Speculation - MK Welcome Show to end

[No Name]

That would be terrible. This would not be a cut. It would be more like a mega chop.

The welcome show is such an important part of the experience. Everyone waits excitedly behind the train station. Then Mickey and the others (and of course the special family) come out on the train, and you hear the choo choo and the excited children, and boy oh boy, it feels so magical. It also blocks the view of the park and the castle so that it's all that much more climatic and exciting when you get in. Really helps make the experience so much better.

It also sets the mood higher. Oh, and people buy things when they're in a good mood, and they also make the mood better for everyone else, because attitude is truly contagious in a crowded place like WDW. So I do think that by not kickstarting the day of the first visitors, it'll have a negative effect on everyone else which will in turn have a negative effect on sales and return visitors.

So this is one of the worse cuts in my opinion. But, if the execs making the decisions have never experienced the show, how can they know what effect it has? Hoping this one isn't true.

 

[tissandtully]

I think you buried the lede in that there is an AbD in Central Florida??!!

 

[DisneyFans4Life]

This seems to be a strange move. If they're cutting it due to capacity issues at the front of the park...those same people are going to be all crammed in in front of the castle. Maybe they think people have lost interest in the welcome show...especially now with EMH. Think about it...if you get to get into the park an hour early or have a breakfast reservation...you're completely missing the show. I'm sure they have data to support the change and it's not a "haha...let's cut something else to off all the people on the WDW Magic forum."

 

[Rteetz]

I think you buried the lede in that there is an AbD in Central Florida??!!

The central Florida trip was just announced today.

 

[tissandtully]

The central Florida trip was just announced today.

I thought it was kind of funny, but growing up in Central Florida I guess it would be good for all the international visitors, there really is plenty of other things to do besides WDW in CFL.

 

[Coaster Lover]

Question (because I've always arrived after the welcome show)... is the park fully and completely open after the welcome show ends? Or do you still need to wait at the end of Main Street until the park opens and they let you into the park? If it is the former, it makes a lot of sense to allow guests into Main Street before the park fully opens because then people can start shopping and buying snacks along Main Street. As others have also said, having a "welcome" show on the castle stage also allows for much more flexibility and viewing space.

 

[discos]

Question (because I've always arrived after the welcome show)... is the park fully and completely open after the welcome show ends? Or do you still need to wait at the end of Main Street until the park opens and they let you into the park? If it is the former, it makes a lot of sense to allow guests into Main Street before the park fully opens because then people can start shopping and buying snacks along Main Street. As others have also said, having a "welcome" show on the castle stage also allows for much more flexibility and viewing space.

I believe once the welcome show ends the entire park is open and you don't have to wait on Main St.

 

[DisneyFans4Life]

I believe once the welcome show ends the entire park is open and you don't have to wait on Main St.

This is correct. Once you go through the arches...the park is operational. The only thing you may have to wait for are the character M&Gs.

 

[danv3]

If this came to pass, it would be a real loss IMO.

 

[Clamman73]

Question (because I've always arrived after the welcome show)... is the park fully and completely open after the welcome show ends? Or do you still need to wait at the end of Main Street until the park opens and they let you into the park? If it is the former, it makes a lot of sense to allow guests into Main Street before the park fully opens because then people can start shopping and buying snacks along Main Street. As others have also said, having a "welcome" show on the castle stage also allows for much more flexibility and viewing space.

You have to walk behind the rope line with the CMs up until the hub area. I think that's one reason for this change since they basically have to babysit people from running up Main Street to the Mine Train, and it's quite a few CMs they have doing it.
So this really makes sense, but the loss of the train pulling in during the show up front is a little sad to me since that's an emotional moment that gets to me. Oh well.

 

[rioriz]

In all the ways people are clamoring for Disney to be more like Universal they picked the wrong on

Short term pain for long term gain

 

[zulemara]

As much as I wanna jump on that "it's a cost cut" band wagon, I really do have to believe this is a capacity issue. The problem isn't just allll the people crowded in, it's security right behind all those people who can't get through and that goes back even further to the fact that transportation is dropping off up to 600 at a time from the ferries, 400 from the monorails, and then busses as they come. The increased efficiency of transportation has put pressure on security to the point where they have asked watercraft to slow it down(they now have 2 slips at both TTC and MK which means they can have all 3 ferries running continuously rather than one having to wait in the lake)

Still, it saddens me, but I fear this is actually a situation where the show(and therefore the park) is a victim of its own success.

 

[AndyS2992]

This is a shame if true However I don't know why they can't just move the Welcome show on the castle stage, have the characters walk through the castle on to the stage and shoot the fireworks out through the castle like they do at the end of DAWM, and when the show ends, they drop the ropes. I think it would work perfeclty if space was an issue in front of the station. But I doubt that is the reason...

If they want to be cheap, then just do what Disneyland Paris does, have everyone gather in the hub and have an opening announcement play. It's not as special but better than nothing which seems to be on the cards.

 

[John]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you people!!!!!!! some of you justifying this! First the opening show is iconic to MK. A small special event for those who got to the park early. It was special. A good morning in a way only Disney can do.

Capacity? the only reason there is a capacity issue to begin with is because of how two of the other parks have been handled. DHS is hardly worth going to and EPCOT has little to do early in the morning. EPCOT has really become restaurants and little else....a more later in the day and evening type of experience. More people are skipping these parks. Not to mention the demograph in which Disney is shooting for these days. All of this puts more pressure on MK. So to rectify this they cut this wonderful iconic event?

Uggggggggggggg are you kidding me? No this is a pure money issue plain and simple. Its funny every single cut that has been announced there is someone who is justifying it......finding a reason that in their mind that says.....this is OK.

Also I have seen some people say that 90% of guest wont even notice. Which I think is true. But is that what built WDW to begin with? NO Disney was all about detail. Every guest counted. Even if one guest noticed something then it was one to many. So what about that 10% that does notice? Disney just flips them the bird and tells them......so what. All of this infuriates me. Its not like they are having economic problems. Just the opposite. And yet some of you can find justification.....Once this is gone do you seriously think it will ever come back? NO! the only place you will see it is on You Tube!

edit: I like the hub idea, but its not a capacity issue!!!!!!!!!!!! Its a money issue. They are not going to choreograph a new show much less fireworks....it cost money.

 

[dreamscometrue]

If it happens, I'll be upset then. There's enough stuff, good and bad, to deal with in the present.

"I've lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened. "...Mark Twain

 

[jrhwdw]

The Welcome show has got to be too popular to just end plus there are no rumors of cutting the trolley dancers(CORRECT?!?!?!?!?!?!)which does the welcome show.

I HOPE I don't eat my words but, I would wait and see with this one.....Could they just be doing the no train version at the castle stage? They do have a version not using the train. Maybe a new song? I'm sorry but MK's anthem needs to go, It's not 7 lands anymore.

 

[DisneyGigi]

The Welcome show has got to be too popular to just end plus there are no rumors of cutting the trolley dancers(CORRECT?!?!?!?!?!?!)which does the welcome show.

I HOPE I don't eat my words but, I would wait and see with this one.....Could they just be doing the no train version at the castle stage? They do have a version not using the train. Maybe a new song? I'm sorry but MK's anthem needs to go, It's not 7 lands anymore.

It should have been changed to 6. That was sloppy that they did not. Love the train, the anticipation though. Not the same once you are already in the park. Just like the vision of building excitement. It loses that if you are the hub. Why not just take in the castle show?

 

[Tpman]

Two words: Shanghai Disneyland! That park is behind schedule and over budget. Rumor has it Disney will manage a kind of "operational budget cuts" to save some money at Disneyland and Walt Disney World with the removal of the 2nd Fantasmic! show on evenings until Easter week and only one nightly performance of the Main Street Electrical Parade through the entire month. Most of the Meet & Greet would be dramatically reduced.

 

[raven]

Given Disney's track record in recent years and reflecting on the news that hit today, I'm getting a feeling this may be yet another separate hard ticket event (aka scheme) to make more money.

 

[andysol]

Two words: Shanghai Disneyland! That park is behind schedule and over budget. Rumor has it Disney will manage a kind of "operational budget cuts" to save some money at Disneyland and Walt Disney World with the removal of the 2nd Fantasmic! show on evenings until Easter week and only one nightly performance of the Main Street Electrical Parade through the entire month. Most of the Meet & Greet would be dramatically reduced.

Wow! Someone should start a thread about that!