Someone please save Pooh at EPCOT

[celluloid]

Princess meet is 4 rooms with 2 Princesses per room. Ariel is 2 rooms. The hours they’re open is a lot longer compared to other parks too. Pete’s Sideshow also has relatively long hours too compared to other parks meet and greets


Enchanted Tales with Belle is also very labor intensive

They are designed and billed as attractions.
Belle is specifically designed as a walk through experience.

It is a revenue increaser and there is no evidence to more people meeting the characters.

It's a better ROI for Disney because the elements can not stop the customizable staffing. You can share attendants much easier in the current system

Far more people are meeting the roamers in Japan than Fairytale Hall.
Tokyo park for park has more meetable characters than any other Disney Park.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

What makes more sense to you, that Disneyland has different types of guests, than WDW, so the companies base their offerings accordingly, or that the company just does one thing at one location, and something else at a different location just because? That that the know one type of offering would work just as good as both locations, but they purposefully choose to do a different, less marketable offering...for no reason?

Well since WDW used to offer the same level of live entertainment and characters… yes.

Why do you think WDW no longer offers a night parade? Cause guests don’t want it?

 

[Bocabear]

Well since WDW used to offer the same level of live entertainment and characters… yes.

Why do you think WDW no longer offers a night parade? Cause guests don’t want it?

merely to make more cash per guest than what Disneyland does...that can be the only excuse.... And if more people would start noticing that fact and maybe visit the WDW resort less, they might get the message and start reversing the trend...but I think TDO believes the rubes will come no matter how difficult they make it, and how expensive they can push it....We are no longer guests but simply part of a spreadsheet... Where at Disneyland I may still be part of that spreadsheet, but I am treated like a valued guest

 

[drizgirl]

Well since WDW used to offer the same level of live entertainment and characters… yes.

Why do you think WDW no longer offers a night parade? Cause guests don’t want it?

It's pretty simple. Disney does as little as they can get away with. The local APs hold their feet to the fire more, so DL gets more. WDW has far more infrequent visitors who accept a lesser product. That's why WDW is the ATM of the company. They make withdrawals, but are very slow to make deposits.

 

[Lilofan]

The grass looks like garbage, too. Have they ever heard of fertilizer?

Fertilizer and sprinkler systems cost money.

 

[wdrive]

Far more people are meeting the roamers in Japan than Fairytale Hall.
Tokyo park for park has more meetable characters than any other Disney Park.

Absolutely false.

MK at WDW has the highest numbers of characters out meeting guests. Variety no, but throughput yes.

 

[wdrive]

They are designed and billed as attractions.
Belle is specifically designed as a walk through experience.

It is a revenue increaser and there is no evidence to more people meeting the characters.

It's a better ROI for Disney because the elements can not stop the customizable staffing. You can share attendants much easier in the current system

I’m well aware they are designed and billed as attractions. They’re still meeting a character in a fancy room with a built in queue-line however at the end of the day no matter how they are billed. The spitting tiki statues are also billed as an attraction

No evidence to more people meeting the characters? Two rooms of the same character meeting guests all day long will see more than one character meeting guests with regular breaks and a lunch all within one singular shift

 

[drizgirl]

I’m well aware they are designed and billed as attractions. They’re still meeting a character in a fancy room with a built in queue-line however at the end of the day no matter how they are billed. The spitting tiki statues are also billed as an attraction

No evidence to more people meeting the characters? Two rooms of the same character meeting guests all day long will see more than one character meeting guests with regular breaks and a lunch all within one singular shift

They also contribute to G+ inventory, so that puts them in a very different category from the spitting tiki statues.

 

[wdrive]

Well since WDW used to offer the same level of live entertainment and characters… yes.

Why do you think WDW no longer offers a night parade? Cause guests don’t want it?

Because the tourist crowd of WDW don’t know that there used to be a regular night parade.

Why do you think they don’t?

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Because the tourist crowd of WDW don’t know that there used to be a regular night parade.

Why do you think they don’t?

well I know it’s $$$. We all know that.

But I’m confused, are you in support of Disney giving WDW guests less of the Disney park experience?

 

[wdrive]

well I know it’s $$$. We all know that.

But I’m confused, are you in support of Disney giving WDW guests less of the Disney park experience?

I’d rather they had a night parade of course.

I originally got involved in this discussion in saying that Disney World wasn’t being cheap with their characters and have more out than anywhere else. Could they do more and have more roaming like Disneyland? Absolutely, if they wanted to they would. But they’re more interested in heavily covering the basics so the tourists are pleased than throwing out Pinocchio and Cruella unfortunately.

I don’t really have a horse in the race as I haven’t met a character for years and don’t really plan to anytime soon, I enjoy seeing them about I guess. And as much as I’d like to see a huge variety of characters, I also understand the concern of the tourist family who just wants to meet Mickey, Minnie and some Princesses as easily as possible. That’s in an advertised location with long hours where they’ll be all day everything with a line as fast moving as possible and that won’t get cut if the weather takes a turn for the worse.

But yes the lack of entertainment in WDW compared to Disneyland is shocking. But also let’s not pretend Disneyland always has a parade running or nightly fireworks. Again catering to different demographics.

 

[MagicRat]

We saw him a few times like this last week, we thought he looked cute looking for butterflies!

 

[Robbiem]

Apparently, they have forgotten what it’s like for a child to enter MK for the first time and immediately see characters. Moments like that make parents book a return trip.

smh

I still remember seeing mr smee waterskiing on the lagoon the first time we visited WDW

 

[brb1006]

The Magic Kingdom has the most number of characters out than any other Disney park in the world. And has done for a long while now.

What about rare and obscure characters (especially those exclusive to foreign Disney Parks)?

 

[wdrive]

What about rare and obscure characters (especially those exclusive to foreign Disney Parks)?

What about them?

I’ve already said I’m talking numbers of characters not variety.

 

[brb1006]

Throughout the day I always see Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto, goofy, chip, dale out and about - plus Cruella by the fire station during the daytime. Princesses often are around town square in the afternoon as well.

Mad hatter and Alice are usually out plus Mary and Burt, Pinocchio, gipetto, and the evil queen roaming by the castle and fantasyland.

Tiana rides the riverboat, encanto and coco are by the Mexican restaurant, tink has her meet in fantasyland, Pooh and friends meet in critter country, then there are all the storm troopers and chewie, and kylo, and mandolorian in galaxies edge.

Live action mermaid in fantasyland (if that’s still a thing? It was on my last visit).

Stitch is usually in Tomorrowland along with some other pals - I even saw that female chipmunk once! Darth Vader meets in Tomorrowland too.

red and captain jack roam New Orleans.

And of course toontown has the dedicated meets for Mickey and Minnie and then you see other characters like Pete roaming around as well.

I don’t even try to look for characters.

I remember a few months back, Marie from The Aristocats was spotted at ToonTown near Minnie's House and the Town Hall Area (prior to getting re-imagined in 2023). Also the female chipmunk is named "Clarice".

 

[brb1006]

I still remember seeing mr smee waterskiing on the lagoon the first time we visited WDW

Same with Pinocchio

I miss when WDW used to do stuff like this.

 

[celluloid]

I’m well aware they are designed and billed as attractions. They’re still meeting a character in a fancy room with a built in queue-line however at the end of the day no matter how they are billed. The spitting tiki statues are also billed as an attraction

No evidence to more people meeting the characters? Two rooms of the same character meeting guests all day long will see more than one character meeting guests with regular breaks and a lunch all within one singular shift

Not true. The Tikis don't have someone clicking counts digital or manually. Character greetings and Belle's does. I don't even think those Leeki Tikis are listed on the map anymore with a description, are they? They are a thematic element. They don't have people counters and a daily operation team.

You would be surprised how long it can take for next family to get situated and how much awkward time can go by when the greeting is kind of over and the character and guest are both kind of done. Next, knock knock, come in, bags down.

It is great that individualized attention can sometimes occur and should for certain situations. It fits each guest's needs.

But you ever stand around at Tokyo Disneyland or even Disneyland and see how many clicks they get, and the people who want more attention and interaction hang around, the ones that were good with a side hug and quick photo are done.

You also get less characters with the system. Its great that the princesses move along, but when you have multiple sets, you try and get a bit more efficiency, but you don't have a variety of characters either.

With roaming you actually have more people meeting a larger body of characters, rather than a line to meet the same two/three
Having Fairytale Hall with Photopass taking photos as well as the the guest's personal photo eats up that much more time.
It is not bad, but it is how it goes.

Belle is probably the worst as it is an entire show and then kind of meeting her, but it is understandable as it was designed as a walk-throguh grouping rather than a meet and greet, basically Disney's attempt to answer Olivander's wand shop intimidate experience.


At Tokyo Didsneyland in two days I met nearly 20 characters without even trying. Never waited more than a minute and a half to get noticed and a quick picture and interaction with any of them.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

At Tokyo Didsneyland in two days I met nearly 20 characters without even trying. Never waited more than a minute and a half to get noticed and a quick picture and interaction with any of them.

At Disneyland I’m often approached by characters for a high five or quick hello when I’m just sitting and listening to a band or waiting for a horse trolley.

On my last trip I was listening to the New Orleans jazz band and I turned to see Captain Jack standing right next to me directing the band. I turned and smiled. He tipped his hat and he was off.

 

[wdrive]

Not true. The Tikis don't have someone clicking counts digital or manually. Character greetings and Belle's does. I don't even think those Leeki Tikis are listed on the map anymore with a description, are they? They are a thematic element. They don't have people counters and a daily operation team.

You would be surprised how long it can take for next family to get situated and how much awkward time can go by when the greeting is kind of over and the character and guest are both kind of done. Next, knock knock, come in, bags down.

It is great that individualized attention can sometimes occur and should for certain situations. It fits each guest's needs.

But you ever stand around at Tokyo Disneyland or even Disneyland and see how many clicks they get, and the people who want more attention and interaction hang around, the ones that were good with a side hug and quick photo are done.

You also get less characters with the system. Its great that the princesses move along, but when you have multiple sets, you try and get a bit more efficiency, but you don't have a variety of characters either.

With roaming you actually have more people meeting a larger body of characters, rather than a line to meet the same two/three
Having Fairytale Hall with Photopass taking photos as well as the the guest's personal photo eats up that much more time.
It is not bad, but it is how it goes.

Belle is probably the worst as it is an entire show and then kind of meeting her, but it is understandable as it was designed as a walk-throguh grouping rather than a meet and greet, basically Disney's attempt to answer Olivander's wand shop intimidate experience.


At Tokyo Didsneyland in two days I met nearly 20 characters without even trying. Never waited more than a minute and a half to get noticed and a quick picture and interaction with any of them.

You’ve missed my entire point. Yes performer to performer, one roaming outside can meet more than one performer stood inside with a line.

As I’ve said multiple times, I’m not talking about variety of characters, I’m talking actual numbers of people working. Not capacity. And once again I will say an entire day of a fully staffed Princess Fairytale Hall, Cinderella will meet significantly more guests than Cinderella outside in another park. Do you know how many Cinderella’s there are a day in MK? And you know how many in Tokyo? It’s literally madness to suggest one person can see as many people.

I’m not against how Tokyo or Disneyland do it and I’m certainly not saying WDW does it better. It’s great seeing characters outside. I am saying that MK has more characters out a day than any other park.

Also which meet and greet buildings do they bring you in individually? Any I have experienced you queue until you’re pretty much at the character. Pretty much the same as if the character had a line outside.