On layoffs, very bad attendance, and Iger's legacy being one of disgrace

[DisneyDebRob]

So what you’re saying is:

Travel is screwed?


Lol...if anyone wants a hoot...go back to the early covid threads and find all the Disney purists who swore this WOULDNT be the case...then see who said it would repeatedly (annoyingly so)...

And then see who has quietly retreated into the shadows?

... “ you guys are crazy if you don’t think when Disney opens it will be crazy! It’s going to be jammed packed and you haters won’t be around to hear us say I told you so..” Quoted from a actual post back in the day of going back and forth with a few of them. Well, we are here but, as you say... they are lurking in the shadows.
We aren’t Nostradamus, not that he got anything right anyway, but I thought it was pretty obvious. But I never thought it would be this bad.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

... “ you guys are crazy if you don’t think when Disney opens it will be crazy! It’s going to be jammed packed and you haters won’t be around to hear us say I told you so..” Quoted from a actual post back in the day of going back and forth with a few of them. Well, we are here but, as you say... they are lurking in the shadows.
We aren’t Nostradamus, not that he got anything right anyway, but I thought it was pretty obvious. But I never thought it would be this bad.

Give em the Ace

 

[DisneyDebRob]

Give em the Ace

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Right or wrong, be a man or woman and come back in. I’ve taken my lumps over the years. No big deal, learn and move on. They just need to listen to us more.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Give em the Ace

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It’s the park reservation system that’s killing attendance, not that folks don’t want to go in my opinion. Even if you book a room on site, you are not guaranteed into a Park, never mind the park you want to go to on a given day.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It’s the park reservation system that’s killing attendance, not that folks don’t want to go in my opinion. Even if you book a room on site, you are not guaranteed into a Park, never mind the park you want to go to on a given day.

Over 70% of the country in research is not comfortable going to that type of environment at present.

It’s your opinion...but I’m not sure it’s one of your best.

1. Fear
2. Money
3. Hurdles

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Right or wrong, be a man or woman and come back in. I’ve taken my lumps over the years. No big deal, learn and move on. They just need to listen to us more.

Only Iger knows...that is the only sure bet.

I’ve won and lost many over time. I lost on the skyway (whatever’s it’s called)...but to be fair they swore it was a canal ...

Lost on the Caribbean DVC (I’m ok with being wrong about that)

Have never lost on country pavilions...I’ll take the darts there.

Judging the impact on travel is about experience and economics...here it became a pro-Disney/anti-Disney snit.

They control “a lot” in their vacuum...not everything.

 

[larryz]

It’s the park reservation system that’s killing attendance, not that folks don’t want to go in my opinion. Even if you book a room on site, you are not guaranteed into a Park, never mind the park you want to go to on a given day.

Not necessarily -- DS and his lovely wife are bailing on her parents' DVC trip next month (giving up a week of free lodging) because Florida is a huge hot spot right now.

For them, at least, it's self-preservation, not park reservation.

 

[DisneyDebRob]

It’s the park reservation system that’s killing attendance, not that folks don’t want to go in my opinion. Even if you book a room on site, you are not guaranteed into a Park, never mind the park you want to go to on a given day.

Maybe a small part of it but as I said in a previous post, my wife has lost almost 20 client trips over the next three months and not one has said it’s about park reservations. They just don’t want to fly and spend the money for limited experiences. That is 95% of what she’s hearing.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Not necessarily -- DS and his lovely wife are bailing on her parents' DVC trip next month (giving up a week of free lodging) because Florida is a huge hot spot right now.

For them, at least, it's self-preservation, not park reservation.

I think...and this may not be their fault...people inside the current hot zones are completely oblivious.

I’m in the most Disney crazed (per capita) area in perhaps the universe...
...and the concept of going there, wearing masks, dealing with quarantines and potentially starting a flashpoint upon return is completely repulsive. Even those booked (including probably me) are fine forfeiting the points. I’m shocked at how “unified” those sentiments seem to be.

 

[easyrowrdw]

It’s the park reservation system that’s killing attendance, not that folks don’t want to go in my opinion. Even if you book a room on site, you are not guaranteed into a Park, never mind the park you want to go to on a given day.

Park reservations for resort guests are available for every park from now until the end of the system in September 2021.

 

[DCBaker]

Park reservations for resort guests are available for every park from now until the end of the system in September 2021.

Almost

 

[easyrowrdw]

Almost

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That's odd. It was showing me green for every day. Thanks for the correction.

 

[Frank the Tank]

I think...and this may not be their fault...people inside the current hot zones are completely oblivious.

I’m in the most Disney crazed (per capita) area in perhaps the universe...
...and the concept of going there, wearing masks, dealing when quarantines and potentially starting a flashpoint upon return is completely repulsive. Even those booked (including probably me) are fine forfeiting the points. I’m shocked at how “untied” those sentiments seem to be.

Yes, I'm getting that feeling about the "bubble" mentality. I live in the Chicago area and the fact that Florida is a hot spot is by FAR the #1 reason why there hasn't been any uptick in interest in traveling to WDW. (FWIW, we cancelled a WDW trip that was scheduled for the end of July.) It's not about having to wear masks or the pricing or the reservation system or that there aren't fireworks shows. It's simply that people aren't interested in traveling to a place that puts them at a high risk of getting COVID-19.

Separately, anyone that believes that discounting ticket prices will drive more attendance isn't looking at the macro picture. Since Florida is a hot spot (and America as a whole is a hot spot compared to the rest of the world), the current demand for WDW tickets is inelastic. That is, you could drop WDW ticket prices to near $0 and it likely wouldn't change the demand to go to the parks. With the mix of the health crisis plus economic problems, the fact of the matter is that pricing has very little to do with why people aren't going to WDW or other theme parks. The people that are still coming to WDW are so committed that they'd be willing to come at any price and, in turn, the people that aren't coming to WDW are in circumstances where they *won't* be willing to come at any price for the foreseeable future. As a result, it makes no sense for WDW to lower ticket prices from a rational economic perspective since they'd just be getting less revenue from the small number of people that would be willing to pay full price while not attracting many/any of that much larger number of people that aren't willing to travel regardless of the price.

 

[robhedin]

Yes, I'm getting that feeling about the "bubble" mentality. I live in the Chicago area and the fact that Florida is a hot spot is by FAR the #1 reason why there hasn't been any uptick in interest in traveling to WDW. (FWIW, we cancelled a WDW trip that was scheduled for the end of July.) It's not about having to wear masks or the pricing or the reservation system or that there aren't fireworks shows. It's simply that people aren't interested in traveling to a place that puts them at a high risk of getting COVID-19.

Separately, anyone that believes that discounting ticket prices will drive more attendance isn't looking at the macro picture. Since Florida is a hot spot (and America as a whole is a hot spot compared to the rest of the world), the current demand for WDW tickets is inelastic. That is, you could drop WDW ticket prices to near $0 and it likely wouldn't change the demand to go to the parks. With the mix of the health crisis plus economic problems, the fact of the matter is that pricing has very little to do with why people aren't going to WDW or other theme parks. The people that are still coming to WDW are so committed that they'd be willing to come at any price and, in turn, the people that aren't coming to WDW are in circumstances where they *won't* be willing to come at any price for the foreseeable future. As a result, it makes no sense for WDW to lower ticket prices from a rational economic perspective since they'd just be getting less revenue from the small number of people that would be willing to pay full price while not attracting many/any of that much larger number of people that aren't willing to travel regardless of the price.

I really don't think this is so clearly cut and dry. I'm sure there is some percentage of people that feel that way, just as I'm sure that there are a percentage that feel differently. You can see this acting out today by the people protesting about schools not being open, for example.

I'm seeing a number of people traveling (by car) to various places, including various portions of Florida even today. Only a small portion of them are going to Disney, primarily because of price/value. I'm talking people that are relatively affluent, earning over $150k/year.

There's another group of people that are in severe save mode because they've been furloughed and are soon to be laid off and while they would like to go places are more worried about paying the bills.

Yet another group is very concerned about contracting covid, and don't want to go to those places.

I can't really say how many people fall into each group, but I'm certain there's more than one group. Disney, unfortunately, is in the position of having to navigate this mess.

 

[Mr Mindcrime]

1. Fear
2. Money
3. Hurdles

This ^^^

 

[Disstevefan1]

Maybe a small part of it but as I said in a previous post, my wife has lost almost 20 client trips over the next three months and not one has said it’s about park reservations. They just don’t want to fly and spend the money for limited experiences. That is 95% of what she’s hearing.

The limited experience is a huge factor! I guess the park reservation system just contributes to the limited experience.

I just don’t think the parks problem is due to IGER the parks problem is due to COVID.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Over 70% of the country in research is not comfortable going to that type of environment at present.

It’s your opinion...but I’m not sure it’s one of your best.

1. Fear
2. Money
3. Hurdles

This is just speculation, but if APs were not limited and could reserve any day and as many days they wanted, the parks would hit their limited capacity. Instead APs were given a small pool of days and can only hold thee at any one time.

Another huge factor is the travel ban from international countries! That’s huge! ... Oh wait, that’s Fun Spot

 

[Lilofan]

This is just speculation, but if APs were not limited and could reserve any day and as many days they wanted, the parks would hit their limited capacity. Instead APs were given a small pool of days and can only hold thee at any one time.

Another huge factor is the travel ban from international countries! That’s huge! ... Oh wait, that’s Fun Spot

International Drive in Orlando is ground zero for international tourists. Will be interesting what businesses will be left existing in a few months. Locals and domestic tourists don't have the spending power to support.

 

[Heppenheimer]

It’s the park reservation system that’s killing attendance, not that folks don’t want to go in my opinion. Even if you book a room on site, you are not guaranteed into a Park, never mind the park you want to go to on a given day.

Just a small segment of the population, but I work with a bunch of people who are Disney-obsessed. I did a quick query. Nobody, including myself, was even aware of the park reservation system. We couldn't care less, since the other reasons for not traveling right now are so overwhelming. These include, in order:

1) Not wanting to risk traveling to COVID-Central.

2) The post-trip 14 day quarantine requirement.

3) The above two reasons repeated ad infinitum.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

This is just speculation, but if APs were not limited and could reserve any day and as many days they wanted, the parks would hit their limited capacity. Instead APs were given a small pool of days and can only hold thee at any one time.

Another huge factor is the travel ban from international countries! That’s huge! ... Oh wait, that’s Fun Spot

The majority of wdw clientele is from the east coast and upper Midwest of the US.

Out of towners...not Florida res...not APs...not overseas international travelers.

I think I see a slight problem with you’re “the people WANT to come back” approach.

They really don’t.