been blinded by pixie dust. It's just not the same quality it was in the past, and it shows. I am just not willing to accept less while paying more, why should I.
Are you willing to set a precedent of paying more while receiving less for WDW to base it's future economic strategies on? I think a lot of people will keep a closer eye on their finances in the future. There are a lot of venues out there wanting my entertainment dollar. If this is the best WDW can do, charge more give me less, than I'm afraid I will have to decline the offer.

If your concerned about lossing money on that one hour then make sure you visit Epcot on the other six days a week Epcot closes at 9pm.

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

Any news on when hours for May will be posted? What about the 180 ADR window? I'm getting close to 180.

 

[progroupie]

That's where we disagree. You keep refering to it as an extra hour, it's not. Epcot has closed at 9pm for at least the last 12 years. If they would have closed at 10pm 1 year that would have been an extra hour. What it boils down to is in 2009 I will pay more to go to Epcot than I did in 2008. For this increase in price I will receive 1 hour less at Epcot. WDW cut back on CM's, and upkeep prior to the downturn in the economy. Ask anybody that worked there if they had adequate staff to run the Parks with the amount of guest they had. Anybody who hasn't notice the cut back in upkeep has been blinded by pixie dust. It's just not the same quality it was in the past, and it shows. I am just not willing to accept less while paying more, why should I.
Are you willing to set a precedent of paying more while receiving less for WDW to base it's future economic strategies on? I think a lot of people will keep a closer eye on their finances in the future. There are a lot of venues out there wanting my entertainment dollar. If this is the best WDW can do, charge more give me less, than I'm afraid I will have to decline the offer.

Then simply don't go. If people want to pitch a fit about the one less hour one night a week that they can't spend in Epcot and how Disney is cheating them, then they shouldn't bother going because all they're going to do is complain. I doubt you'd have spent the entire day, from park open to park close in Epcot. It sucks but if it were me I would just get to Epcot an hour or so earlier than normal so I could accomplish everything.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

The problem is you don't really get much value for your admission at Disney. While it completely makes sense to reduce hours when the crowds aren't there, in effect people visiting in the off-season are paying MORE than people during the busy season. Let's say the park is open for 14 hours a day in July. In September it's only open for 10 or 12 at most. That's also when attractions get rehabbed...not to mention the dreaded unsubstantiated price increases. Yes, you most likely can get more done in the allotted time in September than in July...but what if some of your favorite attractions are closed? And the parades are cut. And the fireworks shows are reduced. You pay more for what you are not getting! Disney is doing essentially what every business does...charge paying customers more to make up for the loss in customers. In a real market-driven economy this wouldn't happen. Prices would be lowered...and not by coupons for a limited number of people...they'd be lowered across the board for everyone.

It's called the off-season for a reason. Use the cash you save on hotels by not going during peak season (sometimes EXTREMELY large) and tack sometime onto the stay if you need to. What you are describing is what the off-season is for.

I've said it before, I'm for closing an entire park down one day a week if it saves money during the off-season. If you want guarantees that most things will be open with late park hours, go during peak season.

This isn't really that different from the way things have been in the past, and many are really blowing this one out of proportion.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Exactly its not fair to my family who are late-risers we like to get to the parks in the afternoon and enjoy staying in the parks late. We used to stay at Disneyland till 1 a.m. everytime we went and we even did it at the florida parks when we first started visiting int he early 90s. I prefer the parks be open late.

It's not fair? Will there be foot-stomping and breath-holding soon?

It economic. Wake up an hour earlier, or avoid that park on the one day a week it will be closed an hour earlier.

Be glad Disney hasn't instituted line cutting privileges based on accommodations or economics as some other parks have.

This really is the age of entitlement, isn't it......:brick::brick:

 

[Enigma]

It's not fair? Will there be foot-stomping and breath-holding soon?

It economic. Wake up an hour earlier, or avoid that park on the one day a week it will be closed an hour earlier.

Be glad Disney hasn't instituted line cutting privileges based on accommodations or economics as some other parks have.

This really is the age of entitlement, isn't it......:brick::brick:

age of entitlement? Disney is a business thats objective is to keep the customer happy so that the customer spends money on there product. Closing the park earlier is an inconvience to me especially when they used to keep the park open late up until the end of the 90s. This is a step backwards and until they get there act together disney wont get my money.

 

[WDW1974]

^I think that's they point disneyfan was trying to make, the parks were designed for families and when they tried to create a place like PI meant just for adults it didn't go over as well because people had the mindset that anything at Disney could be enjoyed by everyone. At least that's how I understood the statement.

The parks were created for families to enjoy, but PI was created with different demos in mind.

And it was a great idea that was executed for very well for its first decade or so. It went over just fine to use your terminology. When Disney decided to ignore it and let it get stale and tired, that's when it started to struggle and that's what Disney used as an excuse to kill the place.

Everything at WDW doesn't have to be geared to families, or worse, children ... unfortunately that's what WalMarting has done.

Any true world class resort is going to have adult destinations like bars and clubs. Disney still has bars (and clubs at Coronado and BW) ... there's a reason for that.

I get very tired of hearing the same pablum spewed forth that WDW is a place for kids. It isn't.

 

[WDW1974]

That's where we disagree. You keep refering to it as an extra hour, it's not. Epcot has closed at 9pm for at least the last 12 years. If they would have closed at 10pm 1 year that would have been an extra hour. What it boils down to is in 2009 I will pay more to go to Epcot than I did in 2008. For this increase in price I will receive 1 hour less at Epcot. WDW cut back on CM's, and upkeep prior to the downturn in the economy. Ask anybody that worked there if they had adequate staff to run the Parks with the amount of guest they had. Anybody who hasn't notice the cut back in upkeep has been blinded by pixie dust. It's just not the same quality it was in the past, and it shows. I am just not willing to accept less while paying more, why should I.
Are you willing to set a precedent of paying more while receiving less for WDW to base it's future economic strategies on? I think a lot of people will keep a closer eye on their finances in the future. There are a lot of venues out there wanting my entertainment dollar. If this is the best WDW can do, charge more give me less, than I'm afraid I will have to decline the offer.

That's what the management apologists here (and elsewhere) don't get.

Disney is consistently giving less quality (in this case quantity) at WDW and constantly charging more for it.

People have had so much WalMarting that they get to a point where they don't either know any better or don't care. Again, EPCOT Center used to regularly stay open from 8-midnight (the entire park) in certain seasons. People don't have a clue so they view this latest cut as just one hour once a week ... they're ignorant to how much they've already given away over the years.

 

[tomm4004]

I always thought that the Comedy Club and Adventurers Club went over extremely well. But they had wide appeal, which is a Disney trademark, being enjoyed by all age range of adults. The dance clubs, I understand, were less successful, but then you're dealing with a far narrower demographic - under 30 perhaps. I really can't believe that the CC and AC couldn't survive as stand alone pay-per-visit places.

 

[WDW1974]

The clubs were all financially successful for years. I can't say what they were the past 4-5 years because I don't know, but before that they all were very profitable.

Disney needed to reinvent the clubs regularly like all clubs and they didn't ... they allowed them to get stale and tired and they drove their audience away ... of course, considering that as early as 2002 they were talking about closing/redeveloping the place, that shouldn't come as a surprise.

 

[progroupie]

The parks were created for families to enjoy, but PI was created with different demos in mind.

And it was a great idea that was executed for very well for its first decade or so. It went over just fine to use your terminology. When Disney decided to ignore it and let it get stale and tired, that's when it started to struggle and that's what Disney used as an excuse to kill the place.

Everything at WDW doesn't have to be geared to families, or worse, children ... unfortunately that's what WalMarting has done.

Any true world class resort is going to have adult destinations like bars and clubs. Disney still has bars (and clubs at Coronado and BW) ... there's a reason for that.

I get very tired of hearing the same pablum spewed forth that WDW is a place for kids. It isn't.

I agree with you completly. The real problem PI had was that Disney didn't keep it current. You can get away with letting the theme parks get a little outdated, but a night club district has to stay current or else the deomographic it's aimed towards will go elsewhere. I enjoyed PI, I really did, but at the same time it felt kind of lame to go to a club that claimed to have the "Latest Hits" when they were playing "Gettin Jiggy With It" in 2008 especially when I could go to downtown Orlando and pay less for drinks and actually get to enjoy current music and what not.

 

[progroupie]

That's what the management apologists here (and elsewhere) don't get.

Disney is consistently giving less quality (in this case quantity) at WDW and constantly charging more for it.

People have had so much WalMarting that they get to a point where they don't either know any better or don't care. Again, EPCOT Center used to regularly stay open from 8-midnight (the entire park) in certain seasons. People don't have a clue so they view this latest cut as just one hour once a week ... they're ignorant to how much they've already given away over the years.

I fully realize the changes over the years but at the same time I don't really blame Disney for them. We aren't living in the 80's anymore. Reagan isn't the president and the economy isn't what it was back then. Obviously they're going to make changes or else they'll end up losing money. I loved when Epcot was open later than the rest of the parks. It was always the best park to end the night with and I feel like Disney went all out when it came to guest service back then and I wish they could still do that. But I just don't see how they could offer the same park hours and the same level of service without losing a large amount of money.

 

[tomm4004]

I fully realize the changes over the years but at the same time I don't really blame Disney for them. We aren't living in the 80's anymore. Reagan isn't the president and the economy isn't what it was back then. Obviously they're going to make changes or else they'll end up losing money. I loved when Epcot was open later than the rest of the parks. It was always the best park to end the night with and I feel like Disney went all out when it came to guest service back then and I wish they could still do that. But I just don't see how they could offer the same park hours and the same level of service without losing a large amount of money.

In 2007 Disney theme parks division made a profit of $1.7 billion dollars, almost double its 2003 total, and above 2000 when it made $1.6 billion. It was a record year. They never, never, never made that much in the 1980s. (the current profits are actually lessened by the inclusion of loses at Hong Kong Disneyland)

Even in 2002 Disney theme parks made $1.169 billion in profits.

So they certainly can offer the same level service, but they won't if people accept less and they feel they can squeeze out more profits.

 

[progroupie]

age of entitlement? Disney is a business thats objective is to keep the customer happy so that the customer spends money on there product. Closing the park earlier is an inconvience to me especially when they used to keep the park open late up until the end of the 90s. This is a step backwards and until they get there act together disney wont get my money.

Even so we can't expect the parks to cater to our individual preferences all the time. I'm from a family of late-risers too, I'd rather get to the park after noon and stay until midnight. But it seems like that isn't how the majority like to plan their stay. Looking at crowds on the nights that they are open late, I can understand why they wouldn't want to have hours like that all the time. Running a park at full capacity for a limited number of guests just doesn't make sense financially and I don't think the money that you or I would be spending is enough to justify keeping MK open an extra 2 hours. When it comes to things like park hours I think majority rules and it's pretty clear from attendence patterns that most get their in the morning and are done by mid-evening.

 

[CBOMB]

I just give up. If you folks are willing to pay more, and expect less It will be the downfall of what WDW was intended to be. Once you start lowering standards you enter the norm of everyday run of the mill entertainment. I hope those of you willing to accept less enjoy the WDW that you will eventually end up with.

 

[TheBeatles]

I just give up. If you folks are willing to pay more, and expect less It will be the downfall of what WDW was intended to be. Once you start lowering standards you enter the norm of everyday run of the mill entertainment. I hope those of you willing to accept less enjoy the WDW that you will eventually end up with.

It's hard being in the minority when it comes to quality at WDW.

Most people don't notice things like this board does. I wish it was that easy for people to wake up and see what's going on at WDW.

 

[Brian Noble]

Ah yes, the last refuge of the ill-witted. Smacks of the old "defenders of mediocrity" argument. In short: if you disagree with me, you have to stand for all that is evil, and thus I need not consider what you say.

 

[jt04]

The clubs were all financially successful for years. I can't say what they were the past 4-5 years because I don't know, but before that they all were very profitable.

Disney needed to reinvent the clubs regularly like all clubs and they didn't ... they allowed them to get stale and tired and they drove their audience away ... of course, considering that as early as 2002 they were talking about closing/redeveloping the place, that shouldn't come as a surprise.

I truly believe they ended up wanting the clubs to fail. Just a change in what Disney wants from DTD and it started with the success of the reimagined "Marketplace" and I believe will successfully be implemented in the old DTD area. Of course I know that is not the majority opinion here but we will see.