Party Season 2021

SoFloMagic

Well-Known Member
But they can’t run at 120%... not even 50%, re: TS.
Better to have 6 restaurants running at 50% than 5 restaurants at 50%.
Why open 6 when you can have 5 open and sell a crap ton of $9 spring rolls to people who are hungry because they didn't book a real meal?

That spring roll and bottle of Dasani probably has the same or better margin as a table service burger, but only takes two people to operate and can be opened and closed based on demand.
 

havoc315

Well-Known Member
Why open 6 when you can have 5 open and sell a crap ton of $9 spring rolls to people who are hungry because they didn't book a real meal?

That spring roll and bottle of Dasani probably has the same or better margin as a table service burger, but only takes two people to operate and can be opened and closed based on demand.

So why not shut down all the TS restaurants?

Reality is, they have such a restaurant shortage, they are losing revenue. People are ordering Grubhub and eating in their room because there are no TS restaurants available and QS has to be ordered hours in advance.

Any new restaurant capacity they add is guaranteed to be 100% booked right away. Wouldn’t Disney rather take their money instead of sending the money to Grubhub?
 

monothingie

Proxy War 2024: Never Forget
Premium Member
So why not shut down all the TS restaurants?

Reality is, they have such a restaurant shortage, they are losing revenue. People are ordering Grubhub and eating in their room because there are no TS restaurants available and QS has to be ordered hours in advance.

Any new restaurant capacity they add is guaranteed to be 100% booked right away. Wouldn’t Disney rather take their money instead of sending the money to Grubhub?
Disney is petrified of any chance of a COVID outbreak tied to their resorts, restaurants, or theme parks. This is the only thing that will trump profit right now.

They could have opened up months ago at 100%, but have not and don’t seem to be moving towards that at any speed. There’s a reason for this.
 

havoc315

Well-Known Member
Disney is petrified of any chance of a COVID outbreak tied to their resorts, restaurants, or theme parks. This is the only thing that will trump profit right now.

They could have opened up months ago at 100%, but have not and don’t seem to be moving towards that at any speed. There’s a reason for this.

So how does opening additional restaurants at limited capacity increase risk? You can operate 20 restaurants at reduced capacity safely but not 25 restaurants at reduced capacity?
 

monothingie

Proxy War 2024: Never Forget
Premium Member
So how does opening additional restaurants at limited capacity increase risk? You can operate 20 restaurants at reduced capacity safely but not 25 restaurants at reduced capacity?
You may have noticed that not all TS restaurants at WDW are the same. Each TS restaurant has a different operating environment and important operating factors such as overhead and capacity vary greatly between them. Also people seem to think that all dining venues at WDW operate as a collective, the poorer performing ones are "bailed" out by the better ones. It doesn't work that way. Each venue operates as a standalone and has to deliver results on it's own.

But lets look at a couple of examples of restaurants which have not opened back up and perhaps why.

Jiko - Popular, upscale, high overhead, low capacity, and in a mostly closed resort. Already a low capacity venue with high overhead, limiting capacity further makes profitability difficult. Add to the fact that most of the resort is closed, this may create operational issues due to lack of staffing. (Applies also to Flying Fish, Yachtsman, Toledo - even though CSR is open)

Boma - Popular, high capacity, high overhead, and in a mostly closed resort. Would have to transition to a family style model which may not be workable, high capacity with low margin and high overhead requires max capacity, limiting capacity makes profitability difficult. Also as with before, the resort is closed which creates other problems. (Artist Point sort similar conditions)

Takumi-Tei - Very low capacity, very upscale, very high overhead, park restaurant. Pretty self explanatory cutting capacity of an already very low capacity restaurant makes it unworkable to open. Same things apply for Monsieur Paul as well.

'Ohana - Very Popular, high capacity, closed resort - If the Poly wasn't under construction this one may have been able to reopen, No monorail and limited parking are the reason for this one.
 

havoc315

Well-Known Member
You may have noticed that not all TS restaurants at WDW are the same. Each TS restaurant has a different operating environment and important operating factors such as overhead and capacity vary greatly between them. Also people seem to think that all dining venues at WDW operate as a collective, the poorer performing ones are "bailed" out by the better ones. It doesn't work that way. Each venue operates as a standalone and has to deliver results on it's own.

But lets look at a couple of examples of restaurants which have not opened back up and perhaps why.

Jiko - Popular, upscale, high overhead, low capacity, and in a mostly closed resort. Already a low capacity venue with high overhead, limiting capacity further makes profitability difficult. Add to the fact that most of the resort is closed, this may create operational issues due to lack of staffing. (Applies also to Flying Fish, Yachtsman, Toledo - even though CSR is open)

Boma - Popular, high capacity, high overhead, and in a mostly closed resort. Would have to transition to a family style model which may not be workable, high capacity with low margin and high overhead requires max capacity, limiting capacity makes profitability difficult. Also as with before, the resort is closed which creates other problems. (Artist Point sort similar conditions)

Takumi-Tei - Very low capacity, very upscale, very high overhead, park restaurant. Pretty self explanatory cutting capacity of an already very low capacity restaurant makes it unworkable to open. Same things apply for Monsieur Paul as well.

'Ohana - Very Popular, high capacity, closed resort - If the Poly wasn't under construction this one may have been able to reopen, No monorail and limited parking are the reason for this one.

The very low capacity restaurants are understandable. 'Ohana would sell out every night if it was open -- it's still on the resort monorail, DVC is open.

Yachtman's Steakhouse, Flying Fish, Sebastian's Bistro -- these would easily be full every night. I'm staying at Riviera for an upcoming trip and can't get a dinner reservation anywhere at any Epcot area resort.
Nine Dragons at Epcot, 1900 Park Fare, Citrico's...

Considering the overwhelming demand for dining, with almost no reservations available anywhere, it simply doesn't make sense for all those restaurants to be closed. Sure, makes sense for V&A to be closed, makes sense for Hibachi to be closed. Makes sense for Port Orleans to be closed. But considering the massive demand for dining, it makes no sense that the above-listed restaurants aren't starting to re-open.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
The very low capacity restaurants are understandable. 'Ohana would sell out every night if it was open -- it's still on the resort monorail, DVC is open.

Yachtman's Steakhouse, Flying Fish, Sebastian's Bistro -- these would easily be full every night. I'm staying at Riviera for an upcoming trip and can't get a dinner reservation anywhere at any Epcot area resort.
Nine Dragons at Epcot, 1900 Park Fare, Citrico's...

Considering the overwhelming demand for dining, with almost no reservations available anywhere, it simply doesn't make sense for all those restaurants to be closed. Sure, makes sense for V&A to be closed, makes sense for Hibachi to be closed. Makes sense for Port Orleans to be closed. But considering the massive demand for dining, it makes no sense that the above-listed restaurants aren't starting to re-open.
Perhaps they don’t have the staff.
 

havoc315

Well-Known Member
Staffing levels are part of current park capacity restrictions.

You mean the self-imposed restrictions that they can change whenever they want. Nothing is stopping them from hiring staff except potentially the availability of workers: Under current unemployment benefits, a lot of low wage workers are in no rush to go back to work. My company can't fill lower wage positions at all right now, there just isn't sufficient labor demand.
So staffing could be an issue due to a labor shortage, but can't WDW can't blame it on their capacity restrictions -- since those restrictions are self-imposed and can be changed at any time.
 

jaklgreen

Well-Known Member
Takumi-Tei - Very low capacity, very upscale, very high overhead, park restaurant. Pretty self explanatory cutting capacity of an already very low capacity restaurant makes it unworkable to open. Same things apply for Monsieur Paul as well.
I was speaking to one of the managers at the Japan pavilion and they said that Takumi-Tei will not open up again until they get cast members from Japan back. They are not planning on hiring Americans to stand in for that restaurant.
 

jaklgreen

Well-Known Member
Then what staffing restrictions are you referring to? None imposed by the State or Feds.
May be restrictions negotiated with the unions but the unions should happily be willing to re-negotiate to bring back more employees.

Except why would anyone want to go back to work when you are making just as much, if not more on unemployment. Who wouldn't want to sit at home and get money instead of going to work for it. Everywhere is hiring for those types of low paying jobs where I live, but no one is applying. Sad when the government knows that minimum wage is not enough to support a person and gives them more on unemployment but refuses to raise the minimum wage. Disney is starting to pay more, but at this time, who would chose to go back to work when the alternative is better. Especially if you have the union on your side.
 

HauntedPirate

Park nostalgist
Premium Member
You mean the self-imposed restrictions that they can change whenever they want. Nothing is stopping them from hiring staff except potentially the availability of workers: Under current unemployment benefits, a lot of low wage workers are in no rush to go back to work. My company can't fill lower wage positions at all right now, there just isn't sufficient labor demand.
So staffing could be an issue due to a labor shortage, but can't WDW can't blame it on their capacity restrictions -- since those restrictions are self-imposed and can be changed at any time.
The law firm you work at can’t fill lower wage positions?
 

bdearl41

Well-Known Member
Do we know if Disney is hiring back folks currently? And if they are, are they getting people to apply. Here in NC businesses can’t find people to hire.
 

HauntedPirate

Park nostalgist
Premium Member
Correct, mail clerks, reception, etc.

Help wanted signs in the window of just about every business in town.

That suggests one of two things:

1. A law firm doesn’t need those positions
2. You’re full of BS because lawyers aren’t going to be posting on a message forum all day because not only do they have a case load, they’d be manning the front desk, answering phones, and sorting and delivering mail.
 

havoc315

Well-Known Member
That suggests one of two things:

1. A law firm doesn’t need those positions
2. You’re full of BS because lawyers aren’t going to be posting on a message forum all day because not only do they have a case load, they’d be manning the front desk, answering phones, and sorting and delivering mail.

And both those statements are false.
 

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