Shades of Green's changes since the pandemic

LeRaposa

LeRaposa

Member
Original Poster
I'm not sure how many people on here have stayed at SoG but I wanted to get some thoughts from other on the resort's changes in the last couple years. The dinner buffet has been replaced with takeout, the main lunch place now closes an hour earlier, and the popular walkway is now completely gone. Instead of making quality of life improvements, Disney (or is it DoD?) is going in the opposite direction. You'd think that since the walkway was closed they would allow guests to drive over to the Polynesian and park but nope. What's the future of this resort? Just curious what
 
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GimpYancIent

Well-Known Member
LeRaposa said:
I'm not sure how many people on here have stayed at SoG but I wanted to get some thoughts from other on the resort's changes in the last couple years. The dinner buffet has been replaced with takeout, the main lunch place now closes an hour earlier, and the popular walkway is now completely gone. Instead of making quality of life improvements, Disney (or is it DoD?) is going in the opposite direction. You'd think that since the walkway was closed they would allow guests to drive over to the Polynesian and park but nope. What's the future of this resort? Just curious what
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I have stayed many times at SoG. DOD manages the resort however things such as roadways / walkways to and from the resort are Disney's doing. For the folks that are eligible to stay at SoG it is an excellent deal.
 
networkpro

networkpro

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
LeRaposa said:
I'm not sure how many people on here have stayed at SoG but I wanted to get some thoughts from other on the resort's changes in the last couple years. The dinner buffet has been replaced with takeout, the main lunch place now closes an hour earlier, and the popular walkway is now completely gone. Instead of making quality of life improvements, Disney (or is it DoD?) is going in the opposite direction. You'd think that since the walkway was closed they would allow guests to drive over to the Polynesian and park but nope. What's the future of this resort? Just curious what
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My wife and I stay there frequently in fact are checking in on Saturday.

DOD owns the resort and has a 99 year lease for the ground it sits on. It is not Disney. It's on premises amenities are run by the Armed Forces Recreation Centers (AFRCs), Department of the Army and as such are self funded by non appropriated funds, meaning they have to show a profit.

Don't confuse the two operations.
 
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Eric Graham

Well-Known Member
My Grandfather was at Oak Ridge and was in Nagasaki at the end of the war. I believe he built roads and bridges during the war. Not sure what else he did. He had to keep all of that a secret. One of my relatives was a gunner in the war and was shot down but was alright. My cousin was a Ranger, and my neighbors flew FA-18s when we had a house in Beaufort, SC. Thank for for all of the service that you Veterans do for all of us!
 
networkpro

networkpro

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
GimpYancIent said:
What? DOD (MWR) does not give a damn about profit margins. Disney does. Big difference.
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Non-appropriated funds

"Nonappropriated fund activities" are authorized or sanctioned by Government agencies, created and run by Government personnel for benefit of Government personnel sometimes with an initial loan of Government funds, and are sustained with profits from operations, rather than appropriated funds.
 
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GimpYancIent

Well-Known Member
networkpro said:
Non-appropriated funds

"Nonappropriated fund activities" are authorized or sanctioned by Government agencies, created and run by Government personnel for benefit of Government personnel sometimes with an initial loan of Government funds, and are sustained with profits from operations, rather than appropriated funds.
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Yep "Non-appropriated funds" The word profits is nowhere in the DOD vocabulary. A little history for you, you can check it out through the Army and Airforce Exhange Service if you like. "On July 25, 1895, General Order No. 46 set the standard for the concept and mission of today's Exchange Service. Eventually, independent operations evolved at Army divisional levels. Large posts, with little or no direction from higher headquarters, established a post exchange to serve their unit. Post commanders decided how to spend earnings. The system remained basically unchanged until 1941, when the War Department established the Army Exchange Service to provide broad guidance for worldwide operations. When the Air Force became a separate service, the Exchange became a joint operation. In 1948, the organization became the Army and Air Force Exchange Service." The Moral, Welfare and Recreation (M.W.R.) is funded through AAFES. Not designed as a business to make profit, never was. Yes, "Non-appropriated Funds" but not what you seem to think.
 
s&k'smom

s&k'smom

Well-Known Member
LeRaposa said:
I'm not sure how many people on here have stayed at SoG but I wanted to get some thoughts from other on the resort's changes in the last couple years. The dinner buffet has been replaced with takeout, the main lunch place now closes an hour earlier, and the popular walkway is now completely gone. Instead of making quality of life improvements, Disney (or is it DoD?) is going in the opposite direction. You'd think that since the walkway was closed they would allow guests to drive over to the Polynesian and park but nope. What's the future of this resort? Just curious what
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We are staying for the first time in January, curious to hear others thoughts of recent trips. I've watched several you tube videos and it looks beautiful.
 
The Mom

The Mom

Moderator
Premium Member
lazyboy97o said:
The pandemic really threw a wrench in their operations and capital plans. The great value they provide means they don’t have huge profit margins.
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I've served on the board of a Non-profit organization so I understand what you're saying. It was (and still exists) not as a profit generating business, but, if it did not make a "profit" (for lack of a better word) it would not have funds to help those it was formed to help. I looked it up, and the correct term is revenue.

In this case, the funds from SoG are used to cover the cost of the resort, with any excess going back into the general fund to be shared with, or create, other AAFES programs. But in order to not have one program that may be more expensive to run drain the general fund, it has to make enough (through what eligible people pay to stay) to cover day to day operating costs - with some in reserve for future expenses (repairs, etc)

As mentioned, it is not a for profit business so doesn't have a profit margin. But it does need to have a sustainable revenue flow or it will start to be a drain on the general fund. Which may either cause other programs to lose funds, or raise the prices for those using the resort, or cut down on services at the resort, or eventually, if the drain is bad enough, to eliminate using the resort.
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
The Mom said:
I've served on the board of a Non-profit organization so I understand what you're saying. It was (and still exists) not as a profit generating business, but, if it did not make a "profit" (for lack of a better word) it would not have funds to help those it was formed to help. I looked it up, and the correct term is revenue.

In this case, the funds from SoG are used to cover the cost of the resort, with any excess going back into the general fund to be shared with, or create, other AAFES programs. But in order to not have one program that may be more expensive to run drain the general fund, it has to make enough (through what eligible people pay to stay) to cover day to day operating costs - with some in reserve for future expenses (repairs, etc)

As mentioned, it is not a for profit business so doesn't have a profit margin. But it does need to have a sustainable revenue flow or it will start to be a drain on the general fund. Which may either cause other programs to lose funds, or raise the prices for those using the resort, or cut down on services at the resort, or eventually, if the drain is bad enough, to eliminate using the resort.
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Revenue is just the money that comes in. Profit is revenue minus costs and profit margin is the percentage of revenue that is profit. AAFES calls it earnings, but it’s the same thing.
 
The Mom

The Mom

Moderator
Premium Member
lazyboy97o said:
Revenue is just the money that comes in. Profit is revenue minus costs and profit margin is the percentage of revenue that is profit. AAFES calls it earnings, but it’s the same thing.
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Thank you for the correction. So the argument is over semantics. In short, SoG has to take in more than it spends on upkeep, staff, etc in order to be self supporting and not a drain on the general fund?
 
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GimpYancIent

Well-Known Member
The Mom said:
Thank you for the correction. So the argument is over semantics. In short, SoG has to take in more than it spends on upkeep, staff, etc in order to be self supporting and not a drain on the general fund?
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You had it absolutely right from the get-go. SoG is not in it to make a "profit".
 
LeRaposa

LeRaposa

Member
Original Poster
s&k'smom said:
We are staying for the first time in January, curious to hear others thoughts of recent trips. I've watched several you tube videos and it looks beautiful.
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A few years ago I would say that it was one of my favorite resorts. It's fallen down the list for me. The closure of the walkway makes things cumbersome. Being able to walk over to the Polynesian was wonderful. It's an ok resort that just needs a little more to be great. The grounds are beautiful though. It's very well maintained. I always see people out working on it.
 
networkpro

networkpro

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
We've been frequent patrons of Sog before and after the Covid shutdown and are there currently. It's just change, pros and cons. The busses are more tightly controlled and without the path to the Poly, fewer drunks stumbling back to the resort. It's not Disney run so they are not going to bend over and kiss your feet, but they are cordial and responsive.

For the slight about availability of food, Evergreens by the Mill pool opens at 11am and closes at 11pm. The Express Cafe down beside the bus stop opens at 7 and closes at 1pm..I guess that was what was referred to as "the main lunch place" but it's just a food stop for folks otw to the first park of the day...breakfast items and sandwiches you can take along for later.

Just like any other Disney resort if you have a reservation, you can drive over and park.
 
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